Trip Reports

Introduction

Participants:
Me - Sheri (37), the planner and an accountant at an insurance firm, Disney fanatic
Rich (39), my wonderful husband and a configuration manager with a software developer, avid collector
my Dad, Bob, (turning 70 the week before the trip), a master scuba diver; my stepmother
Betty (younger than my Dad but I'm not willing to ask her!), also a master scuba diver and someone who keeps my Dad happy.
When: September 15-21, 1999 - planned. What actually happened was Rich and I were there September 16-22 and Dad and Betty were there September 15-19.
How: Airline from Omaha, NE for Sheri and Rich; driving from the Florida Keys via Pennsylvania for Dad and Betty (it's a bit of a drive but it's necessary).
Frequency: This will be Rich's and my tenth time to the World. Our last trip was in June, 1999 and before that October, 1998. Yes, three times within one year. Have to make those Annual Passports pay off! My Dad and Betty's experiences are somewhat limited. They live in the Florida Keys but have only visited as a couple a few times (once was when they evacuated from Hurricane Georges). I am doing all the planning and coordination. If you've read my last couple of trip reports, you know I really plan! This vacation should prove very interesting with two very diverse couples trying for a nice, uncomplicated trip. This is the first time I've ever planned a Disney vacation with people other than my husband and son.
Where: Disney Institute (see below for why and how).
OK, now that I wrote all that and did it months and months ago, it's time for an update. This was anything but an uncomplicated trip. Throw in medical conditions and hurricanes and you have one heck of a complicated vacation! I learned a lot about flexibility and how not to be a tour guide. In fact, I probably will never plan another Disney trip. I will still go to Disney but I will not plan things to death. This report is a lesson in changing plans and going with the flow. If you are an intense planner ("at 8:30 we will be on Peter Pan"), this report will shock you. The report is long and has the good, the bad, and the ugly. Sit back, relax, and hold on while the hurricanes wail.

Why I Wrote this Report

How could I not? My father only turns 70 once. I live in Nebraska and he lives in Florida so I don't get to see him very often. I want to re-live this trip as many times as I can. My son, Chris (he's 17 and a senior in high school), will not be going on this trip. It's too hard to take him out of school. So the only way he can participate in the trip is to read the report. And then Chris' kids can read about what their great-grandfather was like. It's like it's my homage to my father. He always wrote reports when we went on our family vacations when I was a kid. I used to go back again and again and read those reports. And I found another reason for writing the reports. My sister's daughter, Ashley, likes to read them. Ashley lives in California, my sister in Florida, and us in Nebraska. This report will let ALL members of our family enjoy our vacation.

Background and Miscellaneous Planning Information

Timing - we're going in September because of my father's birthday but also because of Rich's and my Annual Passports. We bought ours last October and made October, 1998 and June, 1999 trips (see this site for our reports on those trips). So I just had to work in one more trip before the passes expired. Once I figured out that my father was celebrating a milestone, it was an easy choice.

Resort - My Dad insisted on separate rooms because he says my stepmother snores (and that turned out to be an understatement). I think he's more concerned about his own snoring! I called on 2/18/99 for the reservations. At the time, I was not feeling well and it was snowing in Nebraska. I needed a lift. So I called and asked for the best deals at Fort Wilderness Cabins, Boardwalk, Villas at Disney Institute, or Old Key West Resort. All the places I knew had a separate bedroom. Bianca took all the discounts I had (Annual Passport, Magic Kingdom Club, Florida resident) but came up with a package that I think will work. We'll be in a one bedroom cabin at Fort Wilderness for six nights with breakfast included for a total of $1,348 for the four of us. That comes to $337 per person or $674 per couple. The breakfast is any breakfast at any place. So I think we'll be doing all the buffet breakfasts we can!

My Disney email penpal Adrienne clued me into Jeff Spencer's website with all the great pictures of Fort Wilderness. I immediately checked it out and it was wonderful. If anyone is staying anywhere at Fort Wilderness, make sure you use this valuable resource.

We'll have one separate bedroom with a double bed and a bunk bed. The sitting room will have a pull down bed. At this point, I think Rich and I will be in the separate bedroom and Dad and Betty will be in the sitting room. The reason is that Dad and Betty will probably get up a lot earlier than us and can use the kitchen to make coffee. Rich and I tend to stay up later and there's a separate TV in the bedroom so we can watch that as late as we want. I normally would like to sleep in but I'll get up for the breakfasts. I'll make priority seatings for the latest times I can get, though! It is my vacation, after all! We'll have a full kitchen and a grill outside so I won't plan on any priority seatings for dinner.

And then things changed (for the first time and certainly not for the last time). Remember that hurricane my dad evacuated from? Well, it takes a long time to restore your house from flooding. So I wanted to cut down on the expenses as much as I could. Also, our trip in June provided me with some insight on how Rich and I tour Disney. We used the rental car a lot more than I thought so getting one this trip was essential. My dad and Betty would be driving so they would have their van but Fort Wilderness Cabins only allows one car per site so our rental would have to be parked elsewhere and we'd have to take a bus to get to it. And I didn't do so well when I had to get up at a specific time so I knew those breakfasts wouldn't be a good thing for me. So I called CRO again to get something different.

We still wanted a couple of rooms since our styles are so different. I got a bungalow at the Disney Institute for $149/night. OK, it's not great savings but it's $992 for the six nights versus the original $1,348. That saves each couple about $200 and I know Rich already has a sericel picked out with our "savings". From the floor plan on Disney's official site, I saw that the two queen beds are in the same room (we'll have to put up with the snoring [we tried, we really tried] as long as they put up with ours!) but we have a separate living room. That'll be nice so that Dad and Betty can use it in the mornings and Rich and I can use it at night. I was very concerned with the comments I read that the Institute isn't themed well and it doesn't feel like Disney. So when I was there on my own in June, I checked it out. As soon as I got out of the car, I knew this was a place for us. It is quiet, it is secluded. And that's what we need. Also, I saw a ton of bunny rabbits and other wildlife. All tame and all out on a rainy night. I drove Rich over to the Institute when he got there and he thought everything was fine. We lose the breakfast deal but that really wasn't going to be an option for me anyway. We still get a microwave, refrigerator, and more importantly, a coffee maker. My stepmother HAS to have coffee ASAP in the morning.

We received our copy of the Mickey Monitor (a newsletter for Annual Passport holders) and saw that they were advertising a rate of $129/night at the Institute for the time we would be there. I called on a Saturday afternoon and the cast member quoted me a rate of over $1300 for our six nights! I told her that was $232/night and that wasn't what I was looking for. She wasn't very helpful. So I was up the next morning and called and was given the $129 rate. If you don't get the information you need when you call CRO because the CM isn't informed, hang up and call back.

I switched my deposit from Fort Wilderness Cabins over to the Disney Institute. With that deposit and the Institute deposit, plus the money I have on the Dive Quest (see below), our vacation is already paid for! All we need to do is buy our meals (already saved for that) and our souvenirs (you can never save enough for that). Dad and Betty will either send us a check now or we will settle when we are there. Everything will initially go on my credit card since that will be so much easier.

Tickets - Rich and I have Premium Annual Passports so that's not a problem. It looks like Dad and Betty will get the Florida Seasonal Pass for the unbelievable rate of $158. It's good for a year but has blackout dates for the summer, Christmas, and Easter. But, as Betty put it, "why would we want to go those dates anyway"? They will follow my advice and prebuy the tickets. Betty works for a computer firm housed in Pennsylvania so she has to check in with them twice a year. They decided to go there first (about a month before the trip) and then backtrack through Florida and Orlando. So I told them to make sure they had their tickets before they left. But that didn't work out since the phone call to Disney didn't happen until the week before they were ready to leave for Pennsylvania. So they will need to buy the tickets at the resort. This should not pose a problem at all.

Rental car - My Dad and Betty will have their own vehicle for the time. Rich and I used our rental car so often during the June trip that I decided we'd always have one for our Disney trips. I discovered a great trick to getting a good parking space at Animal Kingdom so we'll drive there. MGM's lot isn't that big anyway so we'll probably drive there also. Buses are essential to Magic Kingdom. And I think we'll be parking at the Boardwalk for access to Epcot. I went out to dollar.com and snagged a compact rate of $98/week. It's a Dodge Neon which we had last year and it was fine for two people. I've always been satisfied with Dollar's service and quality so I'm pretty happy with the car. If Rich and I had done the limo service (it was a close second to the rental car), it would have been $70 plus 15%-20% gratuity so we're coming close to the rental car rate.

Touring - Rich and I did such a relaxed touring plan in June and I'd like to continue that. My Dad and Betty really haven't "done Disney" (their words) in five years so they are looking to me for a plan. We will do the day after early entry and I will plan priority seatings around that. The Dive Quest (see below) interferes with that but I can manage. The only thing on the "must see" list is Rock N Roller Coaster if the lines aren't out the door. My Dad and Betty will go along with anything so it'll be nice to just walk around and get into anything that attracts our attention.

Airline - We're going out on Northwest through Memphis. We leave at 6:30 AM on Wednesday, the 15th and come back around 1:00 PM on the 21st. (Changed later thanks to Hurricane Floyd). I wanted a direct flight but beggars can't be choosers when you live in the Midwest and want to fly anywhere. The price was great (less than $250) so we had to settle. Much to my surprise, we actually will get food on two out of the four legs so that'll work out.

Dive Quest - Both my Dad and Betty are master scuba divers. They have their own scuba business in the Florida Keys (if you're interested in a tour, let me know). So the Dive Quest is a definite. This is a program where the participants actually get to dive in The Living Seas. I searched the RADP newsgroup for any information on the Dive Quest and there wasn't a single negative comment on it. In fact, the reactions were so enthusiastic that I knew I needed to book my Dad on it as soon as possible. The cost is $140/person so that will be my birthday present to him. I emailed Betty with all the information I gathered and she willingly agreed to go along so she can be my dad's dive buddy. See what I mean about her making him happy? This will be a surprise present for my Dad and I'm hoping that the beans don't get spilled beforehand. I called and scheduled it for the Friday we're there. It starts at 4:15 at Guest Relations at Epcot so I'll have to invent an excuse for being there at that exact time. I'm going with a plan where I tell my Dad that we have a priority seating for a 4:30 dinner at Morocco but I have to re-confirm that with Guest Relations beforehand. I will include my Dad's reactions to the experience in case there are any other divers out there that want to do this unusual tour.

I was surprised to receive two Disney reservations in the mail for the Dive Quest. I thought this would be similar to Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue where you don't get any physical confirmation. But I got two separate paper reservations for the Dive Quest. I'll have to remember to take those reservations along with me.

Food - I had done a lot of research on breakfast options with the original Wilderness Cabins plan. I'm glad I did because we had a great breakfast at Spoodles during our June trip. But now I'm looking at lunches and dinners. So far, I have decided on this plan:

Wednesday, the 15th - open and maybe offsite or a picnic in the room.
Thursday, the 16th - MGM lunch at 50's Prime Time Café - my father and husband flirt with the best of them so I'm hoping for a female waitperson.
Friday, the 17th - it's Dive Quest night - dinner at Morocco - after much discussion, I found out my stepmother is a huge couscous fan. If she's doing the Dive Quest for my dad, how can I resist Morocco for her?
Saturday, the 18th - Hoop Dee Doo.
Sunday, the 19th - Plaza Restaurant for lunch.
Monday, the 20th - Rainforest Café (Animal Kingdom) for lunch. This one might change since Rich and I ate there last October. When I told Rich we were going to be eating there again, he groaned. It's not that Rainforest is bad but Disney can do so much more.
I did make Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review reservations in February. I made the reservation for the Saturday night we are there for the 7:15 show. I know making the reservation was kind of late but I didn't know that was a priority with my Dad until the night before I made the reservation! Otherwise, I would have had something set up last year. My Dad thought you could only make the ressies 30 days in advance and that's why he didn't mention it. So I called ASAP but I don't know how this is going to turn out. I usually call at least one year in advance.

Dad and Betty have offered to stop at a grocery store on the way down for essentials. They also mentioned something about the great liquor prices in Maryland but since that would be illegal to transport across state lines, I'm sure they will pass that up (NOT!). I will email a grocery list to them about a month before we leave and ask them to pick up the necessary items. Rich has to have Diet Coke first thing in the morning. Prices onsite will be a lot higher than offsite. So I'll try and take care of what we need before we get there. An interesting note - a recent planning report suggested an online site that delivers groceries via Federal Express. That might be an alternative option if I don't want to bother Dad and Betty with grocery shopping for us.

So I think we're pretty much set for now. I will continue to lurk on RADP and check this site and Deb Wills site for updated information. I can't thank enough all the people who have helped me plan this trip and the two before this.

The Week Before - Or "See What All This Planning Gets You"

All the planning you do can go by the wayside when fate hits you. Betty went to Pennsylvania and then was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was a shock since no one in my family or Rich's ever has had to go through this. Fortunately, the cancer was caught in Stage One and everything should be OK. But there is surgery to be considered and Dad and Betty will not be continuing on to the Keys after the Disney visit. In fact, they will be leaving one day early to go back to Pennsylvania for the necessary surgery. Betty's Dive Quest participation is a factor since she had to have the lump removed and now has an incision that needs to heal before she can dive again. So we will wait on that one.

So plans will change just slightly to ensure that Betty has the most enjoyable vacation. She certainly needs it. Plus, my dad will be by her side during this whole thing so his needs come to the forefront. Rich and I were just at Disney World and we will be going back again next June so we will be able to enjoy everything on one of those trips.

The other change in plans is that my dad says that he and Betty need just breakfast and dinner. They don't do lunch at all. I should have kept those Fort Wilderness plans! So I rearranged some things and got priority seatings for some good breakfasts at various resorts. We still have the dinner at Morocco after Dive Quest (my dad will still do it with or without Betty) and Hoop Dee Doo on Saturday night. But I'm going to leave the other nights open. I just don't know where we will be. I'm planning a Park of the Day to start off in but I know we won't last the full day there. So I have no idea where we will be on certain nights at dinnertime. I'll try for last minute seatings and will really try and be very flexible. That's hard for me so this should be interesting. And, out of all the priority seatings I made, we kept only two.

Our Monday plans have changed quite a bit since Dad and Betty will be leaving to go back to Pennsylvania. I thought about a nice, romantic dinner for just Rich and myself and then went through all the menu options on Deb Wills' site. I really didn't find anything that would fit us. And it's a Monday night. That means football. So I really thought about an eat in dinner in the room for us. I looked and looked and thought Olivia's To Go at Old Key West looked good. But then we saw the Monday Night Football lineup and decided that it wasn't worth it to stay in the room. I printed off the menus of a couple of places and had Rich decide which one to take. He picked Kona Kafe at the Polynesian and that really made me happy. I wanted a romantic night so we can eat dinner and then stroll along the beach. I also want to check out the different buildings so I can figure out where I want to stay in June.

I did fax my only room request to the Institute two days before we left. I wanted a first floor room. When I had seen the Institute in June, I noticed that the balconies on the second floor could not hold four people so I wanted the first floor so all of us could sit out at night and relax. The reasoning I put into the fax was that my dad was 70 years old and I didn't want him walking up and down the stairs. Little did I know this was not a fib at all.

The Hurricane Floyd Saga

What fate doesn't decide, Mother Nature will. If you've been paying attention, you'll take notice of the date we were supposed to arrive. Well, Hurricane Floyd decided to change everything. Here's the recap of how a year-long planned vacation can turn completely around. Understand that I went through four hurricanes and evacuated from one in 1985. I know the power of the storms and I respect what they can do.

Tuesday, September 14, 1999

I woke up this morning, fully expecting to see Floyd doing something other than what he was doing. What I saw via the internet was not good. I called our airline, Northwest, and asked what the outlook was. The lady I talked to said that nothing would be decided until 6:00 that night. I would just have to wait. Well, if you know me, I have zero tolerance for waiting. Patience and me don't see eye to eye. I called Rich and he said "what can we do"? Well, nothing. I can't control nature. I was concerned about my Dad and Betty since they were scheduled to leave Boyertown, Pennsylvania at 4:00 that morning and drive south of Jacksonville, Florida during the day. Floyd wasn't going to be nice to Jacksonville. I tried Betty's cell phone but didn't get any response. I called Betty's son's house which we had dubbed "storm central". We wanted a safe harbor to leave messages in case either party had to bail because of the hurricane. I was told that Dad and Betty decided to leave at 7:30 and just drive into Atlanta and see what Floyd did. Thank goodness. I called the cell phone number again and did get Betty so that eased a lot of my fears.

I sent out an email to Bruce Metcalf who is a Disney World Cast Member and, naturally, lives in the Orlando area. I asked him for any information he had.

I went into work and got a lot of questions about what I was going to do. I don't know! I called Northwest again and was told that the Orlando airport was closing at 2:00 that afternoon and they couldn't tell me if it would be open by the time my flight was scheduled to land at 11:30 the next morning. I panicked since I know airlines are notoriously cheap and it's very hard to make any changes to an existing reservation. I asked if I could make contingency plans. To my amazement, I heard "I can do whatever you want me to do". I changed the flights to one day later leaving Omaha and one day later coming back. I felt like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders. As I was talking with the representative at Northwest, she said that she was based in Tampa and they were bracing for the storm. We talked for a while about the hurricane and I was very grateful to speak to someone with first hand information.

I then called Betty back on the cell phone and told her we definitely were not coming in until Thursday. After that, I called Disney CRO since we would have to extend our stay by one night. The Cast Member was great. I also wanted to make sure that my dad and Betty could check in on Wednesday night since the reservation was in my name. No problem with that since I had given all four adult names when I made the reservation. The CM and I chatted a little and she told me that the order went out to clear the streets at 4:00 that afternoon. She asked if I was flying or driving and I said flying. She warned me to check with my airline again in the morning just to be sure. She also cautioned that maybe Dad and Betty wouldn't be able to drive in depending on the weather. Nothing at this time could be for certain. I really again appreciated being able to talk with someone that had first hand information. I told the CM that if, for some reason, Dad and Betty couldn't make it into Orlando that I would call Disney back and free up that room for the night. The CM said that would be wonderful because they absolutely had no rooms available due to the evacuation.

Rich and I both cleared the changed vacation plans with our respective bosses and we were set. I went home at lunch to track the storm's progress. But Rich had other ideas. He wanted to get our PC at home and our laptop loaded with his company's software so he can dial in while we're at Disney. Did he do it when I asked him two months ago? No. He took the darn things in today! The one day I need internet! And email! So I used Chris' PC but couldn't get my email. Back to work. And I finally did work. I felt like I spent the entire morning answering people's questions about what was going on and making phone calls. Thank goodness my boss doesn't monitor my phone time!

After work I got home and found a message on the answering machine from my sister. She lives down in the Florida Keys near my dad so at least I didn't have to worry about any effects to her from Floyd. The message will live as a classic in my mind. My sister, Sandy, and I rarely talk but she was laughing on this message. She said "I heard Disney World closed for the first time in 35 years. I guess they just couldn't take you and Dad being there at the same time." Her husband was in the background saying "you're mean, you are so mean". I checked emails and Bruce gave me an update on the Disney closing which I really appreciated. I also appreciated Deb Wills site having updates on the page. The official Disney site did have some information but it's the unofficial connections you make that give you the best info.

I called Dollar rental car to get the car changed to the new dates. I had reserved back in July and lucked into an internet deal of $98 for the week for a compact car (Dodge Neon). When I called to "slide" the reservation, I was told that this would be treated as a new reservation and the current rate was $198! No way! So I told the guy to keep the same arrival date and just extend the reservation by one day. The guy wanted to know how I was going to pick up the car if my flight didn't come in until Thursday. I told him that I would have relatives in the area and they could pick it up. I still got the $98 rate. I figured I'd call in the morning and cancel the first day. Quick thinking.

Rich and I enjoyed the evening. We kind of laughed because we thought it would be filled with packing and things were so much still up in the air. We watched a couple of episodes of "Baywatch" (yeah, I know, very dumb but perfect for a night of not thinking). I checked emails again and Bruce came back and said Floyd was still at sea and Orlando wasn't expected to get more than 50 MPH winds. I'm glad that he's OK and doesn't have too much to worry about. We'll see what the morning brings.

Wednesday, September 15, 1999

What a difference a day makes. Floyd stayed out to sea and spared Florida. Unfortunately, it looks like it will hit the Carolinas and the people who just got over Dennis. I called Northwest before I left for work and they didn't have any information about when the airport would reopen. I called Dollar again and was able to cancel the first day of my new, existing reservation. I was put on hold for a while and I have a feeling the guy I talked to was checking to see if I could keep the $98 rate. This was the only bad point of the whole mess. Why would the airline be so considerate but the rental car place so difficult? If I had to pay twice as much because of the hurricane, I would have been very upset.

I went to work and updated everyone with the new developments. I called Northwest again (I was going to call every hour) and found out the airport would reopen at 7:00 that night. I asked if our flights would be OK in the morning. I was told there shouldn't be a problem. I hung up and called Rich with the latest news. I also called Dad and Betty on the cell phone and found them outside of Atlanta. They were taking a very inland route to ensure they didn't get many effects of Floyd. Then I figured I better check and make sure we had seating assignments for tomorrow. I always get nervous if I don't have the seats. So I called Northwest again. I'm surprised that phone number isn't imbedded in my mind! I found out that we didn't have seats assigned and our flight number had changed out of Omaha. But the lady that helped me was wonderful. She couldn't give us seats going from Orlando to Minneapolis on the way home but provided me with plenty of options to try and get that resolved before we left. I told her that at this point, I just want to get to Orlando. I'll deal with getting back later.

I spent the day answering people's questions about why I still was at work. I came home and sent emails off to people letting them know that we hadn't left yet and we were still going. A lot of people thought we would cancel the whole thing. No way. Rich took us out to dinner since I didn't want to cook and Rich wanted Chris to get one last meal before he survived on pizza and nachos for a week. We ended up finally packing and Rich spent the entire night trying to get his work laptop to accept email. It turned into a nightmare. Why do some men wait until the last minute to try and get things to work? Not a pretty sight since I needed the laptop to do this report. I only wanted one thing and would have been happy to take my laptop. But Rich had to dial into work and they couldn't get my PC to work. So he borrowed one from work. But he did that today. He didn't check it out before he left work so he spent three hours trying to get things working. Let's see what happens with this.

I packed everything and then laid down for a snooze since we have to be up at 4:00 AM. Betty called around 9:00 PM and they were comfortably settled into the Disney Institute. Room 788. The weather was wonderful and they didn't have a bad drive at all. They did get some rain but nothing major. They checked in and said the room was great and had a view of the lake and was on the first floor, which was what I requested. Dad and Betty checked in, had a drink, had dinner, and were going to turn in for the night. Wish I were there! They planned to visit Typhoon Lagoon in the morning and then return around 1:00 which was when I thought we'd be at the room.

In bed early enough that tomorrow's early rising won't be that painful. Seriously, I am not a morning person. I only get up this early when I'm going to Disney.

Day One - Thursday, September 16, 1999

Up and at 'em at 4:00 AM. Well, we were up, I don't know about at 'em. Immediately logged onto the internet to track the hurricane. Looked like Florida was spared so I checked to see if the flight was still on. I couldn't get through to Northwest using the phone so I tried their website to check on the flight status. With the hurricane battering the East Coast, more flights were being affected. I pulled up our flight and saw that the second leg from Memphis to Newark was canceled. At first, I misinterpreted that to mean OUR flight from Omaha was canceled so I hustled Rich along so I could get to the airport and figure it out.

Arrived at Abbott offsite parking and rode the shuttle to the airport. Check in was no problem and everything was fine with our flights and with the change in the days. Flight left on time at 6:15 AM and it was uneventful. It wasn't full at all and we arrived in Memphis with no problems. Took off from Memphis on time and landed in sunny Orlando 10 minutes early around 11:20 AM. The weather was beautiful and there were no indications that Floyd had blown through earlier.

Picked up the baggage (one suitcase - along with carry-ons of the video bag and the laptop) and trekked down to the Dollar counter. I was helped immediately. They had my $98 rate for a compact car and I checked in with no problems. So far this vacation, postponed or not, was turning out to be hassle free. The representative told me that because of the hurricane, they had a ton of cars available and I could upgrade if I wanted to. Well, I've heard that line before and it usually costs a fortune for something that really isn't any better than what I have. Not this time. For $7 more per day I could upgrade all the way to a convertible! Rich enjoys his 1989 Corvette convertible very much and I hardly get to drive it. So I thought, what the heck, we've gone through enough trouble for this trip so I said, sure, sign me up. I didn't tell Rich who was standing over to the side with the bags. We walked over to get the car and were told we were in slot N33. Last row. Strolled over there and Rich just looked at the car and said "what is this?" We took a while to figure out how to get the top down but then we were on our way. Rich was a little sulky because I was the driver. I told him that I was the one that made all the phone calls and changed all the plans so I deserved it. Besides, he has his Corvette at home.

What can I say? Imagine a beautiful Florida sunny day with the temperature in the mid-80s. You're cruising down the Greeneway in a rented convertible with the top down. 65 MPH. Wind going through your hair. Life can't get any better than this. And then we pull up to the first toll booth and there's no one there. Just a sign saying that the tolls were discontinued because of the hurricane. I have never been to Florida and haven't had to pay a toll! What a deal. But our thoughts were on Floyd and the people it was going to affect along the East Coast. You can't help but to think those thoughts. We were lucky and have what I consider a minor inconvenience. Those people are going to have to deal with the aftereffects for a long, long time.

We stopped at the Big Kmart on the way to get me chapstick and a cheap watch. Two things I cannot live without. The watch was kind of funny. I have a Todd and Copper watch ("The Fox and the Hound") that I wear all the time. A few days before the trip, the band broke. I didn't have time to get it fixed. Rich said I could wear his Heimlich watch ("A Bug's Life") until I got a new band. So that's what I did. This morning, I couldn't find the watch. Since I wanted to make sure we were still flying, I just left the house without a watch. Once we were on the plane, I looked at Rich's wrist. He was wearing Heimlich! He said he wanted to wear his Disney watch instead of his regular one. He didn't realize I had been wearing it for the last couple of days. So I ended up buying a cheap $6.99 watch.

Drove to the Institute with no problems. So far, I hadn't needed a map. Checked in and was told I needed to give a credit card number and pay the balance due. Well, Betty had given a credit card the night before so that had me confused. But I did it anyway, figuring I could straighten it out later. I was told the balance was $677 and I had a $325 deposit. That didn't add up to the $859 total I expected to pay. But I didn't have the confirmation with me so I just signed and decided Betty and I would come back later to get things taken care of.

We wanted to look around a bit but bell services was called and we were told to follow the cart to the room. Rich grumbled but I told him that the Cast Member was just doing his job. Onto room 788. I couldn't believe the location. When I was here in June, I scoped out the Institute and checked out which room I would like to stay in. The one I picked out is just two doors down! We have a water view and we are right near the bridge going over to one of the pools. Another pool is just a short walk up the path. The boat rental place is across the water. Very nice.

We have two rooms. A living room/kitchen area and then the bedroom with the two double beds. It's a little smaller than I thought but should be fine. I am glad we got two rooms. As the vacation progressed, I realized that four adults would have been tripping over each other in just one room. Dad and Betty had beer and wine cooled down in the refrigerator and we quickly took advantage of it. There was a note that Dad and Betty were at the pool and they drew on the map which one they were at. We took our beverages and headed out.

Met up with those guys with hugs all around. We figured Rich hadn't seen Dad and Betty in seven years and it's been four years for me. Chatted for a while at the pool and then headed back to the room to get changed. Decided to go to Epcot and walk around the countries. I drove us to the Boardwalk and told the gate guard we were eating at the ESPN Club. Yes, I know it's a way to get around the parking lots at the theme parks and it really isn't ethical to do this. But I paid enough for the Annual Passports and the resorts so if I can figure out a way to avoid the day guest mass hoards, I should do it. We walked over to the International Gateway with Dad complaining all the way. Walk, walk, walk. He wanted to take the boat. It would be a common theme throughout the trip.

Dad and Betty activated their Florida Seasonal Passports. They have a couple of blackout dates but they wouldn't be here during those dates anyway. We walked over to Canada and caught the last couple of songs from Off Kilter. I know I've been here too much when I have some of the acts memorized! Grabbed a beer in Canada and just walked through World Showcase. Saw Spaceship Earth with the 2000 on the top of it. There was a big red crane in the way but I took some photos anyway.

Our mission was to check out a clock in the Chinese pavilion. One of Betty's friends was interested in buying it and having it shipped home. Well, this clock is a huge grandfather clock that costs $2,850 and for an additional $400 you can have it shipped. We asked and were shown the clock. It's beautiful - black with some shelves on the sides. I think the Cast Members thought we were joking but Betty's friend is serious about getting it. Yikes!

We grabbed another beer and then continued on through to the International Gateway. I checked the Disney Forever CDs but they really did cut down on the number of songs available. At least I didn't find anything that thrilled me enough to make a second one. Made it back to the car with Dad complaining about the walk and the heat the whole way. Hunger was setting in so Dad suggested a place that he and Betty always eat at when they are in town. In fact, they had just eaten there the night before but think so highly of it that they wanted to go back. The place is called Shell's and it's a seafood place in Kissimmee on 192 at Mile Marker 15. This is a place that we will definitely return to. If you like seafood, you'll love Shell's. We started with an order of mussels that I devoured. I did share a few with the others but I had most of them. Dad had crab cakes, Betty seafood pasta, Rich a shrimp sampler, me crab legs and shrimp. All very good and the portions were nice and big. Both my dad and I wanted to order strawberries and cream for dessert. The waiter said that we should just order one and to trust him. That bowl was the biggest bowl of strawberries any of us had ever seen! Betty and Rich had to dig in to help us finish. We had a liter of wine and, unfortunately, I drank most of that. Well, Rich will get a chance to drive the convertible.

Got back to the room after getting lost. It's really everyone else's fault. They were relying on me for directions and that wine did not help my sense of direction. I hit the sack. Getting up at 4:00 AM and the stress of the last two days was just way too much for me. The wine had nothing to do with it. The other three went to the hot tub which they said was too hot. We have an outdoor hot tub that we keep at 100 degrees so tubs at hotels always feel hot to us. Then they watched some TV and turned in.

Day Two - Friday, September 17, 1999

After our long day yesterday, we all slept in until 8:30. That's really not sleeping in for me but it is for everyone else. I had made a priority seating at 1900 Park Faire but we were not going to make it. That would also be a theme for the rest of the trip. The only other priority seating we made was Morocco. And Hoop Dee Doo but I don't think that counts as a priority seating. All the others went out the window. Oh well, if there's one thing this trip is turning out to be, it's flexible. I had scheduled a Magic Kingdom day and I wanted to drive rather than take the bus. Disney transportation is great but the car is better for getting around to multiple destinations in one day. Plus, we had the Dive Quest tonight and my dad still didn't know anything about it. So I called and made a 10:30 seating at the Concourse Steakhouse in the Contemporary. We weren't going to eat there but I wanted a legitimate excuse for parking there. Again, I know it's not ethical but darn it, I know the Contemporary's lot isn't going to be anywhere near full.

So we drove over there and had to give our names at the gate. I really don't know if they check the priority seatings or not but at least I had one. We parked and walked over to the Magic Kingdom. Dad started complaining again. We showed them our brick outside the entrance gate. We visit our brick on every trip and yet we still can't manage to remember where the heck it is. We know the general area but always forget which tree it's next to. We found it after a little looking.

Stopped briefly under the train station for the ATM and for some pressed pennies for me. I really wanted to do the quarters but Rich has a fit when I spend $1.00 to squish a perfectly good quarter. I wait until he's not looking and then do the quarter machines.

Walked up Main Street with one goal in mind - breakfast for Betty. The Main Street Bakery was packed and they didn't want to wait in the slow moving line. We thought about a hot dog from Casey's but it wasn't open yet. I do have a problem with the morning selections in the Magic Kingdom - there aren't many. Betty really needs food in the morning and this wasn't working. We went by the Jungle Cruise and it was only a ten minute wait so we decided to go for it. Rich and I haven't done this one for years because the line is always so long. Our skipper was great and did get into the script fairly well. My favorite line - "this tunnel could take us anywhere. To the deepest, darkest Africa, to Asia, or, even worse, to a gift shop"! I love it when Disney doesn't take itself seriously. Since we hadn't done the attraction for some time, it was a nice experience. After our ride, the fast food places were opening so we went in search of food.

We ended up walking around a bit trying to find something everyone could be happy with. We wound up at Pecos Bill's Café. Rich and I just shared chili cheese fries and a Coke. We also had a ton of the pickles from the fixings bar. Dad and Betty got cheeseburgers and fries. We sat outside and had a nice early lunch.

Then we backtracked because we wanted to see the Tiki Birds. This is one of Rich's and my favorites. We got there just as a show was starting. We sat in the first row which I didn't think would be a good spot. But it really is a good choice. You can see the Tiki Goddess really well. You kind of crane your neck more but the show isn't that long. Unfortunately, it wasn't very crowded and I didn't want to seem like a dork and hang back to hear the banter at the very end. One of these days, I'll hear it. We are either in a less than crowded show or we're one of the first in so one of the first out.

Next up was Pirates of the Caribbean which was a total walk on. Rich and I were in the first row so it was kind of neat going down that dark drop at the beginning. There was a small child two rows behind us that needed reassurance through the trip. On the way to the boats, a mom was taking her child out because of the darkness. I really never thought of Pirates as being particularly scary but I'm not a kid. Rich picked up a couple of beanies at the shop we were so conveniently deposited in.

Splash Mountain was closed. It was kind of interesting to see it without any water. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad had a line down outside the queue area so we passed on that. Country Bear Jamboree caught our eye next. Again, this is one Rich and I haven't been to for years, mainly because we're with Chris and he thinks the whole thing is corny. Next show was about 8 minutes away and I used the time to get a pressed penny inside. I had to explain the whole process to Dad and Betty. I collect them but I don't go out of my way to get them. Into the show which we enjoyed since it's been so long since we've seen it. The best part, though, was a lady down the row. She thought the whole show was terrific. She's was laughing and was just having the best time. I knew the show and I eagerly anticipated this lady's reaction to Big Al. I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard!

Exited from the show and went into the Frontierland Mercantile. Rich found more Disney beanies that he doesn't have. I thought he had them all! In our last two trips, I had to bring along an extra carry on bag for the trip back just for Rich's beanies. I thought that since we were just here three months ago, I wouldn't have to worry about it. Wrong! Disney keeps making different ones. We had the package sent back to the room like we did with the earlier purchase.

Betty had specifically requested that we ride It's a Small World. Groans and moans from Dad and Rich. But we had to make Betty happy. They really have toned down this attraction. I videotaped this one the last time I dragged Rich and Chris on it and the volume is very loud. Now, I could barely hear some of it. But it does decrease the annoyance level a lot. Both Dad and Rich remarked that it didn't seem so obnoxious now.

We wanted to try the Pooh ride since we missed this in June. Chris is 17 and is very anti-Pooh so we could never get on it with him. The wait was 25 minutes so we queued up. We last about 5 minutes and then jumped out of the line. Not that we didn't want to ride it. I just couldn't put up with the two spoiled brats standing in the line in front of us. These kids were leaning on the ropes, not moving up in the line, running around (they proved you CAN run around in a line). The kids were about two and four and their parents were not disciplining them at all. I realize it's hard for little kids to stand in lines but parents should show some restraint. We had Chris at Disney twice when he was three and I can guarantee you that he didn't bother anyone else in a line.

After our kid fix of the day, we decided to take a break with water, orange juice, and a lemon freeze for Rich. We drank and walked over to Tomorrowland. Rich didn't anticipate the freeze being as cold as it was and he ended up with a freeze headache. We sat in the shade for a while to let him finish and recuperate. Then we went on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority so it was a nice rest. We saw Space Mountain didn't have that much of a line and thought about doing that next. But Alien Encounter was a total walk on and since Dad and Betty hadn't done that yet, we headed there.

I've done Alien Encounter several times but it always gets me anyway. Dad and Betty loved it. They really didn't know what it was all about and we explained beforehand that they should pay attention to the video monitors in the first holding cell and then SIR and Skippy would build more of the story in the second holding cell.

By this time, I wanted to head over to Epcot since we had to check in for Dive Quest at 4:15 and I knew we needed to be on time for that. Dad still didn't know about it. I had told him that we were eating at Morocco at 4:30 and I had to check in at Guest Relations at 4:15 because there was a problem with the reservation. So we got on the monorail and transferred at the TTC and arrived at Epcot around 2:30. What to do for that amount of time? Betty was in the mood for a cappuccino so we went to the Fountainview Bakery. Dad and Betty got some almond cookies (Betty knew we weren't eating until 7:30) and Rich and I just sipped some wine. We relaxed for a while and then went into Ice Station Cool.

Rich and I told my Dad that the Beverly was very good. I had completely fooled Chris in June and he just about lost it with the Beverly. Betty isn't a Coke drinker so she just watched. Did my Dad try the Beverly? No, he didn't. He tried Israel, Mexico, and another one. Then, a guest came by and said that the Beverly was the best. She was talking directly to my dad. Well, he believed her, especially after we had told him the same thing. Priceless moment. "Yeck!" The woman started to laugh as did we. My dad told the woman that that wasn't very nice. She said that she was a victim a little earlier and just had to get someone else. Dad didn't trust us after that. Where else but Disney can you enjoy a moment of someone just sipping a beverage? OK, and then spitting it out afterwards.

We just had about a half hour so we walked towards the front again. Guest Relations is outside Epcot so we had to go back out. Right at the restrooms at Spaceship Earth I asked Rich where my video bag was. I am an avid videotaper and, of course, I had to tape Dive Quest. The bag is kind of heavy for me so Rich usually takes it from me. Well, he put it down on the floor at the Fountainview Bakery and forgot to pick it up. Panic. It's an expensive video camera. Plus I had my expensive still camera in there. Also, the car keys, my Annual Passport, my wallet with ID and money and credit cards. Basically, everything I owned for this vacation. Rich literally ran back to the bakery and it was still in the same place. Panic mode off. We slowly walked back to the restrooms since Dad and Betty had stayed there. With our little scare and Rich's use of the restroom, we got to Guest Relations at 4:00.

Dad complained about having to go back out of the park and wanted to wait inside. I said no because if something went wrong with the reservation, we'd all have to talk about what we wanted to do. Dad is not Disney savvy so he just went along with it. It really helped having Betty in on the secret. I went up to Guest Relations and had a little bit of a wait. There were a lot of people affected by the closure of Disney due to the hurricane so all the Guest Relations windows at every theme park were fairly busy. When it was my turn, I was told to sit on the benches over to the right and some one would come from backstage around 4:15 to check Dad and Betty in. The others had gone into the store nearby. They came out and my dad asked if I got everything straightened out. I said no, we need to sit down over here and talk about what we wanted to do.

I am terrible at keeping secrets, especially one this big. I had been shaking the whole day in anticipation. The big moment was here. I said "Dad, we're not going to be able to eat until 7:30". He gave me a look that said, what is the screw up here. Then I said, "The reason we're not going to be able to eat until then is because you're going diving". He said, "What, where?" I said "The Living Seas". He said "I don't have anything". I said "Yes, you do. Your bathing suit is in the bag". Betty had given me both bathing suits that morning when Dad was in the shower. He sat on the bench with a look of disbelief on his face. What a moment! I said "Betty's going too". Hugs all around. I'm sure people thought we were insane. It's hard to get my dad speechless but I did it.

I calmed down after that and explained the whole thing. He couldn't believe it. After a while, the other divers joined us and one of them struck up a conversation with Dad. They geeked about diving while we waited. After a while, two instructors came out. They took roll call and collected the C cards (certification cards). I knew they checked credentials very closely. One of the instructors took Rich, myself, and the wife of the guy who talked with my Dad, over to the side and told us how we could watch and where to meet the divers after. We were to be at The Living Seas observation area at 5:15. We could watch the whole dive. At one point, they would have the divers go up to the glass and we were to be in the background and they would videotape the diver with his/her family behind them. After the dive, we were to meet them at the gift shop (how appropriate) between 6:30 and 7:00. I really liked that the families were involved if they wanted to be.

We did spend some time watching a cute little squirrel (squirrels and ducks would become an important part of our vacation). This guy was just begging for food. Not one of us had any but he went right up to each of us, including the people waiting for Guest Relations. He tried his best to get something. A Cast Member came by with a cracker and the squirrel took it eagerly. But the best thing was how he (the squirrel, not the Cast Member) cooled himself off. He laid down on the sidewalk. Arms and legs splayed out with belly firmly on the pavement. He was our entertainment until the Dive Quest people came out.

We said goodbye for the time to Dad and Betty and set off to cool down. It was very humid which would continue for a while. We headed to Mexico for a standard - a margarita. We got the large one and it took me all the way to 5:15 to finish mine. Even with the humidity, it was still frozen. We got to The Living Seas right at 5:15 and were able to skirt around the movie. I was so glad because I heard "and it rained, and rained, and rained" twice during the last trip and I'm a little tired of it. It looked like we were going to have to ride the cars after but a Cast Member had the door open taking in a wheelchair so I asked if we could just slip through. He let us. We rushed up to the observation area and saw Wife there. I hate to call her Wife but I didn't get her name. She said she had asked exactly where to be. They were going to drop a rope for the divers to descend. We didn't see a rope but we waited a little longer and all of a sudden there were 10 divers in the water! What a rush!

There were seven divers doing Dive Quest plus an instructor and the video camera operator. The last diver was a safety diver who just made sure no one went off by themselves or did something they weren't supposed to do. It was fascinating to see the divers in action. How often do you get to see something like that? The reactions of the people in the observation deck were interesting. I filmed a ton. The divers descended and then moved over to the right to go through some coral (it's fake and Betty said it was really hard for her to touch it because real coral shouldn't be touched). Wife, Rich, and I moved over and the hardest part was trying to get through the people at the glass so we could tape the divers. At this point, they had each diver with family members go up to the glass for the videotape. Wife went up first and they had her right at the glass, kneeling down. Her husband came right up and they got a great shot of the two of them. Then Dad and Betty came up and Rich and I knelt. The people around us were just oohing and aahing. My Dad gave me a thumbs up and made like he was shaking my hand. I knew that he was having the time of his life. Then the divers went off with the instructors around the tank. They had a set route. They went down to the lower observation level and then over to the restaurant. My dad later said the reactions of the diners were great. Especially the little kids. After 20 minutes of controlled diving, the divers went off with their buddies on their own. We had a great time following them. We had met all of them beforehand so it was interesting to see them on the other side. The husband came up to the glass, took off his regulator, and blew Wife a kiss. More oohs and aahs from the guests. We followed Dad and Betty around for a while and then we lost them towards the back of the tank.

We answered a few questions from people once they realized we knew the people in the tank. Yes, you have to be certified. Yes, it does cost money (the proceeds are used for research so my $280 can be written off on the taxes). No, it's not part of the Disney Institute. I ran around the tank taping as much as I could. Two young guys were diving and they came up to the glass, took out their regulators, and hammed it up for everyone's camera. After 20 minutes of free dive, it was time to go back up. I think I had just as much fun as my dad and Betty did. There were some very large sea turtles in the tank and the videotape guy got a great shot of Dad and Betty behind one of them. In fact, the turtle was so still that many people asked if it was real or fake. It was real and we saw it swimming around.

We didn't want to have to try and get back into The Living Seas so we wandered around for a while. We were able to hear the manatee presentation which we had never heard before. Then we did Sea Base Alpha challenge and, of course, we didn't do very well. We were across from the gift shop at 6:30 and met up with Wife again. We had a long wait. The divers didn't come down until after 7:00. Dad and Betty bought the video. They got free T-shirts and a certificate. Both were really happy with the dive. They said that where they do most of their diving, the fish are used to the divers. The fish in this tank just didn't move out of the way! It's their tank, after all. They said they had never seen so many fish in such a space. My dad couldn't get a stingray out of his way. What a nice experience and just one of the many things Disney does well.

My Dad and Betty are certified instructors and do very well with their business. And they just loved the Dive Quest. So I guess the verdict is that if you are a diver, you should do this. The dives are limited to eight divers and they dive twice a day - once at 4:30 and once at 5:30. So it's not something that a lot of people get to do. I'm so glad I did this for Dad and Betty. If you want to see the divers, try and be at The Living Seas around 5:30-6:30. The first group tries to go down around 5:15 and the second group around 6:15. It's not a perfectly timed dive but it's very interesting to see the divers in action. Also, the divers can see you quite well. Wave to them and they will wave back if they see you. They are having just as much fun as you are.

We had our priority seating at Morocco for 7:30 so we headed back there. Dad had been complaining all day about eating couscous, which Betty loves. And it didn't help that Wife had said to stay away from Morocco if you didn't like couscous. But the dinner was very good and I think this restaurant is lovely inside. The belly dancer came out just after we got there and the music was pretty loud. Our server did very well to move around to take our orders so we didn't have to shout. Dad ordered the cornish hen, Betty the Sultan's Sampler, Rich the chicken brouchettes, and I got the shish kabobs. We all thought the food was good and it wasn't as exotic as everyone thinks it is. And only Betty had couscous on her plate - everyone else had rice. This is a good place for a meal.

Then we walked through Epcot and headed out before Illuminations. Dad and Betty had already seen it and it was 8:30 already. We stopped at the Fountainview Bakery so Betty could get some pastries for breakfast the next morning. Rich and I watched the fantastic fountain show. This is something we really love. We took the monorail back to the TTC and then transferred to the Contemporary. I drove us back to the room where we all collapsed.

Our neighbor was making loud noises. The units at the Institute have connecting doors so you can hear your neighbor if they are loud. This guy played bongos almost continuously. Very strange. Also, there was a large bus parked outside. Those two things would come into play the next day.

Day Three - Saturday, September 18, 1999

Woke up around 8:30 to rain. There's another tropical depression forming, this time in the Gulf of Mexico. One word of warning to anyone who doesn't like rain on their vacation. Do not plan to visit Florida in September. It's the height of hurricane/tropical storm season. Today was going to prove out to be the day that will show all the overplanners just how different your vacation can turn out from the one you planned. "Go with the flow" became my new mantra.

We had four different people with four different ideas of what they wanted to do. Rich really didn't care but looked to me to make the decision. Dad said they didn't want to go to Animal Kingdom. OK, rule that out. Dad said he was tired. OK, let's take it easy. Where can we go where he can sit down a lot? How about Downtown Disney for some shopping. He said he didn't care, I was the tour guide. How I came to loath that saying. Dad said all this while Betty was in the shower. Betty came out and Dad went in. Betty then said she wanted to go to Animal Kingdom! Aargh! And she said she didn't care what we did and I was the tour guide. At that point, I wanted to grab the car keys and my Annual Passport and head out on my own. Everyone was making suggestions but no one was deciding anything. We finally decided to try and find the Disney Institute pressed penny, go to Old Key West for the Old Key West Disney beanie, then go to Downtown Disney to shop.

We did stop in at the front desk to find out what was happening with the bill. I was prepared to put up a fuss because I thought they still had the old $149/night rate in there. Silly me forgot about my extension of one day! They had taken Betty's credit card just to have something for the first night. We also picked up our Hoop Dee Doo tickets for that night.

I had the pressed penny locations with me and the Institute penny was supposed to be at the arcade next to the pool in the townhouses. Trouble is, you can't see ANY Institute pool from the road. So I'm driving and everyone is telling me where to go and how to get there. I admit I got very testy and ended up just parking and getting out without a word to try and find the stupid pool. We finally found the location but the pool was totally dug up! OK, no penny. We continued on to Old Key West and Rich got the beanie he needed. Then onto Downtown Disney. We parked very close to the entrance to the Village Marketplace and I'm glad because I didn't want my dad to complain about having to walk. We went into one store for Rich to get, all together now, a beanie. At that point my dad confesses that shopping really isn't their bag and they wanted to go to Animal Kingdom.

By now, my patience was wearing very thin. Rich and I are so in synch when we tour Disney that we hardly even have to communicate. But having two other adults was sapping my strength. Dad asked if they could get a bus from Downtown Disney to go to the Animal Kingdom. Frankly, I was relieved. I directed them to Guest Relations who told them to get an All Star bus and then an Animal Kingdom bus from there. I am so glad we split up. Dad and Betty ended up eating lunch at the Rainforest Café at Animal Kingdom. There was a 20 minute wait for a table but they ate at the counter and were seated right away. Then they went on Kali River Rapids and got soaked. They did the safari and said it was much better than when they rode it just three weeks after Animal Kingdom opened. They took the bus back to the Institute which took 45 minutes. The reason it took so long was that another bus broke down and the bus Dad and Betty were on stopped to create a roadblock so the people from the other bus could get off safely.

Rich and I continued our touring Downtown Disney. We walked all the way through Village Marketplace and then through Pleasure Island. I found a Piglet T-shirt I didn't have. We went to the West Side and Rich asked to go into the Disney Quest gift shop. I thought that was kind of strange because Rich has shown no interest in going to DQ. Guess what he was looking for? Again, beanies! Special Disney Quest beanies which he found. I have to admit, Mickey in the Disney Quest T-shirt is kind of cute.

Then we walked back and noticed that we could see the Institute across the lagoon. And we could see a pool that was for the townhouses. Humm, can we drive back and find it? We did after walking through the grass for a while. They really do hide those pools at the Institute. Guests can definitely get to them from their rooms but day guests probably don't even know they are there. No penny. Back to the room. It was hot and humid and we were tired and getting frustrated. The maid was making up the room so we decided to go over the bridge and check out Reflections to see what they had. Reflections is the "fast food" place at the Institute. They had muffins, pastries, cereals, sandwiches, and coffee. Oh, if only we had known about this yesterday! I would have sent Betty over and we wouldn't have had to worry about getting anything at Magic Kingdom. I just thought those guys had checked things out when they arrived. And we found the pressed penny machine!

It was behind the counter where you rented water vehicles so a Cast Member had to press it for me. He said he just needed a quarter and a penny. I kind of hesitated and then he corrected himself and said it was two quarters. I said that I thought that's what it was but I thought maybe they were having a sale. He laughed and said, "This is Disney, nothing's cheap". I thought Rich was going to die from laughing. But at least I got the darn penny. I usually don't go out of my way for the pennies but I have no idea when I'm going to be back at the Institute. Mission accomplished, we went back to the room. The maid was still there so we sat outside on the patio until she finished.

We rested, I worked on the report, and Rich watched Maryland totally destroy West Virginia 33-0. Dad and Betty came back around 4:00. They sat down and then my dad asked me if I would be terribly disappointed if they left for Pennsylvania tomorrow. Then he tells me that his knee has been killing him and if they stayed, all he would do is sit in the room tomorrow anyway. Betty says that they had been discussing knee replacement surgery for my dad. No one told me this! I would have never made Dad walk around that much! I said it wasn't a big deal and they should do what they thought best. I know that Dad and Betty made the trip because of all my planning, especially with the Dive Quest. Dad wanted to cancel earlier but Betty said no. She knew about the dive and my dad didn't. Hopefully, it made the week before the surgery easier and less stressful than sitting around waiting for it. And who else would drive to a state that was expecting a major hurricane?

We watched the Penn State-Miami game (Penn State fans) and then headed out for Hoop Dee Doo around 6:15. Well, we tried to go at 6:15 but Betty was on the phone. Dad said she lives with a phone sticking out of her ear. I drove us to Fort Wilderness and parked there. We knew we needed to take a bus but there are no clear markings to day guests as to what bus to take. You would think that since Hoop Dee Doo happens three times a night, seven nights a week, 365 days a year, they would have some sort of sign that said "Take Such and Such a Bus to Hoop Dee Doo". Nope. We had to ask. We didn't have a long wait but we made several stops along the way. The driver did ask if anyone had to get off at the next couple of stops and, if no one did, he just continued on.

Once we got to Pioneer Hall, I made Rich check in. This planning and being tour guide was getting to me. Why should I be the one to do EVERYTHING? Lesson learned for future trips. Assign responsibilities to everyone in the party. After check in we went to the Depot and Rich bought - can you guess - is the suspense killing you - beanies! The Fort Wilderness beanies.

We were seated right next to the piano player in the second row. That wasn't bad considering I thought I made the reservation kind of late. But it wasn't even a full seating. We enjoyed the food and got seconds on the chicken. When the players asked if anyone was celebrating a birthday, my dad looked right at me and said "no". Well, Sixbit Slocum was standing over to the side and when he went by our table, I swear he made direct eye contact with me. I just had to say that yes we did have someone celebrating. A big one - the 70th. So my dad was embarrassed at Pioneer Hall. After we were done with that, my dad said that I got him twice on this trip and he was going to think of a way to get back at me. We really had a good time at Hoop Dee Doo and I'm glad it was a nice way to end my dad's and Betty's visit with us.

The bus ride back was really funny. The bus driver would make some stops and in between he turned off the lights on the bus so we were basically in the dark. A couple of kids on the bus starting going "ooh, ooh, ooh" like ghosts or something. The bus driver got into it and called them coyotes. Pretty soon I was joining them and so did other people. It was pouring when we got to the parking lot. I knew Dad and Betty would never be able to run to the car so Rich said he would pick it up. I said I'd go with him. The trouble was that we couldn't get to the bus stop from the parking lot. Fortunately, Dad and Betty realized that and came running to the car when we pulled up as far as we could go. Again, there were no clear directions on how to get out of there. But we made it back to the Institute with no problems. Yes, I had the sangria but no where near as much as the other night.

We just talked and relaxed for a while. Dad and Betty went to bed and Rich and I stayed up a little longer. Then we turned in and the excitement started. We weren't asleep yet and we heard what sounded like a large airplane landing. What the heck was that? It happened again. And then again. It was Betty snoring. We hadn't been bothered by it so far but tonight it was loud!! We kind of giggled but realized there was no way we could stay in that room. So we went out to the living room. We watched a little "Saturday Night Live" and waited for the plane to land. It never did. So we dragged out the blanket, sheets, and pillow for the day bed. Rich slept on the day bed with the blanket and the day bed pillows. I curled up on the chair with a side chair for my legs with the sheets and the pillow. We slept for a while and then the plane landed. When we woke up to silence, we noticed our neighbors had returned for the night. We also noticed a very strong smoke smell. When Dad and Betty returned from the Animal Kingdom, they said there were about 15 people leaving from the next room. We had also seen the bongo player. Let's just call him Freak. We figured the bus in the parking lot had something to do with our neighbors. The smoke smell was really bad. Rich said to forget it because we were going to go back into the bedroom. No way. I didn't want to wake up to the smell. So I called the front desk and asked if that room was non-smoking. They said yes and I told them that someone over there had to be smoking. We knew Freak smoked because he was outside on the cell phone for about an hour earlier smoking the entire time. The front desk said they would send someone right away. There is a reason I request non-smoking rooms. I just can't deal with the smell. So Rich and I went back into the bedroom and the airplane started to land again. Back out into the living room. Finally, around 4:00 AM, we returned to the bedroom again. The Eagle had landed.

Day Four - Sunday, September 19, 1999

Betty and Dad got up around 8:30. Rich got up and took a shower while I stayed in bed for a little longer. The night of broken rest was a killer. I also didn't want to tell Dad and Betty why we spent most of the night out in the living room. I followed Rich in the shower. Rich said that my dad immediately asked him why we got up again after we went to bed last night. Rich said we decided to watch more "Saturday Night Live". Dad called him a liar and Rich confessed.

We had decided to eat breakfast together and then Dad and Betty would leave for Pennsylvania. Rather than deal with a drive and priority seating, I suggested Seasons. Nice choice. It was uncrowded and a very pleasant atmosphere. It's really worth a trip to the Institute. My dad ordered the American Breakfast which was two eggs any way, sausage, bacon, and potatoes. He ordered his sunny side up. I just have to say that my father eats his eggs weird. Betty said she has actually has had to move from the table because it grosses her out. I also ordered the American Breakfast but got mine with scrambled eggs. I gave my bacon and sausage to Rich. Betty had the broccoli quiche and Rich did the French toast. Dad was very succinct with the waitress which is how he always is with waitresses. He has eaten in just about every trucking diner up and down the East Coast so he knows what he wants, and asks for it. The waitress thought he was a grump so to "cheer him up" she brought his water with a lemon slice and a lime slice on the rim so it looked like a Mickey face. All the food was great and we had a nice last visit. We said goodbye for the time being. Dad and Betty are going to try and make it out to Nebraska for Chris' high school graduation in May. I hope they do. They've never seen where we've lived for the last 9 years.

After Dad and Betty left, Rich and I went back to the room for a brief visit. Then we headed out to MGM since we hadn't been there yet. We didn't want to do too much and we were still tired from last night and from getting up with Dad and Betty. We normally sleep in on our vacations. We took the tram from the parking lot which we haven't done in quite a long time.

Our first stop was Twilight Zone with about a ten minute wait. It probably would have been less but a performance of Beauty and the Beast just let out. We lined up for the elevator and then the Cast Member got the call that the elevator broke. So we were moved to another one. We were on Twilight Zone with all first timers. The lady next to me thought the broken elevator was part of the attraction. Just before we dropped, I said "we're all gonna die". Rich told me to be quiet. I didn't think I said it that loud but the woman to Rich's left heard it and started to laugh. What a ride! Down, up, down, up, down, up. I lost track of how many drops we did. Great, great, great. Didn't buy the picture since we just did the whole picture route in June.

Then onto Rock N Roller Coaster for the first time ever. The standby time was 15 minutes and the FastPass time was for 35 minutes from then. No decision needed to be made. We went on and Rich like how they worked Aerosmith into the introduction. Rich is a major rock lover and he's been a fan of Aerosmith for years and years. We got into our stretch limo and we were off! What a ride! Great, great, great. Even Rich, the one who is not affected by too much, couldn't walk straight afterwards. I felt fine. It's funny because Twilight Zone affects me but not Rich. Rock N Roller Coaster affected Rich and not me. This is a new favorite for us. It's like Space Mountain on speed. We exited to another performance of Beauty and the Beast letting out. This area is going to be very congested in the summertime.

We stopped at the Sunshine Food Market for a beer and just strolled around for a while. They were selling a lot of beer today. It's cloudy but humid. We walked over and sat in the Hall of Fame area. I suggested we go see the new Drew Carey "Sounds Dangerous". This hadn't been open in June and I had heard mixed reactions. We really like Drew Carey so we were game to try it ourselves. We had about a five minute wait and then we entered the theatre. We really liked the presentation. It's just amazing that with the lights off, your listening sense really takes off. Those bees had me in goosebumps. Very good production. But there were a lot of kids in there who didn't understand what was going on. I think this is one thing that Disney should caution - younger kids just aren't going to get this show. They will be asking very many questions like the kid behind us. "Mommy, the film broke". "No honey, it didn't, just listen". "But Mommy, why aren't we seeing anything". The kid wasn't scared but just puzzled.

Then we went to Star Tours which is one of my all time favorites. I never get tired of it. We had a bit of a wait but that was because Doug Live had just emptied out. We usually don't get into the end of performances but we were affected today. Then we tried the new Star Wars shop for figures for Chris. We had been looking all vacation for his "want" list. (And if you read my report from June, he never found the figure we looked for back then but eventually found it here). But they didn't have anything he needed. After this we went into Muppet Vision 3D which is another favorite. We watched the entire preshow which I hadn't seen in a while. We kind of leaned on the construction barriers in the back and just stayed put when everyone was asked to move forward and over to the side. I know people have to get into the place but I don't want to be a cow. The show was great as always.

After the Muppets, we were done with what we wanted to do as far as attractions were considered. We had just seen the Backstage Tour and the Animation Tour in June so we figured we weren't going to learn anything new. We stopped in at the AFI store at the end of the Backstage Tour since they had Star Wars stuff. Nothing for Chris. Then we went into the Animation store and looked at all the art. I really wish we could afford some of this stuff. Not for an investment but just because it's so beautiful.

Then we tried to leave the park. But we were contained by the Mulan parade. I thought we would have to wait and just watch it but we were able to go across the street and exit. A Cast Member was directing us so I know it was legit. A tram was waiting so we boarded. We ran into another child who was just so tired. We had encountered another little girl earlier who was just screaming that she didn't want to see this movie (Muppets), she wanted to go on rides and Mommy had promised. This kid was screaming. The parents handled it well and said that Mommy and daughter needed to sit down and take a break. The girl did calm down. Same thing with the little girl on the tram. She said that she didn't want to go to eat. She wanted to see the Mulan paraded but nooooo (she said it that way), Mom said they had to go eat. The other adult in the party said "you are tired, we are tired, we need to leave". The little girl had red circles under her eyes and it was obvious she was tired. Both sets of parents handled things nicely. I only heard one "you are ruining this day for everyone, AGAIN!" and that was with another tired child.

We drove offsite and went to the Publix on 192. We needed essentials like more beer and wine. We also picked up razors and toothpaste which we also needed. Added were a breakfast pizza for Rich and a egg muffin for me for the morning. We are both very tired from the early mornings and we know we'll need the sleep tomorrow morning. Now we'll have food for whenever we wake up.

Back to the room for some football. CBS coverage stinks. No stats at all. After the late games were over, we drove to Port Orleans for dinner at the food court. We did check out Bonfamille's menu but it didn't excite Rich at the time. I think all he wanted was pizza. He's a huge fan of Dixie Landing's pizza so I thought Port Orleans would be a different option. We had never eaten at their food court. We were not impressed. We were expecting something like Dixie but at Port Orleans you order your food at the registers and then go pick it up. At Dixie you get your food first and then pay for it. So you can wander around and see the choices first. Rich ordered a 16" pepperoni pizza and I got the three piece chicken dinner. The guy at the register was not very friendly at all. We also wanted a couple of beers and the guy asked what kind. Rich said "what kind do you have"? The guy just waved his hand back towards this barrel beyond the register that had the beers. The pizza was brought out but not the chicken. No word about when my chicken was coming so Rich had to hunt the guy down. The food was OK and the pizza was different than Dixie Landings. So I think that's our last trip to the Port Orleans food court for a while. We came back to the room and watched the Sunday night football game. I lasted until about 10:00 and then couldn't keep my eyes open. I even gave up watching "The Practice" because I was so tired! That's unusual for me to miss that show.

Day Five - Monday, September 20, 1999

Slept in a little until around 9ish or so. At least we got an uninterrupted night's sleep. Today was Animal Kingdom day. In June, we went to Animal Kingdom only in the late afternoon because of the heat and the crowds. But Animal Kingdom is only open until 5:00 and since we hadn't seen it yet this trip, we knew we'd had to catch it in the afternoon.

I drove us over and managed to get a parking space close to the front. We were right next to the walkway but everyone was going all the way out to where the trams pick you up. We were at the front gate way before out neighbors were. First up was It's Tough to be a Bug. We had just about a five minute wait and had no preshow wait at all. It was really funny because there were a lot of people who were on this for the first time and there was a lot of reaction to the effects. I think other people's reactions are sometimes funnier and more exciting that the actual attraction.

After we exited (how many strollers can one attraction hold?), we went over to Asia and Kali River Rapids. Most of the queue was closed off. Tropical Storm Harvey was forming in the Gulf of Mexico so we had clouds and humidity all day. We wound through the queue and stopped just outside of the overhang. It started to pour. We were soaked way before we got on the ride. And then Rich got soaked on the ride. I made out OK but my hair was dripping before I even sat down. And I didn't bring a brush. Of course, it stopped raining after we got off the ride. We walked through the trail and saw some very sleepy tigers and bats.

Rich wanted to do the safari but the wait was 40 minutes and we really didn't want to stand in the humidity that long. We were also very wet and getting tired. Granted, we hadn't been out very long but we were starting to feel the effects of a Disney vacation. We grabbed a couple of beers from Dawa Bar. Rich went adventurous with a Tusker brew but I stuck with good ole American Budweiser. Our destination was Countdown to Extinction across the park and I wanted to make sure we didn't melt on the way.

Our procedure for seeing Disney shows is that we don't stand in line. If we're there before a show starts and it's a reasonable time wait, we'll do it. That's why we've never done a Disney show. But we were walking past the Tarzan Rocks show just 10 minutes before it started. I heard an earlier show and it sounded great. I play the "Tarzan" soundtrack at least once a day and I'm a huge fan of it. Phil Collins doesn't usually attract my attention but this soundtrack is amazing. So we went in. This show is just great! It's not a re-telling of Tarzan but more of a concert of the songs. Tarzan and Jane are there but it's just totally different than what I expected. There's high wire stuff and the rollerbladers are totally awesome. A wonderful presentation. I attracted the attention of a little girl in front of me because I knew the words to the songs and was "dancing" in my seat. I know Rich thought I was insane. Even now as I write this, I'm listening to the soundtrack. "The power to be strong and the wisdom to be wise" and "In learning you will teach and in teaching you will learn". Isn't that life?

We headed over to Countdown to Extinction and that had a wait of 30 minutes and the line was out the door. I really didn't want to wait so we said goodbye to Animal Kingdom. We stopped at Island Merchantile for a brush for me and a porceline Piglet figure as well. We also stopped at Rainforest Café for a beanie check but nothing.

Epcot was next since we hadn't really touched anything in Future World. I parked at the Boardwalk again but don't scold me just yet - keep reading. We passed by Off Kilter but they were just rehearsing some stuff. Our first stop was Test Track. It was a 50 minute wait but we were willing. But then I thought about the singles line. I told Rich we might not ride together but neither of us cared. We did the picture thing with Chris in June so we didn't need to do that again. We were in and out of the ride within 14 minutes. We even got to ride in the same car with Rich in the row behind me. The other two people in Rich's row were both singles but had waited in the 50 minute line. If the waits for this attraction continue to be long, I will utilize the singles line every time. I don't know who thought up the singles line but they deserve a medal.

Then we did Ellen's Energy Adventure. We waited outside for a while and then saw the whole preshow. The attraction was not crowded at all. Rich then wanted to do some things in The Land. We crossed through Innoventions which was closed for renovation. I bought a ring I had seen in June but bought another type then because I couldn't decide between the two. I really wanted both but thought Rich would kill me if I bought two rings in one trip. So I knew I'd get the other one now. The only thing we did at The Land was The Circle of Life. Again, not very crowded. With this presentation, if you go to the right doors, you sit up top. If you go to the left, you sit in the lower section. A large group went to the right and sat in the first row of the upper section. They decided they didn't like those seats so they jumped the ropes to go to the lower section. Rich thought the Cast Member was going to "kick some guest butt".

By now I was tired and it was humid. I talked Rich into going for dinner and then back to the room for some Monday Night Football. Rich suggested the ESPN Club for the food. He said that at least he wouldn't feel bad about parking at the Boardwalk. We walked through Canada and Off Kilter was now performing an entirely new session! It must be for the Millennium Celebration. Still sounded great and looked fantastic. ESPN Club wasn't very crowded and we were seated right away. Rich had the 1/2 pound burger and I had the steak sandwich. The food came out almost immediately. Very good food and we were in and out of there in no time. It rained just before we went in so we got wet yet again.

Then back to the room to dry out and to rest and relax. I finally started the new Stephen King book but didn't last very long. We lounged on the beds and watched Dallas beat Atlanta. Neither game mattered in our fantasy football league but we still wanted Atlanta to win. Oh well, at least we got updates on Tropical Storm Harvey. Schools are closed tomorrow. We'll just get up and see what happens. As everyone knows, anything can happen with Florida weather.

Day Six, Tuesday, September 21, 1999

It's getting harder and harder to get up! This morning I heard some honking noises and thought I was hallucinating. As I was getting the contacts in, Rich said that there were ducks on the patio. Boy, were there ducks on the patio! Our neighbors (new ones, Freak and friends had moved out) had been feeding them and this mass decided to see if we had anything. They were right outside the door. I had some Cheese Nips so I thought I'd throw some out to see if they liked them. Mistake! I never heard honking that loud before! I fed those guys half the box and I only stopped when one of them actually took a Nip out of my hand! I didn't plan on that but that little girl wanted some food. We beat a hasty retreat into the room, fearful of our hands and feet. We have seen ducks, bunnies, and lizards all week and all of them have shown no fear of humans. One of the nice features of the Institute.

Rich said that the weather report was for Tropical Storm Harvey to arrive around 2:00 PM, blow through for three hours with 60 MPH winds and rain and for the sun to be out by 5:00 PM. OK, let's just go on with our plans and make the most of it. At least we'll be at Disney during the storm.

Today was the day to finish off Magic Kingdom. We hadn't done some of our favorites. I drove us to the Polynesian and told the gate guard that we were going to be staying there in June and wanted to check the place out. He took my name and license number and said that if we decided to visit the Magic Kingdom after our visit, we would have to move the car to another Polynesian lot. We parked and before we get any flak - I fully intended to check out the Poly for our stay in June. And Rich said we were going to do that AFTER our visit to the Magic Kingdom so we didn't have to move the car to another lot. So he's learning how to get around Disney rules. We took the monorail over to the Magic Kingdom and headed for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. It was just a five minute wait. Then onto the Haunted Mansion with a little wait. We stopped for a Mickey bar and then onto the Pooh ride. This one was the longest of the day. 20 minutes winding through the queue. Rich and I agreed this is the most aggravating queue. It's not that it's complicated or anything but, man those little kids. I know, I know, Disney is for kids. But the wee little ones need something to keep them occupied for 20 minutes and I can't tell you how many times I heard "we'll see Pooh in a little while, honey". We had never been on this before and we thought it was cute but, like most of Fantasyland for us, not worth more than a 10 minute wait. I only wanted to see how many times Piglet was in there and, for me, it's not enough. How about a Piglet ride?

Onto Space Mountain which was totally weird. We walked the entire queue length and then they only had two lines open up at the end. It only took about 8 minutes to get there. We took the left side and I was shook around quite a bit. Next up was Buzz Lightyear where I spun us and Rich did the shooting. We were stuck a little while a wheelchair person was unloaded. Rich used the opportunity to shoot the daylights out of a 10,000 point target so he racked up 999,999 points. We were stuck right at the end of the star room and I got us totally disoriented with my spinning.

That just about did it for us with Magic Kingdom. Rich suggested heading over to Epcot for one of our favorite activities - just walking through World Showcase. But he wanted to take a spin on the railroad. I knew Bruce Metcalf was working today since he emailed me his schedule for the time I'd be there. I figured I would never get to meet him. Well, I'm so glad Rich decided on the railroad. We saw several Cast Members and then saw Bruce just as we were boarding. Bruce! I introduced myself and thanked him for all his help with Hurricane Floyd. Bruce said it looked like they had been lucky with that one and with Tropical Storm Harvey. The day had been very humid with some wind but no rain. Bruce is as nice in person as he is on the newsgroup. Thanks again Bruce! We liked the railroad ride and came back to Main Street.

We took the monorail over to the TTC and then almost a direct connection to Epcot. We saw the granite Millennium figures in the front. We had seen them earlier in the week and couldn't figure out what they were going to be used for. I suggested that maybe that was where the Leave a Legacy squares were going to go. I was overruled because everyone said that no one would polish that granite to such a shine and then put 1 inch squares on top of it. Well, no one except Disney. We saw the first of the Leave a Legacy squares. They had also added Mickey's wand to the 2000 sign. The big old red crane was still there but it's getting close, folks.

We grabbed a Mexican beer and then a bench to look at people. We had noticed them during our trip but here are some observations. Strollers. Why do people insist on taking those enormous things? Wouldn't a simple umbrella stroller with a hood do the same thing? We saw some people with strollers that probably cost more than my first car! We have never done Disney with a stroller (Chris was three on his first visit and he walked the entire time - no, I did NOT carry him at all) so maybe I'm missing something but some of those things are bigger than the go kart we won. Women's shoes. Why do women insist on wearing things that are obviously uncomfortable? Those big old "sneakers" with platforms have got to go. You don't even walk naturally in those. And women in high heels? At Disney? My feet were killing me in the sensible walking sneakers I had. I can't imagine Disney in heels. Wheelchairs. Wheelchair abuse is gone. Everyone who was in one needed one. Cell phones. We had one. Didn't carry it in the parks although there were a ton of people who did. I'm sure it's a great communication tool when you have a large party. But I just can't imagine myself placing a call while in line for a ride. Or while I'm walking through Epcot. Can't they sit down and talk? I feel very uncomfortable hearing other people's phone conversations.

While we were sitting there we heard Off Kilter across the lagoon. Since the wind was right, we could hear everything. Very nice break. We wandered around some more and went to America for a hot dog for Rich. They only had baskets and he didn't want fries. I would have eaten some grapes or carrots but the only other option besides fries was an apple. Nope, not for me, thank you. We went around to England and got a couple of Basses. All the benches were taken so we continued on to Canada and sat down there. Again, just people watching. But it turned into squirrel watching. There was a female squirrel in the tree and she would run up the tree, hunt around for an acorn, eat a little of it, run down the tree with the acorn in her mouth, run around the ground for a while, and then bury the acorn. Lots of people stopped to watch her in action. We had a front row seat. In fact, I thought she would fall down on top of us!

Then we realized we were done with Disney. Sad thought. But I know we'll be back in just nine months. Sooner if I can arrange it. I'd love to go for the RADP meet in early December. My vacation time is limited but maybe I can swing a weekend trip. Rich might put up a fuss but he's used to my Disney inclinations by now. But we strolled very slowly out of Epcot. Goodbye Annual Passport for now. My renewal will be in the mail.

We took the monorail back to the TTC and walked from there to the Poly. I checked out the building locations and definitely decided on Oahu for next June. On the map, it looked good but in person it looked even better. Rich wanted to know why I didn't want a water view. I said I did but not at the upgraded price. Maybe we'll hit the Powerball between now and then. Of course, if we do that, you can start forwarding all my mail to Florida.

We went back to the room to pack and just to get back to reality. I had a dinner roll left over from the Port Orleans food court and I was hoping to feed some of the ducks. This was funny. We went outside and there were ducks in the water but none on shore. Rich said "come on duckies". AND THEY CAME! Rich was out there waving his arms and getting the ducks on shore. Completely unbelievable. We feed them the entire roll and they were quacking and squawking the whole time. But, too soon, we were out of food.

We packed quickly. The beanies went into two bags. We'll have four carry on bags in the morning but we should be OK. The laptop and the video bag rounded out the bags. We'll have one checked suitcase full of dirty laundry. We went across the bridge to Reflections for a couple of take out ham and swiss sandwiches for our dinner. That and the leftover Port Orleans pizza should be enough. We also had a bottle of champagne we bought when we went to Publix. Cheers to another Disney vacation and here's to the next one. I have never been so depressed. We watched the new fall lineup on TV and then went to bed.

Day Seven, Wednesday, September 22, 1999

The last day. Oh, how I hate the last day. But at least we had a good time and know we will be back very soon. We struggled up around 9:00 thanks to our new neighbor's little girl who wanted "Daddy, daddy, daddy". I don't know why we couldn't hear any adult voices but, boy, that little girl certainly could project vocally. We were already packed so we made our breakfast items (breakfast pizza for Rich, egg muffin for me) and then sat on the patio and waited until it was time to go to the airport. That last hour is tough. I really was tempted to chuck it all and stay but we do have a son and a cat at home. The day was beautiful and the temptation was enormous. Oh well, responsibility took a hold and we headed for the airport around 11:00.

We had a reverse of our first day. Heading to the airport on a beautiful Florida day with the sun out and the wind going through our hair. I would have been depressed but I was planning our next trip. If things work out, I'll be there for an entire week myself and then Rich will join me for another week. I'll stay offsite myself and then at the Polynesian with Rich. People always ask me if I get tired of Disney. What's to get tired of? Why is it that when you leave Disney you feel renewed? That you feel like you're five or ten years younger? That the problems you face really don't seem as big as they did before you arrived? There's nothing more satisfying than sitting at the World Showcase, or anywhere at Walt Disney World, looking at people and just taking the day easy. So many times we get too caught up with work and we just don't take the time to sit back and appreciate the simple things. Disney does that for me.

So even though I was leaving what I consider the Happiest Place on Earth, I was satisfied. I was relaxed and had enjoyed my visit. One of these days, it will be longer than a visit. I can dream, can't I? In the words of Cinderella, that's the one thing they can't take away from me.

Our flight went through Minneapolis so it was a very long three hour flight. Rich and I both read Stephen King ("Hearts of Atlantis" for me, "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" for Rich - he's a book behind me). I napped. We had a great Philly beef and swiss sandwich with carrots, cookies, and peanuts. We had well over an hour in Minneapolis so we sat at the bar and had a beer and a wine. We were right next to our gate so we did some major relaxing. Flight time into Omaha was only 46 minutes and we arrived on time at 6:00 PM. We had a little trouble with Abbott Parking. They have a north lot and a south lot with different shuttles for each. We came out of Terminal A and there was a shuttle for the south lot at Terminal B. We figured it we started towards it, it would leave and we'd just have to walk back. Two north lot shuttles came and the south lot shuttle was still sitting there. A north lot driver told us to go up to the south lot shuttle. We said we were afraid it would take off without us. The driver said he'd radio ahead so the south lot driver would wait. So we walked up. Just as we got there, the shuttle pulled away! I was very ticked off. Rich left the bags and went back to the north lot driver. That driver ended up taking us to the south lot after reporting to home base that we were "a little upset". Upset my eye. That's the first time in over nine years Abbott has really made me mad.

But home to Chris and our cat, Todd, and a sink full of dirty dishes. Chris got a nice lesson on how to pack a dishwasher. We found a leaky shower that was dripping into our family room ceiling. Home improvement loan, here we come.

Final thoughts and overall impressions.

The Disney Institute - would I stay there again? You betcha. Would I recommend it to anyone? You betcha. Already have. It's quiet, secluded, and very adult. It's not for everyone. And that's why I liked it. The wildlife was great for us nature lovers.

Weather - I've been saying it for years. While you're at Disney, don't pay attention to the weather forecast. Even if they do get it right, it ain't gonna last. Just go out and do what you want. If we had paid attention to the forecast on our last full day, we would have been battening down the hatches and staying inside. Instead, we went to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot and had a lovely day. Would I plan another trip in September at the height of hurricane season? Yep. This year was a tough one but there's no guarantee another year will be the same. We were lucky and it rained a heck of a lot less this trip than the last one in June.

Crowds - very manageable. I'm not going to say it was because it was offseason. The hurricanes and other weather factors had something to do with the crowds as well. And we were right in between the Disneyana Convention and Night of Joy and the Soap Opera Weekend. I'm sure the crowds were higher during those events.

Rental car - boy, if I could afford it, I'd do the convertible all the time. Dollar was great, as always. Quick check in, even quicker check out. No problems with them at all.

New things this trip

Rock N Roller Coaster. It kicks some serious, well, you know.
Winnie the Pooh ride. It's cute but I'm not going to be waiting more than 10-15 minutes for it in the future. Great for the kids and I'm glad I did it once but I don't have to get on it anytime soon.
Test Track singles line. The only way to fly.
Things we did that we haven't done for a while

Magic Kingdom Railroad - pleasant diversion.
Jungle Cruise - the skipper made the trip.
Country Bear Jamboree - not as annoying as we remembered.
Lessons learned - don't overplan. Fate and Mother Nature have a way of telling you that life is way too short for that. Yes, I will plan certain meals and events for next June. But it'll be just Rich and me (Chris is a possibility but we'll just wait on that one) so we should be able to be very spontaneous and flexible. Knowing Early Entry days is about the most I'm going to do. I might do a few priority seatings but nothing that I will depend on. We have another trip scheduled for November, 2000 with Rich's parents and possibly his brother, niece, and Chris. After doing this trip with my dad and Betty, I have a rule. I will decide what MY day will be like and if other people want to go with me, fine. If they decide that it's not for them, well, I'll see you later. I will not be a tour guide. It's just too much stress for one person. Yes, I know and love Disney. Ask me questions but don't rely on me to make sure you have fun.

Conclusion

You didn't think you'd ever get this far, right? I have a song in my head that I just can't get rid of. It's "Part of Your World" from "The Little Mermaid". I think it's because I try and make Disney a part of my world everyday. To me, that makes me a better person. I'm more tolerant, more patient. My job is stressful enough that I need an escape. Disney does it. Listening to the Disney songs or watching a Disney video lets me wander to another world. To a place where there are no school kids carrying guns. To a place where we don't have political figures that think they are better than everyone else. To a place where there isn't any breast cancer or knee replacement surgery. To a place where hurricanes are cartoons and everyone survives and there is no damage. My favorite moments of this trip - driving in the Florida sun with the top down on the convertible and watching the ducks and the squirrels. Simple things. Things that we should be grateful for every single day. Things that we take for granted. Life is short. Keep it sweet. Betty's surgery was completely successful and she should be cancer free.

Have a great Disney day and just enjoy life.

Sheri Niklewski

disnut@home.com

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