[Val32]

Ok, here goes.... bear with me as I do my TR's from memory and kinda just wing it and am never prepared for these things.
Cast: Me (34)
DD (alyssa 8)
DD's DF, my EX H (38)

Day 1- Friday November 3rd
I went in to work as normal at 8:30am and was scheduled to work 1/2 day until 12:30pm. I left work and went right to my pedicure appt. Afterwards I ran a couple more errands and went back home to finish my packing and then ran up to the school to sign DD out of school at 2:30pm. I picked her up and we went home to get our bags and I printed out my boarding passes and left with my DF as he was driving my jeep back home. On the way to the airport we had to pick up my EX, and we were off to newark airport. I didn't leave as early as I wanted but felt really no need to since I had my boarding passes and were already checked in for our flights. I believe we left home around 3 and our flight was at 5:45pm. We arrived at the airport and went up to the ticket counter to check our bags, we each had 2 bags to check. My 1 luggage is really big so I have to watch the weight on my bag that I dont go over which I tried to by using the bathroom scale which I knew would probably be off. Well my bag was around 52lbs and the ticket agent said "just made it" and we were off to the gate area, no problems... We got something to eat and just waited by the gate area for our flight time which was currently "on time". DD and her DF played games, DD brought her gameboy and nintendo DS, and I just hung out and waited.
As it got closer to the flight time, the gate agent said that our plane will be arriving soon and that they would start boarding as soon as everybody got off the plane. As it got closer to the flight time, nothing.... the plane still has NOT arrived and I was getting nervous as we were flying Air Tran and we had to connect in Atlanta. Well, we ended up leaving about an hour late out of newark, we had no idea what the delay was about but when we got on the plane and we were starting to taxi off the captain said they hoped to make up the time in the air which brought a relief to some of us as most of us had connecting flights, there was a lady sitting next to us and she had to catch a flight to pensacola to attend a wedding in the morning so she was really worried that there wouldnt be any more flights going there. Well we all settled in and got some headphones for our XM satellite radio, all was fine until the captain came back on the overcom and said that there was alot of delays and we had to wait like 30mins before it would be our turn to take off!!! Well, we all started freaking out because they told us that they couldnt guarantee that the planes we were trying to catch in ATL would wait for us. Well we were supposed to arrive ATL 8:30pm, we made some time up in the air but we didnt arrive ATL until 9:05pm and our connecting flight was at 9:10pm!!! that left us 5mins to get to our other flight and we arrived ATL Concourse C and our flight was out of Concourse "D". I never knew what happened to the other girl sitting next to us because her flight was AT 9:05pm. DD was kinda upset that we had to take another plane and sit next to another person. She told the girl that now that she got used to her she has to go on another plane and get used to someone else and was worried if they were going to be nice like this girl was and we all laughed! DD is quite a character!...... anyways, back to the rat race! We hurried off the plane and took the tram over to Concourse D and as soon as we got off the tram we ran to our gate (that I had listed on my boarding pass), I kept having to stop to catch my breathe, I couldnt run the whole distance being so out of shape and with a bad knee to boot! And of of course our gate had to be at the very end! We finally arrived at the gate and we were told that our gate had changed!! We had to run halfway back and our flight was still there! THANK GOD!!! By the time I got on the plane I was soo out of breathe, I was sweating and coughing because I couldnt catch my breathe and as soon as I sat down I noticed I blew my knee out (the one I had surgery on just about 5 months prior), I was in alot of pain and had trouble getting comfortable in my seat and I couldnt stop coughing, so I asked for some water, which I finally settled down. I then proceeded to choke on my pretzels, on the salt actually that I emptied into my mouth and spit out all over the place, I was a Mess!
We arrived Orlando 5mins late, got our bags and headed to the DME check in counter which was really long for 11pm I thought. Some lady complained and got out of line muttering how this is not a fast service like they advertise, whatever
When it was my turn at the counter, the computer crashed on the guy, so he went on to a computer right next to him and that crashed too (That's my good luck!), we finally all got checked in and headed over to another line to get the DME bus. We were right in front of the line for the POP, and when the guy came to our line he rushed us onto the bus, which we still had to wait. We had 6 luggages and 2 adults so the ex and I were trying to handle all the bags cuz the kid can only handle 1 bag, the EX took my big suitcase and my carry on luggage that I had and his other suitcase that had no wheels and he gave me his smaller luggage which did me no good, because 1 of the wheels was broken all the way through the airport I kept getting held up by it and here this guy is rushing us on to the bus like it's ready to leave and we got on and waited and another group got on the bus, I was a little annoyed but I was letting it affect me. I was soo happy to be in Orlando and on the DME bus which this was our 1st time on the bus! I dont know if those tv's work or not but we had the same image on the screen for our entire bus ride, oh well.... We were the 1st stop at the Pop century and the check in line was sooo LOOOOOONG! UGH!!! We were all tired and hungry! AND It was like 12:30am and the food court was CLOSED! Whatever, all i needed was some water and sleep!!! We got checked in, and I advised the CM that this was our pre-nite and our package actually starts tomorrow and she told me that we wouldnt have to switch rooms, but we had to come down and check out before 11am and we would get all our other documents, etc... I also told the CM that I hurt my knee on the way down and I had surgery recently and I would very much appreciate an ice pack, she came back with 2 of the 1 use ones and told me that if I needed more to just come back down! I loved this woman!!! I also told her that I had a refrigerator request and that I would call for it for the morning as this day was already over and it made no sense to pay for it.
We got building 5, room 5354 in the 60's (i paid for the preferred), building 5 (b?), 3rd floor. We were the bldg with the Yo-Yo on one end and Mowgli in the middle. We were all excited to be here!
I unpacked some things and went to bed, it was about 2 or 2:30am!!!

[alicefan]

I'm so glad you are back - You had sooooo many problems, girlie!!! I know the rest of your trip is going to be fabulous - can't wait!!


Thanks again for the postcard!

[Maria]

Wow, what a start! Cant wait for more

[DisneyTeacher]

Wow, what a rough start to your trip, I can't wait to hear about the rest--I nkow it has to get better.

[dznygrl]

Oh Val, your first day sounds absolutely exhausting!

But I am sooooo excited to hear the rest! (And I'm happy you're home safe!)

[Val32]

Iam going to try and post some pics, my computer is going reallly slooooow right now and I have to get to bed for work tomorrow.
Iam also having problems with my new Photo Explosion, Iam trying to do something simple and take out the red eye and it's not working! grrr...

Here is DD at the gate area, going thru her gameboy games:

[lovemysons]

YAY! A new trip report! Welcome back Val! I am out of breath after just having read the first day's events!! Hope you had an awesome time, can't wait for more!

[Val32]

Here is DD and me with my straight hair (I had my hair done the nite before)

[Val32]

Here is DD with her DF on the DME bus, I got to sit by myself, yeah!!!! It was a long day and I needed PEACE! lol
OH the EX is wearing a Ny giants hat and as soon as we landed in Orlando, 1 of the gate agents told him to lose the hat, lol. Notice his earrings, I busted on him every day about them, he now has an earring in both ears. He got them a week before the trip, the girl told him to get both ears done because "everyone is doing it" I made fun of him, and he also showed me another matching pair that he got, he got mad at me when I made fun of him *shrugs*. When we were dating he did have a hoop in 1 ear which I though was fine at the time, but this is too darn funny!

[dznygrl]

Oooh yay, pictures!! That makes any TR twice as fun to read!!

[Val32]

Here is 1 more pic then Iam off to bed!

Day 2 will be up tomorrow nite!

[WishUponAStar]

Yay! Love it!!! I love your straight hair too!

[tiggerlover1971]

sounds like an exhausting day hope the rest of the trip went well


uh Did you hear how the Giants lost the game Monday night I would lose that Hat too if I had it lol ( I am a Giants fan too and cant believe they were that dumb to walk off the field before the game was over )

[Erin]

Val! Excellent start to your trip report! I can tell it's gonna be really good - I LOVE the pictures...

I am SO sorry you had such a rough time getting down here - I can't believe you had so much trouble in ATL. I hate that you had knee issues before your trip even started

I can't wait to hear the rest, sweetie!!

[Erin]

Originally Posted by Val32

Here is DD and me with my straight hair (I had my hair done the nite before)

Val! I LOVE the straight hair!!