A Hop, NO Skip, and Many Mishaps to a Disney Dream!

[jenseib]

Great start, Jen!

I knew about the mishaps from your dining review, but reading it all in all that detail really made me realize how looooooooong that day had been for you!

Can't wait for more, especially since I am finally officially on Easter break and now have time to catch up and stay on top of all my subscribed threads and my own threads!

It was a long day. But we handled it well for the most part.
It is reqally hard writing a dining report/ TR and trying to keep up with everyone elses reports. I don't know how you do it.

Great start, looking forward to the rest. I'm with your dad...I hate bumpy flights with a passion!

Yeah, not my favorite part. But mine is mostly because we could plumet to our deaths . Dad doesn't like the feeling either, so there is a double whammy for him. I can at least handle the rollarcoaster thrill a bit. But I want to be on a track for that thril!

Ahoy there! Permission to come aboard? Going back to read!

Permission Granted!!

 

[dizneeat]

It is reqally hard writing a dining report/ TR and trying to keep up with everyone elses reports. I don't know how you do it.

As you can see, I CAN'T keep up with every one elses reports! But I try and am working at a real life update to my summer 2011 pre trippie! Stay tuned!

 

[jenseib]

As you can see, I CAN'T keep up with every one elses reports! But I try and am working at a real life update to my summer 2011 pre trippie! Stay tuned!

It is hard. I am devoting this afternoon to try and at least catch up on 3 TRs.

 

[kelly1275]

Loving your trip report. I'm from Ohio also. I'm in between Dayton and Cincinnati. I'm new at all this on here so i don't know where the dining report is that people are talking about, can you or someone lead me in the right direction, thanks. I don't know all the lingo yet either but i'll know it before we go on our first cruise next March Your DD is very cute. My DS will be 7 when we go and he can't wait!

 

[teachermommy78]

Joining in!!!! I've seen you on many a TR and PTR! Your daughter is adorable. I can't wait to read more!

 

[jenseib]

Loving your trip report. I'm from Ohio also. I'm in between Dayton and Cincinnati. I'm new at all this on here so i don't know where the dining report is that people are talking about, can you or someone lead me in the right direction, thanks. I don't know all the lingo yet either but i'll know it before we go on our first cruise next March Your DD is very cute. My DS will be 7 when we go and he can't wait!

Hello feloow Ohian! if you look under my pictures in my signature there is the words, "so this is what a dream taste like" click on those words and it will take you to my dining report. If you have a question on lingo, just ask. It took me awhile to get it. And I still don't know all.

Joining in!!!! I've seen you on many a TR and PTR! Your daughter is adorable. I can't wait to read more!

Thanks for joining! I wish I could put the updates out faster. I have been trying to catch up on my subscribed threads today, and work on the next dining update, but honestly, I feel like I'm not makeing much progress.

 

[jenseib]

I want to add to those new to reading this, that I do have a Dining review as well going on. The link is in my signature "so this is what a dream taste like"

 

[KatMark]

I'm here....now I have to go back and play catch up.

 

[LissaW16]

thanks for sharing both the good and the bad of vacation. It helps keep it all in perspective.

I went to high school in Perrysburg, my mom still lives there. Small world!

I always make my mom fly out of Detroit when I book her trips, I can never find anything out of Toledo that's affordable. It's not that far to Detroit, but whoever ends up driving her to the airport always makes such a big deal out of it!

It could be worse, like us, who drive 2.5 hours to the Minneapolis airport, because you have to be richer than God to fly Delta out of Duluth. Allegiant here only goes to Las Vegas (they stopped our Orlando flights, lack of interest I think, in this economy).

Loved your food TR, can't wait to hear what else you did (besides eat!)

 

[seobaina]

Yeah, not my favorite part. But mine is mostly because we could plumet to our deaths . Dad doesn't like the feeling either, so there is a double whammy for him. I can at least handle the rollarcoaster thrill a bit. But I want to be on a track for that thril!

Ah see I have both too. I used to love it as a kid but in the last ten years I've learnt to hate that negative 'g' feeling, so it's a double whammy for me too. Praying I have nice smooth flights this time cause last time flying from Orlando to Philly was NOT fun.

 

[jenseib]

I'm here....now I have to go back and play catch up.

Hi Kathy! Thanks for joining

thanks for sharing both the good and the bad of vacation. It helps keep it all in perspective.

I went to high school in Perrysburg, my mom still lives there. Small world!

I always make my mom fly out of Detroit when I book her trips, I can never find anything out of Toledo that's affordable. It's not that far to Detroit, but whoever ends up driving her to the airport always makes such a big deal out of it!

It could be worse, like us, who drive 2.5 hours to the Minneapolis airport, because you have to be richer than God to fly Delta out of Duluth. Allegiant here only goes to Las Vegas (they stopped our Orlando flights, lack of interest I think, in this economy).

Loved your food TR, can't wait to hear what else you did (besides eat!)

Small World.
Yep, Skip hates to drive up to Detroit too. So thats why we fly out of Toledo. The bad thing is they only have a few flights a week. But they usually are similar in cost with Detroit for the most part. Sometimes more. But Skip says he rather pay $100 more to fly out close.

Ah see I have both too. I used to love it as a kid but in the last ten years I've learnt to hate that negative 'g' feeling, so it's a double whammy for me too. Praying I have nice smooth flights this time cause last time flying from Orlando to Philly was NOT fun.

I just try not to think about it. But sometimes you can't help it.
You must be getting so excited. Your trip is just around the corner.

 

[fairydust1278]

im here! can't wait to read more! would have checked in sooner but been busy with things for work.

 

[Tinkerbell Teen]

I had to hop into your trip report, because we actually ate about 3 tables away from you guys at 1900 Park Fare, I just noticed in your signature! I thought Claire looked familiar when we were seated, since I've seen you around here a lot, but I didn't really think anything of it. I was there with my mom and we're actually in the background of Claire's picture with Mary Poppins in your signature! We're in the upper left corner, my mom has her back to the camera and she has curly red hair. Her dress was adorable and Mary seemed to just love her outfit!

 

[chloe770]

Signing on but coming back in the morning to read.

 

[jenseib]

im here! can't wait to read more! would have checked in sooner but been busy with things for work.

I hate when real life gets in the way! Glad you're here now though.

I had to hop into your trip report, because we actually ate about 3 tables away from you guys at 1900 Park Fare, I just noticed in your signature! I thought Claire looked familiar when we were seated, since I've seen you around here a lot, but I didn't really think anything of it. I was there with my mom and we're actually in the background of Claire's picture with Mary Poppins in your signature! We're in the upper left corner, my mom has her back to the camera and she has curly red hair. Her dress was adorable and Mary seemed to just love her outfit!

How cool! We could've said hi, but didn't know then! You will probably be in the background of all my 1900PF pictures then. I think thats the angle I took most of them. We had another little Mary at the table next to us too. I thought that was so funny. You don't see many kids dressed up as Mary (because it's impossible to find the costume) and here we were sitting right next to one.

Signing on but coming back in the morning to read.

Thanks for joining!!!

 

[Mean Queen]

Joining in. It'll be interesting to see your perspective on the same cruise we were on.

 

[gunghomom]

Yay, I'm so excited you're writing this. We really wanted to meet you guys on the trip after reading everything before - even hoped to see you on the dolphin thing. Looking here I don't think I saw you, but my daughters think they did. We're writing one, and hope to put it up soon. So excited to follow yours!

 

[jenseib]

Joining in. It'll be interesting to see your perspective on the same cruise we were on.

Hi Shay!! Thanks for joining!

 

[jenseib]

Yay, I'm so excited you're writing this. We really wanted to meet you guys on the trip after reading everything before - even hoped to see you on the dolphin thing. Looking here I don't think I saw you, but my daughters think they did. We're writing one, and hope to put it up soon. So excited to follow yours!

Hi!!! I was kind of looking for you then too, but I couldn't figure out for sure if I ever saw you or not. I'm pretty sure we weren't in the same group. I can't wait to read yours as well.

 

[jenseib]

I forgot to mention that I did call Skip when we landed and told him of all the delays in the air, etc. Of course he laughed again at me. He knows how I get when things don’t go right. I usually get panicky and uptight. But since we didn’t HAVE to be anywhere tonight, (like a park), I was actually doing fine. The only things we had to do was get checked into our hotel and get something to eat. The rest of the night was for relaxation.

Now things get a little stressful when we leave the airport. I think we were on the road somewhere between 6:30 and 6:45. I have printed out various maps/directions for our trip. I hand the paper to Dad as he is riding shotgun. I basically say, “where to” as I am driving. I did the directions from the actual airport address, rather than the Alamo lot. This confuses Dad. He tells me to find a certain road. I tell him we just turned off that rode, what's the next direction, and he just keeps saying find “this” road. I finally just ripped them out of his hands and handed them back to mom. I tell her I just need the route to get to and I can follow signs. It takes a minute to figure it out and by this time I have turned again, but not sure if it was right, so I go and make a U-turn and wait for Mom’s reply. Dad is having a fit that I am doing this. Mom finds the route and we make another U-turn and are basically back where we were a few minutes ago, but now I KNOW we are heading in the right direction. Again Dad is having a fit that we wasted time. I told him we had no where to be tonight and we’ll be just fine.
I started to worry a bit then. Dad was going to be alone for 3 days and he couldn’t even find his way out of the airport. I sure hoped this wasn’t going to lead to another “mishap”.

We made great time traveling to the port area. We saw the damage left by the storms as we drove. There were trees uprooted everywhere. Though I must add, though it looked bad, you could tell that the roots are not very deep on these trees.
As we approached the Port Area you could see a Carnival Ship docked and all lit up. It was very pretty.
I think we got to Residence Inn in just over an hour. The route is pretty empty, with not many exciting looking exits. It is a toll road, and I had brought a little change bag full of quarters. Dads job was to fish them out to me as we approached a booth. Of course there were a few arguments about which booth to go to at times.

We arrived at Residence Inn around 7:40. I ran in to check us in. Mom was starving and told me to find a place to eat. Check in was a breeze. I noticed that we had just missed the “free” supper they had offered that night. It closed at 7:30. But that was fine. I think it was just burgers.
The desk clerk told me to go to Fish Lips. I had read about this place and the reviews seemed good. He gave me a map, and drew a line for the route.

Looks pretty easy, doesn’t it?

I ran back out to the van and told everyone which direction our room was, but we decided to eat first. Here is another “mishap” that I am so happy didn’t turn out bad. This van had the gear shift on the dash….really? the dash? This was very weird to me. When I got out, I had never put it in park. The van was STILL in drive when I got in. Thank goodness it didn’t move an inch. My Dad was amazed that it had just sat still the whole time.
I found this gear shifter thing to be a pain the whole trip and this isn’t the only incident I had with it.

I hand the map to Dad and take off without really reading it myself. I ask Dad which road I need to turn on. He can’t see. It’s dark, and we can’t find the light to turn on for him. Mom says she can’t see in the dark either. I could see it, but not drive at the same time. It was kind of comical. I just kept saying, give me a name of the road, and no one could. I was sure I had past it as we got into a very unpopulated area about 2 miles down the road. I pulled over. Looked at the map and sure enough it was the road I thought it was and had passed a ways back. So we turned around and made our way there.
There were several places lined up along the water, but we eventually found it and found a parking space NOT too far away.

We were seated right away.

Our table was right next to a big window and we could look out and see the water and the big Carnival ship.

After we ordered Claire and I walked outside to look at the water. Our table was right next to the door. It was fairly warm out, but very windy.
A server was walking by out there and offered to take our picture. I said sure and switched the settings on my camera and handed over the SLR with a little uneasiness.
I smiled while he tried to put the Carnival ship in the background. I wanted him to just hurry up. I didn’t want him to drop my camera. I knew the ship wouldn’t really show up anyways. A couple of older gentleman walked by and one told the server he would take it because he was a former professional photographer. That made me a feel a little more at ease. He actually held the camera safely.
He asked me what settings I use, and I told him usually manual, but I had set it to auto for the other guy. He set it to P and turned the flash on and tried a couple of shots. The pictures weren’t that great, but it was still nice to get a picture taken with Claire.

We talked a bit about photography and he gave me some of his opinions. It was a nice chat. Claire and I then went back in and our food still hadn’t come.
I decided to walk out to the van and get my phone that I left out there. On the way in I took this picture of Claire on my phone and texted it to family and friends.

I’m not to good with the camera phone. I can’t figure out how to make the flash work, so this picture is pretty awful.