Day 1 - We actually left and what happened to Disney "service"?

Previous: Pre-Trip Info

On a frozen, winter morning, Kara and I loaded our overly packed bags and set off for the Indy (IND) airport. This was to be my 17th trip to WDW! (As of Sept. 2012, I’m now up to 30!) After a quick gate change and turning our bags & selves inside-out for security we were off on our NWA direct flight to Orlando (MCO). Usually when flying with Kara, something with our flight goes wrong. However, this time we escaped the “Kara Kurse”!

Arriving at MCO, I let Kara get us checked-in with the FREE Magical Express to transport us to Port Orleans – Riverside (POR).

Disney's Magical Express Sign at Orlando International Airport, 2006

(It’s fun watching my genius best friend who is not nearly at my level of Disney, trying to navigate the airport & WDW looking quite lost!  It was wonderful to not have to find and haul our luggage all over the place! Soon our bus was off and we were entertained with a cute video!

Welcome! Welcome? To my dismay the staff of POR had greatly changed – for the worse – since my last stay there. (Or perhaps it was that I had become used to the Beach Club staff?!) We checked-in at the resort with a “new” cast member. Then we split up. Kara went to the cruise desk and I to the concierge (to add no-expiration to the tix). Soon I was in the midst of a Disney nightmare! The cruise desk couldn’t answer some of our questions and the concierge wanted to charge us $100 each for the ticket upgrade. (At that time it was only $65.) I had to have another cast member intervene and requested they show me documentation of the price. Having won my argument, we exited. I immediately gauged Kara’s mood and feared that interaction with the cast had (in 10 minutes) turned her off to ever staying on property again! (She said she’d reserve judgment until after the trip.) Next stop – room!

I made Kara try to find our room (8101), which was a laugh! Changed into shorts and headed for a snack. I taught Kara that a snack at WDW meant ordering the child’s meal! Thus, we inhaled our chicken nuggets & applesauce!

Disney kids meal featuring chicken nuggets, fries, and applesauce in a Mickey Head shaped serving container, 2006

Next we instituted THE PLAN. Today was a non-park day. As we had already been on a plane, bus, van, & airport monorail, it was time for…a boat! The only Disney boat Kara had ever been on was the Magic Kingdom Ferry; this was a new experience!

Disney parks internal transportation, 2006 - a ferry boat

We were off to Downtown Disney to purchase pins and lanyards!

Disney Springs from the water, 2006

Having done some financial damage at World of Disney, Disney Tails (pet store), the “Christmas” store, and Magical Memories (scrapbooking), we bussed to the Contemporary.

Although neither of us like lots of noise or crowds, Kara insisted on a celebratory dinner at Chef Mickey’s. Yes, of course, we had reservations! Even on a Thursday night it was crazy! To celebrate her graduation, we both got Mickey cupcakes after our meals.

Celebration cupcake from Chef Mickey's restaurant at the Contemporary Resort

Being stuffed, the staff put the cupcakes into take-home beverage cups with lids! What a great idea!After a long day of travel both to and around WDW, we headed back to POR.

Port Orleans Riverside Resort at Walt Disney World, 2006

Our cupcakes were safely stored in the fridge – yum, breakfast! We needed a good night’s sleep, as tomorrow we’d start bright & early at the Magic Kingdom (MK)!

Next up: Day 2 – Would we ever find Pluto? And, a new favorite meal!