Our FREE trip to Fort Myers and Spring Training - UPDATED 3/26 - COMPLETE About This Page:

[iamgrumpy]

Well who would have thought even 3 weeks ago that I would have this trip report to write! Why you ask? Well read on and find out!

Let's Start this off by introducing you to the cast of this adventure! That way you can know who is involved in this!

Angela "Mom" age ....52 she has been to Bonita Beach but not to Fort Myers. She is the reason we are going on this trip but that comes later!


Wait you probably want to see her face ok so here she is...



Now let's talk about me your author!!

Amy -Age 25 first trip to Fort Myers but its not that far from where my grandparents used to live in Bonita Beach so I am hoping its just as nice!




So now that you know who is going on this trip let me give you why we are going on this trip and the run down!

My mom has loved the Red Sox since she was 12 when Tony Conigliaro played in right field and she had the biggest crush on him. She suffered through the years of the "curse of the babe" and in 2004 in the wee hours of the morning in October she got to see something she had waited decades for... The Red Sox broke the Curse and won the World Series. She and I drove up to the T-Station near Boston (subway) the saturday after the World Series win and we walked 3 blocks to the parade route stood for 6 hours in rain, sleet, snow, rain, and in a crowd that was 10 rows deep and packed so tight that you were not going anywhere it was crazy!! But we had a great time cheering on our champions and it was something Boston had waited a very long time for!

Well, life goes on, and in 2007 the Red Sox win again!! I didn't think Mom's heart could take it! I think she kept waiting for them to mess up and blow it like they used to but they played fabulously and beet the Rockies ( to the rockies fans) well we couldn't get to the parade this time but a great friend did and I heard it was great.

Well once baseball season ends mom stays in a funk until Spring Training Starts, mainly because of the cold weather, and the fact that there is nothing good on tv to watch So when in early January our local Radio Station makes the announcement that they are having a contest online to win a trip to Spring Training to see the Red Sox play in FORT MYERS!!!! she enters the contest and forgets about it!

Well about 2 weeks ago my mother was driving me to work (we carpool) and had dropped me off when her cell phone rang, thinking it was me calling because maybe I forgot something in the car answered it all sarcastically. Well it WASN'T me it was my father she just rolled her eyes and asked what he wanted and this is the conversation:

Mom: Yeah, just dropped Amy off what do you want I don't have my hands free device on

Dad: Why didn't you tell me you were going to Florida next week?

Mom: Huh? I'm not going to Florida next week what makes you think that?

Dad: The Radio Station in Hartford just announced your name and said you won a trip to Fort Myers, FL for Red Sox Spring Training!

Mom:.............................................. .........WHAT!?! Really!?!?!

Well Mom pulled over, called the radio station and was so excited that they told her indeed she had won the trip and that their marketing department would contact her later that day with all the details but gave her the dates of the trip! She even got to talk on the radio!

Well, see where I work i can't have my cell phone on in the office and if you try to call me once I go down into the dungeon i mean office then you will have to wait for my release i mean my breaks and so mom was in a panic as it was about 2 minutes before the start of my shift and she was hopeful i wasn't at my desk well she was in luck! I had forgotten to turn the phone off, but it was on silent so I saw the light and panicked because she knows not to call, and she was driving my car that day!

So I pick up the phone shove my head under the desk so that no one sees me on my phone and in a panic whisper ask her what is wrong! She blurts out loudly " I WON A TRIP" so ok i tell her to be quiet that i am in the office and so she excitedly WHISPERS that she won the trip, where, the dates, and to get the time off bye.

Yep that was the converstation "I won a trip, fort myers, date to date, get the time off bye" i was soooo excited, i couldn't do anything but tell everyone i saw what happened and arranged the time off first thing!

So I got a break mid day and called her up got the rest of the details and this is what we had won:

2 Round Trip Tickets to Fort Myers
3 nights at the Diamond Head Beach Resort
2 tickets to Friday's Game
2 tickets to Saturday's Game

The Dates were : 3/13 flying out and flying home on the 16th! It wasn't a long trip but it was going to be fun, hot, and well very nice!

The hardest part was that as a trip planner, i had no control over any of the plans other then the rental car and since we didn't have flight information we didn't know times etc that by the time we got our flight information I had made about 16 reservations and canceled about 14 of them. Once I got the times and the right DATES (read on) i canceled one of them and kept the other!

Well its the night before we leave and we got our flights YESTERDAY!!!! Because of an error we now get an extra day in Florida!!!!!!!

Our Itinerary will be in the next post!

[Colexis Mom]

Great start Amy!! How lucky

[iamgrumpy]

Our Itinerary!

Thursday March 13th 2008:
Up and out of the house by 4am
Drop the car off at the airport parking valet service by 5
Fly out of Hartford at 7:15 am
Change planes at Philly
Fly from Philly and arrive at Fort Myers by 1pm (hopefully, and with luggage maybe)
Pick up the rental car
Check into the Hotel
Dinner

Friday March 14th 2008:
wake up early, we have a gulf view suite see if we can catch dolphins in the water
Breakfast at the hotel or find something elsewhere
11:00 arrive at the City of Palms Park and see if we can get photos and autographs of any of the Red Sox Players
1:05pm Game Starts against the Orioles
Dinner at Sonic or Steak and Shake

Saturday March 15 2008:
Up Early photos photos photos of the sunrise, dolphins etc
Breakfast
Based on Friday arrive at the park in time to see if we can find Bronson Arroyo for Dyan
1:05 Game Starts against Cinncinatti Reds
Dinner at Steak and shake or Sonic (whichever we didn't have last night)

Sunday March 16 2008: (due to an error we get to stay tonight in FL whoo hooo)
Wake up early
Breakfast
Drive to Sanibel Island and explore the Island Lunch at a local restaurant whatever looks good
After lunch head over to Bonita Beach FL look at my grandparents old house make sure its still in one piece (the family still has a claim to it)
Head back to our hotel and spend the evening just relaxing at the pool and the pool bar
Pack up and get ready for the morning

Monday March 17 2008:
Drop off the rental car at 5:30am
Check in for the flight by 6 am
Fly from Fort Myers at 7:45am
Arrive Philly and change planes
Philly to Hartford and arrive around 1pm
Pick up our Car, drive home and unpack

Its a short and sweet trip and we will have a great time I am sure!!!!

So Until I return on Monday my friends! I hope you enjoy this!

[DyanKJ130]

I am so psyched for you two!! Lucky girls!!

Originally Posted by iamgrumpy

Well once baseball season ends mom stays in a funk until Spring Training Starts

I think your mom and I were separated at birth!

Here's a link to A Famous Video about the Red Sox to get you in the mood!

Please send Bronson my best!!


Have a WONDERFUL time!!!

[chezp]

Great start - and what an awesome itinerary!

[iamgrumpy]

So Here it is 3:49 am on Thursday March 13th and I am sooooo Excited we are leaving for Florida in a few hours and the forecast for Ft. Myers has it in the Mid 80's!!!!!!!! It's close to 30 something outside my house right now!!!!

Mom who swears we will leave by 4am is still getting ready so since it is now 3:51 am i doubt that will happen! We tend to be late to everything if Mom goes, if its just me then we are always about 2 hours early! It's the excitement!

Well last night I finished packing and got everything weighed and we have plenty of space for souvinears that we may not have to ship anything home fedex!

Well its now 3:53 and amazingly my mother has come downstairs to have her coffee so whoo hoo looks like we *may* get to leave on time!

Well my friends, will we make it to the airport on time, will our luggage make it to florida...find out when I return!!

[Colexis Mom]

Great plans Amy Can't wait to hear all about ot

[RobDVC]

Have a great time Amy!

[lauren-roxy]

Great start Amy and your plans sound wonderful!! Have a great trip!!

[poohmaine]

Have a wonderful trip!

[clio]

Have a wonderful trip, Amy. Can't wait to rea about it when you get back.
Liz

[DyanKJ130]

Make sure you to Kevin Millar tomorrow!! I'm sure he'll be up to lots of antics with his old pals! Take lots of photos!!!!

[chezp]

Have a great time!

[DyanKJ130]

WOW!! What a great game you got to see!! 7-4!!! Way to go, MATSUZAKA!!!!!!!!! Way to go, RED SOX!!!!!!
Okajima definitely made out on this rookie deal!!

Hope you're having a great time, Amy!! I'm DYING to know ALL about it!!!

[Grandmasam]

Originally Posted by iamgrumpy

. . . The Red Sox broke the Curse and won the World Series. She and I drove up to the T-Station near Boston (subway) the saturday after the World Series win and we walked 3 blocks to the parade route stood for 6 hours in rain, sleet, snow, rain, and in a crowd that was 10 rows deep and packed so tight that you were not going anywhere it was crazy!! But we had a great time cheering on our champions and it was something Boston had waited a very long time for! . . .

I was at WDW during the time of the game, and made sure I'd be at the MK parade so that I'd be able to see some of the team the day after (nothing posted to say they would be there, but the winners ALWAYS go to WDW the day after!) I had a GREAT view in front of LTT! No Sox How could they NOT participate in this wonderful ritual, especially since I was there? That night I saw on the news that several of them HAD been there, but apparently they joined the parade at the top of Main Street instead of at the beginning! Major bummer.

Originally Posted by iamgrumpy

. . . Well once baseball season ends mom stays in a funk until Spring Training Starts, mainly because of the cold weather, and the fact that there is nothing good on tv to watch . . .

At least Mom and I aren't the only ones that think there is nothing on TV when baseball is over!


Hope the trip is every bit as exciting as you anticipate. Looking forward to the take as it plays out