1 week...7 parks About This Page:

[Artmom2]

Cast:
myself, Artmom2, keeper of the backpack
DHubby, provider of the cash
DD1 12 year old, the one on which we wait
DD2 9 year old, pool-aholic

Dates March 29-April 7
Red Roof Inn (to be discussed in depth later)
All Star Movies
Hard Rock Hotel (no boos and hisses, please)

Let me first begin by saying that the tourism industry in Orlando is officially out of the crisis. We knew that Easter and spring break would be a busy time, but oh my!! However, with help from my Passporter and message boards, we prevailed. I actually felt sorry for those poor unfortunate souls that obviously had not put a whole lot of planning into the trip (these are the same folks who later in Epcot referred to Spaceship Earth as "that big ball" and were actually suprised that there was a ride inside.)
We left Atlanta in our van with the passporter right beside me...we were ready for anything. The only detail we had not taken care of was where we would spend the first night (Friday, March 29..yes, Good Friday.) DH had decided that we would just travel as far as we could and get a room wherever....not making reservations. I agreed because we were not going to Disney till Sunday (Sea World was our first park of the marathon) and it would be an adventure. (Our last name is Bristol which has been pronounced by my friends who have traveled with me to rhyme with "Griswold" of National Lampoon's Vacation fame.) Actually our first day of travel could be in that movie. Travel through Atlanta was great..better than most times we go in, but that was because the whole state of Michigan had already passed through ATL and were funneling into the already packed traffic on I75 into Gainesville, FLA. We met up with them within a few hours and honestly were in a standstill for at least an hour. My daughters were very creative and made signs to put in the window.."Disney or Beach?" They were also marking off the license plates on the disney travel game I had printed from the website (planning paid off!!!) That is how we knew that all of Michigan was going to Florida. Finally we found an empty exit (all of them were jammed too) and we bailed onto a back road (Griswold again) Finally we reached Orlando and met up with the traffic. (honk if any of you were in it) [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img]
Now to find a room....on a holiday weekend...in the travel capital of the world....I won't give you the sordid details, but we ended up in a Red Roof Inn (the LAST room available) and I'm not really sure where we were, but it was near a Wendy's. We were near WDW and as we were looking for a room we saw the most beautiful huge pink full moon. My girls said since it was Easter, it was as if God was giving us a sign (like the star at Christmas...instead of a stable it was a Red Roof Inn. I smiled through my gritted teeth due to our lack of planning, and realized this was going to be the only glitch in our trip. Later, I had a very meaningful mother and daughter talk with my girls about marriage and how sometimes as difficult as it is.... do not say "I told you so" to the keeper of the cash.

Upcoming:
Our first magical moment

[Ursunique2001]

So far so good. Looking forward to hearing about your first day.

[Fortissimo]

More, more!

What a great report so far!

[Mr.Grumpy]

I can relate to the traffic nightmare. We once got off I-95 just south of Jacksonville and took back roads past farms and swamps until we hit Orlando. I think we got there faster than if we stayed on I-95 to I-4 but it was a hellish trip through the back woods of Florida.

As far as the NOT planning for rooms along the way routine, we learned our lesson after our first trip south. Now we book a few along the way and cancel them (before 6pm) on the day of arrival if we feel we can get further down the line. This has been a great technique that gives us some flexibility to drive further if we feel we can or just stop if we think we have gone far enough for one day. Can't wait to read more.