Two birthday girls - updated Nov 20 About This Page:

[DrDolphin]

Thursday Sept 23, 2004



I woke up at 530 this morning, got dressed and headed out the door. I discovered that while I had packed 3 shirts (all red polo shirts with a HUGE castle logo on the back) I HAD NOT packed any jeans...... looks like I am recycling today and going shopping). I ended up at McDonalds around 610am for breakfast, not the greatest, but in a crunch it will do. I worked all day and this is where things got interesting.



1) A biologist from Savannah came in as my replacement

2) I found out hurricane Jeanne had turned and was heading toward Florida.... NOT GOOD



So - with this new info - I called Disney Cruiseline. They did not have an info and told me to call back tomorrow. I called Cheryl and talked to her about if we should go to Cocoa Beach as planned or cancel and move to Orlando. We had gotten a room at the Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach (free - got to love Hilton Hhonors). She called Hilton to see if she could cancel and not lose her points - they said she had until 6pm Friday to cancel.



So - we decided to cancel the hotel at CC Beach and the day trip to Kennedy Space Center since it was projected that Jeanne would come ashore to the south of KSC - and it would likely be closed anyway.



I spent the day driving around PCola looking at possible sites for temporary houseing and talking with Disney, Cheryl, mom & dad and a variety of friends worried about the cruise cancellation.



At 7pm we checked back into the ERRO and I read on the DCL website that the cruise would be shortened to a 3 nite cruise. I called Cheryl again - do we still want to go??? YES!!! I had dinner with Win (my replacement) and discussed the plan for tomorrow (Friday). Did not sleep well at all. About 4 hours....



Next - Friday -- The Beginning of the trip.

[myles&alecmom]

This is great keep it coming please!!!! Your nerves must of been in full swing. Had this been me I would be eating tums by the gallon bottles

[Colexis Mom]

Gosh Terri, you need this vacation BAD!! Can it get any more stressful! At least you got a replacement

Can't wait to hear about the start of the vacation! Hurry back

[Tara O'Hara]

Gosh, Terri!! I am sitting her ebiting my nails, hoping that this trip works out as planned for you!

[KimandMark]

Dear God woman! It would seemt the right hand is not aware of what the left hand is doing, or even aware that it exists for that matter. You work way to hard!

[katspjs]

Terri, I was thinking of you when I saw that they moved the start of the cruise to Monday. I hope everything worked out for you guys. Can't wait to read about it.

[sarah_belle]

I'm on the edge of my seat! I can't wait to read more!

Sarah

[luvnwdwgal]

Omg! I just want to read the words....."We're on the ship!!". You SO deserve this vacation!!

[DrDolphin]

OK - I need a brain break!!! Here is another installment.

Friday - Sept 24.
This morning I tried to check out of the Radisson at 600am and was told by the security guy that no one would be there to check me out until 8am.... ok.... that's a new one. He gave me a business card with a phone number to call. I had McDonalds again for breakfast (Mel the trainer is gonna kill me when she reads this) - this is not a good trend and headed for the ERRO. I got in at 7am and started by checking personal email, posting to the PP Boards, checking the hilton website and scouring NOAA.gov and Wunderground.com for info on the likely path of Jeanne. Around 8am I called the Radisson to check out and get all my paperwork in order for me to leave. Win came in around 8am as well and we worked on a few more housing sites.

At some point (it really has all blurred together), I talked with Maureen at Grand Getaways about getting a room at WDW for 2 nites since Jeanne was modelled to hit Vero Beach and slide up the coast to Jacksonville. I did not want to be stuck in Jacksonville and unable to get to Canaveral on Monday. Maureen called back and was unable to find anything other than Boardwalk, Grand Floridian or Polynesian at rack rate (don't I wish I had that kind of cash). She also checked the DTD resorts w/o too much luck.

I called Cheryl at work and had her check with Hilton.com for anything near WDW. She found the Hampton Inn at Maintgate West for $66.67 a nite. Go Cheryl!!!! Not to mention she gets Hhonors points and Southwest FF flyer points for this.

Win and I ended up with 4 sites to look at - all WEST of Pensacola. I knew this meant that I would be the furthest west I could be before starting the trip east to get Cheryl at the airport. One of the sites was in ALABAMA!!!!

I worked through the day and at 330pm, said goodbye to Win and started heading eat. Remember this is 330 central time, 430 eastern. Cheryl's plane was scheduled to land at 1030pm eastern - and I had to go through the detour....

I ended up detouring around the detour - and found a faster, albeit longer, way around.

During the drive, I called Disney cruise line and found out that the Wonder was now departing from Port Everglades on Monday evening instead of Port Canaveral. Port Everglades is in Ft. Lauderdale - 4 hours south of Orlando... and ironically - I am the lead biologist on the port expansion currently planned for PE.... Disney was bussing everyone from Orlando and Canaveral to PE. The CM told me we needed to be at Port Canaveral at 2pm - which meant we would not get to the ship until around 6pm - thus missing most of the first day. I asked if there was anything earlier than 2pm. Nope. I asked what they were doing for resort guests... "oh - they are leaving around 9am"??? OK - can we get on one of those busses?? We ended up booked on the 930am bus departing the Polynesian. I was really not looking forward to a 4 hour bus ride - but I am not driving there and leaving my car - since we will likely be returning to Port Canaveral. I was also informed that Disney would be returning 40% of the cost of the cruise to us due to the shortening of the cruise. We each got about $300.00 back.

I kept driving east and at Tallahassee realized that there was NO way I would be in JAX at 1030pm. Thats about when Cheryl called to tell me her flight was delayed due to Mechanical issues, she had to wait for a new plane and they would not be arriving until 11pm - Whew -- thats about when I would be getting to the airport!!

Cheryl's plane did land at 1105 and I drove under the gate entrering the airport right as my cell phone rang. I had to circle the airport 3 times before her bags came out and we got her in the car.

We headed to my house where she went to bed, while I did laundry and worked on packing.

Next - Saturday -- Gym, and on the road to Orlando.

[luvnwdwgal]

I can't believe all the running around you're doing! You must dream that you're driving! You go girl!!

[buckysmom]

Oh my gosh...this soooo painful to read, I can't imagine living it!!

[MickeyMAC]

Terrie
I knew you needed the cruise but I didn't know how badly. Your work schedule makes mine look like a picnic. Keep the report coming, I've got to know more.

[chezp]

Oh my goodness Terri! I think we all knew you needed this cruise bad, but I didn't realise how bad until I started reading your trip report. I'm just glad you were able to get your vacation after everything you've been through.

[Colexis Mom]

Gosh Terri, I'm exhausted just reading this, I can't imagine how you were still going!

Hurry back with more, and I hope you got some sleep!

[DrDolphin]

Hey guys.... looks like I can only post updates from work - the laptop and AOL have decided dial up will not cooperate at the Navy Lodge - even though it worked fine my first night here - so when I get breaks, I will work on it.