Racing the Duck - Finished - 1/27 About This Page:

[ngaill]

I Luv your Trip Reports!!! Please hurry with more!!

[DrDolphin]

Saturday January 8 - Day 1

Original Plans -
Up early, little breakfast
Goodbyes
730 - Head to my personal trainer for Cheryl to redo her bodpod and see if her efforts since September to get fit have paid off
Immediately after that – head to WDW
Before 1130 – arrive WDW
Check into WL – Courtyard view
Go to Runners Expo at Wide World of Sports to pick up our race packets
Go to Shades of Green to buy Terri and Scott’s seasonal passes (which are now cheaper than a 3 day parkhopper!!!!) for the upcoming trip in February.
Back to the resort or DTD or other resorts.
No parks today – rest feet as much as possible (yeah right)
Dinner – 740pm PS at ‘Ohana to see fireworks over the lagoon (first time for Cheryl – lots of ‘Ohana, no fireworks)
Back to WL< lay out running gear for am and get to bed early!!!

As Paul Harvey Says - "The Rest of the Story".

I woke up around 6am and Cheryl was up not long after that. We packed everything up, and engaged in way too much girl talk (ok we hadn't seen each other in 4 months) - Scott read the paper, drank his morning coffee and (I think) tuned us out. Around 730 - we loaded up the car, said our goodbyes and headed to the HIT center for Cheryl's 8am BODPOD appointment. While she was doing that - I tore the car, backpack and everybag I had apart for my black travel purse (found it).

Right at 830 we hit the road to WDW. The drive down was easy and smooth - and we took I-4 all the way through Orlando - no detour to 417 this time. This is where the plans began to change. Originally we had planned to go to WL, check in and then run errands - well, instead we decided to head directly to Wide World of Sports to get our Race packets and then head to Shades of Green to get tickets, then head to WL to check in and have lunch. Packet Pickup was the busiest I've seen it - then again, I have never seen it on the Saturday before the race - always on the Friday before... but the lines went quickly, and after a wee bit (ok - 115.00 worth) of shopping (I think all of it was mine), we headed back to WL. Change again -- Shades of Green would have to wait - we were HUNGRY!!! And we learned long ago - don't delay feeding -- Terri and Cheryl get grumpy.

So - we headed to WL, were waived through the gate (hmmm, no parking pass?) valeted the car, checked the bags (all 7 of them) and then headed in to check in. The line took awhile - but we finally got to the desk. At that point we were offered the following:
1) Queen room - ground floor courtyard (LOUD - pool) = nope
2) Queen/bunkbed room - high up - nope - which one of us would sleep in the bunkbed

So - we waited to get our room assignment later and headed to Whispering Canyton Cafe for Lunch.

I should add in here that I tracked all of my discounts this trip:
So - for the room - the original price was 221.68/nite. Then Maureen got me a great Florida resident rate of $156.00/nite - a savings of $65.68/nite for a total trip savings of $197.04. Thanks Maureen.

WCC was rowdy as always- our wait was about 10 minutes before we were seated - and then another 10 while our CM played with another table instead of coming to take our drink order. I settled on a birchbeer (like rootbeer, but red) and Cheryl got diet coke. For lunch - I got the Chicken quesadillas and Cheryl got the nachos. We also added a side of yummy cornbread. Lunch total - $20.16 before DDE discount. With discount - 17.18 before tip - a savings of $4.03.

After lunch was finished - we needed to go to Shades of Green for me to pick up my new Florida Resident Seasonal Pass and decide what type of ticket to get for Scott. We got the car, and drove over to SOG, and right into the parking garage. We had a bit of a wait here as only one of the two ticket agents was doing anything for awhile - but eventually - I picked up 2 Florida Resident Seasonal vouchers for $398.00 (199.00 each) - a savings of 21.00 each - since the gate price is 220. I had gotten a note from Disney reminding me to renew my pass - but it was 185 plus tax and shipping - and by that time was $202.00... so it made more sense to get a new ticket from SOG - plus this way - my ticket starts new again in Feb - at the same time Scott's does.

We also checked to see if SOG sold tickets to DL - they don't - so I need to get the DL tickets when I get home to JAX.

Part 2 - Moving into our room, an afternoon by the pool and 'OHana with Wishes on top!!

[LizardCop]

Great update Terri... Like the "Rigidly Flexible" Plans...

[MontiMouse]

Great update! Please hurry back with more!

[wdwlovers]

Great first day Terri!

[Colexis Mom]

Great update Terri More please

[Tara O'Hara]

Awesome update, Terri!! It sounds like a nice relaxing day, so far!

[DopeyGirl]

Ah, who needs set plans anyway?!

Great first day . . . look forward to hearing the rest!!! Although, I am pretty sure I know how a good part of Sunday went!!!

[Jillybean]

Great day so far! Can't wait to read some more!

Jill

[katspjs]

Great start. Patiently waiting for more!

[luvnwdwgal]

Keep it coming Terri!!!

[disneyfan4994]

Sounds like a good 1st day. Can't wait to hear about the race!

[2princessmom]

Great start! Can't wait for more!!

[mom2my4dwarfs]

Great start!

[DrDolphin]

Day 1 - Part 2.

Caveat here - It is pouring rain this morning - and while I had planned to bring my laptop in so I could transfer photos and post them (from work) I have not done that yet. Scott has dial up - and I am not prepared to sit that long -- so when I get to 'OHana - I will have to come back and post those photos.

On with the story --

After our shopping/ticket buying trip - we headed back to the resort (only making one wrong turn from SOG) and Cheryl called WL to find out if the room was ready - it was - room 6061 - right in the corner of the main building and north wing. Nice room - and pretty nice view too.

We went up to the room, called for our bags, unpacked and decided to head to the pool/hot tubs. Cheryl also decided to stop by the Mercantile for a magazine to read, and I picked up 2 bottles of lemon-lime powerade to carry with us during the race (good thing too - but more on that later).

We headed down to the pool - and it was pretty crowded. We managed to find lounges over by the baby pool. I immeadiately headed to the hot tub - while Cheryl sat, read her People Magazine and worked the crossword puzzle. I soaked for awhile and then decided to lay in the sun for a bit. I fell asleep... I have no idea how long I lay there sleeping.. but obviously I was tired.

After awhile we got up and went back to the room to prepare for dinner. We had plans for a 740 dinner at 'OHana while watching Wishes. I think it was around 500 or 530 when we came back from the pool, took showers, got dressed, looked at each other and said "now what??" We decided to go over to the Contemporary and catch the monorail to the Grand Floridian to see the gingerbread house - that Cheryl has never seen - and didn't this time either (it had been taken down). After our tour of the GF - we decided to take the walking path to the Polynesian - we passed the wedding chapel (looked like a wedding was going on), then the spa - now I know where that is for May and then the Luau - which was going on in full force. We sat on the swing on the beach near the Luau cove and talked for awhile, but got eaten by squitters and decided to head inside and see if we could be seated early for dinner.

The CM thought she could get us in - and we headed to the shop to browse while waiting. Not five minutes later - the thingy vibrated and made noises.

We were seated on the right hand side of the restaurants if you are looking at the Seven Seas Lagoon. We were 3 tables back from the windows - but had a great view of the castle - no volcano obstructions....

We had our usual FANTASTIC 'OHana dinner - lots of shrimp were consumed (we love the shrimp) as well as wontons - love those too. After all the food (photos coming I promise) - we had our YUMMY YUMMU pineapple - and GASP - Terri ordered a dessert - I got The Beach Bomb - the HUGE snowcone that comes in a pail. Cheryl got the Coconut Snowball.. Yum to both.

During our dessert - Wishes started. While Cheryl has been to 'OHana LOTS of times - she has not seen Wishes from 'OHana -- so that was the plan. I caught myself singing along and saying the words (thanks to my CD of Wishes)....

After Wishes - and settling the bill - $59.96 - then 20% DDE discount - Savings of $11.99, we headed back to monorail, over to the Contemporary and took the boat back to WL.

Went up to our rooms, laid out all the running gear, called for a 325am (ugh) wake up call and fell asleep!!!

Next Installment - Race Day