Ellen Smith - September 2001

Well I joined the TheMouseForLess group a few weeks before my planned trip. I had won an auction on Skyauction.com for 8 days and 7 nights to stay at the Orange Lake Country Club about 4 miles from Disney. I won at 132.00 for the week! What a deal. We bought 4 day Park Hoppers with our tax rebate check so all in all that cost me for the 3 of us (youngest gets in FREE, 10 yr old is adult in Disney's eyes), $88. I got them each for 196.10 with tax because I joined the Disney Club 2 weeks before we left.

It turns out this is the same resort my husband and I toured on our honeymoon on the same week 14 years ago. We went Sept. 1st thru Sept. 8th. DH's birthday is the 8th and mine is the 9th and 14th anniversary again was on the 5th. Lots to celebrate!!

We took our daughter 10 and son 14 months and my mother. Just bought a van in April (Silhouette Premier - VCR helped). It was 12 hour trip left about 9am and stopped many times including 1 hour for breakfast and 1 hour to buy a truck in Beaufort. We drove from Columbia SC. Oh stopped in Jacksonville where the owner of the truck lives..he is Marine during the week in Beaufort SC..anyway..from Jacksonville to Orlando was dark, stormy, lots of rain, people pulling over could not see to drive so we went slow. Arrived about 9pm or so and got checked in. Unloaded and planned to go to MK on Sunday (last day for SpectroMagic).

Arrived MK about 930am, hot and long line to get in, even though we already had tickets! There were no guests that we saw or heard that spoke English all week, but us. We went directly thru the castle to Fantasyland to make sure son rode while awake. He fell asleep on the 1st ride on the carousel with DH. I had to take mom and DD to the ladies room by Minnie's House. I called *88 and they had a 255pm PS at the castle but I passed this time. We meet back up with DH and the sleeping DS and got a FP for Pooh ride. We went to Brainstormer for mom and DD to ride, the duck boat said dry, no water..with all the rain the night b4, I could not believe it. Anyway, smoking area for mom and DH was by the train so we had to search on map many times for that and stop for them to puff. We then went and changed the baby who is now awake. We stopped and meet Chip, Dale and Pluto, got pics and autographs. Then time for Pooh. DH stayed out with stroller, he was not thrilled you have to leave outside as we had bags, camcorder etc. My DS loved it and it was nice and cool inside and we went right in with FP. Dumbo line was too long so we went and got a FP for Peter Pan, which I have never seen in the 6 times to MK. (counting this trip). Small World, Hall of Presidents and TTA was closed this trip! AAHHH! Time to stop for water and the puffers by Dumbo....We went on thru and HMansion was long and we just had got a FP so we let the puffers smoking again and I watched as the artists drew pics by the ferry boat. I wanted to get DS's pic but we went ahead on by TM and Splash M and still could not get a FP yet and lines too long. So we spent 8.00 for 3 drinks and DH got a turkey leg. It was about time for 3pm parade so we went into Country Bear Jamboree and DS fell back asleep. We had 10 minutes so DD and I went and got right on the Carpet ride..it was fun, camel spit on me..LOL Then the parade had already started and I filmed it while DH took pics.

We had thought about going over to another park and back for parade which I should have done anyway for this crowded day, but we trucked on to the Tikki Birds, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the C. (puffers in between) all of those. DH went to Alien Encounter with mom while I went to find food. Mom decided to pass and we meet back later. Ate at Starlight Cafe with DD and DS. DD and I had gotten FP for Buzz which was to be 725 to 825pm but we continued onto walking to Brainstormer once again mom and DD and then hopped the train to Main Street to watch SpectroMagic. There was not a seat on any sidewalk by this time. Bought a glow necklace..3.00 for DD and sat in corner outside of Tony's on the porch. Then we climbed a pump by the water fountains to film the parade. It was lightening and about to storm but we walked over in the middle of Main St to view the fireworks. They were AWESOME! Then onto the ferry boat back to the tram to our car..FULLY EXHAUSTED!

Day 2 was relax at the resort and get a free breakfast and dinner for hearing their sales pitch. Swimming and out to eat at TGIF.

Day 3 MGM, we rode everything and saw all shows except for Hunchback, storming..so skipped Aerosmith and TOT! Fantasmic might be cancelled but only 730 and exhausted, so we left! We did eat lunch at Brown Derby 65.00 for all 5 of us including tip.

Day 4 Epcot, my mother had never seen, and she LOVES MK!! She thought it was the most beautiful park and enjoyed TON and Illuminations more than SpectroMagic. We only saw the Living Seas, SEarth, Japan, Germany and for 2 hours during a BAD storm the benches in front of France at the eatery. But all in all it was a good time.

Day 5 AK - We did the safari, rapids and I got SOAKED in the geizer, Tough to be a Bug and watched some drummers and left for the day. Too tired and DH felt bad..he has heart problems so we went back to the resort. Mom and DD went to the pool. DH and DS took a nap and I went to Downtown Disney. Well another bad storm broke out and they missed swimming while I sat in van waiting on safe way to get out and walk a long way. I could only drive as far as the Planet Hollywood and park. So I had to walk to find the marketplace. Had a great time though, shopping in the rain, lots of great deals since they take the DC card for 10% off. Was delayed an hour in traffic where 2 persons were killed when they crossed 192 and hit an oil truck..nothing left of top of car. Arrived back to have the buffet at the resort which was FREE from the sales thing and pool stayed closed. Went to bed around 10pm....my DH wanted to leave a day early, so we lounged in the pool from 9am-11 then we were packed and on the road at 12noon.

Arrived home about 1130pm, after stopping to eat and pick up the truck and found out our pet dog Sandy had passed away. Saturday was a blur but we unpacked and repacked to drive another 100 miles to moms house and give my dad a birthday party and drive back and back to work on Monday the 10th. The doomsday 11th happened in America yesterday so between our dog and America's tragedy, I have my Disney memories to keep me going! I did hear they closed Disney when this happened!

I look forward to going back and staying on Disney property next time and maybe flying...skyauction has a deal for family of 4, if not DC card will help!