Friday, April 8, 2011

Let the Davidson Disney Vacation Begin!!

I am at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort. Let me explain why.

Last October, Maribeth married Mathieu. In November, Mathieu was deployed with his National Guard unit to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for a year. In January or so, Maribeth decided that when Mathieu was on leave, that perhaps a cruise would be a relaxing way to spend his time back in the States. So, she waited until the Disney Magic was offering discounted rates for the military.

In the interim, Maribeth finds out that she can go to Cuba to visit Mathieu. The next thing is that the military rates came out, so Maribeth books a cruise for her and Mathieu. While telling me about it, she said that she could get up to three rooms at that rate, so what's a mother to do? I told her to book me and Molly a room, also. A little later, Steve says he will go, too, so he got added to the mix.

So, Maribeth goes to Cuba a few weeks before the cruise date. She gets back on Saturday, April 2, and the cruise is to leave Saturday, April 9. Actually, she gets back on Sunday, April 3, because her flight from Cuba to Jacksonville to Baltimore was late, so she missed her flight to Nashville and had to spend the night in Baltimore. Mathieu is scheduled to get back on Tuesday, April 5, which he does.

Did I mention that on Thursday, Mathieu was scheduled for a lasik consult, with possible surgery on Friday (the day before the cruise)?

Anyhoo, meanwhile, we have a reservation at the Marriott close to the port for a two-bedroom suite. We planned to stay there because of the free parking for the cruise and we could all stay together. I think free breakfast was included and a ride to the port.

Well, Mathieu's consult went favorable, so surgery was scheduled for Friday. We were going to drive down, since the cruise was pretty much last-minute, and flights were pretty expensive for the five of us, plus a ride to the port. So the plan was to leave Nashville at the crack of dawn on Friday and drive to the Marriott.

Only, Mathieu's surgery will probably require a few hours of recuperation, so that would put us leaving around noonish. Which would put us in Atlanta rush hour traffic. And get us to the Marriott at who knows when.

So, Thursday night we decide that Molly, Steve, and I will proceed with Plan #1 and leave at the crack. Mathieu will get his eyes done, and then he and Maribeth will fly down on the 5 pm-ish flight. All is set - until Maribeth says that their flight is already going to be 90 minutes late and Mathieu isn't feeling so great, so they may fly down on Saturday morning. But we will be at the port on Saturday morning, and M&M will need a ride from Orlando.

To make a long story short, calls and texts go back and forth on the roade from South Georgia to North Florida as plans gets changed back and forth. And Maribeth and Mathieu decide and redecide about when to fly down. Meanwhile, we decide to spend the night in Orlando and pick them up, whenever they choose to fly. Molly is in the back seat with the iPad, making new reservations and cancelling the other, which is why I am at the Dolphin. And Maribeth and Mathieu have landed in Orlando, where Steve is waiting to pick them up and bring them here, instead of trying to Priceline them a hotel near the airport, which I think was Plan #263-A.

Welcome to Davidson Family Travel!!
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Today's blessings: Davidson travel plans #1-425; Truett's with Molly and Steve; state capitals game

1 comment:

Denise in PA said...

Classic! I think my head hurts from trying to keep it all straight - LOL! But, you've answered my question - you're on the Wonder. I the rest of the trip is less chaotic. I have a particular affinity for the Wonder - we love taking pictures of daughter Ariel with her namesake statue. Have a blast!