NaCler family reunion with the MOUSE...

[Mouseoholic]

I think he means it. We are going to really have to brush up!

[NaCler]

I'm BAAAAAACK... Got back late last night so give me a day or two on the trip report so I can make sure it has all the appropriate pictures in the right places.

[wewantsdaredhead]

yayy!! Welcome back!

[Mousekedude]

Welcome back, bro! I tried to keep the mayhem simmering for ya!
Looking forward to an awesome trip report!

[boilerbabe]

Welcome back NaCler! Can't wait to hear all about your trip!!!!

[kcarts]

Welcome back. I guess. If you're like me you probably wish you had another day or two down there.

[NaCler]

Welcome back. I guess. If you're like me you probably wish you had another day or two down there.

Yeah, it was pretty rough leaving there yesterday morning... especially knowing that a 14 hour car ride was in store... But I booked another trip, so I'm already excited about that one. But, more on that later...

Thanks Dude and BB... Glad to be back (in some ways)... Trip report as soon as I can, I promise...

[boilerbabe]

We're impatiently waiting for your report and to hear the details of your next trip!!!

I like your ticker by the way! I hope I can create one of those in the near future!

[Amy]

We're impatiently waiting for your report and to hear the details of your next trip!!!

Me too! And don't post all your pictures ~ save some for Where in the World, the hard ones!

[NaCler]

BB - Thanks and I hope you do as well. Let me know if you guys get to go the first weekend of December and we'll do a meet-up if we can.

Now, for a teaser...

Purpose of the trip: My mom just turned 60 AND retired from her job. So the whole family; Me and my family from Maryland (5); my sister and her family from St. Augustine, FL (4); my Mom & Dad from J-ville, FL (2) (plus various cousins may show up throughout the trip as well... ) met for 4 days in WDW (our favorite destination as a family).

Day 1:
Wednesday, 5/12
Van is packed from the night before. Loaded with snacks/drinks/3 kids. We pull out @ 4:15am from New Market, Maryland.

*Begin "Holiday Road" music from the Griswold's Vacation movies* Holiday RO-O-O-OAD...

VERY uneventful drive... thank goodness.
About 3:30pm we wave to Mindflipper as we pass through J-Ville, Florida. We arrive at Port Orleans Riverside @ 6pm. Check in, get our 4-day park passes at the conceirge (this is a wonderful thing). Then we unpack the van into the room and go to the Food Court @ Riverside for some dinner. After paying $13.99 for a frozen cheese pizza (yes we actually watched them pull it out of a box from the freezer) we went back to the room to rest for the upcoming craziness that is 3 youngins running wild in WDW. Only, I didn't rest... I made sure the little ones were snug in their beds. The DW was settling in, reading a book and I ran off with my mom (from J-Ville who met us there and had adjoining rooms with us) to go to the piano bar in the lobby.

Now if any of you have been to Riverside you may know of a performer known as Bob Jackson. He plays the piano (which rocks back and forth while he plays), sings, makes up jokes/rhymes. Just a VERY entertaining guy. He even allows kids in his shows and encourages them to participate. I'll post a picture as soon as they are loaded. The funniest thing he did was towards the end of the night (since the crowd had a few drinks in them by then) he did a song that had lyrics like this: "Sara, Sara, sitting in a Chevrolet... all day long she sits and shifts, all day long she shifts and sits... Sara, Sara, sitting in a Chevrolet." The verses get tougher as the song goes on and with every verse he warns the crowd to be careful because this is Disney. Hilarious stuff especially when you have a couple of strawberry margaritas in you as we did... After that it was back to the room to finally rest from the long drive.

EDIT: Amy - Don't worry, together my wife and I took over 1,000 pictures from the trip. I think Subsonic would ban me if I posted them all.

[mindflipper]

Dude! You didn't see me waving back?

[MadEye]

NaCler, quick question: What road did you take to get onto property? Just curious which roads someone who drives from the north takes to get to Riverside would take.

[Amy]

EDIT: Amy - Don't worry, together my wife and I took over 1,000 pictures from the trip. I think Subsonic would ban me if I posted them all.

Banned seems harsh, probably just a little subsonic'ed
I'm so glad your drive down went smoothly...I thought it would take longer than that to arrive though...waiting patiently, patiently for some more

[Mouseoholic]

We are so glad you are back. Great first day trip report! Can't wait for the rest.

[NaCler]

NaCler, quick question: What road did you take to get onto property? Just curious which roads someone who drives from the north takes to get to Riverside would take.

From I4 I take the first Disney exit (for EPCOT/DTD). Turn right towards DTD and left on the road that takes you by Old Key West and the Port Orleans Resorts. Don't remember the road numbers though, sorry. Is it 192 off of I4?