Day 4: August 21, 2001
Gift Bags, The Bruise, Mickey's Backyard BBQ, How I Hate Kinko's

Alarm clocks are evil, evil things. At 6:30am ours went off, calling me back from sleep and dreams. Normally, since I am in Disney (yay!!), I would not mind... but the lack of good sleep the last five nights really made me the hate the morning, Disney or no. :-)

We drag ourselves out of bed, shower, and head down to Captain Cook's for breakfast. I have several cups of tea, which makes me feel so much better and so much more alive, and then we trundle back up to our room to pack. Sadly, it is our last morning here at the Polynesian Resort. But the good news is we're moving on to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Yay!!

You're about to discover, in the words that follow, just how ill-planned our morning was. The Mangio curse struck hard and fast, and we were quite late for a number of things. But at least everything got done!

I tried again (unsuccessfully) to get the files to Kinko's. But during the uploading process, I discovered that Kinko's wouldn't deliver overnight to the WDW resorts. However, they would deliver to Celebration. So I called Carol, my coordinator, and arranged to overnight the CD inserts to her. She would then drop them off tomorrow evening at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

We had not finished packing by the time 9am loomed near. Not that we had much to pack, really - we were living out of our suitcases - but we certainly didn't get it done in time. No problem, we thought. The car had to be back by 10am anyway at the Dolphin resort. We could make it back here by 11am. Suuuuuure we could!

We grabbed all of the welcome bags, putting all those for the All-Star Music resort in a big box (the majority of our guests were staying there), and then headed out to the car. We drove over to Franck's, where they opened the storage room where our boxes where being held. And there, as promised, were the two boxes which hadn't arrived yesterday.

I had packed the majority of our wedding stuff in one large box. And in my fear of something breaking on the way down, I had put a lot of peanuts and other packing materials into the box. So digging through it was a little difficult. I also grabbed things that needed to go back with me as well - namely, my shoes, tiara, jewelry, and other things. We pulled out the remaining guest gifts - clip-on battery-operated fans, Disney Pez, Disney Luv Pops & Lollipops, sunblock chapstick, and bandaids - and carried everything into the car. We set up the back seat such that I could put the remaining stuff into the guest bags while John drove to the All-Star Music resort (our first stop).

We realized as we were driving that we had forgotten to buy bottles of water for everyone, but we didn't have the time now to do so. So I quickly put together the bags as John drove. Each room was receiving: A custom-designed tote-bag containing: a green folder with our welcome letter, itinerary, and contact info (as well as a special itinerary for the wedding party only), 2 postcards, and 2 Letters To The Future with Envelopes; Custom-Designed Wedding T-Shirts; clip-on battery-operated fans and squirt guns for each person; Disney Pez; Mickey & Minnie Luv Pops; Disney Character Lollipops; Fanny Pack; sunblock chapstick; band-aids.

We arrived at the All-Star Music resort, and John helped me put together the few last remaining bags. I then quickly jumped out of the back seat of the car, and that's when it happened. My knee connected with the hook you use to pull the seat forward. I jumped out of the car, only to begin immediately hopping around, holding my knee. Oh my, did that ever hurt!!! John asked what was wrong. I said I banged my knee, and then moved my hand to look at it. Already there as a large red welt, and I just KNEW it was going to bruise horribly. Thank heavens no one would see it beneath my wedding dress! But I was too pumped on adrenaline - that need to get everything done before time ran out - and so we just grabbed the bags and rushed into the All-Star Music lobby.

We wanted in the registration line, and when we got to the front, we explained to the Cast Member what we were doing - leaving gift bags for all of our guests who would be checking in (some tomorrow, and the last on Thursday). He seemed really confused at first. We went down the list of guests, and he checked their reservations to make sure they were indeed checking in, and then wrote their names down on a piece of paper. This is when we discovered there was no reservation listed for John's brother or dad!! Uh, oh!

Finally we got through the entire list of people. He said that they would get their bags when they checked in. We thanked him, and then we were off.

Our next stop was the All-Star Sports resort. Only 4 bags to drop off here. The cast member did the same thing here, except he notated the reservations directly. Hmmmm. The CM at the All-Star Music resort hadn't done that.

Of course, by now it was after 10am, as the All-Star Music had taken us ridiculously long for the CM to take care of everything. We still had some more stops to make, but we no longer had the time. However, we only actually had 5 bags left. We were passing the Caribbean Beach resort on the way to the Dolphin Resort, so we decided we would stop there - after all, we were already late, and thus were going to get charged for this hour - but we would take Disney Transportation to the other resorts we needed to deliver bags to (Port Orleans Riverside, Wilderness Lodge, and the Marriott Courtyard in Downtown Disney).

We pulled into the Caribbean Beach resort, and the security guard there actually stopped us, questioned why we were going to the resort, and took our names and license plate. Wow! We drove up to the lobby, and a wave of nostalgia hit the two of us. We gazed around at the brightly colored buildings, and the memories of our first trip together to Disney, of the excitement and joy of our engagement, flooded back to us. We resolved to return and stay at the Caribbean Beach resort again some day.

It was a quick and painless process to drop off our guest bag here. We were actually dropping off two, but since Ed - my "uncle" in the sense that he is one of my dad's oldest and closest friends, and is also my sister's godfather - was not staying in Disney, I put his bag inside my Dad's. The CM noted my Dad's reservation, and then we were off.

Dropping off the car rental at the Dolphin resort was also quick and painless. We drove right up to the front, and they had a National guy come out and take the car. It was surprisingly easy, and there was nothing we needed to do.

The Magic Kingdom bus arrived about 15 minutes after we sat down to wait, and we climbed aboard. We were horribly late now... it was 11:30am... and check out was suppose to be at 11am. John was now also stressing. We get to the Magic Kingdom, catch the monorail, and head back to the Polynesian.

Our room key is still working, which is good, and we quickly begin packing all of our stuff. When all is done, John calls Luggage Services to have them move our luggage to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. The guy was very friendly and helpful, even if we did check in a million pieces. We had 2 suitcases (when we came down, we only had one, but packed it inside another), a duffel-suitcase, a garment suitcase, my laptop bag, John's carry-on bag, a box, and my wedding dress. A lot of this stuff was just wedding stuff. I was really nervous about handing off the wedding dress, but the CM assured me it would be well cared for.

As we are packing, I notice my knee. There is no longer a red welt. Instead, there is a swollen, ugly, angry purple-black welt. John looks at it and shakes his head, laughing. "Only you," he says. I bruise very easily, and it is just so very fitting that I have a huge bruise on my knee. I just hope it doesn't show in ANY pictures. No lifting of that dress, John, when you go for the garter! :-)

We stopped at the lobby, so I could adjust some of the numbers on our Priority Seating reservations, as I had received some emails from some guests who wanted to be added to the dinners. I forgot to mention that yesterday, I had gone to the lobby and booked the Fantasmic Dinner Package for 16 people at the Hollywood and Vine restaurant for Wednesday, and also purchased e-Ride tickets for Tuesday night and picked up our tickets for Mickey's Backyard BBQ. I needed to add a couple of people to the Fantasmic dinner, and needed to add three people to our group dinner at Alfredo's in Epcot on Saturday,

By now we realized we were hungry, and we went over to the Kona Café to grab some lunch. Almost no one was there, and we were seated immediately. I'm not usually a burger person, but I must have been missing something in my diet, because I looked at the menu and saw a listing for a burger with cheese and mushrooms and had a sudden craving. We both ordered burgers, though John's was more of the bacon cheeseburger variety. The food came quickly and was HOT (which was nice, since it was FREEZING inside the Polynesian) and very good. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal.

We then headed outside to the Volcano Pool, to partake in our first bit of real relaxation since we had arrived in Disney. I forgot to mention in my last recap that we had tried to go swimming last night - after 7pm had passes, and Kinko's had me stressed almost to the point of tears, John asked me what he could do to help. And I said, "Go swimming with me. I need to relax." So we put on our swimming gear and went outside... just as they closed the Volcano Pool because of imminent thunderstorms. Grumble. We walked over to the quiet pool and dove in, but we hadn't been in the water for more than 5 minutes - maybe 10 - before the thunder rumbled from the heavens, and we got out. Oh, well. I told John it would be a crime if we stayed at the Polynesian Resort and yet never once used the pool (sadly, though we spent 12 nights in Disney and 3 nights on the cruise, we got very little pool time in). So we decided we would take an hour or so in the middle of the day to enjoy the pool and relax a little.

The pool was a little crowded, but not nearly what you would expect for a hot summer day. We took off our stuff and dumped them on a recliner near the zero-entry side of the pool. The concrete was HOT and I was hopping around trying not to burn my feet. We then ran into the water, splashing around like little kids, and quickly took to bobbing in the wonderful relaxing water. We spent some time under the waterfall, and then headed up to the waterslide. Wheee! It was a lot of fun.

Finally, as the second hour came and went, we realized we needed to get out and get a move on during our day. We still had so much to do. The concrete was even hotter this time around. Ow! Thankfully the water dripping off us formed a nice puddle we could stand in while getting dressed.

Our timing was perfect. No sooner were we dressed, walked up to the monorail station, than did the next monorail show up. No wait for us! We zoomed around to the Magic Kingdom, where we took a quick jaunt in so I could get a drink (and we could say hello to the Castle - at SOME point we'd get into the parks!). We then hopped the ferry over to the Wilderness Lodge.

John's best man and his wife were staying at the Wilderness Lodge during their stay, and were set to arrive on Wednesday (tomorrow). They were actually staying in one of the Honeymoon Rooms, a fact which irked John a little. Bryan (his best man) had heard about the room from us (since we were staying there) and Bryan, never one to be outdone, not even by a groom on his wedding/honeymoon, had to have the room, too. We walked up to the front desk, and dropped off the gift bag. We then decided to take the ferry back to the Magic Kingdom, and take a bus from there to the Port Orleans Riverside resort. We took a brief stop at the Roaring Forks to grab drinks (I was really thirsty today), and then headed down to catch the ferry.

Again, we had good timing. However, hindsight says we should have taken a bus. The skies had turned dark while we were inside, and the pool was closed due to imminent thunderstorms (common theme of the afternoons since we had been here). We got onto the small ferry, and it began making its way, first to Fort Wilderness, and then to the Magic Kingdom. There was a roof on the ferry, but the sides were open. The ride got a little choppy as the wind picked up and formed waves on the lake. And then the skies opened up, the temperature dropped, and the rain came down in sheets. Lightning lit up the horizons.

I looked at John and wryly said, "Now wouldn't it just be fitting, and our luck, if lightning struck the Animal Kingdom Lodge and the luggage storage went up in flames and my dress was destroyed?" We laughed, and thought no more of that kind of thinking.

This would have all been fun to watch, if it weren't for the fact that we were on the ferry with no where to go to get out of the rain, and the wind was whipping the rain in sheets right under the canopy. We got soaked. And we got chilly, too. We got even more wet, trying to keep the last two gift bags from getting wet. I also had my Disney Fairy Tale Weddings tote bag with stuff in it, too, and was also trying to keep that dry.

When we got to the Magic Kingdom dock, we stood looking at the rain for a bit, hoping it would go away. There was a lot of uncovered ground between the dock and the stands for the buses. But the rain showed no sign of relenting. So finally we took a deep breath, and then ran as fast as we could to the bus stops. My side was in stitches by the time we got there, but at least most of our stuff remained (mostly) dry. It's very uncomfortable running breakneck speed, hunched over a bag. LOL.

Again, we had luck with our timing, and caught a bus to the Port Orleans resort almost immediately. We hopped on board, and shortly left for the resort.

You would think, now that it was cooler, that the AC would be turned off. But, no, Floridians love their AC, and it remained on and steady during our drive to Port Orleans. I was FREEZING, and we didn't have a dry article of clothing between us to help me warm up.

We get to the Port Orleans Riverside resort and hop off at the lobby. We drop off the gift bag for our friends, Mish and Eric, who are staying here. Again, they note the reservation to make sure they get the bag. We realize now that it is well after 4pm, and we don't have the time to go to Downtown Disney to drop off the last gift bag at the Marriott. We have Mickey's Backyard BBQ at 6pm, and still need to get to the Animal Kingdom Lodge to check in. And to get some dry clothes. I wouldn't have worried about checking in so much were it not for the fact that we were wet and, more importantly, my family was arriving today and currently had no means to get in touch with me. I wanted to check-in so they could at least leave me a message if necessary.

I made a quick peak around to see if there was anything near that had something hot to drink. This being August, I wasn't really expecting it. We didn't have time to hunt down the food court, and so we headed out to the bus stop. Good thing, too, as the bus to the Animal Kingdom had just pulled up.

Once we got to the Animal Kingdom, we hopped over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge stop to await the next bus. Naturally, because we were now running late, our timing with the buses was off. About ten minutes later, a bus pulled in and we climbed aboard. Thankfully, the ride to the Animal Kingdom Lodge was less than 5 minutes.

The weather was still miserable. It wasn't pouring cats and dogs any longer, but it was still drizzly, and lightning was streaking across the sky in all directions. It really was a sight to see. However, I wondered if any of my family had made it into Disney. My Dad, stepmom Celeste, and sister Jackie were scheduled to arrive at 5pm. With all that lightning, I was sure they had been delayed or diverted. My mom, sister Julie, and her boyfriend Ryan were scheduled to arrive close to 8pm. I was certainly the same thing that had happened to us had happened to them - their flight was delayed. But I guess we would soon find out.

We got off the bus and started walking down the covered walkway to the entrance of the Animal Kingdom Lobby. The sound of African drums and music filled the area, playing softly in the background. A growing sense of excitement and anticipation filled us. We had been waiting for months to see this resort, and we just couldn't wait. We tried to walk to enjoy the area as we walked - there were drums and other African items everywhere, and carvings in the walls - but at the same time, we kept wanting to run.

Disney's sense of the dramatic certainly held true even here. The doors didn't open immediately into the lobby, but rather into a foyer, where two great dark wooden doors with carvings open them stood before you. We pulled open the doors, and for the first time gazed out about the lobby of the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It was beautiful. It was breathtaking. We fell in love.

As others had mentioned before, you could feel the same loving attention in this lobby, and in the details of the resort, of the architect who designed the Wilderness Lodge, and some things had a very familiar overtone to them. But for anyone who said, or thought, that the AKL was just a remake of the WL, that is completely wrong. The AKL is an unique resort unto itself, and is so different in so many ways from its sister resort.

A rope and wood bridge spans across the lobby three floors above you, connecting the two sides. African artifacts and décor are everywhere. Towards the right, rocks rest among the lobby, remnants of the "volcano" that once resided here (according to the Disney story of the lodge), but where lava once flowed, water now does. It bumbles underneath another rope bridge which connects you to the stairs leading down to the lounge, and then further down to Boma's and to the door leading out to the pool, to the spa services, and to Mara's (the food court). And directly in front of you down at the end of the lobby, the entire front wall is all glass windows - five stories of it - staring out at Arusha Rock - the focal point of the resort - and the savannah which lays all around it.

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

John fell completely in love with the lobby. After we had been here for a while, he looked at me and said, "I feel almost as if I'm betraying the Wilderness Lodge by saying this... but I have to say, I love this lobby more." I chuckled. The Wilderness Lodge was our favorite resort. But our stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge was going to leave us undecided as to which one we loved more. "Not that the WL lobby is any less beautiful or stunning... but, well, it's FAMILIAR. It's patterned after the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. It's beautiful, but it's home. The kind of wilderness we see everyday. This... this is exotic. It's different. You can't walk out of your home and see this. I like its exoticness."

We started gazing around and exploring, and after about fifteen minutes, realized we didn't have the time to do so. So we pledged to go exploring when we came back.

I went to the front desk and checked in. We actually had our stay booked under two reservations. When our original wedding date was August 27th - before we had to move it because of my mom's science conference she did not wish to miss (I don't think I need to go into those gruesome details again. LOL. Let's just say it was a mess changing everything around, and our wedding ended up costing us about $4500 more than planned because our wedding date moved from a weekday to a weekend day, and went from Value Season to Regular Season. My mom offered to pay the difference, but then backed out of that agreement, and it left John and I in quite a financial quagmire. And as such, has strained John's relation with my mom, which is sad to see but quite understandable) - we had booked our stay under the special Preview Rate of $179 per night for a Savannah View Room that Disney had offered back in February. The AKL was originally going to be our first resort, and we were originally going to spend 4 nights here. Well, when we called to move the dates back, they were able to give me the rate for Wednesday night (we already had it for Thursday), but it was unavailable for Tuesday night. However, we are also Disney Club members, so we got Tuesday Night at the Disney Club special of $105 per person per night, for a total of $210. The Disney Club rate included taxes, so it was close to the same amount (the $179 rate with tax was $198.69, so the difference was only $11.31 and included passes to the Wide World of Sports). The CM who checked us in made sure our reservations were linked, and booked the same room number for our second reservation beginning tomorrow. She told us we would just need to check in tomorrow morning before 11am to get our new room keys.

She asked if we had luggage, and we told her we had transferred over from the Polynesian Resort and that luggage services should have our stuff. She called over to them, and said they would be right along with our stuff. Sure enough, while she was showing us where our room was and all the places on property, Tobie from Luggage Services came over with a cart.

And what caught my eye immediately: my dress was not on the cart.

I had a moment of absolute panic. "Is that everything for Cook?" I asked. John took my hand and squeezed it. He could sense my rising panic, and took over. "There are three things missing," he told the man. "A box, a laptop carry-on, and her wedding gown."

Tobie said that was everything that was under Cook, but he said he would go back and check. It was a very long five minutes while I ran over and over in my head what I would do if my gown went missing. Sure enough, he came back with the missing luggage and my wedding gown. "Is one of your last names Mangio?" he asked. Turns out that those three items had been checked under Mangio. Which was very strange, since I had booked both the Polynesian and the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and thus both reservations were under my name: Cook. But whatever the reason, I'm glad everything was found, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Tobie then took us to our room, but along the way he gave us a guided tour of the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It was a really neat experience, and it was the first time I had ever been give a full-blown tour of the resort when checking in. He also knew a lot, which was impressive. He answered all our questions, and gave us a lot of info about the artifacts and different parts of the resort. One of the amazing things about this resort was just the sheer number of places to sit and watch the animals on the Savannah. There were windows EVERYWHERE and chairs and couches, little nooks and crannies to nestle in and watch, lounges where groups of you could relax and see the animals. There was also a firepit inside the lounge to warm up - I certainly stood next to that for a few moments! - and there was also a firepit outside where nightly stories were told.

Our room was way down near the end of the left-side of the horseshoe (part of the resort forms a horseshoe shape around the central savannah, Arusha). Sunset Savannah - a mix of birds and animals - was to our left. Our room itself looked out over Arusha Savannah (primarily animals, with some birds). The third savannah was on the other side, near where the pool was, and was primarily birds, with some animals. Our room was on the third floor, which meant that it was level with the lobby.

We got to the room, and Tobie made a big production of opening it for us. We then rushed in to feast our eyes on it. I took in the furniture - beautiful handmade, carved dark wood - but we both rushed to the balcony, pulled open the curtains, and rushed out to have our first look. We must have made some noise, because the zebra near our balcony looked up from his eating for a brief moment, though his companion continued munching. The giraffe ignored us as well, eating contentedly from the tree right in front of our balcony. There were a couple of wildebeests off to the side. A viewing guide to the animals sat on our table. It was wonderful. It was magical. Oh, yes, we were in love with this place. If Tobie hadn't entered with our stuff and brought us back to ourselves, we probably would have stayed out on the balcony for a long long time, just watching the animals.

After he left, we quickly pulled out clothes and changed. Because the temperature had dropped earlier and we were chilly, we changed into jeans and t-shirts. I pulled out my laptop, and tried again to send those files to Kinko's. And Kinko's website proved again to be a nightmare. John suggested that we forego the idea of giving out the custom CDs. But I was stubborn on this point - I had lost many nights sleep on this matter. Was my exhaustion to be for nothing?? Besides, these were our placecards for our reception - each CD cover was going to be personalized with the guest's name - so we needed to get them done. I was really stressed out right now, ready to cry and all of a sudden not having fun. So I shut off the laptop, resigned myself to the fact that I would not get it out tonight - but I still had one more night, right? - and determined to go have fun at Mickey's Backyard BBQ.

He calls Chuck, who agrees to help, and then emails the files to him. I then change the message on our answering service to let everyone know the room number and where we are, and we take off for dinner.

Naturally, we are running late, and we decide to take a taxi instead of a bus. Of course, it takes just as long for the taxi to get here as it does for a bus. So we're both a little concerned that we will lose our reservations - and this meal is prepaid and cannot be refunded. Finally, we get in the taxi, and we're off.

A word of advice for those reading this: do not take a taxi to Mickey's Backyard BBQ or the Hoop-de-Doo Revue. If I had known then what I know now, we would NEVER have spent the money on the taxi. We would have taken a bus to the Magic Kingdom, and then a ferry to Fort Wilderness. Why is that? Because for some reason the taxi's won't actually go INTO Fort Wilderness. They drop you off at the lobby, which requires you to wait for a bus to take you to the River Country / Pioneer Hall area. Gah!! So we pay the ridiculous - RIDICULOUS! - cost of a taxi (I cannot believe you get charged PER 20 SECONDS rather than by distance - I HATE paying for red lights!), just miss the bus (it is pulling out as we are pulling in), and have to wait for the next one. Finally it arrives, but it is about 6:30pm when we get to the River Country Pavilion.

Thankfully, even though the tickets say our reservations are held for only 15 minutes, we are allowed in. There is a police officer checking IDs when you enter, as the Backyard BBQ includes all you can drink alcohol (beer & wine). If you pass the age test, you get a wristband to let servers know you can have alcohol.

We walk into the Pavilion, which is full of families. There is a large stage and a live band playing country music, and the Disney Characters - Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Chip and Dale - are in front of the stage, currently signing autographs. They are all done up in Country/Western outfits.

For those who love BBQ food, this place was heaven. And thus, it was paradise for John. We were both starving, and we hit the food counters immediately. Hamburgers, hotdogs, ribs, chicken, salad, potato salad, cold slaw, beans, fresh fruits and watermelon, desserts, and more. There was more than enough for everyone to eat, and then some. John had at least two servings of everything. LOL. He loves BBQ food, and could eat it forever. We went and found seats, and I got us drinks (lemonade for him, iced tea for me, and white zinfandel for the two of us for a nice little toast).

We had a lot of fun at the BBQ. The band really got into the performance, leading everyone in dances and singing some great tunes. The characters made constant appearances (they would be out for a half hour, leave for twenty minutes, come back again, etc.) , signing autographs and dancing. Everyone was having fun, and the atmosphere was infectious.

At one point in the evening, they called up everyone who was celebrating a birthday and a did a Country-style happy birthday to them. They then brought up people celebrating anniversaries. There were two couples celebrating anniversaries, and then there was John and I - about to get married. I had given them our names at the beginning of the evening. They called us up last to join the anniversary couples. John just gave me a resigned look, and I pulled him up on the stage. Only the husband of the 10th anniversary couple came on-stage. When they asked him where his wife was, he said she was changing the baby's diaper. The announcer then looked at John and said, "See? This is what you have to look forward to in ten years." John made a move as is he was trying to flee and we laughed. We both knew he wanted to be the parent changing the diapers - he wants children badly.

They then sang, "I Hope You Dance," and John and I slow-danced with the other two couples on the stage. I told him it was practice for Friday, though he felt really nervous having so many people watching us. But by the end, he was enjoying it as well, and afterwards he told me he was glad I did that. We had so much fun.

They had several entertainment bits throughout the evening, with the two announcers providing comic relief, and then performers coming out to do Cowboy Tricks with lassos and whips. Finally, we both realized we should go. John still needed to call his brother and his dad, and we had a few more things to do. And if we wanted to make E-Ride at 10pm, we needed to get going and get things done.

We walked across the beach to the docks, and just missed the ferry. I don't think the CM even noticed us running towards it. But another boat came along within fifteen minutes. We got to the Magic Kingdom, and were going to trade our E-Ride Tickets in for the wristbands, but the line at Guest Services was a mile long, so we decided we would come back. We then got a bus to the Animal Kingdom Lodge - perfect timing again - and settled in for the ride.

We got back to the room a little after 9pm. We had a few messages waiting for us when arrived. One was from my dad, letting me know that he and Celeste had arrived and giving me his room number at the Caribbean Beach. He said they would be getting a new room in the morning, as they only had a smoking room available that night. Another one was from my sister, saying that she was sitting alone at the All-Star Sports resort, and was wondering what we were doing from dinner. We also had a message from Carol, our coordinator, and another from Rev. Jack letting us know he had gotten the ceremony. John then called his brother and dad. Neither of them were home, so he left messages. I then opened up the laptop, and began the struggle with Kinko's again - not something that was conducive to having fun, or being free from stress. What good is this service if it won't complete an upload??

By now, it is approaching 10:30pm, and John suggests that we forego E-Ride tonight. At first, I don't want to - we already bought the tickets, so that would be about $25 we are out - but at the same time, I am exhausted. John is also tired, but the lack of sleep is really beginning to take its toll on me. And we wouldn't get to the Magic Kingdom now till about 11pm if we were lucky - and the idea of staying up till 1 or 2 am is not appealing to me. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow, and yet another early morning. So I agree, and we forego E-Ride.

Kinko's just isn't working, and before I lose my mind, I decide to quit for the evening. I can try again in the morning. I get an email from our DJ, and I email him back regarding our music selection choices. We have the CDs for the unusual songs for him to play.

We decide to take a little walk around the AKL, and head down to Mara's to get our resort mugs and something to drink. The only downside to our room is the distance to Mara's and to the Pool. It is a long walk. Though the views through the windows are great. Right near our room, on Sunset Savannah, is a watering hole, and there are many, many animals gathered around it. We spent some time watching them.

We get to Mara's and walk in. We grab two mugs and walk up to the counter, only to be told they are closed. Even though the literature you get when you check-in says that it is open till 11pm, it is actually only open till 10:30pm. The registers are closed, but the Manager gives us free drinks of our choice and tells us we can come back in the morning for our mugs.

We walk by the pool - so inviting and quiet at this time of night - and resolve to come back and go swimming. We wander slowly back to our room, taking time to explore a little. By the time we get back, however, it is approaching midnight. We are tired, and the walk to the pool is long, and so we give up on our resolve to swim. We can do it tomorrow.

We have a new message, this one again from my sister Jackie. She has called to tell me that my Mom, my sister Julie, and her boyfriend Ryan, have not yet arrived, and she is concerned. Their flight was due in near 8pm. I give a call over to Jackie, and we talk for a bit. About five seconds after she answers the phone, my mom, Julie, and Ryan show up. Like us on Saturday, their flight had been delayed by the thunderstorms, and they only just got in. My mom and Jackie were sharing a room, and Julie and Ryan had the adjoining room. My brother Steven and Kevin were flying in tomorrow. I find out from Jackie that her plane landed on time. She said it was scary landing in all that lightning. I was really surprised, with the amount of lightning activity, that they hadn't diverted the flight.

I get on the phone with my mom, and we talk for a bit. I let her know about the family dinner tomorrow at the Hollywood & Vine in MGM Studios at 5:00pm. She asks me some questions about wedding stuff, and I ask her if she got her gift bag at check-in. She said that Jackie got them, and is handing it to her now. I tell my mom about the green folder, and let her know that everything regarding where to be when is in there. She asks what we are doing tomorrow, and I say that we are spending the afternoon in MGM Studios (my gown is being steamed in the morning). She tells me that she might join us, and then says that she will call us in the morning to coordinate the day together. That makes me happy - I am so looking forward to spending time with my family at Disney. The last time we came to Disney as a family was 16 years ago - and I wish her a good night.

John and I then pull out the room service menu, and decide what we want for breakfast. I hang the room service order on the doorknob, and then we go and sit on the balcony for a long while. We say hello to the giraffe and the zebras, who seem to like our stretch of the woods (to use a figure of speech). The wildebeests are in a large horde nearby. It is peaceful and quiet, and the serenity of the entire scene puts us both at ease.

Finally, as we realize we are half-asleep already, we climb into bed and snuggle together, and soon fall asleep. Somehow it is after 1am again. So much for a good, long night's sleep.

NEXT: Gown Steaming, Family Dinner, My Mom (sigh), and Fantasmic

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