YAY - plane arrived as expected and we were in the air as quickly as they could turn it around for another flight.  It was a full flight so loading took a while but soon enough we were in the air and on our way.  We arrived in Orlando (watching a bit of lightening on the way down! :-o ) in a storm but it wasn't too rough coming in which was good.  Baggage took a bit because it was still storming and personnel can't be out near the planes unloading baggage when it storms.  (good policy! Yikes!)  But eventually our bags made it around to us.  Off to grab a car on the National Emerald Aisle and no vans or SUV's, but got a good sized Chevy big enough to hold all the luggage. 

Drove over on 417 and the tolls remain as they have been.  Two $1 stops and 50 cents (in cash, have quarters!) when you exit.  The stupid feeder on the toll booth was screwed up though!  The car in front of us put in at LEAST a buck before they finally got through.  We put in 75 cents and shrugged at the cameras and drove on!  They are making money on THAT one tonight! 

BIG SCREAMS (especially from the extremely shrill Maddy!) as we pass under the Disney Property archway.  My right ear is now legally deaf, but will hopefully be able to hear again before the trip is over!  On to Villas at the Wilderness Lodge!  The plan is two nights in a studio (for the more expensive weekend I'm paying a member discounted cash price per night) and then we move to a one bedroom for 5 nights.  The move is inconvenient, but we are used to it by now!  We do it every year...

Anyway, we arrive at the Wilderness Lodge and the guard is very nice.  Turns out he grew up near our home town and we even know some of the same people!  :-)  We get our first Welcome Home and drive on to the front entrance.  NO BODY in sight and we unload the car when someone comes along.  I decide to say the Bell services tip and we take the luggage and leave the car for Valet. 

Checkin was NOT busy at 9pm at night and we start checking in right away.  Again, a very nice CM helps us out and starts the checkin process.  She looks up my reservation and finds the first one.  Says I'm checking in tonight and out on Sunday.  NO mention of the connected one bedroom reservation so I inquire.  She's off to check it with a manager (I think) on another computer, and find my Sunday checkin reservation.  And then say I'll just have to come down for new keys because we go from a cash reservation to a points reservation.  I mention that we'll have to move rooms as well, and they say, no you can stay in the same room.

Uh oh... "But we are moving to a one bedroom on Sunday!", I said....  what?  Show them the confirmation sheets and they check a couple things... "Looks like you were upgraded to a one bedroom for the first two nights!"    WOOOOOOO HHOOOOOOOOO    This is our first upgrade EVER at any Disney resort, much LESS a DVC (where it almost NEVER happens!)  :-D  :-D  :-D 

THIS is awesome!  A full week in a one bedroom unit AND no moving on Sunday!  YAY!!!!  This is some major Disney Magic (and Dream worthy!) to kick off our trip!  :-)  We drop off our bags in the room - a very nice and great location room with some pool view and near the elevators! - and head for Roaring Fork.  We haven't eaten since noon and we're HUNGRY.  Two chick nugget kids meals, an adult chicken nugget meal and a bacon cheeseburger (and drinks) - $30.  Everything was very good and glad to say these new chicken nuggets are still a nice quality - at least at the Roaring Fork. 

Pools is JUST opening up after the storms as we head back to the room.  We caught a bit of the Electrical Water Pageant, and the DVC pool was still closed.  Kids wanted to swim, but it was after 10pm and we had to unpack and settle.  Called down for the Owners Locker and it was soon delivered.   Its like Christmas as the kids find all their fanny packs, light up toys, mickey ears, pool towels.  I'm happy to find all the stuff I didn't have to haul down!  :-) 

We're all settled by 11:30 or so and off to sleep.  We decided (with just a BIT of kid pressure) to hit the MK in the morning, so its off to the parks in the am!  The magic has already started with us settled for the week in a GREAT room we didn't expect and the start of what promises to be a wonderful vacation!  :-D

Welcome Home!!!!