Day 1 - 10/18/2003

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=82 style=" border-bottom: 1px solid #999980;" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="792890903.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Monotype Corsiva" ><I><B>SuiteDisney</B></I></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Walt Disney Script v4.1" ><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>  </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>  </B></FONT><B>|</B><B>    </B>Day 1 - 10/18/2003   |   <A HREF="day_2___1019.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 2 10/19">Day 2 - 10/19</A>   |   <A HREF="day_3___1020.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 3 10/20">Day 3 - 10/20</A>   |   <A HREF="day_4___1021.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 4 10/21">Day 4 - 10/21</A>   |   <A HREF="day_5___1022.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 5 10/22">Day 5 - 10/22</A>   |   <A HREF="day_6___1023.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 6 10/23">Day 6 - 10/23</A>   |   <A HREF="day_7___1024.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 7 10/24">Day 7 - 10/24</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="e8590903.jpg"> <div> <I><B>Day 1 - 10/18/2003</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.suitedisney.com/wdwphotos/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.suitedisney.com/wdwphotos/"><B>WDW Photos</B></A></div> <bR> <div>  <script type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script>  </div> <bR> <div> Well, it's been a long ride, but we're finally here in Walt Disney World! We're going to spend the first night at the Swan and then switch to the Beach Club Villas. We made pretty good time, it was a good move taking a different route around Washington and we're already here at 8:15 in the morning. Let's go check in and figure out what we're going to do today. Cross your fingers that we don't have to wait until 4 o'clock for a room.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="7742d0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Oh my, this is too good to be true... our room is ready! I can't wait to see it. We're on the 5th floor. Gene is going to bring the car up and get the luggage, why don't you come up and check out the room with us? Wow, the man is already here with our luggage. How did he get here so fast, I only stopped to take a couple pictures on the way up. Do you mind if I just take a couple pictures of the room before you unload our luggage?</div> <div> <IMG SRC="774388d00.jpg" border=0 width="392" height="720" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Michael doesn't mind waiting and when I finish taking pictures he places all of our bags in the room where he thinks we will want them. He informs us that he is our LRT, Luggage Relocation Technician.  If all of the Swan employees are as friendly as the first two we've met, we're going to have a great day!</div> <bR> <div> So, what do you think? Do you like the room? It would be nice to have a balcony, but I'm happy with the big window and I like the view.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="7744d0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> I think we can just live out of our suitcase for today. Why don't you guys dig out your swimming suits. Just give me a minute to call Donna and see about meeting up and then we'll go check out the pool. Okay, it's set... she's going to call at 3:00 and we'll decide where to meet. Now, let's go swimming! </div> <bR> <div> There's a pool right around the corner, but it's the lap pool. It doesn't take Gene long to find a comfortable spot. </div> <div> <IMG SRC="7745d0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="7746d0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Don't let him fall asleep, we'll never get him up! Let me just ask this man walking by for directions. Okay, we have to go past the hot tub...</div> <div> <IMG SRC="7747d0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> ... and through the sand...</div> <div> <IMG SRC="7748d0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> ...and there it is, the Grotto Pool. This is what we wanted! </div> <div> <IMG SRC="7749d0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Eek, the water is chilly! The best thing to do is just jump in. Race you to the waterfall! The kids love playing under the waterfall, watch out or they'll pull you under it. Had enough, yet?</div> <bR> <div> That was very refreshing after a 17 hour drive. Now let's see about getting our Annual Passes activated. How do you feel about heading over to MGM? We can get our passes activated and maybe have lunch at Hollywood and Vine. We'll still have time for a nap before Donna calls so we won't be exhausted tonight. </div> <bR> <div> We're here, our first park of vacation. I don't think we've ever come to this park first until now.  The passes are all taken care of so let's go in and get some lunch. Looks like we won't be eating at Hollywood and Vine after all, they don't have lunch anymore and won't open back up until 3:00. How about that place over by Star Tours. We've never eaten there before, so let's try it out. Are you game? There it is, the Backlot Express. </div> <div> <IMG SRC="774ad0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Wow, I had no idea all this was back here.  Please order me a hot dog while I take some pictures. This place is huge! Any idea where you want to sit? The kids would like to sit all the way in the corner by the sink, is that okay? Have a seat and relax, Rachel is getting condiments and the boys are waiting for the food. I'm in charge of taking pictures. :)</div> <div> <IMG SRC="774bd0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> It's typical counter service, hot dog and hamburgers, but that's fine. I think we're going to wind up at Epcot later and the International Food and Wine Festival starts today. Did you have enough to eat? Ready for a nap? Let's head back to the room. I hope I fall asleep first, before Gene starts snoring.</div> <bR> <div> Telephone! Is it 3:00 already? Did you have a nice nap? Okay, here's the plan, we're going to meet Donna and her kids right inside Epcot at the International Gateway at 5:00. I was also able to get in touch with Tony and he's going to join us. :) We should start getting ready, who wants to use the shower first?</div> <bR> <div> I'm tired and I want to take the boat. It would probably be faster to walk, but we have time and I'm sure we'll get enough walking in when we get there. It's still a few minutes before 5:00. We might as well sit on this bench where we'll have a good view. Hey, there she is! I recognize her, but she doesn't know what we look like. Hiya, Donna. Hi kids. Oh, there's Tony... hi, Tony!</div> <bR> <div> This place is packed, but let's walk around World Showcase and maybe we'll see something we want to eat. Too bad the lines are so long. The kids would like to stop in Japan to go shopping. I think it's their favorite place to shop. They also want to check out the shops in China. They're looking for some tea or a tea pot for Gene's Birthday, which is tomorrow. The boys tried a couple of things and we all had to have the watermelon water from Mexico, but the lines are just too long to think about stopping at enough kiosks for dinner. Gene would like to treat everyone to dinner, how about if we walk over to the ESPN Club? By the way, did you know that a trip around World Showcase is a mile?</div> <bR> <div> And ESPN is packed. Do you really feel like waiting? We don't. Tony is going to call and see if he can get us reservations at the All Star Cafe. We've never been there, but he has and gives it a good review. He can get reservations, so everyone is going to split up and drive their own car over and we'll meet there. We're the last to get there because we stop at our room to drop of the bags of souvenirs that the kids bought. </div> <bR> <div> We've never been over to this area. Even though it's dark you can tell that this place is huge! And there's the All Star Cafe. </div> <div> <IMG SRC="774cd0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Come on in! I hope you like sports..... pssssst... I don't. Oh look, there are televisions all over the place and they're all showing.... sports. Ugh. </div> <bR> <div> Houston, we have a problem. They want us to sit at two different tables. This is not acceptable, we made reservations for eight. The waitress insists that we can't put these two tables together. Please get the manager. He doesn't have a problem with seating us together and has the waitress help him to move the tables together. That wasn't so hard after all. :) We're passing around nachos and fries smothered in chili and cheese for appetizers. Meals range from burgers to wings to pasta. I think we're all happy with what we had. And it sure was nice to get together. We had a great time, and I'm going to call Donna later in the week to see if we can meet up again. But we haven't yet recovered from driving all last night and we're ready for a good night's sleep. I stay awake until Midnight so that I can officially wish Gene a Happy Birthday.</div> <bR> <div> The beds at the Swan are Heavenly! Nighty-night.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>