Tuesday March 13- Wednesday March 21

Crowds--big, but we managed quite nicely I think. I think the GROUPS of people bothered me more than the NUMBER of people. The cheerleaders, softball teams, and various other teens were absolutely dreadful.
I can handle teenage girls giggling, running, jumping, squealing...that is just what they do- no big deal.
What I found deplorable was the filthy language that spewed from their mouths on the busses and in the rides, the disrespect, teasing, and downright hatefullness they showed the CM's and other guests (I watched in horror as they grilled a bus driver, giggling in plain sight, "Did you want to be a bus driver when you were a kid?" "Did you go to school to learn to be a bus driver?" "Is being a bus driver the most important thing in your life?" "I bet you live with your mom, don't you?")

I watched in horror when they blatantly and openly made fun of overweight, handicapped, or other guests for whatever reason...and it literally sickened me at the immense joy they got out of it! I grew very tired of the vandalism that took place in the parks (while in HM, I watched them throw water bottles and trash in the library and graveyard scenes. I told a CM and they seemed 'resigned' to the issue??)
I got very annoyed at their constant cutting in line and their pride they took from doing so. They screamed out in shows, rides, etc. They stood up in rides to purposefully make them stop (and kept track of how many they had stopped so far!) At times it made WDW's atmosphere a stone's throw from Six Flags.

Their attire was often grossly inappropriate (bikinis in the park with denim short shorts over the bottoms, but not snapped or zipped and folded down). I don't know why this huge rule infringement was never addressed. Sadly, it was enough to leave a bad mark on our trip, whether we wanted to let it or not.

Weather- Only two days of rain, but otherwise perfect, even downright cold at times, which in my book still beats sweating!

Accomodations- I have said it before, but truly mean it now: we will not do value resorts again. If we can't save enough to stay in a moderate, we will not go at all or we will go for a shorter stay. I missed POFQ so much! Though we thought that it would be okay since we would only be needing the room to shower and sleep, we still found that there are other services we would like to have (bell services for one!) The room was not very clean, mousekeeping was very poor (didn't even come one day!), and the grounds were in very bad shape. You couldn't walk down a hallway, down a sidewalk, up a stairwell, to a bus stop without seeing tons of trash...cups, bottles, napkins, food, bags, etc. I just have had my fill of values.

Service- In general, very good. I didn't like having to walk over to Music that last day, didn't like the placement of my rooms at either hotel, didn't like walking alone with all my luggage at 2:45 am to DME, but what are ya gonna do?
In the parks, the CM's showed the stress of the crowds (and it's makeup). One CM on IASW was literally driven to tears as the youth called her a loser multiple times b/c she worked that ride, etc. CM's were very busy, but the majority as a whole would smile back when we did...and were very appreciative of 'pleases' and 'thank yous'.
Security was everywhere as the chaos was often rampant. Several youth jumped bus stop lines and ran into the streets in front of the busses to try to make them pick them up. It was nuts~ why weren't they in Ft. Lauderdale or somewhere KNOWN for that kind of behavior??

Family and Friends- I think we all could share horror stories of vacationing with friends and family. But in this case, nothing could be farther from the truth. My DFIL and his fiance were a joy. They never complained, they had great enthusiasm, and they enjoyed DD so much, she felt so special! My friend Michelle from Cocoa Beach is always a pleasure to spend time with. My only complaint is that she couldn't stay longer!

Overall- Yes, my gallbladder made dining a nightmare, yes my tooth made things worse to boot, yes throwing my back out was painful and extremely inconvenient, but I would do it all over again tomorrow! While the teen scene couldn't help but make a mark on our trip, the magic still prevailed and came shining through. Good times, good company, great weather, safe travels. You can't beat that!

Thank you all for coming along with us on our trip. I have read and appreciate all the replies. I apologize for being so long winded, and thank you for bearing with me!

Oh yes, and one last thing. Sadly, I still remain a space cadet...I don't think I will ever become a galactic hero.