Hello All!!!

Hi! I have been a lurker here for about a year, and feel like it is finally time to join the club. I am still working on the protocol so bear with me for a bit. Let me introduce myself. I have been a Disney fanatic for about 40 years now. I grew up going to the World and have always loved it. As an intro to the forum, allow me to tell you all about my most memorable trip. Bear with me. My DW and I were married in 2000, had both been to Disney growing up. I had been a frequenter of the Poly, and DW the Fort Wilderness. As we got to our late teens/twenties, there was a break in the Disney action. Can't afford it, you are single, etc. So I had a roughly 12 year absence from the World. But it was always there, in the back of my mind, I must go there again, with DW, and share with her my childhood experiences and new memories (and hopefully make sure she would want to come back!). So we planned it, a week at Disney, no holds barred. Departure date 9-09-01. I arranged for Florida towncars to pick us up at the airport. We had issues finding them. Turns out, the towncars were all in for maintenance at the time, so when we linked up, they had sent a white stretch limo instead. Could things be going any better? We took the limo to the Poly, noticing along the way all the people looking and wondering "What important people must be riding in there". A fun time. So we get to the Poly. DW is amazed. I don't really remember the next day or so, so let's fast forward. Tuesday, 9-11-01. Breakfast at the Kona, although I think at the time it might have been called the Coral Isles Cafe. Breakfast was early, and we got on a bus for Animal Kingdom. A woman sitting in front of us asked if we watched the news. I told her yes. I tried to stay informed but not so much when at Disney. She told us an airplane had hit the World Trade Center in New York. I, as her, was convinced it was a small plane that had lost it's way, and we went on about our business. We get to Animal Kingdom. We go to Kilmangaro Safaris. Ride the ride. When we come off, a CM is there to inform us that things have been closed. I wasn't sure at the time if she meant the ride (Did someone get eaten by a Tiger?) or did she mean the park? Come to find out it was the latter. Now, we hurried to the exit, because if this was the case, there were sure to be transportation bottlenecks. We raced for the bus, but already a huge wait. And people were beginning to get information. "We have been attacked!", "Every city in America is being evacuated", and the like. It took an hour to get on a bus, packed like sardines, but finally on the way back to the Poly. DW freaking out the whole time and me telling her, and I quote, "Where are you going to evacuate every major city to? Calm down and let's get back to a television and see what is really going on." We get back and see the news. Call the families to le them know everything is OK with us. Parks are closed, as we later learn for the second time in history, the first being hurricane Andrew. So, nothing left for us to do, head to the Poly bar. PACKED with people watching coverage on their big TV. Met a fellow that lived nearby the towers there, and he was devastated. Next night, we wound up at Jellyrolls at the Boardwalk. As I am sure you know, this is a dueling piano bar that takes requests for songs. One request came up, and the entertainer said that it was not one that he knew, but he would do his best. It was Lee Greenwood, "I'm proud to be an American" and everyone joined in. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Thursday, 9-13-11, we go home tomorrow. Airspace over the US remains closed. And we wake up to sandbags being placed around our sliding door. Tropical Storm Gabrielle has evidently decided that we haven't been through enough yet, and is making a beeline over central Florida. We went to the parks anyway, and had a blast! But, we are going home tomorrow. I discuss with DW this evening, and (as the airports are still closed and we have no confidence in their opening and do not want to sleep on the airport floor) we should see about staying. As it turns out, the Poly comp'ed us 2 night's under the circumstances!

Wow, I do apologize for such a long introduction for myself, but wanted you all to hear some of my story!