Dan Murphy
We are family.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2000
Today, 26 years ago, April 22, 1998, Earth Day, I was at Disney World, for the first time, by myself. Animal Kingdom opened that day, for the first time. I really didn't even know AK existed , nor MK, Epcot or MGM for that matter when I first arrived there at WDW. I was there for a business convention, with the S/D as the host resort.
Just kind of setting the picture a bit.....
My DW, Marie, had been diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in January, 1998. In February, she had a lumpectomy and then started chemo in March. It was rough, a combination chemo cocktail of 3 different IV meds, one seemingly worse than the next. Marie had a chemo treatment every 2 weeks over a course of 4 months. That would be followed by a month 'off' and then radiation, 5 days a week for one month, presumably completing treatments by August..
I had an annual convention that always occurred in April. It moved locations each year, LA, NYC, Las Vegas, NOLA, etc. That year, Orlando. Spouses were always included. Marie had gone to most with me for maybe 15 years or so, but she was getting tired of the trips and some of the recent ones I had been going on solo. I told Marie that I would be skipping this year, staying home with her. Only reasonable and proper and right, right? Well, Marie would have none of that. She said I earned the trip and should go. I said no, that's fine, staying home. She said she would be fine, having a scheduled chemo treatment about 5 days before I would go, when she would be feeling generally okay by that day. And I would be back before the next treatment, trip being about 4 nights, 5 days. Well, by now you know who won that discussion.
So, I flew to MCO, got a rental car, drove to the S/D. With driving the car and taking the roads there at WDW, it was not really too unlike any other place with expressways and limited access highways, just prettier. I get to the resort, check in, very impressed. Several phone calls home, making sure Marie is doing okay, what with me a half a country away, UGH. Next day, some meetings, some meals, more phone calls. Marie is doing okay, she swears she is, tells me not to worry. I walk around the property, walk around in the hotels, Further impressed. Like, WOW! Some more calls. Relax, Dan, I'm doing okay, honest. So, now I think it is day 3, a day off. One of the other associates from work attending the convention tells me that he and his wife are going to the grand opening of Animal Kingdom. Okay, that's nice, no idea what that is, but have a good time.
Another phone call. All okay, So, I guess since I am at Disney World, I guess I should do something. I have absolutely no concept AT ALL of the layout of the place, none, zero, zip. I know Great America near us in Chicago, here's the parking, there are the rides.. When I had checked in, I was told there was a Disney desk over there. So, I went to the Disney desk. Can we help you? Sure. What do I do to see something Disney? Well, how much time do you have? One day. Okay, best to get a one day park ticket. Okay, sounds fine. $39.75. Ok, now what? The CM said the best would be to go out to the boat dock and take the boat over to MGM. Hmmm, sounds fun, sounds different. I do as was suggested. I take the boat to MGM. I have no idea about the existence of the other parks, resorts, anything. Well, sort of I 'knew' of AK, I guess.
I get off the boat and spend maybe 4 or 5 hours walking around MGM, doing a few attractions, eating some food here and there, and utterly AMAZED! I left and got back on a boat to head back to the S/D. I called Marie. She said she was doing okay. I was supposed to head home the day after next. I told her, I'm on a Disney boat, on a Disney waterway, have just left a an amazing, unreal Disney park, like nothing I've experienced before, heading to a Disney resort (well, sort of). This place is amazing. I heard there are even other places here. We HAVE to come here.
I'm getting a bit tired now, late here (for me, after 10 PM. I'll try to finish this tomorrow.
PS: When I got back to the resort I did run into the couple who were going to AK's grand opening. I asked how that place was. He said that it was like a real neat zoo, big.
He said they rode this one ride, Countdown to Extinction (now Dinosaur) and that it was incredibly rough and realistic A few years later, the name was changed and the ride toned down some.
Just kind of setting the picture a bit.....
My DW, Marie, had been diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in January, 1998. In February, she had a lumpectomy and then started chemo in March. It was rough, a combination chemo cocktail of 3 different IV meds, one seemingly worse than the next. Marie had a chemo treatment every 2 weeks over a course of 4 months. That would be followed by a month 'off' and then radiation, 5 days a week for one month, presumably completing treatments by August..
I had an annual convention that always occurred in April. It moved locations each year, LA, NYC, Las Vegas, NOLA, etc. That year, Orlando. Spouses were always included. Marie had gone to most with me for maybe 15 years or so, but she was getting tired of the trips and some of the recent ones I had been going on solo. I told Marie that I would be skipping this year, staying home with her. Only reasonable and proper and right, right? Well, Marie would have none of that. She said I earned the trip and should go. I said no, that's fine, staying home. She said she would be fine, having a scheduled chemo treatment about 5 days before I would go, when she would be feeling generally okay by that day. And I would be back before the next treatment, trip being about 4 nights, 5 days. Well, by now you know who won that discussion.
So, I flew to MCO, got a rental car, drove to the S/D. With driving the car and taking the roads there at WDW, it was not really too unlike any other place with expressways and limited access highways, just prettier. I get to the resort, check in, very impressed. Several phone calls home, making sure Marie is doing okay, what with me a half a country away, UGH. Next day, some meetings, some meals, more phone calls. Marie is doing okay, she swears she is, tells me not to worry. I walk around the property, walk around in the hotels, Further impressed. Like, WOW! Some more calls. Relax, Dan, I'm doing okay, honest. So, now I think it is day 3, a day off. One of the other associates from work attending the convention tells me that he and his wife are going to the grand opening of Animal Kingdom. Okay, that's nice, no idea what that is, but have a good time.
Another phone call. All okay, So, I guess since I am at Disney World, I guess I should do something. I have absolutely no concept AT ALL of the layout of the place, none, zero, zip. I know Great America near us in Chicago, here's the parking, there are the rides.. When I had checked in, I was told there was a Disney desk over there. So, I went to the Disney desk. Can we help you? Sure. What do I do to see something Disney? Well, how much time do you have? One day. Okay, best to get a one day park ticket. Okay, sounds fine. $39.75. Ok, now what? The CM said the best would be to go out to the boat dock and take the boat over to MGM. Hmmm, sounds fun, sounds different. I do as was suggested. I take the boat to MGM. I have no idea about the existence of the other parks, resorts, anything. Well, sort of I 'knew' of AK, I guess.
I get off the boat and spend maybe 4 or 5 hours walking around MGM, doing a few attractions, eating some food here and there, and utterly AMAZED! I left and got back on a boat to head back to the S/D. I called Marie. She said she was doing okay. I was supposed to head home the day after next. I told her, I'm on a Disney boat, on a Disney waterway, have just left a an amazing, unreal Disney park, like nothing I've experienced before, heading to a Disney resort (well, sort of). This place is amazing. I heard there are even other places here. We HAVE to come here.
I'm getting a bit tired now, late here (for me, after 10 PM. I'll try to finish this tomorrow.
PS: When I got back to the resort I did run into the couple who were going to AK's grand opening. I asked how that place was. He said that it was like a real neat zoo, big.
He said they rode this one ride, Countdown to Extinction (now Dinosaur) and that it was incredibly rough and realistic A few years later, the name was changed and the ride toned down some.
I said, oh yeah, good idea. I think I recall making the reservation at Alfredo's (now Tutto Italia) in Italy. Marie asked me a few times what all the stuff I was reading all the time (I am a reader). I just told her, oh nothing much of anything. I wanted to surprise her, thankfully she accepted my blasé answers.
She said, You want us to go to Disney World??? I can barely stand up, still recovering from my past 10 month ordeal! Looking back now, I certainly agree. I told Marie that I would cancel. I waited 2 days, asked her if she was sure it was a no go. Yes, a no go. I called Disney to cancel. I was talking to the CM, asked her to cancel. But, but, before she confirmed, I asked her if I could postpone, not cancel. I think said, yes, up to 15 months. I told the CM to postpone, not cancel. 
More to come.
Kind of have them again now. 
