CCP's Snow Days at WDW!

I'm moving these extra few days over to a new trip report since Robyn unfortunately is no longer here to share the fun.

So this is what happened:

I'd been checking the weather back home and the status of my flight all day. Snow was in the forecast all day, but it was supposed to stop before my flight took off, and my flight was listed as on time all day long. At the airport it was still listed as on time. After helping Robyn with her large suitcase and saying goodbye outside the security line (she went through the regular lines and I went through TSA Precheck), I made my way to my gate, found a seat overlooking the boarding ramp, and waited. Shortly after I arrived my plane pulled in. Passengers emerged and workers busied themselves around the jet getting it ready for the next flight. Boarding began. I was booked on Southwest, but didn't pay for early bird checkin since I was flying alone, so my boarding position was B37, not too bad. Once on the plane, I discovered several empty rows at the back of the plane and chose a window seat at the very back of the plane, last row. Eventually boarding ended, and wonder of wonders, I had the whole right back row to myself! Wow! Especially since I picked up a minor head cold and was happy not to be sneezing and coughing next to another passenger.

As we waited to pull away from the gate, I looked out the window and saw my suitcase. Cool! Then I realized it was coming OFF the plane! What the....And shortly after that the pilot announced the weather in Baltimore had not cleared up and the flight was cancelled. So back off the plane we went. Because I was the last person off the plane, I was nearly the last person in the line to book another flight (a couple of people must have visited the rest room and ended up behind me). And we waited and waited and waited. The man behind me phoned a hotel and booked TWO nights. Uh-oh. Another man walked by after rebooking and said nobody was getting a flight until Saturday or Sunday. As I got closer to the desk, I saw and heard person after person try to work out a way to get back ASAP. One woman found a Delta flight. A man wanted to fly United. They were all taking tons of time trying to get what they wanted.

Finally my turn came. I told the Southwest employee, "I'm in no hurry, so whatever." He said, "The earliest we can get you back is Saturday." I knew that probably meant an early or late flight with stops along the way, so I said, "How about Sunday?" Looking a bit surprised, the man asked, "You want Sunday?" "Yes," I responded, "because if I can't get home today or tomorrow I'm going back to Disney World." Took maybe two minutes to get my boarding voucher, and unlike most of the other folks in that line, I walked away pretty darn happy.

Then I found an out-of-the-way seat and immediately booked three extra nights back at All-Star Sports. Walked down to the Magical Express and booked both the trip to WDW and the return trip to the airport Sunday. Back on the ME, which is not nearly as exciting the second time in seven days. And now I'm in a new room in a different section of the resort, but I don't care. It's Disney World! I'm in the tennis section this time around, which is a bit farther from the food court and buses than the baseball section, but not a bad walk at all. I tried to do some laundry tonight (I'm running out), but the laundry room had a line so I might try again Friday afternoon when most folks will be out in the parks.

Friday's plans involve DHS to try to get the TSM kitty again, laundry, and another park once that's done. I'm not sure which one. More tomorrow.