WHAT I DID ON MY SPRING 2004 VACATION!! 

What do you do when you belong to a premier flying club?  You fly somewhere!!  But, where do you fly to when you have 3 darling children and a beautiful wife?  Of course…FLORIDA!! 

For six years I’ve been telling my kids that Disney World is where Mickey Mouse lives and that the place only exists on TV!!  I knew that story would only work for so long.  My children would ask their friends, “Hey, where DID you get those Mickey Ears?? (insert a 5 second pause) …DAD!!!”  So in the Fall of 2003, it was time to book the Lance for the journey to Fantasy Land. 

I just couldn’t handle the thought of standing in line with all of the rest of the spring-breakers from east of the Rockies.  When it came time to book the Disney reservation, I jokingly asked if there were two cabins available on the Disney Cruise.  I was surprised to find out that there were two, linked-cabins available on the Disney Wonder 5Day/4Night cruise! JACKPOT!!  

Spring Break could not get here quick enough!  Finally, on March 26, 2004, we loaded up the Lance.  We better hurry!! Vice Presidential TFRs are about to go into effect that would shut down Louisville International and our beloved Bowman Field. 

“Hey Kids, anyone want to ride up front with Dad??” 

Haylee and Ashlyn would rather not watch.  The way Dad flies is just TOO SCARY! 

And Mom feels safer with Prince Justin protecting her from danger in the back seat.  

“Mom, do you really think dad knows where he is going?  I thought I saw the Statute of Liberty a few minutes ago.”  

Little did Justin know that the airplane knows the way.  All I had to do was to say “Disney” and the Lance banked hard to the South!! 

We made a fuel stop in Baxley, GA.  (KBHC)  This was a perfect stop, three hours into the trip.  The airport was right on our flight path to Merrit Island, FL.  The fuel was the lowest on our whole route of flight.  ($1.99/gal)  And I’ve never seen so many comments posted for any FBO on AirNav.  http://www.airnav.com/airport/KBHC  This is a small, country airport.  But it was BIG on southern hospitality.  I had called the airport several days in advance to check their services and to let them know that we would be flying in, after-hours, at 8PM on March 26^th.  I spoke with Lil, the Airport Manager, and she said that she would leave the FBO unlocked so the kids could use the restroom.  She also said that she would leave the keys to the ‘72 White, Ford Van under the seat so we could drive to town for something to eat.  When we pulled up to the self-serve pumps, all of the FBO lights were on and Lil was waiting for us!!!  She made a special trip out to the airport to meet us and to make sure we did not need anything else.  Now THAT is hospitality!!!  

After a quick trip for dinner in Baxley at Burger King, we were on our way to Merrit Island (KCOI).  http://www.airnav.com/airport/KCOI  This airport is perfect to fly into for a Disney Cruise.  It is just a few miles from Port Canaveral.  We were originally going to land in Titusville at Space Coast Regional.  But, I had read Tony Aldi’s report on one of his previous trips and thought I would try his suggestion by flying into KCOI.  His suggestion worked out perfectly!  It was 20 miles closer, with only a 10-minute ride to our hotel in Cocoa Beach. 

After a day at the hotel on the beach, it was time to meet “The Captain” and board the Disney Wonder!  

Let’s get this party STARTED!!  

Hey, I heard it was raining and snowing at home in Louisville!!  ;-P  

Meeting all of the celebrities on the ship was FANTASTIC!!  

Justin was putting “the moves” on the princess!!  (I taught him everything he knows.)  

All of the “Castmembers” on the ship were fantastic and entertaining.  Everyone knew your name by the first day.  No request was too large or too small for them to handle.  By the second day, the servers would know exactly what I wanted from the menu before I even looked at it.  They quickly became our family!!  Here is my cousin from Jamaica wearing Justin’s cool shades.  

The first morning found us in port at Nassau, Bahamas.  Our two rooms were just to the right of the word “Wonder” with a view of the upper row of inflatable life rafts.  These rooms were probably the best in the house as far as we were concerned.  They are considered Inside Cabins because of the view and are a few steps from the forward elevator lobby.  Our rooms were also on the 5^th Deck, the same deck as the Oceaneers Club. 

The Oceaneers Club was our children’s favorite place on the ship.  We would drop them off at 9AM and pick them up at 1AM, pleading with us, “Just 5 more minutes!”  Their day was filled with stories read by the Princesses themselves, making Flubber in the lab, exploring secret passages of the ship, and Pirate Training with Captain Hook!!  Meanwhile, Lyndee and I spent time…ALONE!  It was FANTASTIC!!  

That’s Lyndee, walking next to the ship.  That is a big boat!   

We pulled into Disney’s Private Island, Castaway Cay on the second morning.  The kids had to say hello to Pluto at “Mount Rustmore” on the Island.  

Justin was giving his best Captain Hook impersonation!  Ashlyn and Haylee quickly surrendered.  

A ship in paradise…  It was hard to believe it was raining and snowing in Louisville all week.  (Did I mention that already?)  Too bad! 

We’re ready to watch the live performance of “The Golden Mickey’s”.  But I think Mickey and the Gang has worn everyone down.  The entertainment each evening was spectacular.  Each evening we were treated to a different live show.  It was as entertaining for the kids as it was for us.  Disney sure knows how to show us a great time!  

The evening would not be complete without the “animals” waiting for us in our rooms.  Hey, that monkey is wearing Justin’s sunglasses!  

More celebrities!!  Justin kissed the Queen of Hearts.  I think I saw the Queen blush, and then she got really MAD!  “Off with his head!”  

A sea turtle greeted us on our last evening…with extra chocolates!!  

We had to get a picture of our “Table Family” before we had to say goodbye.  I think we all had tears in our eyes when we disembarked for the last time.  Lyndee and I cried the most.  

After we left the ship, we found our beachfront hotel again.  The kids slept for most of the day.  No one wanted to go home yet, so we spent a day at Sea World.  Very crowded, but we still had a wonderful day. 

The Lance was just where we left her a week ago.  We all climbed aboard and took off.  I told the Lance, “Louisville!”  And the darn thing turned south again!!  (I need to write that discrepancy up.)  I had to disconnect the autopilot, but she wasn’t going to give up without a fight.  A snap-barrel roll, inverted outside loop and a Cuban-8 later, I was able to regain control and coax her back to the north after promising that we would fly her again back to the south again soon.  

Daytona Beach Spring Break off the right wing!  

There were golf courses everywhere off the left wing.  

We just had to stop in Baxley, GA again for fuel…and soak up that southern hospitality.  We were not surprised that there were airplanes lined up at the pump.  Everyone was filling up with cheap 100LL and headed south for Sun-‘N-Fun. 

We’re almost home.  Here’s the Tennessee/Kentucky border.  

I was still all by myself in the front seat.    

We had a spectacular time!!  Not only did we have fun on the cruise, but I sincerely enjoyed the journey in the Lance.  Not that I would have considered flying a commercial carrier to Florida, but I compared the price and timetables to the convenience of general aviation.  By the time you pay for parking at the airport, check-in, deal with security screenings, board the flight, take-off, land in Orlando (if you’re lucky enough to get a direct flight, otherwise add several more hours transferring in Cincinnati, Nashville or Atlanta depending on the carrier), retrieve your lost baggage, find your rent-a-bucket-of-bolts or board a bus to Cocoa Beach, I would have checked into the hotel hours before you because I have the ability to leave when I’m ready and fly non-stop, direct to Merrit Island in 4.5 hours and land 10 minutes from our hotel!!  And get this…  I even saved a few bucks by flying my family of five down myself instead of Delta doing it for me!!! 

Now THAT is a Spring Break...the Glendale Flying Club way!!!!! 

Fly Safe,

David A. Kantor
Glendale Member, CFII
Disney Cruiser Pilot (N6940F)
UPS MD-11 Captain Instructor