Saturday, March 8 2003

Good morning and welcome to Day 1 of the 9th Annual Spring Training Trek 2003!

It has been a year since last we met, and both the Braves and Disney World have changed in that time. Braves pitching has been ripped out and rebuilt around Greg Maddux and John Smoltz. The Magic Kingdom has shortened hours and reduced rates and services to encourage tourism. But something's have not changed. Weather and transportation is still unpredictable, and here I am bringing you the blow by blow, play by play, nitty gritty details of my trip so that you sorry snow and ice bound northerners can experience just of little of the Spring Training experience. So welcome to my fun filled and fatigued report. Close your eyes (well read first, then close them) and picture this.

The plan was bold and daring. Catch a 6:25am flight from Atlanta to Orlando via Tampa. I had checked the train schedule and there was a 4:49am train to the airport that would get in at 5:30am, plenty of time to get checked in according to Delta. I finished packing about 1am, took a catnap, got up at 4am, left for the station at 4:30am, and was on the platform by 4:45am. No train. 5am. No train. 5:17, finally a train. Apparently running the first train of the day on schedule is too much trouble. I talked with another passenger who said that when he called MARTA they said, and I quote, our web site is not reliable. Then there was the delay at Lindbergh station, as MARTA saw the need to shift to a single track for maintenance at 5:30am.

Upshot is that I arrived at the airport at 6am, and the automated e-ticket check-in refused to process my ticket. So I get in line for a human agent. Too late to make the plane. Now here is why I hate flying. It is not a fear of the plane not going up and coming down under intentional control. It is the hoops that the government and the airlines force passengers to jump though. Because the 8:45 and 9:50 am flights are full, they can not book me as standby, and I can not take my bag though security to the gate because it is too large, so I have to book the 11:45am flight instead. Then I have to repack my bags because my checked bag is 51 pounds, which would cost me a baggage fee.

I go to the gate of the 8:45am flight to see if there might be standby room. There is one seat left when the gates close, but I can not take it. It seems that the million dollar luggage tracking system which lets the airline track my bag location by bar code can not be used to transfer my bag from the storage area where it is waiting for the 11:45am flight, to the earlier flight. So I am stuck. There goes the first game, $20 blown (row C behind home plate). So all I can tell you about that is the Braves pounded the Tigers and I have 4 games left during the week.

From the Braves web site, this is what I missed: Russ Ortiz provided some offense and another fine performance in the Braves' 11-0 win over the Tigers at Cracker Jack Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Ortiz, who singled in his two at-bats, allowed two hits and recorded two strikeouts while tossing three scoreless innings. The right hander, who will serve as the Braves third starter, hasn't allowed a run in five innings this spring. Mark DeRosa, whose three hits paced the Braves' 15-hit attack, doubled in a four-run second inning, which was highlighted by Jeff Francoeur's opposite-field triple off the right field wall. Wilson Betemit's two-run single keyed the Braves' five-run fourth inning. Betemit and Gary Sheffield both had a game-high two RBIs. Making his third spring appearance, John Smoltz allowed two hits and issued a walk in a scoreless inning. Chris Spurling, who was acquired in the Rule 5 draft, had three strikeouts in his two scoreless innings.

So my flight finally lands at 1:17pm in Orland (all flights were leaving about 30 minutes late due to late arrivals transferring from other flights), and by 2pm I am on my way to the Port Orleans Riverside resort at Disney World. Now some might call this a misadventure. Instead, I call it a missed adventure which leads to an opportunity for adventure. In this case, it was spending some time in my room on the Alligator Bayou unpacking, checking my vacation package materials, and getting ready for the remainder of the trip. Surprise to me, Disney has added more features to the package. Now I get a $25 meal at Planet Hollywood and an additional One Man's Dream souvenir ceramic option for my magical wishes. More about that later.

I picked up my free lanyard and AAA Disney pins, exchanged some money for Disney Dollars, and then headed to the Magic Kingdom for a transfer via Resort Monorail to the Polynesian Resort. There I made the 8pm seating of the new Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show (1 week old, replacing the Polynesian Luau). Although it rained off and on during the afternoon, it was nice and clear as our hostess told us the story of Lani, a bright and popular island girl who went to school in California and returned home unsure of her roots after experiencing the big city world. Of course, through a number of cultural dances including the exciting hula and fire dance, Lani rediscovers where she came from and discovers she can be a part of both worlds.

During this 2 hour show, $50 value paid through one of 16 Magical Wishes as part of my Silver Dream Maker vacation package, I tried Pele's Fire Punch (Volcano Goddess' blend of light rum, dark rum, banana liquor, blackberry brandy, pineapple juice and grenadine serviced with a red glow cube. Appetizers included pineapple coconut bread, tropical mixed greens with mango-poppy seed dressing and sweet golden pineapple. The main course consisted of island barbecued pork ribs, lanai roasted chicken, Polynesian rice and fresh seasonal vegetables. A glass of Copper Ridge Chardonnay was included as was dessert - Kilauea Volcano Delight.

And it was delightful. What a way to signal the start of my 10th annual Spring Training Trek, and 6th year at Disney. I started this in 1993, visiting West Palm Beach and following the team up and down I-95. In 1998, the Braves moved to Disney's Wide World of Sports and so did my quest for Spring Training fun. One of the things I enjoy is talking to others on the Disney Transportation busses and in lines. I get to learn about others and share Disney ideas. One such group on the monorail this evening were elderly sisters wheelchair bound who decided to bring their daughters and niece to Disney for a vacation. The 'kids' had not been in years and were rediscovering the magic all over again.

Speaking of magic, my Spring Training Trek is magic in how it seems to pack more fun in a day than hours permit. So from the Polynesian Resort it was onward to Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island. I stopped in the Jazz Company for a chocolate diet coke and a set from Pretty Boy Freud. Then it was on to the Adventure's Club for a little Hoopla and finally after New Years was celebrated yet again, it was back to the resort.

The next baseball game is not until Tuesday, but do not fret - Sunday will be Fun Day as we make our way to the Magic Kingdom. Hang on to your seats; the 2003 10th Annual Spring Training Trek is just now leaving the station!

Fuskie