LURKYLOO's Wedding Trippie: Morocco/Attic/Lower UK: Wedding Album + Gown Preservation

[shezfrombermuda]

I love your video! I didn't want a video at first but after seeing Caryn's video I started looking at videographers. Now after seeing your video, I want Starfruit. I also want a boat! That looked like alot of fun.

[M&M126]

WOW! What an awesome video! You and your DH look just amazing together. :goodvibes

[lurkyloo]

I just watched it with Internet Explorer. It worked just fine and was gorgeous!!

Hooray! :goodvibes

I have just read your TR and I must say I loved it , the colors everything was gorgeous. Your video was beautiful also. Your wedding is the type of wedding i want to strive for classy elegant and fun.

So glad you're enjoying the TR. Disney makes it really easy to concentrate on all the creative details - have fun planning!

Another de-lurker here, I just wanted to say that I've been following along with your TR and am enjoying it. I just finished watching your video and it was fantastic. Congrats!! :

Hello, fellow lurkyloo! Thanks for the kind words! :)

Love the movie! It was beautiful and even better with sound
:rotfl: So many things are....

Do you guys still swing dance at Disneyland, Carrie?

We didn't have time during wedding planning, but we're going to start again. You are very lucky to have a BF who not only wants to dance but instigates! I wondered what happened in Mexico....

I love your video! I didn't want a video at first but after seeing Caryn's video I started looking at videographers. Now after seeing your video, I want Starfruit. I also want a boat! That looked like alot of fun.

:lmao: That's a whole lotta wantin'! The same thing happened to us - we didn't want a video at all until I turned up Star Fruit's site in a massive, depressing Google search. We watched her first demo and thought "A-ha! There's an alternative to the usual wedding video!"

WOW! What an awesome video! You and your DH look just amazing together. :goodvibes

You're so sweet! :cutie: Thanks!

[DisneyFairy19]

Carrie I saw it and its BEAUTIFUL

[ITmickey]

Another congratz here for your video...:cloud9:

[Lynn5700]

Love it Carrie!!! Beautiful!! you guy's are a beautiful couple :)

[Keira1387]

I love your video! It came out really nice.

[roozlilone]

OMG you made me cry at the beginning when you first saw each other! It was so sweet and the music was perfect. :sad: So, when is it coming out in the theater? :goodvibes

[boo2you]

Sorry I spilled the beans too early! :worship:

Did Starfruit have muted colors all through the full video? I only ask because I fell in love with the rich colors in the Roots photos! :flower3:

[Chilly]

Lovely video! It shows how much fun you had on your wedding day which posed photos don't always convey.

[Mocharilla]

Aw, I just watched it! Very beautiful! Definatly reaffirmed my wanting of a Disney wedding and of using Star Fruit. :thumbsup2

[lurkyloo]

Carrie I saw it and its BEAUTIFUL

I can't wait to see what Star Fruit does for YOUR video! :goodvibes

Another congratz here for your video...:cloud9:

Love it Carrie!!! Beautiful!! you guy's are a beautiful couple :)

I love your video! It came out really nice.

OMG you made me cry at the beginning when you first saw each other! It was so sweet and the music was perfect. :sad: So, when is it coming out in the theater? :goodvibes

:cutie: You guys are so sweet! I'm so happy that you liked it! :cloud9:

Did Starfruit have muted colors all through the full video? I only ask because I fell in love with the rich colors in the Roots photos! :flower3:

It's interesting you mention that - it did have muted colors all the way through and, as you know from seeing the Roots' photos, our wedding was all about bright colors. We mentioned this to Sage, and she said it was no problem to take the muted filters off the full-length video - hooray! :banana:

Lovely video! It shows how much fun you had on your wedding day which posed photos don't always convey.

You know, you're right! I'm enjoying watching footage of mundane little things like the 40-mile trek down the hall to the Attic. :rotfl: Plus, we got to see our guests' reactions to the mouse ear favors - priceless!

Aw, I just watched it! Very beautiful! Definatly reaffirmed my wanting of a Disney wedding and of using Star Fruit. :thumbsup2

Seriously - Disney should hire Star Fruit to shoot a new DFTW promo DVD!

[Mocharilla]

Seriously - Disney should hire Star Fruit to shoot a new DFTW promo DVD!

I completely agree!

[Beep]

Lovely video Carrie, really beautiful.

I love the idea of the 'first look' and hadn't thought of that. I'm going to get my Dad and Tim to be waiting in the lobby of the Boardwalk when they first see my Mom and me - separately! I love my parents to the max and want to share every minute with them but somethings should be just for us and I reckon that will be one of them. I can't wait to see my Dad's face either :lovestruc

[PrincessBrideKatie]

Great Video! I laughed, I (almost) cried. I kinda regret not leaving room for a video in the budget.

[boo2you]

Lurkyloo, I just saw your Root slideshow! I've never seen a wedding turned into a piece of art like that. You really need to get them published in The Knot or something!

[BaBeeCee14]

Beautiful video Carrie! My favorite part was the staged first look. It was so sweet. Do you know what song was playing during that part? It sounds so familiar but I can't figure out where I've heard it from...

[irisbud]

Seriously - Disney should hire Star Fruit to shoot a new DFTW promo DVD!

I totally agree. That DVD was a joke. BF was like "is this for real". :rotfl2:

[lurkyloo]

I'm going to get my Dad and Tim to be waiting in the lobby of the Boardwalk when they first see my Mom and me - separately! I love my parents to the max and want to share every minute with them but somethings should be just for us and I reckon that will be one of them. I can't wait to see my Dad's face either :lovestruc

That is a great idea, and such a sweet thing to do for your parents. I hope you will post pictures of your double first looks!

Great Video! I laughed, I (almost) cried. I kinda regret not leaving room for a video in the budget.

If it helps, one thing we noticed was how much overlap there is between the video and our pictures, so you'll have plenty of coverage with just photos (and hey, photos are easier to spiff up than video if you notice stray hairs, spinach in the teeth, etc. :rotfl: )

Lurkyloo, I just saw your Root slideshow! I've never seen a wedding turned into a piece of art like that. You really need to get them published in The Knot or something!

That would be amazing! I wonder, though, if I have enough of the traditional elements (centerpieces, army of bridesmaids, etc.) to interest them... :lmao:

Do you know what song was playing during that part? It sounds so familiar but I can't figure out where I've heard it from...

Sage picked it - it's perfect! It is from the movie "Finding Neverland" and it's called "The Kite." I had to ask her what it was, and I'm so glad it turned out to be from a movie I actually liked, not, say, "American Pie 16: The Reckoning" ...

I totally agree. That DVD was a joke. BF was like "is this for real".

Here's us watching it: :happytv: :rotfl2:

[lurkyloo]

What's funny is that my younger son had just popped the Incredibles DVD in and came running to say "Mom, if you want to watch that movie, I just put it on." Too funny. Suzanne

Suzanne, I thought you'd appreciate this...

Last night I was watching our demo - again, cuz I'm a big dork - and DH left the room and then came running back in with the Incredibles DVD case and said, "Um, if you want to watch that movie, I just put it on!" :rotfl:

[topsy]

WOW!! I love, love, love your video! And you are totally right about Star Fruit doing a new DFTW video - the old one suuuuuucks! I'm now sad that your TR is coming to aand end so I have gone back to the beginning and am now reading your PJ instead!

[lurkyloo]

I'm now sad that your TR is coming to aand end so I have gone back to the beginning and am now reading your PJ instead!

No, wait! Don't go! I still have four more soporific days of the honeymoon to blather about! :rotfl:

Right now I'm just devoting all my writing time to a %$#@! photo book for our at-home reception next weekend. Then I'll go back to the TR. Honest!

[topsy]

Yay Carrie!! Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere yet, I just needed to get my fix while I was waiting for the next installments - so I went back to your PJ! I think I missed it the first time round so it's interesting to read now that I know what happens...

P.S. May I just say that you have a flair for writing - I would definitely buy a book written by you, maybe you could write one about Disney?! I can't wait to read more : D

[DisneyBrideToni]

I loved your video. I was tearing up in the beginning!!! It was beautiful!!!! You were gorgeous on your wedding day. You guys look like a fun couple!

[Poohnatic]

Suzanne, I thought you'd appreciate this...

Last night I was watching our demo - again, cuz I'm a big dork - and DH left the room and then came running back in with the Incredibles DVD case and said, "Um, if you want to watch that movie, I just put it on!" :rotfl:

:rotfl2: Your husband's a keeper, Carrie! :lmao:

Tonight, he made me watch a non Disney movie (gasp)! We watched Robots. :teeth:


Suzanne

[Mama of Indybride]

:surfweb: Absolutely LOOOVVVEDDD the video. Val and I watched it Sunday evening, I loved how they started with the muted colors and ended fully colorific!

Your new DH's love for you comes through in every shot and was sweet to see! I'm sure he realizes how incredibly lucky he has to have such a funny stylish lady choose him! :rotfl2:

Can't wait to read the rest of your report, I get a good :laughing: everytime I tune in!!!

[Angela0917]

Lurkyloo, you were an absolutely beautiful bride!! I love your video, I was sitting here crying! You and your husband look great together and I can tell you're just so happy! Congrats!! :)

[cseca]

Finally had a chance to look at it... :)
Absolutely beautiful!!!!

[lurkyloo]

Yay Carrie!! Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere yet, I just needed to get my fix while I was waiting for the next installments - so I went back to your PJ!

WHEW!! :faint:

I loved your video. I was tearing up in the beginning!!! It was beautiful!!!! You were gorgeous on your wedding day. You guys look like a fun couple!

Aw, thanks! :cutie: I will remind DH that we are a fun couple... :rotfl:

Tonight, he made me watch a non Disney movie (gasp)! We watched Robots.

I seem to recall Robots actually being kinda good - but then, we saw it on something like our third date, so I wasn't really paying attention... :rolleyes1

:surfweb: Absolutely LOOOVVVEDDD the video. Val and I watched it Sunday evening, I loved how they started with the muted colors and ended fully colorific!

Your new DH's love for you comes through in every shot and was sweet to see! I'm sure he realizes how incredibly lucky he has to have such a funny stylish lady choose him! :rotfl2:

Can't wait to read the rest of your report, I get a good :laughing: everytime I tune in!!!

That is so sweet of you to say! And I love "colorific"! I think it shall be my new Thing That I Say... :teeth:

Lurkyloo, you were an absolutely beautiful bride!! I love your video, I was sitting here crying! You and your husband look great together and I can tell you're just so happy! Congrats!! :)

Aw... now I'm gonna cry - thank you for the kind words!

Finally had a chance to look at it... :)
Absolutely beautiful!!!!

Hooray! I'm glad you liked it!

[lurkyloo]

OK, in an effort to stall while I get the next day of the honeymoon written, I'll post a link to the practice Blurb wedding book I just made.

I realized there was no way I'd have time to condense 1,500 photos into an album in time for our at-home reception next week, so I made two identical smaller books that we can circulate and then give to the grandmas at the end of the day. It was good practice in learning how to whittle down the number of pictures, too!

The preview only gives you the first 15 pages of the book, and I didn't really hit my stride til around Page 30, so I'm not too proud of the ones you'll see... but at least it buys me another day to work on the trippie, right? :rotfl:

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/215881?alt=Carrie+%26+Patrick%2C+as+listed+under+W edding

[mla1977]

Carrie,

The book looks great!

I forgot. Did you guys make the scarf for your minister?

[malaea3]

I Just saw the video. It is fabulous:cool1:

[lurkyloo]

Carrie,

The book looks great!

I forgot. Did you guys make the scarf for your minister?

That was completely his idea! When we asked him to marry us (er, I mean, perform the ceremony), he asked what our wedding colors were. Then he had a seamstress custom make it for him!

I Just saw the video. It is fabulous:cool1:

Yay!!! (Love the avatar, by the way...) :cutie:

[BaBeeCee14]

Hi Carrie,

I was wondering if you could help me out with something. Like you suggested - I'm planning on shipping a few boxes of my wedding stuff down to Disney. Since I know you have done it successfully, I was wondering if you could tell me a few things.

1. How did you ship it? I was thinking about using Fed Ex or UPS. I don't really trust the USPS because their tracking system kind of sucks.

2. When did you send it? I think the hotel will only hold it for you for a few days before your arrival, but I'm not sure.

3. What information did you put on the box? I just want to make sure I have all the necessary information on it so it makes it to AKL and they know to hold it for me.

4. Did you insure your boxes?

Thanks so much Carrie!!! :worship:

[lurkyloo]

1. How did you ship it? I was thinking about using Fed Ex or UPS. I don't really trust the USPS because their tracking system kind of sucks.

And how! I used FedEx Ground – it was cheaper than UPS, and insurance was cheap too.


2. When did you send it? I think the hotel will only hold it for you for a few days before your arrival, but I'm not sure.

I sent the dress 2 weeks before b/c Carolyn Allen will only hold it for 2 weeks. I sent everything else 1 1/2 weeks before each of our various check-in dates (we shipped to three hotels) – that way it would take a week to arrive via FedEx ground and only sit for a few days. ALSO: the DVC hotels get lots of packages for guests, so they are used to storing stuff.



3. What information did you put on the box? I just want to make sure I have all the necessary information on it so it makes it to AKL and they know to hold it for me.

On the advice of a fellow DISer, I put this info ON each box and on a piece of paper IN each box (I also included itemized lists of the contents of the boxes I was giving my planner so DFTW could be sure it was all in there):

Name
“In care of [the resort where you are staying]”
“Hold for check-in on [your date]”
The resort address

Don't put your ressie # on the boxes because that # is linked to your credit card


Did you insure your boxes?

I don’t know how much DH insured the ceremony and reception boxes for, but he insured the dress for $1,000 – what it would cost me to buy a comparable dress off the rack if they lost mine. As I recall, FedEx’s insurance increments are pretty cheap for a lot of insurance, so just pick the number that you would spend if you had to replace everything.

:thumbsup2

[BaBeeCee14]

Thanks so much Carrie! :flower3:

[tlhbdm]

Lurkyloo, I know you go to Disneyland a lot and I was there on Monday of this week and I was thinking of you. I was just there one day with my dad and his girlfriend. He surprised and took me. He lives in Phoenix and we drove over on Sunday and spent all day Monday there. What surprised me about it was he doesn't like going to Disney anymore due to all the trips we took when I was younger. I kept thinking I wonder if Lurkyloo is here somewhere.

[romymichelle21]

Speaking of DL, Carrie, we'll be there this coming Weds!

I'm sure you won't be around (those darn work days and all), but it would be fun if we bumped into you! :goodvibes

[lurkyloo]

I kept thinking I wonder if Lurkyloo is here somewhere.

That is too funny - I WISH I'd been there Monday, instead of stuck at a desk all day. Did you have fun? I feel personally responsible for everyone's experience at Disneyland...

Speaking of DL, Carrie, we'll be there this coming Weds! I'm sure you won't be around (those darn work days and all), but it would be fun if we bumped into you! :goodvibes

Oh wait, I forgot - HEIDI is personally responsible for everyone's experience at Disneyland :rotfl: Whew! Ride Space Mountain with yer shades on for me! (It makes the ride even darker and less predictable :thumbsup2 )

[tlhbdm]

I did have fun. We did California Adventure and DL so it was fun to do both. DH and I are going to try and do free dining in September for my birthday and celebrate our one year anniversary 3 months early. I hope to get back to DL more often that what I have in the past.

[snow_white725]

I know I replied to you in another post when I saw your signature line and just looked at your photos...but I have to say again that your wedding just rocked!!! It is exactly the kind of Disney wedding I would want. I LOVE the whole Morocco look and you looked like a model! This is really one of my favorite weddings on here! Thanks again for sharing :cloud9:

[romymichelle21]

Oh wait, I forgot - HEIDI is personally responsible for everyone's experience at Disneyland :rotfl: Whew! Ride Space Mountain with yer shades on for me! (It makes the ride even darker and less predictable :thumbsup2 )

Shades huh? :cool2: DB always rides with 'Higher Ground' playing on his earbuds, cuz he misses Rockin' Space Mountain so much. Usually I ride with my glasses off cuz it trips out my eyes, but the shades thing might actually help! :rotfl:

[lurkyloo]

I did have fun. We did California Adventure and DL so it was fun to do both. DH and I are going to try and do free dining in September for my birthday and celebrate our one year anniversary 3 months early. I hope to get back to DL more often that what I have in the past.

Ooh! Ooh! We're doing free dining in September! You should - free dining, free APs - what could be better? ;)

I know I replied to you in another post when I saw your signature line and just looked at your photos...but I have to say again that your wedding just rocked!!! It is exactly the kind of Disney wedding I would want. I LOVE the whole Morocco look and you looked like a model! This is really one of my favorite weddings on here! Thanks again for sharing

Hey, thanks! That is sooo nice of you to say, and I'm really glad you liked the pictures! :cloud9:

Shades huh? :cool2: DB always rides with 'Higher Ground' playing on his earbuds, cuz he misses Rockin' Space Mountain so much. Usually I ride with my glasses off cuz it trips out my eyes, but the shades thing might actually help! :rotfl:

Lemme know how you like it! :thumbsup2

[lurkyloo]

FINALLY... the next installment of the honeymoon trip report...

Day 9

Today was our second Epcot day. Epcot is weird – you can’t really do it in one day if you haven’t been in forever and want to see everything, but two full days seemed like too much. This surprised me b/c I expected it to be my favorite park and thought I’d spend hours just poking around all the shops in the World Showcase. I think if I lived in Orlando I’d be there a LOT just hanging out, but there wasn’t that much left we hadn’t done on our second full day.

We got there for rope drop again and got to follow the Dream Squad but, alas, received no free churros...

I want my two dollars!!
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We got to the rope stretching across the Innoventions plaza and these guys came out to meet us. For someone with zero interest in characters, I became inordinately excited to meet them, but all we got were some run-by shots:

Pluto! Pluto! Over here, Pluto!
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No...? How ‘bout Minnie? Over here, Minnie!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5742.jpg

Goof- aw, forget it...!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5743.jpg

After Minnie & the gang piled into their Dream Mobile with the lucky little bozos who were picked by the Dream Squad, the rope dropped and we dashed off to Test Track for another ride, followed by both versions of Mission: Space. I couldn’t really tell the difference – what do you think that means...?

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http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5746.jpg

When we came out I realized my prescription sunglasses were missing. I thought I must’ve left them in the car, so we walked all the way back out there (which isn’t really that big a deal at Epcot. If it’d been MK or Disneyland, we’d have been gone like 45 minutes!). The shades didn’t turn up at the car, so we ran back to Test Track and, sure enough, one of the CMs had found them in our car – hooray! And so easy, too!

This is what you get when you ask a Photopass photographer to take a picture with your camera...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5785.jpg

This is what you get when you ask DH to take a picture with your camera...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5787.jpg


After riding and getting stuck on the Living Seas with Nemo & Friends, we decided to go wait at Coral Reef for our ADR. I’m so glad I put our honeymoon on the reservation b/c we got to sit right next to the tank. We were in the far right-hand window and didn’t seem to have as many fishy buddies as the tables behind us, but we saw this guy a lot:

Steve
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5765.jpg

I was really surprised by how good the food was. I’d heard mixed reviews and expected it to be overpriced and mediocre. Well, it was overpriced but prepared really well! We started with the wild mushroom soup. I think truffle oil is totally overrated, and I was glad you couldn’t actually taste it. DH had the Blackened Catfish with cheese grits, and OMG, I was stealing bites of grits the whole meal. (“Hey look over there – I think Steve is eating a turtle!” [swipe!])

Blackened Catfish with Disappearing Cheese Grits
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5755.jpg

My Grilled Mahi Mahi with couscous and honey soy glaze was cooked perfectly – another surprise. The couscous was delicious, but it would have been even better covered in cheese grits...

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Grits-less Couscous
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5756.jpg

Whatever I order when we go back in September, I’m getting those grits on the side. Is it true that the steak is really good?

They gave us a free butterscotch creme brulee for dessert cuz it was our honeymoon!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5763.jpg

I guess they couldn’t fit “... and good luck paying off that wedding!” on the chocolate thingy...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5762.jpg

After lunch we rode Maelstrom and Three Caballeros again and enjoyed them much more the second time—lowered expectations, perhaps? At any rate, we weren’t gonna press our luck with a second spin on Ellen’s Universe of Energy...

I think they should let you get married in front of Norway’s Stave Church... the cake could be made of stacked School Breads!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5774.jpg

After Three Caballeros, we bought only our second souvenirs each – a bright blue Three Caballeros shirt for him and some supposedly authentic Mexican vanilla for me (even though we live in the middle of the largest Mexican immigrant community in the US and can prolly buy it at the grocery store...).

We poked around the World Showcase some more, and DH got some nice shots.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5776.jpg

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http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5779.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5781.jpg

When we got to France I redeemed a postcard for a free Chanel sample, which I’d picked up on our way through Chefs de France a few days before. It was for a new perfume that was debuting exclusively at Epcot (but is probably in every department store by now). DH and I agreed that it smelled like an Epcot restroom – hee hee!

France... now giving “eau de toilette” a new meaning!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5783.jpg

We were scheduled to be in Epcot all day and had a dinner reservation in Mexico, but by this time even I was getting a little bored of looking in shops, so we hopped a monorail to the Magic Kingdom for a quick break.

The Darth Vader of Monorail Trains
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5788.jpg

Hooray! Magic Kingdom!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5792.jpg

[lurkyloo]

I keep saying this, but I was really surprised how much I liked MK. When I visited as a snotty teenager, I sneered at all its differences from Disneyland and considered it the inferior park. But now that I’m a snotty adult (and I visit Disneyland so frequently that I’ve actually – gasp! – been known to be bored there), I love its combination of familiar and different. And I love that we can visit attractions that Disneyland has shuttered or replaced, like the fort on Tom Sawyer Island or Swiss Family Treehouse.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5805.jpg

DH took lots of gratuitous shots of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – it is just gorgeous at WDW, especially with the beautiful Florida skies.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5800.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5807.jpg

Another thing you can’t do at Disneyland anymore is get a hand-embroidered hat (well, OK, hand-and-machine embroidered, rather than all-machine-embroidered). We bought two the week before they switched out the machines at Disneyland, so we bought two at WDW in the same spirit (I think I’ve heard they’re going all-machine-embroidered at WDW too ...). We are so impressed by the talent and coordination it takes to do these well.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5791.jpg

After we’d seen every nook and cranny of the fort on Tom Sawyer Island, we rode the monorail back to Epcot for dinner at San Angel Inn. This is another place that seems to receive mixed reviews, but the steak we split was delicious. It’s a different cut of meat, so we weren’t expecting a Le Cellier steak – it was more chewy but really flavorful.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5827.jpg

I wish we’d been able to get pictures inside the Mexico Pavilion because the atmosphere was perfect – we got a table right by the water, under the volcano, the mariachis were playing, and the place was bustling. Add in the low light, the flickering candles, the hyper little girl trying to climb over the railing.... bliss!

After dinner we stood in the marketplace and watched the mariachis. It’s not my favorite style of music, but I love the combination of musical talent and showmanship – it seemed that nearly every member of the band got a solo or to lead a song. It was lovely to stand and listen with DH’s arms around me, and when they finished I got to shake their hands! On our way out we stopped at the booth where they decorate the Animales Fantasticos—those colorful wooden animals. DH had been fascinated by them during our entire trip.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5829-1.jpg

We saw that one of the women was working on a cute little armadillo and decided it would be a fun souvenir if we bought it right then, before it was finished, and had them ship it to our hotel. Then we would have a surprise when we opened it at home and saw how it turned out! I won’t make you wait until Day 13: The Reckoning to see how it turned out....

In progress...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5828.jpg

Finished!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6148.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6145.jpg

Once again, we decided to blow off our evening entertainment plans (this time, IllumiNations) and go to Downtown Disney for Ghirardelli sundaes. You can see where our priorities are.... On the way out we were asked to do a survey. I love taking surveys because then I get to blab about my opinions even more than I already do. However, it felt like a pretty silly thing to do on our honeymoon, considering I’d taken a Sunshine Rewards survey nearly every day for the past year to earn money for our honeymoon—especially since Epcot’s didn’t pay anything!

Foxy Lady!!!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5835.jpg

When we got to Downtown Disney, I decide to do the trick where you buy all the souvenirs you saw in the parks at the World of Disney Store so you can get an Annual Passholder or Disney Visa discount on them. But apparently this is a well known tip, because half of what I wanted was out of stock! I’d decided my big souvenir would be the three Disney Parks cookbooks (never mind that they’re prolly all available at my second home, a.k.a. Disneyland), but World o’ Disney only had two and told us the first one had been discontinued. They were also out of the Mickey parts dog toys (I totally shoulda taken a picture of these – so cute! ) we wanted to get for our kitty-sitter’s dogs. We found them at the pet store, though.

Then we muscled our way to a table at Ghirardelli with our delicious sundaes (why didn’t I take pictures—why?!). I got what used to be called a Cable Car Sundae (hot fudge and butterscotch), and DH got a banana split because I told him to.

We started to drive back to AKV, but DH was bound and determined to get me that discontinued cookbook. He said he’s seen it at Coronado Springs’ gift shop, so we pulled off. Sure enough, they had a huge stash of them, and that book turned out to have a lot of the same recipes as the spendy coffee table cook book I got at World o’ Disney. So we returned the spendy one and I had all the Disney Parks recipes I could ever want. What a great guy!

Next up: The Worst Day of Our Honeymoon....(but “worst” is relative when you’re talking about WDW...)

[Mama of Indybride]

:surfweb: Can't wait for the next installment!

You are so descriptive, it's almost like I was there...

But that would have been akward, you being on your honeymoon and all...:eek:

[lov2b@disney]

Yeah! Loving the next installment!

[tlhbdm]

Great updates!!!!! Ok at least I'm not the only one who compares WDW-MK to DL. I'm hoping we're going to get to go back to WDW in September, actually I am pretty sure it is going to happen. When are you going in September?

[boo2you]

I love the armidillo! I also love the abstract pictures you took around Epcot!

What's Sunshine Rewards? :surfweb:

[breathinforluck]

YAY! I've been lurking and waiting for the update.

[KQAN]

[QUOTE=lurkyloo;24433462] This surprised me b/c I expected it to be my favorite park and thought I’d spend hours just poking around all the shops in the World Showcase. I think if I lived in Orlando I’d be there a LOT just hanging out, but there wasn’t that much left we hadn’t done on our second full day.

That is exactly what me and my DF do all the time!

[KQAN]

considering I’d taken a Sunshine Rewards survey nearly every day for the past year to earn money for our honeymoon—especially since Epcot’s didn’t pay anything!



whoa, what is this?

[lurkyloo]

You are so descriptive, it's almost like I was there...

But that would have been akward, you being on your honeymoon and all...:eek:

:rotfl2: HIGH-larious!

Yeah! Loving the next installment!

:goodvibes

Great updates!!!!! Ok at least I'm not the only one who compares WDW-MK to DL. I'm hoping we're going to get to go back to WDW in September, actually I am pretty sure it is going to happen. When are you going in September?

Sept. 20-27 - it would be really fun to meet you. Maybe at, say, Ghirardelli? :cutie:

I love the armidillo! I also love the abstract pictures you took around Epcot! What's Sunshine Rewards? :surfweb:

whoa, what is this?

It's one of these rewards sites where you take surveys, click on links, sign up for free trials and do your shopping through their special links to earn money. You accumulate credits that are exchanged for gift cards (including Disney gift cards) or can be cashed out through Paypal. It was started by a member of the DIS, and it's perfect for anyone chained to a computer all day. Here's a link if you wanna check it out: http://www.***************.com/signup.php?r=5299

YAY! I've been lurking and waiting for the update.

Sorry it took so long!:rolleyes1

That is exactly what me and my DF do all the time!

Well aren't you the lucky little bozos, as my grandma used to say... :lmao:

[Chilly]

Great day, love the armadillo, looking forward to your next update.

[Lynn5700]

Yay!! Great installment!!! Can't wait for more :)

[Goldeelox9]

We are staying at the AKV (just found out on Saturday) DO you have any tips?

[lurkyloo]

We are staying at the AKV (just found out on Saturday) DO you have any tips?

Congratulations!!

I guess my biggest tip - after all the hassle we went through with this - would be that the free DVC laundry room is on the FIFTH Floor (not the second floor) on the same side of the lobby as the elevators, right near the bridge. Not a very exciting tip, but there you go... :rotfl:

Also, we found that there were way more animals on the savannah below our balcony in the middle of the day. When we did dawn-to-dusk park touring, there were never animals around when we were in our room. And it took me a while to realize that the literature in our room when we checked in included a key to all the animals so you know what you're looking at.

Oh, and there's not a lot of storage in the studios - the armoire is basically useless b/c it's taken up by a pack 'n' play crib and an extra blanket.

That's all I can think of for now, but I'll let you know if inspiration strikes... :cutie:

[figmentfan814]

Each installment of your report has been great! I ended up getting the cookbook that you're talking about at the kitchen store hooked to Earl of Sandwich. I did notice they were pretty hard to find places, so I'm glad that you got yours.

Ghiradelli is the best, we love going there many times on our trips.

BTW~ quick question, I haven't logged into the passholder site in a while are they offering free dining with the passholder rates on rooms? I know they sent out that email about the dining plan being an option for passholders now, but I didn't realize we could cash in on the free dining now too :cool1:

[lurkyloo]

As far as I know, they haven't released a free dining package for AP holders... yet.... :sad1: We booked our free dining trip last summer when we went for our PS, through a bounceback promotion.

We just bought a 1-day MYW ticket each so we could get the free dining package. I called when they announced that AP Holders could now book the dining plan and tried to change our ressie, but I was told they have to release free dining package specifically for AP holders - you can't just show them your AP and have them take off the MYW tickets. Boo!

So I'm keeping my eyes peeled - maybe they'll cut us all a break! :thumbsup2

[figmentfan814]

As far as I know, they haven't released a free dining package for AP holders... yet.... :sad1: We booked our free dining trip last summer when we went for our PS, through a bounceback promotion.

We just bought a 1-day MYW ticket each so we could get the free dining package. I called when they announced that AP Holders could now book the dining plan and tried to change our ressie, but I was told they have to release free dining package specifically for AP holders - you can't just show them your AP and have them take off the MYW tickets. Boo!

So I'm keeping my eyes peeled - maybe they'll cut us all a break! :thumbsup2


I'm jealous, how did you hear about the bounceback promotion. We were down for our planning session last September too :upsidedow

We did that a couple years ago where we bought a one day pass since we had our AP. It is still an amazing deal! So, by the response you got I take it they haven't decided to offer a free dining package for AP yet.

[Gillian]

I guess my biggest tip - after all the hassle we went through with this - would be that the free DVC laundry room is on the FIFTH Floor (not the second floor) on the same side of the lobby as the elevators, right near the bridge. Not a very exciting tip, but there you go... :rotfl: ha ha I passed this tip on to someone on the resorts board who (sorry) was thinking of using cloth diapers while staying in a studio at AKV.

The good thing about the one day passes you have to get with the package is that they don't expire. We have a set and plan to upgrade them to something else the next time we go, which won't be a for a long time I don't think.

[topsy]

:cool1: :banana: :woohoo: :yay: :dance3: YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! Thanks Carrie, I've got my fix now...! :rotfl2: :cheer2: :thumbsup2

I have literally been sitting like this :surfweb: :rolleyes1 waiting for it, when I should have been doing work...:coffee:

I can't wait for the next instalment, it's gonna be a good 'un I can tell! :mickeyjum

[romymichelle21]

Lemme know how you like it! :thumbsup2

:lmao: I told DB about the shades... you should've seen the look on his face!! He's so excited to try it! :rotfl:

I'll let ya know ;)

[romymichelle21]

Yay! I just went back and read the new addition to your trippie!

Post on, Lurky Lady, post on! :banana:

(The armadillo is so cute!)

[29apr00]

That Armadillo is too cute, makes me wish we had time to do Epcot this trip. Oh well, there's always next time!

A "worst day" at Disney?? :scared1: the only worst day could be the day you leave................

Can't wait to read more!

Jennifer

[Mrsdisneyb2b]

i love looking at your pictures...just wanted to tell you that that necklace is to die for.... so beautiful!!!!!!

[Mrsdisneyb2b]

If you dont mind me asking (only because your wedding is basically exactly what we are looking at) what was your budget? I am so afriad it is way over what I expected :(

[lurkyloo]

So, by the response you got I take it they haven't decided to offer a free dining package for AP yet.

That is weird - you didn't have a free dining bounceback card in your room? We stayed at Pop Century - maybe they only offered it to the tightwards :rotfl: And yeah, so far I haven't heard that free dining is being extended to AP holders. I'll let you know if I do! :thumbsup2

The good thing about the one day passes you have to get with the package is that they don't expire. We have a set and plan to upgrade them to something else the next time we go, which won't be a for a long time I don't think.

That's true! I'm plotting to get back to WDW for our anniversary, so those one-day hoppers would let us play in the parks after our APs expire! :cutie:

:I have literally been sitting like this :surfweb: :rolleyes1 waiting for it, when I should have been doing work...:coffee:

You and me both! :rotfl:

:lmao: I told DB about the shades... you should've seen the look on his face!! He's so excited to try it! :rotfl: I'll let ya know ;)

Oh gee, I hope I don't let ya down... I just know I spotted a guy getting off the ride with his shades on and thought, "I wonder what that's all about...?" And when I tried it, I really liked it! (Of course, maybe he just forgot to take his off! :lmao: )

A "worst day" at Disney?? :scared1: the only worst day could be the day you leave................

That's what I would've thought too... until we had a really fun last day there - but that's for a few installments from now... ;)

If you dont mind me asking (only because your wedding is basically exactly what we are looking at) what was your budget? I am so afriad it is way over what I expected :(

Oh, you mean you haven't heard my endless bragging about how our BEO came in at only $70 over the $10,000 minimum? :rotfl2: It is totally possible to have a reasonably priced Wishes wedding - you just have to turn down a lot of the fluff they push at you and a couple of the traditional reception things (none of which we missed).

Things we skipped and saved $$$ on: centerpieces, a DJ, booze, welcome bags, bridesmaids (:cutie:), rehearsal dinner...

Fun things we could then afford: Friendship boat, MK photo shoot, mouse ear wedding favors, crazy fabulous over-the-top wedding cake, ice cream with said cake...

Let me know if you need more cost-cutting tips! :thumbsup2

[Mrsdisneyb2b]

That is weird - you didn't have a free dining bounceback card in your room? We stayed at Pop Century - maybe they only offered it to the tightwards :rotfl: And yeah, so far I haven't heard that free dining is being extended to AP holders. I'll let you know if I do! :thumbsup2



That's true! I'm plotting to get back to WDW for our anniversary, so those one-day hoppers would let us play in the parks after our APs expire! :cutie:



You and me both! :rotfl:



Oh gee, I hope I don't let ya down... I just know I spotted a guy getting off the ride with his shades on and thought, "I wonder what that's all about...?" And when I tried it, I really liked it! (Of course, maybe he just forgot to take his off! :lmao: )



That's what I would've thought too... until we had a really fun last day there - but that's for a few installments from now... ;)



Oh, you mean you haven't heard my endless bragging about how our BEO came in at only $70 over the $10,000 minimum? :rotfl2: It is totally possible to have a reasonably priced Wishes wedding - you just have to turn down a lot of the fluff they push at you and a couple of the traditional reception things (none of which we missed).

Things we skipped and saved $$$ on: centerpieces, a DJ, booze, welcome bags, bridesmaids (:cutie:), rehearsal dinner...

Fun things we could then afford: Friendship boat, MK photo shoot, mouse ear wedding favors, crazy fabulous over-the-top wedding cake, ice cream with said cake...

Let me know if you need more cost-cutting tips! :thumbsup2

No way did you only spend 10,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our budget was 15,000 and looking at all you had I almost died! I thought for sure you were going to say 50!!!!!

Ive taken your advice about centerpieces. df says the same, no one will see them! We dont want any alcahol... were not doing welcome bags but we do have bridesmaids and such... grr

So no rehearsal dinner? FH was saying we should just book it at the resort we stay at, like a reservation in port royals shutters resturant the night of the rehearsal and tell everyone we have a reservation if they have the extra money to come along for dinner...but then its the whole wording it that it makes it clear we are not paying...

[lurkyloo]

So no rehearsal dinner? FH was saying we should just book it at the resort we stay at, like a reservation in port royals shutters resturant the night of the rehearsal and tell everyone we have a reservation if they have the extra money to come along for dinner...but then its the whole wording it that it makes it clear we are not paying...

That's exactly the way we did it for our rehearsal brunch at Spoodles (plus we only invited the wedding party and our parents). And for our welcome party, we picked a place that didn't even have food (a common area at our resort) from 4-6pm so no one would expect food.

Yes, we're totally cheap, and maybe our guests thought so, but we were not going to go into massive debt so people could eat a forgettable meal the day before the wedding! :thumbsup2

[Mrsdisneyb2b]

I agree! That is why we decided to not have the "big" wedding his family does.... his brothers was about 400 and i had a panic attack...

so this is going to be a big difference to them...all theytalk about is the food and that is why im worried about doing the brunch thing... was the food good at least? We love brunch

[lurkyloo]

I am a total food snob, and I thought brunch was great! I mean, how can you screw up waffles and eggs and bacon? :lmao:

We tried dinner foods at our tasting session at the BoardWalk Convention Center, and I was not impressed with the entrees. They were not particularly flavorful or well cooked, and certainly not up to the quality of any of my favorite restaurants. I felt much safer offering my guests breakfast because I knew that it would be just as good as any restaurant breakfast they'd ever had.

[dawrobin]

so this is going to be a big difference to them...all theytalk about is the food and that is why im worried about doing the brunch thing... was the food good at least? We love brunch

I have had the Mickey waffles at charcater breakfasts that lurkyloo served and they are awesome!! They are the reason I go to those breakfasts.

[Mrsdisneyb2b]

i agree, that was why I was worried. But , lurkyloo, I showed df your pictures and he said "Breakfast food, why didnt I think of that?" We know its safer..and we have alot of vegetarians, so this will be our best bet...

I cant thank you enough!
Jenny

[WithDisneySpirit]

Oh, you mean you haven't heard my endless bragging about how our BEO came in at only $70 over the $10,000 minimum? :rotfl2: It is totally possible to have a reasonably priced Wishes wedding - you just have to turn down a lot of the fluff they push at you and a couple of the traditional reception things (none of which we missed).

Things we skipped and saved $$$ on: centerpieces, a DJ, booze, welcome bags, bridesmaids (:cutie:), rehearsal dinner...

Fun things we could then afford: Friendship boat, MK photo shoot, mouse ear wedding favors, crazy fabulous over-the-top wedding cake, ice cream with said cake...

Let me know if you need more cost-cutting tips! :thumbsup2

Hi! :goodvibes Did you actually include the personalized mouse ears in your minimums?

[lurkyloo]

I showed df your pictures and he said "Breakfast food, why didnt I think of that?" We know its safer..and we have alot of vegetarians, so this will be our best bet...

That is awesome! We had some vegetarians too, and they seemed to do OK. In fact, the only complaint I heard was from a girl who thought the pre-reception food (fruit, pastries) was all she was getting and filled up before breakfast started! :rotfl:

Hi! :goodvibes Did you actually include the personalized mouse ears in your minimums?

We could have, if we'd bought them through Disney Floral. However, it was MUCH cheaper to buy them at Disneyland: They cost less here, embroidery is free, and we had an Annual Passholder coupon for 20% off.... :thumbsup2

I have had the Mickey waffles at charcater breakfasts that lurkyloo served and they are awesome!! They are the reason I go to those breakfasts.

Dawn, this is for you ;)

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Wedding%20Pix/1175_2567J.jpg

[dawrobin]

It is too funny that you should post that! We received a Mickey waffle iron for Xmas (different than the those) and just tried it this weekend and it is a POS! It doesn't cook evenly and is totally impossible to make a damn waffle. I have pics of the mess we made and we were soooo depressed Sunday cause we wanted to have waffle Sundays and our iron just sucked!:sad2: :sad1:

I want waffles!!!!!!!!!!!

I am loving reading your trippie so leep the updates coming!

[Mrsdisneyb2b]

Oooo theres a pre-reception? Im going to have to make sure everyone knows not to stuff themselves lol!!! Can we bring the left overs back to the hotel? lol

[lurkyloo]

Day 10

Oh dear. This day doesn’t have very many pictures in it. I had to go on Flickr.com to find a bunch of pictures to round out my report. My apologies to the generous vacationers who shared their pix with me...!

We decided to start the day back at Market Street Café in Celebration cuz their breakfast is so good. DH had been angling for a day at a water park during the whole trip, but we kept finding other ways to fill up our days off, and it was getting to the end of our trip. As we walked to the parking lot at AKV, the skies were cloudy and it was much cooler than it had been all week. DH looked at me hopefully and started a running joke about it being prime water park weather. I just exhaled so he could see my breath.

This time we had to wait in line at Market Street Café, prolly because the President’s Day crowds were beginning to roll into town. Between the two of us we had pancakes, eggs, home fries, bacon, and biscuits and gravy (but no pie – I was saving room for Kilwin’s ice cream!). After lunch we wandered into an overpriced used bookstore down the street and spent half an hour reading books about the history of Epcot (DH) and Celebration (me). Then we went next door to Kilwin’s to stock up on fudge for the flight and to try their peanut butter chocolate ice cream (verdict: meh….).

I wanted to be a good wife and compromise and blah blah blah, so I finally told DH I thought we could go to Typhoon Lagoon today. You should have seen the look on his face – actually, you probably have… it looked something like this:

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Wedding%20Pix/1275_2771N_1.jpg

So we ran back to AKV to get our swimsuits, and it’s a good thing we did because we FINALLY saw animals on the savannah outside our room! I guess the middle of the day is prime time. We saw 3 giraffes, 2 zebras, some gazelle/deer thingies and a bunch of birds (none of which are pictured here). Wow!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5847.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5849.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5854.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5848.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5846.jpg

Finally we suited up and headed out into 60-degree weather for our big fun day at Typhoon Lagoon.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/Typhoonentrance.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5843.jpg

We were so excited – there was hardly anyone there (because everyone else had paid attention to their thermometers that morning) and we walked right up to the ticket counter. We told the guy who took our ticket (possibly the same guy who sold us our ticket – it was that slow) that we’d never been before and asked him which slide we should ride first. His recommendation: Crush ‘n’ Gusher. Not having a clue what this was, we skipped merrily along our way, ready for our big adventure.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5841.jpg

Crush ‘n Gusher from a deceptively bland angle
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/Crush2.jpg

OK, now, I had never been to any water park before, but I figured that riding water slides was probably just like riding roller coasters, except wet and with fewer clothes. What I’d sorta forgotten is that I don’t even like to put my head underwater in a swimming pool and for much of my life I avoided going in one at all. Hmmm….

We went scampering up Crush ‘n’ Gusher’s empty stairways to the tandem slide, plopped into a tube, and shot down the pipe.

My last happy moment…
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/Crush1.jpg

Three seconds in, ice cold water shoots up my nose, my self-preservation instinct kicks in, and I wail “I don’t want to do this anymoooooooooooooooore!” as we bounce and scrape our way down to the bottom. A Photopass photographer had the gall to take a picture of me in all my misery as we were dumped out.

This is what I wish I’d looked like coming out…
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/Crushexit.jpg

This is what I actually looked like.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/Wetcat2.jpg

As we staggered to the shore, the Photopass photog belatedly informed us that Crush ‘n’ Gusher is the only slide in the park that doesn’t have heated water. DH shepherded me to where we’d left our towels and promised that we’d go find some warm water. Off to the giant wave pool!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/typhoon-lagoon-address-1.jpg

DH waded out about half way to wait for the next big wave, while I tried to find non-moving water deep enough to keep me warm.

I asked the lifeguard, “Where can I go to just sit in some warm water?”

She deadpanned, “The hotel pool.”

My favorite place at Typhoon Lagoon is... the hot tub at Animal Kingdom Lodge!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/2110351752_9965ed0753_b.jpg

I ended up paddling around the kiddie area adjacent to the wave pool, where a little boy splashed repeatedly down the 3-foot slide and declared “I’m a big MAN!” every time he caught my eye. DH’s adventures in the wave pool gave me time to ponder things like, “Why is the floor of the kiddie pool rough enough to scrape your knuckles?” and “What do you mean, there’s no hot tub at Typhoon Lagoon?”

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/kiddiearea.jpg

Next we tried the Lazy River.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/Lazyriver-1.jpg

I did OK here with our inner tube, but it was so %$#@! cold that we spent the whole time trying to avoid the water jets.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/Typhoonriver-1.jpg

I thought I remembered my PassPorter saying something about a surprise drop in the cave part of the Lazy River, so I bailed out right before we got there.

Boy, are these people about to be surprised!!!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/Scarycave.jpg

I streaked along the path to the other side, teeth chattering, til I saw DH come out of the cave. He was like, “There’s nothing – it’s just a cave!”

Only a few survived...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/Castawaycreek-1.jpg

One thing we both wanted to try was the shark reef. I LOVE rays and I love looking at animals and fish, so this sounded cool. First we walked through the submerged ship in the reef, where you can see the fish swimming around. Only one side was open to the fish, and the glass was all scratched and smeared, so it was hard to see anything. But talk about great theming!

I could only find a picture of the outside of the ship...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/ship.jpg

So we got our life vests and snorkels and went through the little demonstration of how to snorkel. I had never done this before either, which might have something to do with what happened next. We sat on the ledge at the edge of the water and were told to swim straight over the reef, looking down at the fish as we went, and we weren’t allowed to turn around.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/Sharkviewing.jpg

Well as soon as I put my face in the water, I started panicking. I may have been breathing through the snorkel correctly, but it felt very scary and suffocating. DH calmed me down, and the nice CM who did the demonstration told me all I had to do was swim from island to island. So I sucked it up and pushed off into the water, but even the prospect of seeing rays wasn’t enough to distract me. I think I put my face in the water once the whole time, and I could barely see anything. I was so intent on just making it to the other side alive that it didn’t sink in til the end that I hadn’t seen any dang fish. So I started to turn around to go meet DH, and of course the CM at the other end barked at me to keep going forward. When I got there, all I wanted to do was stay in the warm water and wait for DH, but she barked at me again that I had to get out—which was terribly rude, considering I had just narrowly escaped almost certain death!!!

What the scaredy cats don’t see while they’re freaking out on the surface...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/Fishies-1.jpg

So that was pretty traumatic... DH said, “Gee, I guess it’s good we didn’t blow all that money on swimming with dolphins at Discovery Cove!” I decided to be Towel Boy for the rest of the day. I sent DH off to each crazy water slide, and then I waited for him at the bottom with a nice warm towel. He had fun, and he got some lovely Photopass photos with various strangers on the raft rides.

Finally, we got to my favorite part of the day....
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/funnelcake.jpg

We hadn’t eaten since breakfast, so a funnel cake with ice cream and chocolate sauce tasted like manna from heaven.

[lurkyloo]

Then it was time to go back to Animal Kingdom Lodge. Hooray! We sat on the balcony, took showers, and probably did more laundry. For Valentine’s Day dinner I’d made another reservation at Jiko—even 6 months before I’d known we were going to love it enough to go twice!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/jiko2.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/jiko.jpg


This time I had the sturgeon that I’d been eating from DH’s plate last time.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5852.jpg

He had a curry.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5851.jpg

Does anyone know why the pretty little creek that flows up to Jiko’s windows is/was dry?

What it used to look like
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/jikopond2.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/jikoriver3.jpg

I gave DH the Valentine’s Day card I’d written to him two nights before our wedding. He got all teary, which made ME teary!

After dinner we sat in rocking chairs by the fire pit on the main savannah and watched an ill-behaved child attempt to torch the place by shoving larger and larger tree branches in the fire. We stayed until he and his family left just to make sure it turned out all right.

Finally we went back to our room, where I stuffed down as much wedding cake as I could cuz the next day we were moving to the Grand Floridian, and I didn’t want to keep dragging that darn topper around.

At the end of the night when I sat down to write in my journal, I found a postcard with a picture of fireworks over Cinderella Castle. DH had written a very sweet Valentine’s Day note and signed it “Your husband,” which made my tummy all loopy. I think it finally sank in that we were really-for-real married!

[pooh'smate]

Great update. I hear you about compromising. I went to a water park last summer with dh. It was cold and cloudy, but he wanted to go so I said sure. I was so happy when he was ready to go home, but he had a great time and it was all worth it. He doesn't get to do things for him self very often so it was great to see him have a good time.

[Lynn5700]

I love Typhoon Lagoon!!! You crack me up...I went in the lazy river and I dont remember the drop in the cave. Maybe there was and I forgot about it lol.

[blondie7]

Carrie your Wedding looked so beautiful. I have been lurking for awhile but wanted to let you know that your photos and video are gorgeous and it looks like you and your husband really enjoyed your day. You also look like you had a blast on your honeymoon. I can't wait to hear more. I hope if I get the chance I can have a beautiful Disney wedding like yours. Congratulations to you and your husband.

[romymichelle21]

Dear Carrie:

You're hilarious! :rotfl: I'm the same way with swimming! I can't swim, and hate being underwater. Water park slides that end by throwing you in the pool freak me out! :eek:

Oh, and we didn't get to ride Space Mountain yesterday :sad1: Long story - lets just say we held onto our Fast Passes until nighttime, and then ended up leaving before the park closed. Boooo! And Space is my favorite, too :rolleyes:

[Poohnatic]

Love the Typhoon Lagoon pictures! I finally got to my first water park in nearly 20 years last week-we took my youngest to Aquatica. You got more pictures than I did, but it looks like you have some sort of waterproof thingy for your camera!

Those Jiko pictures make me want to eat there-NOW!

Thanks for sharing all this with us. I was at Coronado Springs today and saw a couple with bride and groom ears and the first thing I thought was "I wonder if she's a DIS bride?" :rotfl:

Suzanne

[Chilly]

I love water parks but TL is my least fav, and I cannot snorkel at all so never bothered to try.

Really enjoying your report, you write in a very entertaining style!

[lov2b@disney]

Loving the next installment! you are a hoot :rotfl:

I envision though pesky kids trying to set fire to things being mine :faint:

[Mrsdisneyb2b]

I love reading your installments... So great!

[irisbud]

Love your TR! Don't feel bad. My Mom, sis and I went to Discovery Cove a few years ago. I tried to snorkle, but got too far underwater and breathed in a whole bunch of saltwater! :sick: . If FH and I ever go to TL (we are thinking of doing a WP day on our HM) I will NOT be snorkeling.

[DisneyBrideToni]

Oh carrie you are super funny!! Love the drowned out cat picture!!!...LOL. I went on Crushin Gusher and while the slide part was fun, being dumped into the pool like sewage was not my favorite part. :sad2:

[29apr00]

HA! that so sounds like me at the water parks! I HATE water and most of the time spend all of it wading in the lazy river, but only if it's warm enought! Don't let me anywhere near cold water! You're a good wife.....i don't think i'd have suffered as long as you did! ;)

jennifer

[Goldeelox9]

I hope your DH had fun at least! LOL

[Gillian]

awwww...what a nice report!

The first time I went snorkeling I had the same the same problem. We were in the Atlantic Ocean though (by Key Largo) and there was nothing to do but swim from the boat over the really deep water to the reef. I had my face in the water but my eyes were closed.

I'm so jealous that you got to eat at Jiko twice!

[pink_tink8i8]

is it normal that I pee my pants after reading all of your installments? :rotfl2: Love the picture of the wet cat but I have to say you have me wanting to make 12 reservations at Jikos :thumbsup2

[BayouPrincess]

WOW Carrie,

I just got caught up, I was about 5 pages behind. What a wonderful storyteller you are! You made me *sniffley* when I read the part about your Valentine card. :lovestruc

I LOVE LOVE LOVE a water park. We went to Typhoon Lagoon last summer, it was great. I love the slides and the lazy river is a must. I must admit the snorkeling part was different, for I too had never done it before, but I even got the swing of it and the kids liked it too. The wet cat is a classic!

So I guess you'd agree with my favorite saying "A bad day at Disney is better than a good day anywhere else!":cloud9:

BTW: Thanks for the Patricia LeJeune information, I am currently waiting on a contract.:banana:

[disneychickforever]

Yay! I finally found time to catch up! Lol.

You have an AMAZING writing skill. I actually showed the pictures and part of the TR to my mom and said "Listen, I'm telling you this now, but when I get married it HAS to be at Disney!" She just laughed and said okay.

She didn't believe that the pictures were of someone's real wedding though, she thought you were a model for Disney. :)

Isn't the DVC at AKL amazing? When I was on my CP, I worked there, and this was right before they opened to the public. So I got to walk around them and just check them out. I fell in LOVE with the 3 bedroom grand villa LOL. I need to find an excuse someday to get that room lol.

And I totally understand about wanting to go to Jiko's again. Since I worked at The Mara, we all got to try Jiko's food. It was tasty :goodvibes:

[accountingbabe08]

I was about 2 or 3 weeks behind reading your trip report. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Is the lazy river and the wave pool heated. Just wondering if you could share info.

[lurkyloo]

Great update. I hear you about compromising. I went to a water park last summer with dh. It was cold and cloudy, but he wanted to go so I said sure. I was so happy when he was ready to go home, but he had a great time and it was all worth it. He doesn't get to do things for him self very often so it was great to see him have a good time.

That's really sweet of you! What they need is a giant hot tub for the longsuffering wives to sit in while they wait. :)

I love Typhoon Lagoon!!! You crack me up...I went in the lazy river and I dont remember the drop in the cave. Maybe there was and I forgot about it lol.

Nah, I think I misremembered - I was cramming so much guidebook reading in at the last minute, maybe I was thinking of Discovery Cove or Wet 'n' Wild or Gatorland or something. :rolleyes:

Carrie your Wedding looked so beautiful. I have been lurking for awhile but wanted to let you know that your photos and video are gorgeous and it looks like you and your husband really enjoyed your day. You also look like you had a blast on your honeymoon. I can't wait to hear more. I hope if I get the chance I can have a beautiful Disney wedding like yours. Congratulations to you and your husband.

Hey, thanks! I'm so glad you're enjoying the trippie! :cloud9:

Oh, and we didn't get to ride Space Mountain yesterday Long story - lets just say we held onto our Fast Passes until nighttime, and then ended up leaving before the park closed. Boooo! And Space is my favorite, too :rolleyes:

That happens to us a lot at DL. We try to give our Fastpasses to other guests on the way out, but they usually treat us like they do the Dream Squad - with extreme suspicion and repeatedly telling us they don't want what we're selling! :lmao:

Love the Typhoon Lagoon pictures! I finally got to my first water park in nearly 20 years last week-we took my youngest to Aquatica. You got more pictures than I did, but it looks like you have some sort of waterproof thingy for your camera!

I have a confession to make... I STOLE all those pictures from the Internet! (In fact, I think I hear the Internet knocking at my door right now... so long!! :teleport:)

I love water parks but TL is my least fav, and I cannot snorkel at all so never bothered to try.

Oh good - I thought it was just me... Whew! :upsidedow

I envision though pesky kids trying to set fire to things being mine :faint:

Somehow I don't think you're the type to just sit there smiling indulgently as if it were a cute trick! :thumbsup2

I love reading your installments... So great!

Yay! Glad you like them!

] I tried to snorkle, but got too far underwater and breathed in a whole bunch of saltwater!

OK, see, that's what I thought would happen to me! I realize the human body is designed to float on the surface (especially mine!), but I don't see how you can NOT get water in that darn snorkel.

I went on Crushin Gusher and while the slide part was fun, being dumped into the pool like sewage was not my favorite part. :sad2:

That sums it up perfectly - dumped like sewage... only to be photographed in all that indignity. Harrumph! :snooty:

HA! that so sounds like me at the water parks! I HATE water and most of the time spend all of it wading in the lazy river, but only if it's warm enought! Don't let me anywhere near cold water! You're a good wife.....i don't think i'd have suffered as long as you did! ;)

Ooh! Ooh! I'm going to frame your post and hang it on the wall for future reference: "See! This proves I am a good wife!" :rotfl:

I hope your DH had fun at least! LOL

Yes, he had a blast! And that's what matters (see "good wife," above). :cutie:

The first time I went snorkeling I had the same the same problem. We were in the Atlantic Ocean though (by Key Largo) and there was nothing to do but swim from the boat over the really deep water to the reef. I had my face in the water but my eyes were closed.

Oh my gosh - I can't believe you ever went snorkeling again! Maybe it just takes practice...

is it normal that I pee my pants after reading all of your installments?

Yes, but I'm afraid you will never be allowed to read my installments while sitting on any furniture at my house... :rotfl2:

So I guess you'd agree with my favorite saying "A bad day at Disney is better than a good day anywhere else!"

You are right! That was my mantra the whole day. ;) Also, I'm so glad you got a hold of Patricia! I was starting to worry about her for a while there!


You have an AMAZING writing skill. I actually showed the pictures and part of the TR to my mom and said "Listen, I'm telling you this now, but when I get married it HAS to be at Disney!" She just laughed and said okay.

That is high-larious! :lmao: I think maybe you could use the Disney wedding as an excuse to get that AKV 3-bedroom Grand Villa, or vice versa! :thumbsup2

I was about 2 or 3 weeks behind reading your trip report. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Is the lazy river and the wave pool heated. Just wondering if you could share info.

Yes! The lazy river and wave pool are heated. I think everything there is heated but Crush ‘n’ Gusher. They just don’t have much CALM heated water! :rotfl:

[lurkyloo]

Day 11

Today was our last full day of our honeymoon, and we jammy packed it with activities. Unfortunately, we had a pretty awful experience during our one and only night at the Grand Floridian, but we didn’t let it ruin the whole day.

We woke up, I had the last of the cake topper for breakfast, and we said goodbye to our animal buddies outside the room at Animal Kingdom Villas. Then we packed all our luggage into the O Mobile and headed for the Grand Floridian. I was awestruck when we pulled up the hotel and a Concierge rep walked up to us and asked if we were Carrie and Patrick. Patrick pointed out that they’d seen our names at the guard gate and probably radioed ahead, but I was convinced we’d been recognized like celebrities.

The O Mobile screeches to a halt in front of the Grand Floridian
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5984.jpg

The woman checking us in escorted us from the valet stand up to the concierge check-in desks on the fifth floor (Tip: I am super-cheap about valet and I never do it, even in L.A., but we used valet at GF – the self-park lot is FAR away! I think it might technically be inside Ft. Wilderness...). Both CMs were busy, so our escort took us to a sitting area and checked us in using all the documents on her clipboard – cool! I tried to get a turret suite, I really did, but she said they were all occupied. Boo!

We got immediate access to the concierge lounge, even though our room wasn’t ready, so we went down to the fourth floor for FREE BREAKFAST!

The Spread
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5871.jpg

The Spread from Above
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5872.jpg

Can’t talk... eating
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5869.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5866-1.jpg

After breakfast (or Breakfast No. 2, if you count stale wedding cake) we walked around the entire fourth floor taking pictures because, well, not just anybody gets to take 86 bazillion pictures of hotel room doors and the lobby from the Concierge level.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5864.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5863.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5862.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5865.jpg

Before heading out, we checked out the beach pool area (but all we have to show for it is this picture of a lamppost):
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5877.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5878.jpg

Then we were off to our date with an Imagineer! My co-workers gave us Dining with an Imagineer as a shower present a week before we left, and I managed to get the last two slots on the last available day during our trip. The lunch was held in the private Bamboo Room at the Brown Derby in DHS – a room it turned out our Imagineer helped design!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5651.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5885.jpg

I guess they do these “private” lunches in groups of eight. It was us and a big family who seemed to think that dining with an Imagineer living in Orlando could help their daughter break into acting in Hollywood. As it turned out, our Imagineer (who was actually named Steve, my favorite nickname for any animal I meet) had dabbled briefly in acting, so his advice was along the lines of “Only do it if you really have absolutely nothing else you want to do, and have a backup plan.” What’s funny is that his backup plan turned out to be Imagineering – while most of us can only dream of being an Imagineer!

Steve sourced this refrigerator for Epcot’s Africa!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6017.jpg

DH and I, being the Disney nerds that we are, peppered Steve with insider questions about future and shelved projects, most of which he was forbidden to answer. Poop! We got used to hearing “I can neither confirm nor deny that...” He did tell us neat stories about his first Imagineering job (doing the Africa area at Epcot) and his favorite job (decorating Castaway Cay). As it turns out, he was also the lead designer of Typhoon Lagoon, but I didn’t hold it against him...

Steve bought this truck, took it apart for shipping, and put it back together again!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6018.jpg

Meanwhile, our waiter was delivering course after course of great Brown Derby food. I felt bad for Steve because his job was to talk to us the whole time, so he hardly had a chance to eat. At the end of each course, the waiter would come over to take his untouched plate, and he’d shovel in a bite or two and say, “Oh! Mmm! Delicious... now where was I?” I noticed a few longing glances at the food each time it was carried away.

We started with the Roasted Parsnip Soup with carmelized beet emulsion and chervil creme fraiche, followed by the Famous Brown Derby Cobb Salad, with a choice of three entrees: Grilled New York Strip Steak, Pan-Fired Black Grouper or the Noodle Bowl. The only thing I got a picture of was the Grapefruit Cake dessert, since I wasn’t eating it:

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5883.jpg

I think our lunch ran about a half an hour long (it was 2 1/2 hours al together), but Steve had arrived a little late because of some project he’d been working on. At the end he autographed a glass plate for each of us, and we got to take pictures with him.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5886.jpg

DH and I wanted to get outta Hollywood Studios and back to the Grand Floridian as fast as possible, so we used the Rockin’ Rollercoaster FastPasses we’d collected earlier and picked up two souvenirs I’d been eyeing: a black-and-silver Star Wars shirt and two Mickey-glove oven mitts.

When we were poking around the Grand Floridian in September, on our Planning Session trip, we got to chat with the famous Grand Floridian greeter who shows up in many brides’ pictures because he helps carry their trains or get them in and out of vehicles. Two days after we got home, there was a news story about the long-time greeter at the Grand Floridian passing away. We were so sad.... Well when we got back to the Grand Floridian this day, there he was! I guess he isn’t a long-time greeter at the Grand Floridian. Maybe he was recently transferred from the High School Musical Extravaganza... At any rate, we were so excited, we had to get a picture with him.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5891.jpg

Before we headed to the room, I came up with the ultimate test of Concierge service and asked the CM for a lunch reservation at Le Cellier the next day. No dice... Harrumph – some $900 Concierge service that turned out to be!

We’d been assigned a room on the second floor of the main building. I wonder if this is where they stick all the Disney’s Fairy Tale Wedding comp-night guests – Summer had practically the same room! We got a king room overlooking the Marina where they have Wishes dessert parties. In fact, a private party was held there that night, but it ended before the fireworks (?!?). We could even see Cinderella Castle in the distance.

And now, some gratuitous photos:

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5894.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5895.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5897.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5904.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5893.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5899.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5898.jpg

[lurkyloo]

Soon-to-be-stolen toiletries...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5918.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5900.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5902.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5905.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5906.jpg

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http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5908-1.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5909.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5913-1.jpg

We decided to change and go swimming in the beach pool. It had been totally deserted that morning, but it was a pretty happening spot by the time we got there. It’s another of those 4-footer pools, so we mostly cruised around on our hands and/or knees.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/GFPool.jpg

I managed to over come my post-Crush ‘n’ Gusher trauma long enough to try the pool’s water slide, and I LOVED it! I think I went down it 20 times...

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/GFSlide.jpg


In fact, you have to click this link to see Janet2K’s awesome video of going down the slide (thanks, Janet2K!)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/janettwokay/2400293083/

When the pool got too crowded, we headed over to the jacuzzi by the main pool... which we ended up sharing with 14 children.

¿Dónde están los niños?
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/GFJacuzzi.jpg

Finally we dragged our prune-y bodies outta the water and went back to the room to dress for dinner. I also called about a discount code on a flyer in our room and ended up adding a night at the Poly to our September free-dining trip for cheap, cheap, cheap!

We got to watch this sunset:
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5912.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5920.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5929.jpg

When we were all dolled up, we walked around the corner to Citrico’s for our last dinner at Disney. Something weird happened – it was the first swanky restaurant we’d been to (including California Grill, Bistro de Paris, and Jiko) that actually enforced the “no hats” rule in the dress code and made us take off our bride and groom ears!

Lonely, rejected free-dessert magnets
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5947.jpg

The hostesses seemed to feel really bad about having to ask us to take them off. We got a nice seat by the window and an able server. The atmosphere was lovely, but the meal didn’t knock our socks off. It wasn’t bad, just unremarkable.

Sorry, but I don’t even remember what this was...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5932.jpg

...Or this!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5935.jpg

We even passed on our free dessert (the dress code didn’t say we couldn’t wave our bride & groom hats under our server’s nose at every opportunity!) because nothing sounded good and we had plans for later.... So they sent us home with a bag of their biscotti – nice!

On the way back to our room we stopped at the concierge lounge to load up on treats for our Self-Service Dessert Party. We planned to sit on our balcony watching Wishes over Cinderella Castle and then the Electrical Water Pageant, which we’d so far missed at every opportunity. That was the plan, anyway...

Turndown Service
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5927.jpg

As it turned out, the fireworks actually went off way to the left of the castle as it could be seen from our room – right behind a palm tree! We squished way over in the corner of our balcony and craned our necks.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5936.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5937.jpg

Then we started to hear the Electrical Water Pageant, but apparently it doesn’t actually come around the horn to the GF Marina, so we STILL have not seen the darn thing. About this time, we started to notice the smell of cigarette smoke in our room, and when we checked the hall it was really strong out there. No offense to the smokers out there, but the smell makes us sick, and we didn’t want to spend our only night in Concierge at the Grand Floridian sucking in fumes.

We called the front desk, and they said they’d investigate and call us back. When they didn’t call after a while, we called back and were told they’d found the person doing it and fined him for smoking in his room – eep! Moments later we were out on our balcony and we actually saw the guy in the room next door come out and light up again! (I guess he figured paying the penalty gave him carte blanche to smoke for the rest of the night?)

DH called over to him that this was a non-smoking hotel, and he shot back, “What, do you work here?” DH was like, “No, I’m a guest, and I’m paying to enjoy my stay here.” So then the guy goes, “Are you the one who called the hotel on me?” and DH retorts, “Yes, and I’ll do it again!”

I thought the guy was gonna come around the divider and start a fight! I started feeling really anxious and queasy, like our one night in this special places was getting ruined, fast. We called the front desk again and asked to be moved. They told us there were no other rooms, but that we could dial 0 for security if the guy got belligerent—because they’d experienced some “pushback” from him. Swell.

By this time the hall and our room smelled like a no-tell motel, and I thought I was gonna toss my cookies. Housekeeping had sprayed a sickly sweet deodorizer in the hall that made the smoke smell even worse. We called a second time and were told we could move to a non-concierge room in one of the other buildings, which didn’t sound too appealing at 10pm. Finally we got someone else on the line who magically discovered a handicap-accessible room on the fourth floor of the main building, and she comped us our dinner at Citrico’s. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I kinda wish they’d given us a do-over night at the hotel...

They sent a bellman to move our stuff. The new room had two queen beds instead of a king and no jacuzzi tub, but at least we could breathe.

What it looked like by the light of day...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5938.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5939.jpg

There was one bright spot in all of this: We’d been trying since Tuesday to meet up with the Roots, but soon after Jensey got sick, Nathan got sick, and we had to reschedule for September. But bless their hearts, they finished all 1,535 of our wedding pictures and delivered them on DVD to the Grand Floridian that night. Bell services brought the discs to us, and we stayed up til 1am looking at our pictures on the TV in the new room.

Up Next: Last Day - We attempt to ride Haunted Mansion at WDW and Disneyland in the same day!

[calanniebu]

Up Next: Last Day - We attempt to ride Haunted Mansion at WDW and Disneyland in the same day!

Another great update! If you truly pull that feat off ... you two will be my heroes!

[malaea3]

Fabulous! Eveything looks simply fabulous! Congrats again. :goodvibes

[irisbud]

Yea for the update. Sorry you had a cra*py night at the GF. :( It is our very favorite, especially concierge, since we have had such awesome rooms and experiences there. I would have been sick from the smoker too, as I am allergic. When they made all the hotels smoke free I was ecstatic. What a jerk! Too bad you couldn't have gotten a turret room, then there would be no balcony for the jerk to somke on next to you.

Can't wait to see if you manage both HMs in one day!

[DisBride2007]

[We’d been assigned a room on the second floor of the main building. I wonder if this is where they stick all the Disney’s Fairy Tale Wedding comp-night guests – Summer had practically the same room!

Ah. Hmm. Well, I'm glad you and Summer got it, but I don't want the rest of the future GF-stayers to get their hopes up - we got stuck in a plain ol' room in one of the buildings out in the boonies. And it was super noisy. We actually ended up switching to the Beach Club for the rest of our stay after that - and it was a lot cheaper than the GF!

I can't believe your TR is almost at an end... how we will fill our days until your next one?

[BaBeeCee14]

Great update Carrie. I'm sorry to hear about the smoking incident - I hate when people break the rules and then on top of that, ruin someone else's stay :mad:. I'm glad to hear that the GF did try to make it up to you.

I really love the GF, but I've never stayed there. DF isn't too crazy about it and would rather just stay at AKL the whole time like we had originally planned to. Thing is I'm really contemplating a split stay, but I don't know. Since you did both, AKL & GF - would you recommend a split stay?

[lurkyloo]

Another great update! If you truly pull that feat off ... you two will be my heroes!

It's prolly been done before, but conceiving the idea is what kept me from having a total breakdown over leaving WDW! :teeth:

Fabulous! Eveything looks simply fabulous! Congrats again. :goodvibes

Congrats to you, Miss One Month to Go! :goodvibes

Too bad you couldn't have gotten a turret room, then there would be no balcony for the jerk to somke on next to you.

Oh man, you're RIGHT. Dagnabbit! :mad:


I can't believe your TR is almost at an end... how we will fill our days until your next one?

Hey, I'm milking this one for all it's worth - there's still the last day, some high-larious pix from the day after, a special flashback to Day 2 (since I was so upset about it that I didn't write a TR for it), AND the at-home reception yet to come! :cutie:

Thing is I'm really contemplating a split stay, but I don't know. Since you did both, AKL & GF - would you recommend a split stay?

I say do it! Marriage is all about compromise, or so I've heard :rotfl: , so you should get to stay the place you want if DH gets to stay where he wants. You could just do the last two days there, maybe.

Besides, as it turned out, Patrick really liked the GF - more than I did! I don't think you have to be a chick to appreciate luxury.:thumbsup2

[mla1977]

I'm so excited to see if you were able to do HM on both coasts in the same day. That would be so impressive. I think I would try to to Pirates, but that is just cuz its my favorite. I think I managed it 4 times in 3 days while I was at DLR.

[disneychickforever]

What an inconsiderate jerk! I can't believe he was doing that, totally rude. And I also can't believe Disney didn't do more to stop him :(

Glad they moved you're room though, sorry about the lack of a jacuzzi tub though lol.

Can't wait to hear if you got to do both HMs in one day, which is better?

[twiu]

Yay Carrie! I love your TR. I wish I could write like you. I'm so mad at that smoker guy! I mean, I'm a smoker, but I walk out of my room to a designated smoking area to have my evening nic fit. Sorry about that. Not all of us smokers are that rude... fyi.

Anyway, thanks for sharing. I am getting really psyched about my wedding by reading about all the fun you've had with yours. Thank you!

[tlhbdm]

I'm sorry about the smoker. At least they didn't get in a fight and nobody got hurt. The lunch with the Imagineer sounds really cool. Also Citrico's looks ...interesting...? Exciting for the extra day added to your September trip!

[Chilly]

Pity about the man next door, why are some people like that :confused3

I will be sorry to see your report end.

[29apr00]

Dining with an Imagineer sounds wonderful!! I would love to do that, but it is totally not DH's thing. Oh well.

Sounds like the GF was FAB, except for mr Jerk Smoker next door. sorry he ruined it for you. WDW should do like the non-smoking cruise ships do, confiscate all cigarettes and lighters before you check in! :thumbsup2

Can't wait to hear if you did HM in both parks!!

jennifer

[MistressOfAllEvil]

:banana: :banana: :banana:

Heeeelloooo my long lost Wedding Twin! I just caught up on your TR. I've been enjoying the honeymoon I didn't have right through you and your experiences!!!

I'm so sorry about your smoking experience at the GF. I totally appreciate what you're saying about deserving a do-over. You having to move because of some other dude is awful. :mad: DH and I smoke (less and less nowadays) but we always try to be extrememly respectful of those around us AND follow the rules!

I'm also very curious about this market cafe in celebration... good you say? I should try to check it out. We're breakfast FREAKS!

[lurkyloo]

I'm so excited to see if you were able to do HM on both coasts in the same day. That would be so impressive. I think I would try to to Pirates, but that is just cuz its my favorite. I think I managed it 4 times in 3 days while I was at DLR.

Yeah, Haunted Mansion is my fave, so it seemed like a good one to try. Pirates would definitely be a close second!

Can't wait to hear if you got to do both HMs in one day, which is better?

I can't believe I'm saying this, cuz Disneyland's Haunted Mansion is my all-time favorite ride, but right now WDW's Haunted Mansion is better! They added some new effects we don't have in CA. Plus, with the higher ceilings and more mansion-y feel, WDW's is a lot more immersive an experience. There. I said it. :rolleyes1

Yay Carrie! I love your TR. I wish I could write like you. I'm so mad at that smoker guy! I mean, I'm a smoker, but I walk out of my room to a designated smoking area to have my evening nic fit. Sorry about that. Not all of us smokers are that rude... fyi.

Yeah, I didn't want to offend any smokers by writing about it, but as you said, that guy was just rude. If he'd been playing loud music or something it would have been just as bad.

The lunch with the Imagineer sounds really cool. Also Citrico's looks ...interesting...?

I fully expected to like Citricos the best of all the places we ate. It was good food, just nothing that exciting or interesting - but then that probably has a lot to do with the Dining Plan-inspired reduction of all menus to the same combo of red meat, fish, and chicken. Also, it could have just been an off night. I'll have to go back! ;)

Pity about the man next door, why are some people like that. I will be sorry to see your report end.

Well, don't ring the death knell just yet - I figure I can wring at least another four installments outta this baby! :rotfl:

Dining with an Imagineer sounds wonderful!! I would love to do that, but it is totally not DH's thing. Oh well.


You could go by yourself! Send DH off to the Richard Petty Driving Experience or the golf course or whatever his thing is. I think you would have a blast, and he'll end up soooo jealous! ;)

I'm also very curious about this market cafe in celebration... good you say? I should try to check it out. We're breakfast FREAKS!

Hi! Hi! Hi! Glad to see you back! :yay:

I think, as a fellow breakfast lover, I can definitely recommend the Market Street Cafe. I mean, you can get PIE for breakfast - what could be bad?!

[romymichelle21]

our Imagineer (who was actually named Steve, my favorite nickname for any animal I meet)

:rotfl: From 'Over The Hedge'??

"Lets call it Steve!" :goodvibes (I love Hammy)

[romymichelle21]

I can't believe I'm saying this, cuz Disneyland's Haunted Mansion is my all-time favorite ride, but right now WDW's Haunted Mansion is better! They added some new effects we don't have in CA. Plus, with the higher ceilings and more mansion-y feel, WDW's is a lot more immersive an experience. There. I said it. :rolleyes1

:eek: For shame, Carrie! You know that's... that's... treason!

When we were at DL the other day, Will (DB) said to me, "But we didn't get to stop and look at the mansion yet". I said, "What? You just want to stare at it?". He was like... "Yeah :guilty:".

He wants to build his future house as an exact replica of the Haunted Mansion. The DL one. Except, "with less scrolly green railing thingies... and a bigger tower" :rotfl: I told him we could build the stretching room elevator to go down to his secret office.

[keenercam]

Carrie -- awesome report! LOVED your account of lunch with Steve. I really, really LOVED the pix of WISHES from your balcony. We aren't doing our DP at the marina, but from Sago Cay Pointe, but it was really cool to see how well you could see the fireworks. That is very reassuring. It seemed so far away to me before I saw your pix. :confused3 I'm sorry you had to be in the same state, much less that close proximity, to that rude jerk. :hug: Thank you so much for sharing so much detail with us and thank you for all the humor and pix! :love:

[lurkyloo]

He wants to build his future house as an exact replica of the Haunted Mansion. The DL one. Except, "with less scrolly green railing thingies... and a bigger tower" :rotfl: I told him we could build the stretching room elevator to go down to his secret office.

No WAY! I think Will and I were separated at birth - I've always wanted to build a replica of the Haunted Mansion to live in. I've been collecting things to put in it (mostly artwork) for years. Someone once sold dead stock rolls of the same wallpaper used in the foyer on eBay, but it was like $100 a roll.

...And I think "Over the Hedge" stole the "Steve" gag from me. :rotfl:

Carrie -- awesome report! LOVED your account of lunch with Steve. I really, really LOVED the pix of WISHES from your balcony. We aren't doing our DP at the marina, but from Sago Cay Pointe, but it was really cool to see how well you could see the fireworks. That is very reassuring. It seemed so far away to me before I saw your pix.

Sago Cay is even closer to the fireworks than the marina - that's gonna be awesome! Where do they set up for dessert parties there?

[OceanGdss]

Aww..everything looks so beautiful carrie!!
I know I sporadically keep up with your TR, but I've read every word of it!! some in 2-3 hour chunks! lol.
Sorry about the chimney-man next to your room at GF. And how dare he get angry at you guys!! id-a stuck a boot up his..well..it was Disney..can't say those things. :sad2: Glad they were able to move you guys though. Wonder if you would have seen wishes any better from the new room? :confused3

Anyhow...just had to let you know how much i LOVE your trippie. Everytime DF and I are at BW/BC/YC area I'm always talking about your 'first look' for your wedding in the lobby. And everytime we're in Epcot I'm always like "look! thats where carrie got married! ooh..and thats where that picture of them was! ooh..and this is where they went walking around at.." lol. Finally, on our most recent trip there DF was like "How much did this woman SPEND??":scared1: I proudly stated "She holds the record for closest over the minimum actually!" lmao :lmao:

Can't wait for the final update! :)

[romymichelle21]

No WAY! I think Will and I were separated at birth - I've always wanted to build a replica of the Haunted Mansion to live in. I've been collecting things to put in it (mostly artwork) for years. Someone once sold dead stock rolls of the same wallpaper used in the foyer on eBay, but it was like $100 a roll.

...And I think "Over the Hedge" stole the "Steve" gag from me. :rotfl:

You know they sell prints of the stretching room portraits on Ebay, right? And Mirrors in the shape of the entrance plaque, and entrance plaque replicas and doorbells... occasionally a gargoyle sconce or something copied from the ride... ;)

I'm serious about adding the elevator to the house though. How cool would that be?! You would access it via one of those 'bookshelf' doors (where you pull the bust on the desk!), and it would go down to the secret room. Fun times scaring the neighborhood children! :rotfl:

You and DH can come visit when we build it :goodvibes

[Mrsdisneyb2b]

I got so excited When I saw you said youmet an imagineer "steve" I thought it was my uncle! :)

You look like you had so so much fun!

[lurkyloo]

Finally, on our most recent trip there DF was like "How much did this woman SPEND??":scared1: I proudly stated "She holds the record for closest over the minimum actually!"

This is HIGH-larious! :rotfl: Your poor DF... :lmao:


You know they sell prints of the stretching room portraits on Ebay, right? And Mirrors in the shape of the entrance plaque, and entrance plaque replicas and doorbells... occasionally a gargoyle sconce or something copied from the ride... ;)

Oh yes... bought it all... in fact, all my money goes to eBay - that's why I was such a freak about sticking to the minimum. :lmao:

I got so excited When I saw you said youmet an imagineer "steve" I thought it was my uncle!

Oh wow - your uncle's an Imagineer? How fun is that?! Do you get the inside scoop on all the new developments? :hyper:

[keenercam]

Sago Cay is even closer to the fireworks than the marina - that's gonna be awesome! Where do they set up for dessert parties there?

Carrie -- I think it is right on that beach/concrete area at the end of the building, closest to the castle. I am gonna check it out this Sunday night. OMG!!! I am sooooo excited!!! :banana:

[DisBride2007]

A-hem. Um, Carrie? We can't let this TR stay on page 2, can we? :lmao:

OK, OK, we can wait for the rest. Just don't take too long. :rotfl:

[topsy]

Oh no Carrie, have we now come to the end of your TR?! Or is there more to come? I don't want it to end!

[snow_white725]

I keep saying this, but I was really surprised how much I liked MK. When I visited as a snotty teenager, I sneered at all its differences from Disneyland and considered it the inferior park. But now that I’m a snotty adult (and I visit Disneyland so frequently that I’ve actually – gasp! – been known to be bored there), I love its combination of familiar and different. And I love that we can visit attractions that Disneyland has shuttered or replaced, like the fort on Tom Sawyer Island or Swiss Family Treehouse.

You know, I grew up on the west coast and my family had AP to Disneyland and I really do love that park. :goodvibes My first trip to WDW was in 2002 and it was AFTER I had already started working as a CM at the GF. (Yep, I got a job a WDW and started working before I had ever even been in a WDW theme park. :confused3 ) I still think Disneyland is the superior park, but now MK has more memories there for me. I enjoy both for separate reasons and enjoy the differences...

...and I have actually never really found anything exactly the same between the parks. :wizard:

[lurkyloo]

Carrie -- I think it is right on that beach/concrete area at the end of the building, closest to the castle. I am gonna check it out this Sunday night. OMG!!! I am sooooo excited!!! :banana:


Ooh! Take lots of pictures!

Oh no Carrie, have we now come to the end of your TR?! Or is there more to come? I don't want it to end!

There's more! There's more! Right now I'm working on a do-over of Honeymoon Day 2, which I never wrote about b/c I was so distraught about our MK photos...

A-hem. Um, Carrie? We can't let this TR stay on page 2, can we? :lmao: OK, OK, we can wait for the rest. Just don't take too long.

It's coming! I'm trying to tone down the vitriol in the part about our $#%^&@ Magic Kingdom photo shoot before I post it in a public forum... :rotfl:

...and I have actually never really found anything exactly the same between the parks. :wizard:

That's a really good point, and I think that's why we ended up loving Magic Kingdom so much - there's always something to see that we've never seen before! :goodvibes

[mla1977]

Carrie,

Have the pictures been taken care of for the MK shoot? I'll try to be patient if that will be included in the Day 2 update though.

[kathymc]

Saw your food photos and then saw your wedding photos in your sig so I hopped over here to find out all about your amazing wedding. What an experience! Thanks for sharing and best wishes for a lifetime of happiness.

[topsy]

Yay - there's more on the way! Woop woop!

[lurkyloo]

Have the pictures been taken care of for the MK shoot? I'll try to be patient if that will be included in the Day 2 update though.


It'll be in Day 2, never fear! However, just to press my luck, I'm about to upload a do-over of my Honeymoon Day 1 report before I post about Day 2....:rolleyes1

Saw your food photos and then saw your wedding photos in your sig so I hopped over here to find out all about your amazing wedding. What an experience! Thanks for sharing and best wishes for a lifetime of happiness.

Thank you so much! And welcome to the Weddings & Honeymoons board. Watch out - you'll get hooked! :rotfl:

Yay - there's more on the way! Woop woop!

:rotfl2:

[lurkyloo]

So I was researching the lost Honeymoon Day 2 in my journal just now and realized I didn't really give Day 1 a fair shake by summing it up in about three sentences. I decided to go back in and flesh it out a little with my notes and a bunch of borrowed pictures (cuz we didn't take very many).

Here, to buy me some time on the Day 2 update, is a link to the fabulous

Honeymoon Day 1 Do-Over Report (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=23501238&postcount=245)

It may not be the most exciting installment of the trippie... let's just say that if you've ever wondered what a Walgreen's looks like, now's your chance to find out! :rotfl:

[SleepingBeauty_LA]

I don't post often but I had to tell you I love your TR and your wedding was Beautiful!:thumbsup2

[OceanGdss]

The day-one-do-over was great!!! Those burgers at Beaches & Cream are our fave!! :) And how cool that you got to see the P&PP fireworks from your balcony!!! And don't laugh at DVC..we're proud members and not paying for most of our honeymoon because of it lol.

[camara381]

I don't post very often either bu I have read every word of both th TR and PJ and I love them both you are high-larious. Honeymoon day 1 sounds like fun, I have never been to any of the water parks I think next time I will go .

[DISNEY*lover]

So I was researching the lost Honeymoon Day 2 in my journal just now and realized I didn't really give Day 1 a fair shake by summing it up in about three sentences. I decided to go back in and flesh it out a little with my notes and a bunch of borrowed pictures (cuz we didn't take very many).

Here, to buy me some time on the Day 2 update, is a link to the fabulous

Honeymoon Day 1 Do-Over Report (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=23501238&postcount=245)

It may not be the most exciting installment of the trippie... let's just say that if you've ever wondered what a Walgreen's looks like, now's your chance to find out! :rotfl:

Wait... so you made those hats? I'd buy them from you!

[lurkyloo]

I don't post often but I had to tell you I love your TR and your wedding was Beautiful!:thumbsup2

Aw... thanks! :cloud9:

The day-one-do-over was great!!! Those burgers at Beaches & Cream are our fave!! :) And how cool that you got to see the P&PP fireworks from your balcony!!! And don't laugh at DVC..we're proud members and not paying for most of our honeymoon because of it lol.

Oh I didn't mean to laugh at DVC - really, that comment was just sour grapes because secretly I would LOVE to own DVC. :ssst:

I don't post very often either bu I have read every word of both th TR and PJ and I love them both you are high-larious. Honeymoon day 1 sounds like fun, I have never been to any of the water parks I think next time I will go .

Glad you're enjoying everything! I loved Stormalong Bay - maybe because it's really just an overblown pool and not an official water park - so I would highly recommend it!

Wait... so you made those hats? I'd buy them from you!

Really? :hyper: Cuz we still intend to list them on eBay, we just haven't gotten around to it yet...

[DISNEY*lover]

Really? :hyper: Cuz we still intend to list them on eBay, we just haven't gotten around to it yet...

Really! Can you let me know when you get them listed? Pretty Please?!

[romymichelle21]

Oh Caaaaaaarrie... I found Haunted Mansion blueprints you can buy online :cool1:

http://www.imagineersmarketplace.com/DLNewOrleansSquareBlueprints.html

There's another site with tons from the WDW version - but ours is waaaaay cooler!

;)

[meryll83]

Wait... so you made those hats? I'd buy them from you!



Really? :hyper: Cuz we still intend to list them on eBay, we just haven't gotten around to it yet...

Really! Can you let me know when you get them listed? Pretty Please?!

Me too!
Send me a PM if you're not allowed to announce it on here - I'd definitely be interested as it might be the only way I can get Simon to wear some Mickey ears! (Probably still won't manage it, but from his point of view they're more 'normal looking' than the top hats, so I may get away with it!!!)
Trouble is (for me, not you), given their popularity here, they'll probably start a few bidding wars and become megabucks!

[lov2b@disney]

GREAT! Day 2 do over--very entertaining, loving it! I think I will probably bore everyone with a trippie filled with your "old day 1 style"! It will be very sad when your done:sad: Maybe you could just make some up!:rotfl:

[lurkyloo]

Really! Can you let me know when you get them listed? Pretty Please?!

Well, gawrsh! :goofy: OK!

Oh Caaaaaaarrie... I found Haunted Mansion blueprints you can buy online :cool1:

Oh man, I've had my eye on those. I think I prolly better finish paying off the wedding before I build a new house... :rotfl:

I'd definitely be interested as it might be the only way I can get Simon to wear some Mickey ears!

What part of "free-dessert magnets" doesn't he understand? :lmao:

It will be very sad when your done:sad: Maybe you could just make some up!:rotfl:

Oh, believe me, I will! There's gonna be a post about the at-home reception, a post about the day after we got back... last week we went to see Richard Sherman do a concert of all the Sherman Brothers' Disney songs - from Mary Poppins to It's A Small World - and I caught myself thinking "I wonder if I'm allowed to write about this in my trip report....?" :rotfl2:

[WithDisneySpirit]

Oh, believe me, I will! There's gonna be a post about the at-home reception, a post about the day after we got back... last week we went to see Richard Sherman do a concert of all the Sherman Brothers' Disney songs - from Mary Poppins to It's A Small World - and I caught myself thinking "I wonder if I'm allowed to write about this in my trip report....?" :rotfl2:

You are too funny, Carrie! I have enjoyed your TR immensely :love:

[lurkyloo]

You are too funny, Carrie! I have enjoyed your TR immensely :love:

Hey, thanks! I can't wait to read yours! :thumbsup2

[disneychickforever]

I've been meaning to ask, but who created your siggy with the pics? Did you do that? Its totally awesome.

Loved your Day do-overs! Lol. My parents saw the "Seasons of Disney: Royal Treatment" eposide with me the other night, you know the one with the wedding? They were amazed with how "easy" they are, I just said "No Caryn and Carrie and all of them spend FOREVER getting stuff together" :rotfl:

Yes I'll admit it, I'm a DORK.

[lurkyloo]

I've been meaning to ask, but who created your siggy with the pics? Did you do that? Its totally awesome.
Loved your Day do-overs! Lol. My parents saw the "Seasons of Disney: Royal Treatment" eposide with me the other night, you know the one with the wedding? They were amazed with how "easy" they are, I just said "No Caryn and Carrie and all of them spend FOREVER getting stuff together"

:lmao: It's true! But then, we were mostly working on the fun stuff - compared to all the legwork I would've had to do to get chairs, tables, heat lamps, tableware, linens, etc. etc. for a Jim Henson Studios lot wedding, having a DFTW WAS easy!

Sarah - of Sarah & Fred's Fabulous Magic Kingdom Wedding fame - very generously made my signature slideshow for me! There are programs you can use to do it, like Ulead GIF Animator (there's a free trial on www.download.com), but none for Mac users, so she offered to make it for me. What a sweetie! :cloud9:

[disneychickforever]

:lmao: It's true! But then, we were mostly working on the fun stuff - compared to all the legwork I would've had to do to get chairs, tables, heat lamps, tableware, linens, etc. etc. for a Jim Henson Studios lot wedding, having a DFTW WAS easy!

Sarah - of Sarah & Fred's Fabulous Magic Kingdom Wedding fame - very generously made my signature slideshow for me! There are programs you can use to do it, like Ulead GIF Animator (there's a free trial on www.download.com), but none for Mac users, so she offered to make it for me. What a sweetie! :cloud9:

Lol well I just started playing with that one a couple of days ago, neat.

So how's married life treating ya?

[lurkyloo]

It's nice! Though not as different-feeling as I thought it would be.

Last night we got a little dressed up for our dinner and a movie (Iron Man!), and DH said at one point he looked down and saw his dress-shirt cuffs and his wedding ring and thought, "Guess I'm a grownup!" :lmao:

[gatrbait]

You can tell him it's ok he never has to grow-up :yay: :yay:

[lurkyloo]

You can tell him it's ok he never has to grow-up :yay: :yay:

I love it - and I will! :thumbsup2

[lurkyloo]

Magic Kingdom Portrait Session Review

To recap the drama… we requested a specific Disney photographer for the shoot based on a photo posted on the DIS that we loved and were told by Disney was taken by this photographer. But when we saw our finished pictures, they ranged from mediocre to terrible.

This isn’t just a difference in taste or style – these photos looked like they were taken by someone without even basic photographic training: shots of us in front of the castle were framed to include lamps, trash cans, and expanses of sky and pavement, with a tiny bridal couple and tiny castle somewhere in the middle. In many shots the camera was slightly tilted so that the castle listed to the right or left behind us; blurry and closed-eye shots that never should have been included were; there were people walking through the backs of shots; glowing exit signs were not framed out of shots; and an extremely clumsy Photoshop job had left one picture with black lines and a burnout in the middle of it.

Who dat?
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/MKShoot0007.jpg

Also, any pose suggested by the photographer came out looking awkward or downright ridiculous. Why on earth would you pose a short groom in the background with a tall bride in the foreground looming over him like the 50-Foot Woman?

New Incredible Shrinking Groom ™! So compact, you can carry him on your bouquet! (Random stranger in background sold separately)
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/MKShoot0003.jpg

And why would you tell said gargantuan bride to stand on a bench and tower over her groom?

”See, when I Photoshop out the bench, it’ll look like you’re levitating!”
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/MKShoot0004.jpg


Even the “money shot” on the bridge to Frontierland — the one that was our entire reason for doing the photo shoot—looked like it was taken from Adventureland, the camera was so far away from us and the castle.

What really got us was how much money we’d paid for photos that weren’t even Photopass quality, let alone the quality of many of the Magic Kingdom photos posted by brides on the various message boards. We worked with Disney Photographic to have them do what they could in Photoshop, but there wasn’t much that could be done to the ones that were poorly composed. We were also dismayed that Disney implied that our shots were “unique” instead of crappy and acted like they were doing us a favor by making the photos look halfway decent. As a pro photographer friend told me, “If someone told me they were unhappy with pictures I’d taken of them, I wouldn’t reply, ‘Many other people will be asking for photos that look unique like yours’!”

So now our “fixed” pictures have finally been posted online. ...But I’m not putting the link in til the end of this installment because I want someone to actually read the rest of it!

... I got up at about 4am to do my hair and makeup for the Magic Kingdom photo shoot. Originally I was going to have Patricia Lejeune come back for this, but the more MK pix I saw, the more I realized that they are shot from so far away you can barely see anyone’s makeup (if I’d only known then just HOW far away, I might have slept in a little later...). The tricky part was styling my hair—I ended up with a low-rent version of Patricia’s fabulous updo featuring more bobby pins than hair.

It was fun to get back in our wedding clothes, and we got some congratulations as we walked to the front of the Beach Club to meet our Disney photographer. As we piled into his van and set off for the Magic Kingdom, I sensed that he was slightly threatened by the fact that we’d used an outside photographer for our wedding. He wasn’t aggressive about it the way some Disney photogs reportedly are, but I wished I’d let DH in on how delicate the situation was. As he yammered on and on about how great the Roots are, I was trying every facial and hand signal I could think of to get him to cool it, all of which were lost in the pre-dawn blackness. When our van pulled up to the hub in front of Cinderella Castle, I finally had a chance to whisper under my breath, “Ixnay on the ootsRay!” when our photographer got out.

What a good photo looks like
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Wedding%20Pix/0205_0451J_12.jpg

First up were the stock poses in front of the castle. We got to throw in a few of our own, though. You should have seen the photographer’s eyes bug out when I said I wanted to recreate Luke & Leia’s pose on the Star Wars poster. He sputtered, “You’re going to lie on the ground?!” I was totally over worrying about my dress – the thing is polyester! You can throw it in the washing machine! So DH raised his arms above his head, clasping my bouquet as a light saber, while I lay on my side and wrapped myself around his leg.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/MKShoot0001.jpg

Unfortunately the paths up to the castle and through it were blocked off, so we didn’t get to do any of the close-up castle shots I like or that neat one looking through the castle and back down Main Street, U.S.A. This was pretty disappointing – it’s not like we’re ever going to do this photo shoot again. So our next stop was Main Street, U.S.A. We got one or two good ones here, but again we were hampered by the awkward poses our photographer suggested. For some reason there are a bazillion shots of the ceiling of the movie theater with a tiny me in the background stiffly holding up the building with one arm...

”So… how do you guys hold this thing up when I’m not around…?”
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/MKShoot0006.jpg

There are also numerous bland shots of DH in front of the “puppets” sign above one of the Main Street shops because, you know, he’s a puppeteer. Eh? Eh? Anyone...? About the only action in these pictures is the truck driving through the back of some of them.

Off to Frontierland! This picture was the one we knew we had to have (and I think it’s OK to post here because the lovely bride has it in her signature on the DIS). I love the way the sun is just beginning to rise and the castle is glowing behind them. About the only thing glowing in our picture is a lamp that was either added to the bridge before we got there or Photoshopped out of the picture we liked....


http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/BestCastleshot.jpg http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/MKShoot0005.jpg


Thank goodness for Photoshop – Disney eventually removed our lamp digitally, though I still think you need a magnifying glass to know who we are!

Next we walked around the side of the castle to take some shots of me on a bench looming over DH and then us blocking the Cinderella fountain. Grrr…

”I’m gonna need you guys to move a little to the left – I can still see the fountain…”
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/MKShoot0002.jpg

We got to go up on the side of the castle for a few shots – I was surprised how close to the ground that landing is. In most brides’ pictures, it looks like they are waaaaaaay up on the side of the castle! Then we got a few shots in front of the mosaics in the blocked-off passageway through the castle (complete with workers walking through the back!) and posed for some pictures with an exit sign, er, I mean a suit of armor in the lobby of Cinderella’s Royal Table.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/MKShoot0008.jpg

Now I have to say that the experience of taking pictures in the Magic Kingdom before it opened was great. We were a little nervous about how they were going to turn out even then, but we mostly just tried to enjoy that special opportunity in the park. I’m just not so sure the experience alone was worth the dough for us, and the resulting photos certainly weren’t.

Oh, and for those who were keeping score, I didn’t end up using the fake bouquet I brought because my real one still “looked good from the back of a galloping horse,” as Grandma used to say.

Here’s the link to all our Magic Kingdom pictures. These are mostly from the second round of fixes, with a few third-round edits thrown in at the end of all the second-round ones.

http://s350.photobucket.com/albums/q428/WorstMKPixEver/

[lurkyloo]

*I moved the Honeymoon Day 2 report forward a few pages and edited the MK photo shoot review into its own post, with pix!*

[Beep]

Hey, how you doing?

Honestly, the photos look fine. I was expecting them to look cr*p but they really don't. I feel for you with not being happy with the originals - if I had spent that money on them and the disappointment of that once in a life time opportunity... Well, let's just say there would be one Mouse with his tail between his legs!

Good on you for getting them sorted :thumbsup2

[lurkyloo]

Thanks, Alex! Perhaps I should sic you on Disney Photographic Services! :rotfl:

[KQAN]

Oh wow, I have so much to say :cutie:

First, I'm sorry about your bad experience with the photo shoot. That just really stinks. But on to the fun stuff:



It was lame! No music? Rattly, jerky cars? Instead of screaming, we could be heard saying things like, “Oh.” and “Huh?” as our car bumped along. When we got off the ride, DH and I looked at each other and said, “Disneyland 1, Magic Kingdom ZERO!”

Sounds like you were definitely on the right side - it really scares me there, not b/c the ride is scary, but b/c I feel like the whole thing is about to fall apart! But the left side is SO much better, really smooth. Unfortunately, I usually FP space mountain and FP frequently funnels to the right.

[KQAN]

Also, I agree with HM, I love it! And Columbia Harbor House is the best place to eat in all of MK. Next time, get the Lighthouse sandwich. :thumbsup2

But you sleep on the peoplemover! Blasphemy! It's one of my DF's and my favorites - no matter how packed the park is, there's never a wait. :confused3 h

[29apr00]

I didn't think the photos were that bad, granted the lamppost in the pictures on the side of the castle kind of sucked, but that could easily be photoshoped out. Even with bad photos you were a beautiful bride and the shoot looks like it was loads of fun!!

jennifer

[Swmhc]

Well, I know you aren't impressed with your MK photos, but I think you got some really good ones. I agree some are below standard, but you got some unique poses too. I liked how the spot lights changed the effects on your photos as well.

They do forewarn you that the workers are in their working during the shoots, so there aren't any guarantees with regards to what shots you will or won't get or who or what may be in them. I know it would be nice if they could based on what you pay for the shoot.

All in all, I thought you got some keepers !

[DisneyBrideToni]

First, you and your DF take the best pictures!!! :rotfl: I was cracking up looking! Very funny couple!

The Disney pictures really weren't bad. They did have some great pictures in there. I loved the pictures down Main Street. That was a great idea. It is just ashame that he took some of them like a mile away! What was that. The best shot, by far, was the Luke and Leia shot!!! :thumbsup2 My DF would love to do that. For our engagement pictures my DF was going to have a dress shirt on with a superman shirt under it and he was going to unbutton his dress shirt to show the superman symbol (like he is ripping his shirt) and I was supposed to dress up like Lois Lane and Swoon all over him..lol. That was with our old photographer here in Jersey. We aren't going to him anymore :sad1:

[lurkyloo]

Thanks for the pep talk about the MK Photos, everyone! :hug:

You know, if you all want to suggest pictures you think we should get for our 12-print folio, post away! Each one has a number, so you could just list the numbers of the ones you like.

I'm having trouble seeing the forest for the trees, so I'd really appreciate your input! :goodvibes

[lurkyloo]

But you sleep on the peoplemover! Blasphemy! It's one of my DF's and my favorites - no matter how packed the park is, there's never a wait.

Oh, don't get me wrong - I love the Peoplemover! I was so excited to get to ride it again, since that's another thing they ripped outta Disneyland. And I love that it's just a loop around Tomorrowland - not every ride has to be an E Ticket.

Also, I will take your advice on the left side of Space Mountain next time. Who knew they could be so different!

[lurkyloo]

For our engagement pictures my DF was going to have a dress shirt on with a superman shirt under it and he was going to unbutton his dress shirt to show the superman symbol (like he is ripping his shirt) and I was supposed to dress up like Lois Lane and Swoon all over him..lol. That was with our old photographer here in Jersey. We aren't going to him anymore :sad1:

Oh man, you guys should TOTALLY do that! Can you take pix with your new photographer? I would love to see it! :thumbsup2

[romymichelle21]

I would've been unhappy with those pictures too, Carrie! But, photography being one of my hobbies, I'm overly picky and creative about poses and shots! :rotfl:

I see what you mean about everything being off-center, most of the background elements (namely, the castle) aren't even straight! :confused3 (That always annoys me). And you are definitely way off in the distance on some of them.

Did they ever offer you anything to make up for it? Aside from mediocre Photoshop editing? Depending on how recently they sent the latest set of fixes, you could still (logically) ask for something to make up for the whole experience. Disney likes to fix their boo-boos! Why not ask for a DL "mega pass" (365 day AP) upgrade, or a free night stay at the hotel? ;)

:sad: Your trippie is almost over!

[IndyBride]

I'm sorry you were disappointed with you pics! Although, I don't think the pictures were horrible. Yes, some were crooked somehow (how did the castle get crooked btw?) but there were some great ones. I really liked the ones on main street.

[Alarose]

Let me first say...WOW! I spent all of yesterday looking through your TR and I LOVED IT! Everything was just so beautiful! You just cracked me up at so many parts! :lmao: It sounds like it was really an amazing day. I loved reading through your honeymoon trip too...I jotted down lots of ideas :upsidedow .

I have a couple questions regarding the Disney Club Reward points...I'm sure somewhere on here someone has explained what exactly that is...or maybe you did somewhere on this thread, but I am still unclear on what this is.

Also, how can you apply for the Disney Rewards Visa? I've just been hearing so much about it.

THanks for any help!

[Ember]

I was expecting something awful with your MK photos! I think you did pretty well. :goodvibes Disney photography is known for being pretty standard with this shots, which is a shame. My bouquet didn't even arrive for the first half of my shoot, and I had to do without. Then the pictures looked, well, forced. Add to that I'm not a tiny girl (I'm a solid size 12) and the photographer couldn't manage to get a shot without a double chin in it. That sure made me feel like quite the beautiful (FAT) bride. My wedding photographer made me look and feel beautiful! I'm waiting for the CD (2 more years!) and then it and I are going to have some fun with photoshop!

[belle09]

I don't think your photos are all that bad either! There definitely are a few that could use improving, but there are also some really cool ones that I haven't seen before. I can see how you might be disappointed though, because they don't seem to capture that amazing energy you and DH have as well as the Roots did. It's there in some of the photos, but other poses just seem... stiff? Anyway, some of my favorites... 9 and 10 - love the expressions!, 23, 36, 41, 54 - just seems very typical of your DH, 75, 86 - never seen this angle before and I love it, 109, 114, 121, 124, 32a, 64a, and 65a.

[wendy46001]

Off to Frontierland! This picture was the one we knew we had to have (and I think it’s OK to post here because the lovely bride has it in her signature on the DIS):


Its me......Thanks for the complement
Sorry your photos didnt turn out well....but the Luke & Leia pose is priceless

and to be honest i hated 90% (ok maybe 95%) of our MK photo shots as well...the castle was tilted, the top was cut off and the standard cruise ship poses were irritating....

At least in our case we were happy with our ceremony/reception wedding shots and i got three great ones at the MK to sooth the pain

Disney photography’s comment about the shoot was similar to the ones we got....:confused3 think they need to go back to magical training

Love the rest of the trip report…
and I love that you all went parasailing (we can see them from our driveway)…every morning on my way to work I look at the parasail’s and wish that was me…

[Gillian]

Thank you for sharing the MK pics! Some of them are fantastic. Others...not so much. Some of the theater ones are beautiful, even if they have a lot of the ceiling. Several cute ones on Main Street with the lights. The Casey ones are funny, you could use two of those, LOL. I like the one where the knight is holding your flowers.

I don't quite get why he didn't take some with you guys blocking out the statue (ie centered). I can see wanting it in some, but not all.

And I think that the blue/purple colors on the castle generally make for more flattering shots, and it seems like your guy got more orange/red. How long does it take to change colors?

[DisneyBrideToni]

Thanks for the pep talk about the MK Photos, everyone! :hug:

You know, if you all want to suggest pictures you think we should get for our 12-print folio, post away! Each one has a number, so you could just list the numbers of the ones you like.

I'm having trouble seeing the forest for the trees, so I'd really appreciate your input! :goodvibes

I love the one where the suit of armour is holding your flowers. Very creative..lol You have to pick that one!

[irisbud]

I think you had some very nice pictures, Carrie. I'm sorry the shoot didn't turn out the way that you planned, though. That is a lot of money to spend and not be satisfied :(

[Chilly]

The photos aren't perfect but I think there are a few nice shots in the pack. I love the Star Wars photo.

Shame on Disney though, what happened to the customer is always right :confused3

[Goldeelox9]

I love your pictures! LOVE THEM. I now want some on Main Street. How many locations will they let you pick? I want Main Street, the Castle, the Castle Archway, the Fountain AND the bridge into fronteir land!

[lurkyloo]

Did they ever offer you anything to make up for it? Aside from mediocre Photoshop editing? Depending on how recently they sent the latest set of fixes, you could still (logically) ask for something to make up for the whole experience. Disney likes to fix their boo-boos!

They've offered us nothing but Photoshop, and I think DH could do a better job. I think they think we're just making up our complaints to get something free, which is totally not it. I mean, even if they told us we could do the whole shoot over again for free, we wouldn't cuz it's such a hassle to rent the tux, steam the gown, etc. etc. :sad1:

I'm sorry you were disappointed with you pics! Although, I don't think the pictures were horrible. Yes, some were crooked somehow (how did the castle get crooked btw?) but there were some great ones. I really liked the ones on main street.

I think the castle got crooked b/c the camera shifted on the tripod. This has actually happened to a lot of other brides - I think they need to invest in some new tripods! ... I'm glad you like the Main Street ones!

I have a couple questions regarding the Disney Club Reward points...I'm sure somewhere on here someone has explained what exactly that is...or maybe you did somewhere on this thread, but I am still unclear on what this is. Also, how can you apply for the Disney Rewards Visa? I've just been hearing so much about it.

Hi! Thanks for the kind words - it's so nice to hear you've enjoyed the trip report! :goodvibes I'll PM you info about the Disney Vacation Club and the Disney Rewards Visa so I can describe them in detail!

Disney photography is known for being pretty standard with this shots, which is a shame. ... Then the pictures looked, well, forced. ... I'm waiting for the CD (2 more years!) and then it and I are going to have some fun with photoshop!

Thank you for sharing your experience - I'm glad to hear I'm not alone! And, truly, I think some of the angles they shoot from would give anyone a double chin - that's why I'm craning my neck in so many of the shots! :rotfl:

I don't think your photos are all that bad either! There definitely are a few that could use improving, but there are also some really cool ones that I haven't seen before. I can see how you might be disappointed though, because they don't seem to capture that amazing energy you and DH have as well as the Roots did. It's there in some of the photos, but other poses just seem... stiff? Anyway, some of my favorites... 9 and 10 - love the expressions!, 23, 36, 41, 54 - just seems very typical of your DH, 75, 86 - never seen this angle before and I love it, 109, 114, 121, 124, 32a, 64a, and 65a.

I appreciate your comments. You hit the nail on the head about the poses. I should have been more aware of what I was being asked to do and followed the directions less! :lmao: Thank you also for sharing your faves - I'm going to have a look at them and make a note for when we pick our 12.

Its me......Thanks for the complement
Sorry your photos didnt turn out well....but the Luke & Leia pose is priceless

and to be honest i hated 90% (ok maybe 95%) of our MK photo shots as well...the castle was tilted, the top was cut off and the standard cruise ship poses were irritating....

:rotfl2: This makes me feel so much better! Thank you for sharing your thoughts... I guess I can look at it that way - if we got three great shots, we did pretty well! ;)

And I think that the blue/purple colors on the castle generally make for more flattering shots, and it seems like your guy got more orange/red. How long does it take to change colors?

That's a really good point about the colors on the castle - I didn't even think about that. And you're right about the quantity - one or two pix of the Main Street Cinema roof would be nice - it is amazingly detailed and makes a great picture. Seven or eight pix... not necessary...

I love the one where the suit of armour is holding your flowers. Very creative..lol You have to pick that one!

Hee hee! Duly noted! :thumbsup2

I think you had some very nice pictures, Carrie. I'm sorry the shoot didn't turn out the way that you planned, though. That is a lot of money to spend and not be satisfied :(

Thanks! :goodvibes

The photos aren't perfect but I think there are a few nice shots in the pack. I love the Star Wars photo.

Shame on Disney though, what happened to the customer is always right :confused3

I know... :confused: I heard one girl actually took the wedding photo album she got from Disney to City Hall and complained - and got results!

I love your pictures! LOVE THEM. I now want some on Main Street. How many locations will they let you pick? I want Main Street, the Castle, the Castle Archway, the Fountain AND the bridge into fronteir land!

You're in luck - we had no problem doing all those locations! :) I just requested Main Street instead of the carousel and was told that wouldn't be a problem. I think another reason we got a lot of alternative locations was b/c the castle passageway was blocked off and a stage was set up across the front, so we couldn't do those neat ones on the ramps up to the castle or looking through the passageway.

[snow_white725]

Lurkyloo - I can see why you had problems with a lot of the shots and am sorry that you are having such a bad experience. However, you still have a lot of nice pictures too :goodvibes

By the way, is Disney doing anything else to help with their screw-up?? It seems like they have been very difficult to deal with... :confused3

Also, who was your photographer?? :confused:

[lurkyloo]

By the way, is Disney doing anything else to help with their screw-up?? It seems like they have been very difficult to deal with... :confused3 Also, who was your photographer?? :confused:

No, in fact it's been like pulling teeth to get them to do what little they have done. When I pointed out that it had been 2 months since the shoot and we still didn't have our pictures, they were like "Our editors are also working on current weddings and conventions" - so apparently once you're old news, you don't get the same amount of attention. Nevermind that we were once a "current" wedding and should have received good service in the first place!

I haven't posted my photographer's name here cuz it's a public board - I hope you understand... :)

[irisbud]

No, in fact it's been like pulling teeth to get them to do what little they have done. When I pointed out that it had been 2 months since the shoot and we still didn't have our pictures, they were like "Our editors are also working on current weddings and conventions" - so apparently once you're old news, you don't get the same amount of attention. Nevermind that we were once a "current" wedding and should have received good service in the first place!

:mad: :sad2: :idea:

WTH! I would be furious if I got this answer! :headache:

[DecemberBride]

Thanks for the pep talk about the MK Photos, everyone! :hug:

You know, if you all want to suggest pictures you think we should get for our 12-print folio, post away! Each one has a number, so you could just list the numbers of the ones you like.

I'm having trouble seeing the forest for the trees, so I'd really appreciate your input! :goodvibes

I loooooove how unique your photos were! You guys took the best poses! Loooooooved the ones with you and DH outside the theatre on mainstreet! So fun! Also the silly ones of DH in front of the castle! They're great 042, 040, 036, 023, 074, 075, 097, 0109, 0122, 0124, and 065a! Those were my favorites, but that's just me!

I can see what you meant about some of them being far away... and for the money you spent it's okay to be upset, but in the end they are great pictures. it was a memorable experience being there at that time with no other guests, and you have fantabulous pics from your wedding. I mean truly incredible. So put on your :cool2: and brush your shoulders off. They really are beautiful!

[DaPookie]

No, in fact it's been like pulling teeth to get them to do what little they have done. When I pointed out that it had been 2 months since the shoot and we still didn't have our pictures, they were like "Our editors are also working on current weddings and conventions" - so apparently once you're old news, you don't get the same amount of attention. Nevermind that we were once a "current" wedding and should have received good service in the first place!


First, your pictures are gorgeous! I love the fact that you two had so much fun with them! Second, that is an absolutely ridiculous response. How come yours didn't have priority when it was current, nevermind now that it's past due? Have you tried calling your Planner? Maybe she/he can move things along for you? (Although I can almost hear them saying that photos take awhile to come back) There has to be some way to speed up the process.

[camara381]

i would be harassing them everyday if i got a response like that... lets go beat them up..:lmao: no seriously i am sorry you are having so much trouble it makes me not want to do them

[jennifaerie]

Phew!

I'm tired. I just spent the last two days living vicariously through you. I have to say, it was the best two days at work I've had in a long time! :rotfl:

I've been avoiding trip reports because I started one on livejournal after we returned from WDW last April, and I got to the third day and stopped. And we've been twice since then. Oops. :rolleyes1 It reminds me that I'm slacking. I also don't want to regret having our wedding at home, thinking we couldn't afford a Disney wedding.

But I've been having a difficult few weeks, and the kicker came the other night when I invited my matron of honor and her husband on a Disney (paid) cruise with us in January, and the response I got was "We're not Disney people" and "We're not cruise people" ... yeah (wrote about that in the DCL forum).

So I sat down the next day and started to read your trip report. All day yesterday (and today), I kept sending my fiance links so he could see all the pictures you posted and read the stories you told. That's when I realized-- We should have asked you two to go with us on our cruise! (Wanna go?) :rotfl: My bad.

We're getting married in September and will be honeymooning afterwards (our dates are almost identical to yours!). I'd say look for the honeymooners, but judging from last September, we are going to be one of many, many couples. In fact, my travel agent said she booked ADRs for the same night for one of the places we're eating at, and she told them to look for us. I said to Rob, "I wonder how many people will have ears that night!" Maybe I should say look for the freaky honeymooners! That'll tip you off!

:)

Thanks, though. I'm sad it's done. I'll have to read it over again. And salivate over the food goodness.

(Ooh, I needed to add a little squeal... I just watched the wedding video, and the last song was used in Next Stop, Wonderland, which is one of my favorite movies... partially because it's a fantastic movie, and partially because it's set in Boston, just minutes away from me! Great use of music!)

[Sarah&Fred]

Oh Carrie, I’m so sorry about your MK photos. I do love their initial response about the uniqueness of your photos! Um . . . yea, your photos were unique, but you two were the ones who made them that way! All you really needed was a picture taker.

I’m admittedly an amateur when it comes to photoshop, but even I can get the castle level. It’s very odd that you still have some photos where the castle appears to lean to one side or another. That being said, you do have some keepers, but I can’t help but wonder what the Roots could do with the digital files. I’ve seen a few horrible photos transformed into some really beautiful shots by someone who is actually skilled in photoshop. (I guess you’ll have to mark your calendar for the three year anniversary purchase.)

Chin up though! In addition to the “experience” you did get some decent shots. Plus, you do have all those phenomenal shots by the Roots!

[figmentfan814]

I just got a chance to look through your photos. Although I know you have some disappointments about your castle shots you did end up with some pretty amazing pictures. I love the uniqueness of the Main Street pictures and some of the poses on the balcony had really neat views with Fantasyland, etc. Did they consider offering you another shoot in September or would you be opposed to doing it all over again? Just a thought, so you could try for your money shot again :goodvibes

I'm shocked you still don't have your photos yet. We got our album and proofs over 3 weeks ago and we were married a month after you. I definitely understand your frustration.

[lurkyloo]

WTH! I would be furious if I got this answer! :headache:

i would be harassing them everyday if i got a response like that... lets go beat them up..:lmao: no seriously i am sorry you are having so much trouble it makes me not want to do them

:rotfl:

OK, you two can be my Goon Squad. If the final pictures are terrible, I'll sic you on DPS - you can call them up a bazillion times and hang up or ask them if their refrigerator is running or if they have Prince Albert in a can. :rotfl2:


Have you tried calling your Planner? Maybe she/he can move things along for you? (Although I can almost hear them saying that photos take awhile to come back) There has to be some way to speed up the process.

It didn't occur to me to talk to my planner - that's a good idea!

I can see what you meant about some of them being far away... and for the money you spent it's okay to be upset, but in the end they are great pictures. it was a memorable experience being there at that time with no other guests, and you have fantabulous pics from your wedding. I mean truly incredible. So put on your :cool2: and brush your shoulders off. They really are beautiful!

Thanks for the pep talk! :hug: And for the votes on specific photos - it really does help me not be overwhelmed...

I'm tired. I just spent the last two days living vicariously through you. I have to say, it was the best two days at work I've had in a long time! :rotfl:

I've been avoiding trip reports because I started one on livejournal after we returned from WDW last April, and I got to the third day and stopped. And we've been twice since then. Oops. :rolleyes1 It reminds me that I'm slacking. I also don't want to regret having our wedding at home, thinking we couldn't afford a Disney wedding.

But I've been having a difficult few weeks, and the kicker came the other night when I invited my matron of honor and her husband on a Disney (paid) cruise with us in January, and the response I got was "We're not Disney people" and "We're not cruise people" ... yeah (wrote about that in the DCL forum).

So I sat down the next day and started to read your trip report. All day yesterday (and today), I kept sending my fiance links so he could see all the pictures you posted and read the stories you told. That's when I realized-- We should have asked you two to go with us on our cruise! (Wanna go?) :rotfl: My bad.

I'm so glad I could provide you with a 2-day distraction from work. I confess the trippie fills the same role for me :rotfl: I can't believe your MOH turned down a paid Disney Cruise. :confused: Why don't you dump her for me and then I'll go on the cruise with you :rotfl2: I have never been on one, but they sound like so much food, er, I mean fun!

And don't worry - there's still a whole nother day left on the official trippie, plus a report on our at-home reception! :thumbsup2

Oh Carrie, I’m so sorry about your MK photos. I do love their initial response about the uniqueness of your photos! Um . . . yea, your photos were unique, but you two were the ones who made them that way! All you really needed was a picture taker.

I’m admittedly an amateur when it comes to photoshop, but even I can get the castle level. It’s very odd that you still have some photos where the castle appears to lean to one side or another. That being said, you do have some keepers, but I can’t help but wonder what the Roots could do with the digital files. I’ve seen a few horrible photos transformed into some really beautiful shots by someone who is actually skilled in photoshop. (I guess you’ll have to mark your calendar for the three year anniversary purchase.)

Chin up though! In addition to the “experience” you did get some decent shots. Plus, you do have all those phenomenal shots by the Roots!

You're right - thanks for the kind words! :hug: DH is a whiz with Photoshop - I bet he could salvage them. And I would LOVE to see what Jensey Root could do with them! :thumbsup2

[lurkyloo]

Did they consider offering you another shoot in September or would you be opposed to doing it all over again? Just a thought, so you could try for your money shot again :goodvibes

I'm shocked you still don't have your photos yet. We got our album and proofs over 3 weeks ago and we were married a month after you. I definitely understand your frustration.

So far they haven't offered us another shoot - prolly because they still don't think there's anything wrong with the pictures - but, frankly, the hassle and expense of renting another tux and having the gown shipped and steamed and everything is overwhelming to me. I just want the ones we got to look good. :sad1:

Apparently the reason it has taken them so long to work on the photos (besides our status as a not-recent wedding) is that all the photographers were out of town for a convention at one point... learning how to take pictures, I hope! :rotfl:

[jennifaerie]

:rotfl:


I'm so glad I could provide you with a 2-day distraction from work. I confess the trippie fills the same role for me :rotfl: I can't believe your MOH turned down a paid Disney Cruise. :confused: Why don't you dump her for me and then I'll go on the cruise with you :rotfl2: I have never been on one, but they sound like so much food, er, I mean fun!

I'm so anal that most of my wedding planning is done (it's a great conversation killer-- "How's the planning going?" "It's done." ... Crickets...).

I told you I should have asked you instead! No dumping required-- they flat out said, No.

We're doing the Land/Sea, and we're staying at the Beach Club (have I tempted you enough yet?!). :laughing:

[Dreamer24]

I followed your trip as a lurker and I had to stop in and tell you how fantastic every thing was! Absolutely everything was fabulous!

[pink_tink8i8]

I'm a little late on this subject but I just finished looking at your MK photos and WOW! You and figmentfan have some of the nicest ones that I've seen. The thing I liked the most was that your pictures don't looked staged. I really felt that you and your husband were just really showing your personality. :goodvibes

[lurkyloo]

I'm so anal that most of my wedding planning is done (it's a great conversation killer-- "How's the planning going?" "It's done." ... Crickets...).

You know, the same thing happened to us! I guess we were supposed to tell them how busy we were and how complicated everything was, but it was always like, "Um, fine. Disney's doing it all for us!"

Also, I am SO crashing your wedding! :lmao:

I followed your trip as a lurker and I had to stop in and tell you how fantastic every thing was! Absolutely everything was fabulous!

Hey, thanks! And thanks for stopping by... Y'all come back now, ya hear? :cutie:

I'm a little late on this subject but I just finished looking at your MK photos and WOW! You and figmentfan have some of the nicest ones that I've seen. The thing I liked the most was that your pictures don't looked staged. I really felt that you and your husband were just really showing your personality. :goodvibes

That is so nice to hear - and so nice of you to say! :cloud9:

[lurkyloo]

Well we finally got our printed 4x6 proofs from the MK Shoot (you're not going to believe this, but they were even addressed wrong, and they ended up halfway across town first :rolleyes: ).

I've re-edited my mini-review of the MK Shoot from a couple pages back with some of them and am going to re-post Honeymoon Day 2 here to give it a chance to shine on its own....:rotfl:

[lurkyloo]

Well before we get to the very last day of our honeymoon, let’s step back a week and a half to..... Honeymoon Day 2! Originally I skipped writing about this day—partly because the photos from our Magic Kingdom photo shoot that day were not ready for public consumption yet, and partly because I was so queasy about how the photos turned out that I didn’t think I would write a very good report of the day.

I put up the review of that photoshoot a few posts back, so here’s the rest of the day…

When we were done with the Magic Kingdom photo shoot, our photographer drove us back to our resort, regaling us with tales of doing photography for multiple weddings of this one guy who keeps getting remarried at Walt Disney World. He dropped us at the Beach Club, where we quickly changed and then ran back out to the Magic Kingdom in time for rope drop!

The only problem was.... I sleepwalked through the rest of the day. I’d thought that giving us a day off between the wedding and our MK shoot would be enough time to recuperate for the 6am shoot. Plus, I usually have no trouble getting up early. But I guess the whirlwind of the previous few days finally caught up with me, because I could barely keep my eyes open on my first real trip to MK in 15 years. I can’t even imagine taking our MK pix the day of our wedding like some couples do!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5109.jpg

Even though I picked the absolute SLOWEST way to get to the MK (rental car to TTC, boat from TTC to MK), we still got there well before the little pre-show celebration at the train station, which we couldn’t see because we were lined up in front of one of the tunnels. As soon as the rope dropped, we did the Disney Speed Walk all the way to Space Mountain, eager to try the “classic” version. We ran through the queue (I wish I could remember which side, because apparently they are different experiences...?) and got to be some of the first people on it.

It was lame! No music? Rattly, jerky cars? Instead of screaming, we could be heard saying things like, “Oh.” and “Huh?” as our car bumped along. When we got off the ride, DH and I looked at each other and said, “Disneyland 1, Magic Kingdom ZERO!” Completely flouting any logical touring plans, we next rode Buzz Lightyear (much better theming than our DL version) and the Astro Orbiter. We’re used to the DL one, which is on the ground instead of on top of the Peoplemover track, and it made us kinda queasy. On the elevator ride up we got in line with a couple also wearing bride and groom ears and asked when they’d been married. They said they’d just become engaged at MK a few nights before. Awwww.....!

“Hi, Mom!”
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5127.jpg

“She’s nuzzling my flesh with her nose!”
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5128.jpg

Off to Fantasyland! What a trip – it looks so much different than DL’s Fantasyland, and I couldn’t find ANYTHING! I’ve never had to use a park map so much... We’d heard rave reviews of Mickey’s PhilharMagic, but I could barely keep my eyes open. (Also, I’m not terribly interested in films and shows even on a perky day.) DH said he thought we may have been sitting too close, so we’ll have to try it again in September. We also rode Small World and Winnie the Pooh, which is WAY better than ours.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5151.jpg

Off to Frontierland! We were bowled over by its lush scenery and loved the river-front path. Score another one for Magic Kingdom! (We weren’t actually keeping score by this point – trying to account for all the variables made my brain hurt.) Also, tourists that we were, we couldn’t get over all the exotic-to-us birds just hanging out all over the parks, like this guy.

The pigeon of the East
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5141.jpg

We were really impressed by the queue at Big Thunder Mountain, and after we got off the ride, we went back into the queue to make a wish at the fountain (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=21635940&postcount=2). My new DH brought a tear to my eye when he said, “Gee, I don’t know what to wish for anymore...!”

At lunch time we headed for Columbia Harbor House. I am a big food snob and never eat much counter service (all of which will change when we go for the free Disney Dining Plan in a few months!), but I had heard good things about CHH. For one thing, I loved the atmosphere! We sat upstairs in the room that bridges the walking path and watched people. I’m sorry, I forgot to take a picture of our meal – you’ll have to use your.... Imag-i-na-TIONNNNNN! It was fish strips, clam chowder, BLT salad, and one piece of paid chocolate cake and one piece of FREE chocolate cake fer gettin’ married. Burp!

After lunch we rolled around Adventureland....

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5123.jpg

One thing we were really excited about was seeing Swiss Family Tree House. Tarzan’s Tree House just isn’t as cool. DH would live in the Swiss Family Tree House if he could.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5114.jpg

Zzzz....whoa! Where am I? Who’s this guy?! Sure... “cheese”... whatever...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5112.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5115.jpg

We loved the what they’d done with the exterior of the Tiki Room. What they’d done on the interior, not so much...

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5119.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5118.jpg

I’d done my homework, so I was prepared for the mess that is “The Tiki Room... Under New Management.” DH was appalled. When they got to the part where Iago quips, “Who turned out the lights?” I thought DH was going to get up and walk out (that phrase has always been our secret shorthand for any stale, tired joke).

Next we rode Pirates, which had another wonderfully themed queue for us to blaze through – no crowds! We thought they did a way better job of incorporating the new Jack Sparrow treasure room scene than at DL, where they basically stuck a box at the end of the last room by the waterfall – lame! Other than that, the ride was kinda disappointing. When we came out, we snapped a few pictures, including this accidentally great one of Captain Hook under the Pirates sign.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5121.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5120.jpg

Back to Liberty Square! I got a little unscheduled nap in during the Hall o’ Presidents, and then we hit Haunted Mansion. It really knocked our socks off! The new show scenes that we don’t have at DL were great, and I loved how the whole thing felt more immersive – the high ceilings, large rooms, super-dark sets... (mind you, Haunted Mansion @ DL is my all-time favorite ride, so this is a big stretch to admit!)

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5138.jpg

DH was very excited to see Country Bears, HIS all-time fave ride, since Disneyland has replaced it with that cheap-o version of the Winnie the Pooh ride. I was very excited to get in another nap.

Among my other “naportunities” were Carousel of Progress and the Peoplemover (I have a feeling it is called something different these days... Tomorrowland Transit Authority? Boooooring!!).

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5129.jpg

I was sad about this because they were also rides we no longer have at Disneyland that I remember fondly. And several years ago they were only operating CoP seasonally at WDW, scaring us into thinking it would be closed for good!

So here was my chance to finally see them again and....

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5134.jpg

Oh boy, was that an unflattering shot. Let’s all clear our minds of that image by looking at this for a moment instead:

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Wedding%20Pix/0443_1046N_13.jpg

So I was very sorry to be too tired to appreciate Carousel of Progress and the Peoplemo- er, uh, the TTA. DH tried to get a pic for me of Progress City, a.k.a. the Epcot That Could Have Been. We like to spend hours talking about what it would have been like to live in the city Walt wanted...

...it would have been really blurry!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5132.jpg

I managed to keep my eyes open for the Jungle Cruise, and then we checked out the rather underwhelming ToonTown. Finally I couldn’t take it any longer and fell asleep on a bench in an alley off Main Street like a Magical Disney Homeless Person (tm). Eventually a member of the Dream Squad who was off-duty (dang!) came by to make sure I wasn’t dead and ended up talking to DH for half an hour. It turned out he knew our MK Shoot photographer, and he even started telling us the same story about the guy who keeps having Disney weddings with new brides.

Eventually DH asked if I thought we could walk around a bit before dinner, and we took some pictures around the castle.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5146.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5150.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5166.jpg



Looks like this guy studied under our MK Shoot photographer!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5161.jpg

[lurkyloo]

Finally it was time for our dinner reservation at Cinderella’s Royal Table, which I was really looking forward to. We checked in outside, said hi to our knight buddy in the lobby, and waited a few minutes to be called upstairs. Oh, and we got a deer-in-the-headlights-style photo taken with Cinderella, plus a plastic wand and sword. I wish I coulda had a sword too....

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5175.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5173.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5171.jpg

Be sure to mention your honeymoon on your reservation – we got the best table in the house, right under the window over Fantasyland.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5199.jpg

The view
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5172.jpg

The prime rib wasn’t as bad as I’d heard, and we got the free toasting flutes for our honeymoon.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5179.jpg

We also got a shoutout from the Fairy Godmother for being the only newlyweds in the place that night, and a large rodent (Suzy? Perla?) insisted on having her picture taken with us.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5182.jpg

Ow! I’m sorry, Suzy/Perla, I’ll learn your name - just stop squeezing me!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5183.jpg

OK, so nobody on the dining message boards could understand why I was trying so hard to get a reservation at CRT during the fireworks, instead of working the reservation around a castle-front viewing of Wishes. Well when the music started and we were sitting in the window looking right out at the fireworks, DH went nuts! (But not so nuts that he couldn’t take these pictures...) He kept saying, “Wow! What a great idea! Thank you so much for arranging this. I can’t believe how close the fireworks are!”

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5186.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5188.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5193.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5196.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5197.jpg

It really was amazing and even, dare I say it, magical!

The park was closed when we got out, so we took the monorail to the tram to the rental car to the Beach Club to the shower to the bed. Good night!

Next up: Our Best Last Day Ever!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5164.jpg

[lawyergirl]

De-lurkifying to say that I've loved every pixel/character of your TR!! I've already starting thinking about how to steal... uh, "be inspired by" some of your ideas!! And YAY that you finally got your MK pics! :)

Edited to add: OMG! You stayed at the MK from rope drop until Wishes without a break?? On the day of your MK photo shoot?? Holy Mother of HECK am I ever impressed!!! I can't stay at the MK for a whole day, even when I'm fully rested... I needs me a nappy break back at the hotel for at least an hour or two before dindin!! :lmao:

[Wazzo]

I loved looking at your MK pics, thanks for sharing! :goodvibes

My favourites were the Frontierland bridge pics, the "Main Street Collection", and of course, the Star Wars one! http://www.smilieshq.com/smilies/char1/character0167.gif (http://www.smilieshq.com) http://www.smilieshq.com/smilies/char1/character0227.gif (http://www.smilieshq.com)

I'm sorry the Castle seemed to be crooked for you that morning... but here's a classic Wazzo pic for you two to cheer you up!

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l40/Wazzo1/DSC00391.jpg
(Yes, I'm aware this has nothing to do with anything, but maybe that's the point! http://www.smilieshq.com/smilies/happy0192.gif (http://www.smilieshq.com))

[lurkyloo]

De-lurkifying to say that I've loved every pixel/character of your TR!! I've already starting thinking about how to steal... uh, "be inspired by" some of your ideas!! And YAY that you finally got your MK pics! :)

Edited to add: OMG! You stayed at the MK from rope drop until Wishes without a break?? On the day of your MK photo shoot?? Holy Mother of HECK am I ever impressed!!! I can't stay at the MK for a whole day, even when I'm fully rested... I needs me a nappy break back at the hotel for at least an hour or two before dindin!! :lmao:

Whohoo! Welcome, fellow ex-lurker! (I prolly shoulda changed my screen name somewhere before my 2,000th post....). I have to admit, though, that we were at MK on a pretty short day - I think it was 9am-8pm. But, yeah, I coulda done with a nappy break back at the hotel! :rotfl:

I loved looking at your MK pics, thanks for sharing! :goodvibes

My favourites were the Frontierland bridge pics, the "Main Street Collection", and of course, the Star Wars one! I'm sorry the Castle seemed to be crooked for you that morning... but here's a classic Wazzo pic for you two to cheer you up!
(Yes, I'm aware this has nothing to do with anything, but maybe that's the point! http://www.smilieshq.com/smilies/happy0192.gif (http://www.smilieshq.com))

ADORABLE! Yes, that really did cheer me up - thanks! I loves me some Wazzo...:lovestruc

[Wazzo]

Oh, Carrie, I keep meaning to ask you... what was your rain location backup for Morocco?

[lurkyloo]

Our rain backup was supposed to be American Adventure Parlor, but when I heard this and made this face :crazy2: my planner promised to check on switching to American Adventure Rotunda when it became available at the 30-day mark. And we got it! But thank goodness we didn't have to use it!:thumbsup2

[Wazzo]

But thank goodness we didn't have to use it!:thumbsup2

Whew! (I'm also happy that I got to ask this question after the fact, so that I didn't curse your day!)

Ooh, ooh! Another question!! I remember reading in your PJ that you had a tasting session with "dinner food". When did you decide to switch to brunch? Are you allowed to have a tasting session with brunchie food?

[jennifaerie]

You know, the same thing happened to us! I guess we were supposed to tell them how busy we were and how complicated everything was, but it was always like, "Um, fine. Disney's doing it all for us!"

Also, I am SO crashing your wedding! :lmao:


You would SO be the guest of honor. :) You can show everyone the joys of fashion tape (Every time Rob sees me on the board, he always says to me, That's held up with tape! ... :) He's enthralled with your necklace) and the art of samba.

New Hampshire isn't very exciting, but I'm sure you'd light up the place. And for a bonus, we'll sneak you in our luggage for the honeymoon... oh wait, you're already going to be at Disney... Hmm... webcam? :rotfl:

[lurkyloo]

Ooh, ooh! Another question!! I remember reading in your PJ that you had a tasting session with "dinner food". When did you decide to switch to brunch? Are you allowed to have a tasting session with brunchie food?

Erm, officially, we decided to go with brunch after tasting the mediocre dinner food. But just between you, me, the fence post, and the 1,407,724,920 users of the Internet, we wanted brunch all along but figured we'd try the most expensive stuff on the menu while we had the chance. :rotfl: I'm sure you could taste brunchy food if you wanted, but I figured we pretty well knew what waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, etc. tasted like.

(Every time Rob sees me on the board, he always says to me, That's held up with tape! ... :)

I think the entire DIS is held up with Hollywood Fashion Tape! :lmao:

[pjstevens]

Carrie,

I just got caught up again! Wow, now I want to do CRT during out 2nd honeymoon trip in September! You are a beautiful bride, but I can understand the disappointment with the MK shots. You are so far off in some, that if you try to zoom in, it's all grainy. NOT what a $1k photo shoot should look like. You do have some amazing shots and of course all those absolutely wonderful Roots shots!

Oh, btw, got my hats yesterday. Now I have to make some time to try to reconstruct my bride/groom ears onto the caps. They are very comfy and I'm so glad I got them. I cannot wear sunglasses, so a hat with a visor is the only thing that helps me in the hot sun.

[jennifaerie]

I think the entire DIS is held up with Hollywood Fashion Tape! :lmao:

Damn! That's some good stuff!

[disneygal922]

Among my other “naportunities” were Carousel of Progress and the Peoplemover (I have a feeling it is called something different these days... Tomorrowland Transit Authority? Boooooring!!).

YAY someone else calls it the Peoplemover!!! When DF and I were in WDW in April we were looking for the entrance to the Peoplemover and a CM was looking at us like we were crazy? However, I will have to say they sped it up a little and now is not nearly as good of a "naportunity", though still up there. Your pics are wonderful and I'm loving your TR! Thanks for posting all this! :flower3:

[lurkyloo]

Oh, btw, got my hats yesterday. Now I have to make some time to try to reconstruct my bride/groom ears onto the caps. They are very comfy and I'm so glad I got them. I cannot wear sunglasses, so a hat with a visor is the only thing that helps me in the hot sun.

Hooray! I can't wait to see how they turn out. I hear ya on the visor - Disney would make a mint if they started selling hats with ears and visors! ;)


Damn! That's some good stuff!

:yo-yo:

YAY someone else calls it the Peoplemover!!! When DF and I were in WDW in April we were looking for the entrance to the Peoplemover and a CM was looking at us like we were crazy? However, I will have to say they sped it up a little and now is not nearly as good of a "naportunity", though still up there. Your pics are wonderful and I'm loving your TR! Thanks for posting all this! :flower3:

So glad you're enjoying the trippie! I don't get why they changed the name from Peoplemover to something as dull as the Tomorrowland Transit Authority - talk about a naportunity!!! :rotfl:

[keenercam]

MORE! MORE! MORE!!! I have been desperately awaiting more TR!!!!

Oh, Carrie! I meant to tell you -- I bought a REALLY cute pink baseball cap that says "Bride" and I am going to figure out how to attach my Minnie bride ears to that. Hopefully, I can wear it during the half-marathon! FUN!! :)

[Beep]

MORE! MORE! MORE!!! I have been desperately awaiting more TR!!!!

Oh, Carrie! I meant to tell you -- I bought a REALLY cute pink baseball cap that says "Bride" and I am going to figure out how to attach my Minnie bride ears to that. Hopefully, I can wear it during the half-marathon! FUN!! :)

That's what I've done but my cap is white. I'm going to have to wait until we get to WDW for the wedding to try and 'doctor' the ears as you can't get them in the UK and they are really expensive online.

[lurkyloo]

Oh, Carrie! I meant to tell you -- I bought a REALLY cute pink baseball cap that says "Bride" and I am going to figure out how to attach my Minnie bride ears to that. Hopefully, I can wear it during the half-marathon! FUN!! :)

That's what I've done but my cap is white. I'm going to have to wait until we get to WDW for the wedding to try and 'doctor' the ears as you can't get them in the UK and they are really expensive online.

I'm going to see if DH feels like doing a little tutorial we can post online. The trick is to get the slits in the right place on the ball cap. Then you just push the metal tabs through and cover them with felt.

More trippie on the way... ! ;)

[lpizzuro123]

I was at our local Disney store yesterday (that I just found out is closing and I am so upset) and they had Mickey ears that they were giving away - free. Instead of saying Walt Disney World on them they have the symbol for the Disney Store. They gave me two hats and I am planning taking the ears off one and making DF a Mickey Groom Baseball hat - so any tutorial would be great. I just checked back through your report to find a picture and am printing it out to use as a sample.

Thanks,
Linda

[lurkyloo]

Great tip about the free ears, Linda! :thumbsup2

OK, so I talked to DH, and apparently I got the process all wrong - he actually just cut the ears off the cap, leaving a margin of the felt hat material at the base, which he folded and pushed through the slits in the baseball cap. Then he unfolded it once it was through the slit and glued that felt base inside the hat.

I guess where the extra felt comes in is that he put some inside the back of the ears at the base to cover the grommets that joined the ears to the original cap.

[lpizzuro123]

I hope I can do this:confused3 . Maybe I should just send the material to you guys and he can do it for me:rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2:

Only kiding - hopefully I can start working on this next week and have them done before we go down for our planning session. If not, I will have them done in time for our wedding.

Thanks,
Linda

[hope1826]

Carrie,

Did you post the password for your MK photoshoot yet?? I can't find it anywhere in your TR. I remember your bad review and that you were waiting until they fixed things to post it. Am I retarded and it's somewhere staring me in the face, or am I just being impatient?:confused:

I can't wait to see it!!!

Nikki :flower3:

[inkedupmomma]

Ok, so now that my son hates me and i've called my boss to tell her i'd be late to work, i've definitely decided your wedding/honeymoon is everything i've always wanted! Seems so magical and perfect! Congrats!!

ps- i feel like my eyes are bleeding from reading 48 pages in 2 days lol

[lurkyloo]

I hope I can do this:confused3 . Maybe I should just send the material to you guys and he can do it for me. Only kiding - hopefully I can start working on this next week and have them done before we go down for our planning session. If not, I will have them done in time for our wedding.

You can do it! All it takes is faith, trust, and one thing I forgot....pixiedust:

Did you post the password for your MK photoshoot yet?? I can't find it anywhere in your TR. I remember your bad review and that you were waiting until they fixed things to post it. Am I retarded and it's somewhere staring me in the face, or am I just being impatient?:confused:

It's at the bottom of this post (I'm posting a link to here so you can read the pithy captions I added :lmao:)

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=24935645&postcount=651

Ok, so now that my son hates me and i've called my boss to tell her i'd be late to work, i've definitely decided your wedding/honeymoon is everything i've always wanted! Seems so magical and perfect! Congrats!!ps- i feel like my eyes are bleeding from reading 48 pages in 2 days lol

Sweet merciful crap! First your eyes were falling out, now they're bleeding... apparently I need to place a Surgeon General's warning on my trip report! :rotfl2:

[inkedupmomma]

You can do it! All it takes is faith, trust, and one thing I forgot....pixiedust:



It's at the bottom of this post (I'm posting a link to here so you can read the pithy captions I added :lmao:)

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=24935645&postcount=651



Sweet merciful crap! First your eyes were falling out, now they're bleeding... apparently I need to place a Surgeon General's warning on my trip report! :rotfl2:

nah i should probably just get a life and not sit and read every page in no time lol

[hope1826]

www.collages.net/disneyweddings
username: Hayward / Johnson Portraits
password: 1971

WOW!! I totally skipped this page and a few others!

Your pictures are exactly why I was so scared to use a Disney photographer and why we ultimately decided against the MK photo shoot. Their inconsistency is tragic!

I LOVE the Star Wars pose!!!!

[Angrypenguin]

Carrie,

Wow. I'm rethinking the MK photoshoot now! You're right about Disney photography...it almost doesn't seem worth it. Although, I must say, your comments on the photos had me :lmao:

[lurkyloo]

WOW!! I totally skipped this page and a few others!

Your pictures are exactly why I was so scared to use a Disney photographer and why we ultimately decided against the MK photo shoot. Their inconsistency is tragic!

I LOVE the Star Wars pose!!!!

Carrie,

Wow. I'm rethinking the MK photoshoot now! You're right about Disney photography...it almost doesn't seem worth it. Although, I must say, your comments on the photos had me :lmao:

Hee hee!

Unfortunately, by sharing my opinions with you all, I seem to have shot myself in the foot. Our contact has been reading my posts and is refusing to do anything but give us a re-shoot - never mind that we would have to shell out for a tux, dress steaming, hair & makeup and a bouquet - to the tune of about $500! Thanks, but I don't think I should have to pay half of what I've already shelled out just to get the decent pictures I should have had in the first place!:sad2:

[teruterubouzu]

Hee hee!

Unfortunately, by sharing my opinions with you all, I seem to have shot myself in the foot. Our contact has been reading my posts and is refusing to do anything but give us a re-shoot - never mind that we would have to shell out for a tux, dress steaming, hair & makeup and a bouquet - to the tune of about $500! Thanks, but I don't think I should have to pay half of what I've already shelled out just to get the decent pictures I should have had in the first place!:sad2:

Are you serious? That's just silly! I hope you are able to get it resolved.

[Wazzo]

Hee hee!

Unfortunately, by sharing my opinions with you all, I seem to have shot myself in the foot. Our contact has been reading my posts and is refusing to do anything but give us a re-shoot - never mind that we would have to shell out for a tux, dress steaming, hair & makeup and a bouquet - to the tune of about $500! Thanks, but I don't think I should have to pay half of what I've already shelled out just to get the decent pictures I should have had in the first place!:sad2:

Wow, for real? That's crazy! Did your contact quote you from the DISboards? That's scary! I hope something can be worked out for you.

[DansBride2009]

lurkyloo -

my mother and i are planning my wedding for september 2009. i must say we have enjoyed all of your posts tremendously!(did i spell that right? lol!). you had a gorgeous wedding and i love, love love your turquoise jewelry. so unique!! thanks for sharing everything with us, we had a blast reading your posts, you seem so happy!! :wizard:

[romymichelle21]

Well, you know what I'll say, Carrie!

Not that you have to sue them (I wouldn't recommend that anyone sue Disney), but especially since they're now being stubborn about it - you could, as we say, "use big lawyer words" and scare them. Their wedding department is a big source of revenue for them - they wouldn't want their reputation further smeared by any sort of legal action. Know what I mean? As it is, it looks like they're just offended by your DIS posts. (Which, of course, you have every legal right to make).

Tell them a re-shoot is not acceptable, unless they're going to pay your expenses to do so. All of them. Days off work and everything. That shows them you're more than willing to resolve the situation without receiving cash or gifts, but cannot afford to do so.

And, if they aren't willing to do that, tell them you'd like something of equal value - local. Maybe they could arrange a photo shoot at DL. I know they don't really do that, but they have photographers (not the PhotoPass ones), so they could set something up if they wanted to.

They can't hold your public comments against you. No names were mentioned, just an opinion. That's what these boards are for. I think you've earned them more money with your PJ and TR than you've taken away from them! :rotfl:

[irisbud]

Well, you know what I'll say, Carrie!

Not that you have to sue them (I wouldn't recommend that anyone sue Disney), but especially since they're now being stubborn about it - you could, as we say, "use big lawyer words" and scare them. Their wedding department is a big source of revenue for them - they wouldn't want their reputation further smeared by any sort of legal action. Know what I mean? As it is, it looks like they're just offended by your DIS posts. (Which, of course, you have every legal right to make).

Tell them a re-shoot is not acceptable, unless they're going to pay your expenses to do so. All of them. Days off work and everything. That shows them you're more than willing to resolve the situation without receiving cash or gifts, but cannot afford to do so.

And, if they aren't willing to do that, tell them you'd like something of equal value - local. Maybe they could arrange a photo shoot at DL. I know they don't really do that, but they have photographers (not the PhotoPass ones), so they could set something up if they wanted to.

They can't hold your public comments against you. No names were mentioned, just an opinion. That's what these boards are for. I think you've earned them more money with your PJ and TR than you've taken away from them! :rotfl:

::yes:: :thumbsup2

[SandraVB79]

Hey Lurkyloo,

I started reading your trip report, then I came looking for your wedding report, and now I'm reading your PJ (in another screen). Since I can't see the pictures at work, I scrolled through your threads at home yesterday, just to see the pictures, and now I'm reading the text.

It's amazing. I hope you don't mind I save some of your pictures on my computer, but if I ever get married, or get the Quince-thing, I so want my hair like yours (I want those feathers, that's so me!!!!!), I want to have an engagement photo shoot and book like yours, etc etc etc.
I like the way you make things unique without it being completely different from "classical". It's just the kind of wedding I would love to have one day. I hope, by then, that I can contact you for more information, lol!

OK, now I'm going to continue my reading!

[lurkyloo]

Are you serious? That's just silly! I hope you are able to get it resolved.

Wow, for real? That's crazy! Did your contact quote you from the DISboards? That's scary! I hope something can be worked out for you.

Me too! :worried:

my mother and i are planning my wedding for september 2009. i must say we have enjoyed all of your posts tremendously!(did i spell that right? lol!). you had a gorgeous wedding and i love, love love your turquoise jewelry. so unique!! thanks for sharing everything with us, we had a blast reading your posts, you seem so happy!! :wizard:

Aw.... I'm so glad you've enjoyed my report! I love to be able to share what worked for me so it can help other brides like you - congratulations! :cloud9:


They can't hold your public comments against you. No names were mentioned, just an opinion. That's what these boards are for. I think you've earned them more money with your PJ and TR than you've taken away from them!

:rotfl2: I think you're right!

::yes:: :thumbsup2

:wave2:

It's amazing. I hope you don't mind I save some of your pictures on my computer, but if I ever get married, or get the Quince-thing, I so want my hair like yours (I want those feathers, that's so me!!!!!), I want to have an engagement photo shoot and book like yours, etc etc etc. I like the way you make things unique without it being completely different from "classical". It's just the kind of wedding I would love to have one day. I hope, by then, that I can contact you for more information, lol!

Take all my ideas - that's why I'm sharing them! I got so many great ideas from this board that I want to return the favor. And please do let me know if you need more info! :thumbsup2

[hope1826]

Hee hee!

Unfortunately, by sharing my opinions with you all, I seem to have shot myself in the foot. Our contact has been reading my posts and is refusing to do anything but give us a re-shoot - never mind that we would have to shell out for a tux, dress steaming, hair & makeup and a bouquet - to the tune of about $500! Thanks, but I don't think I should have to pay half of what I've already shelled out just to get the decent pictures I should have had in the first place!:sad2:

:mad: They should really be ashamed of themselves. I'd be interested to know what you and DH finally end up doing.

:hug:

[lurkyloo]

Aw - thanks for the support! :cloud9:

[lurkyloo]

Last Day of the Honeymoon

Today was the best last day EVER! It coulda been really bad – not only were we at the end of our WDW trip, we were at the end of our honeymoon! But after a bit of moping (on my part) at the beginning, we turned things around and I decided to savor every last second of the trip. Also, I hit on a plan to ride Haunted Mansion in Disneyland and Disney World on the same day that totally distracted me!

We woke up in our new second Grand Floridian room, and I went to the window to see what our view looked like.

It looked like this!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5949.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5950.jpg

We hit the concierge lounge for breakfast and, on our way back, decided to flex our concierge privileges to get last-minute lunch reservations in Epcot. Of course Le Cellier was still not available, but we got the new Tokyo Dining in Japan, a place I would prolly never think to book at WDW (we eat lots of sushi at home) but was pleased to try out on a lark. Checking out was a bit complicated – there was a big wait for a bell person, and the concierge lady got kinda short with us for some reason when we dragged our own suitcases up to her desk to check out... I don’t remember why.

Then we went out front to check our luggage at the airline check-in desk. I thought this was only available for Magical Express riders, but anyone can use it, and it is sweet! They put your luggage on your plane and give you boarding passes and everything.

Standing in line, I got REALLY sad that we were checking out of the Grand (where we’ll probably never stay again) and wrapping up our trip. This was despite the fact that we already had a return trip planned for 7 months later to catch free dining! I just kept thinking how we’d never be on our honeymoon again or get all that extra-special pixie dust. I was kinda sniffling, and DH worked really hard to cheer me up by telling me all the fun things we were going to do that day.

We’d stashed our carry-ons with Bell Services, so we were footloose and fancy free til we left for the airport around 4pm (thank gawd for the time difference going back – our flight left at 7pm and got into LA at 9:30pm local time!). So we rode the monorail to the MK.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5959.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5955.jpg

We rode Haunted Mansion again but had to pass on the newly reopened Splash Mountain cuz the President’s Day Weekend crowd was all in line for it.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5971.jpg

We decided to ride the steamboat and got great views of the park. One funny thing that happened, and which I think DISers will get a kick out of, was when we overheard a woman talking about planning her trip to WDW. Basically, she did the exact opposite of what the DISers do – couldn’t find an on-site resort because she called too late and they were all booked, couldn’t get any dining reservations, had timed the trip for the second-busiest holiday of the year and couldn’t believe the crowds, etc., etc. DH leaned over and whispered, “Thank you for all your planning - we have had the perfect trip.”

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5963.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5965.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5969.jpg

About this time I began to formulate a plan... With the time difference, our flight was going to get in to LA at 9:30pm, and Disneyland would be open til midnight. What if we got off the plane, drove straight there, and rode Haunted Mansion the same day we’d ridden it in Florida? It was brilliant – I snapped right out of the doldrums and grabbed this lifeline of a plan to keep me from moping over the end of the honeymoon.

We decided it was about time to grab the O Mobile from GF and get to Epcot. We took a boat from MK to GF – my new mostest favoritest mode of transport at WDW. It’s fun and adventurous and romantic all at once. We took the last of the foreign coins we’d brought and made a wish in Seven Seas Lagoon. DH decided we should wish that the honeymoon will never end.

So long, pesos, drachmas and rubles!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5979.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5978.jpg

We got our carry-ons from Bell Services and grabbed the O Mobile and set off for Epcot – and didn’t get lost this time! It seemed fitting to spend our last few hours in the park where we’d been married. Knowing I wouldn’t see it for a while, I looked at it through fresh eyes and tried to memorize everything.

I also decided to pose as a French stereotype on the bridge to France...

Hand-rolled cigarette to be Photoshopped in later...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5987.jpg

Off to Japan!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5988.jpg

Then we blew the rest of our Disney Honeymoon Registry money on a fabulous lunch at Tokyo Dining! We had a wonderful seat in the corner of the big windows looking out on the Japan Pavilion.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5990.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5992.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5998.jpg

The service was slow but really friendly, and we weren’t in a hurry.

Garden Salad - Mixed greens, tomato, asparagus and seasonal vegetables. Choice of dressing: Ginger, Creamy Sesame, or Oriental

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_5997.jpg

Roppong Tempura Combo - shrimp and scallops

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6002.jpg

Sushi Deluxe - Tuna, yellowtail, salmon, Isumi-dat, shrimp, conch, squid, egg omelet, salmon roe, and 3 pieces of Tuna roll.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6005.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6007.jpg

I forgot to take a picture of my eel roll....

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6003.jpg

For dessert, they gave us FREE ginger cake because it was our honeymoon! I ate the non-gingery part.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6010.jpg

Best of all, it came with two lovely hair accessories...

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6011.jpg

After lunch, we rolled downstairs to the Mitsukoshi Department Store to get a souvenir for our kitty sitters (mini sushi eraser set) and a new journal for me (with cherry blossoms!). And then (pretend you forgot about the part where we ate free ginger cake) we got gelato from Italy to eat as we strolled around the lagoon. Heaven!

Why, it’s not a Ghost Globe at all – it’s just a machine built by old Mr. Withers to scare people away...and he would’ve gotten away with it, too, if it hadn’t been for those pesky kids!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6014.jpg

When we got to Africa I was asked to sit in with the band...

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6021.jpg

[lurkyloo]

Finally it was time to get in the car and head for MCO. But I wasn’t sad because I was still convinced we could make it to Disneyland before it closed. And then I realized I’d taken my annual pass out of my wallet in preparation for the trip (note to self: Keep your AP on you at ALL times!). So I called as DH drove and learned that I could pick up a temporary pass at Guest Services, but we had to get there before 11pm. Gulp!

Waiting for the flight, we spotted our luggage being loaded on the plane...

If you squint real hard, you can see the red and blue bags on that far luggage cart!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6030.jpg

I got to board before DH, and when he got to our seats he told me he’d just had a nice chat with another couple who got married at WDW – it turned out to be Brandi & Derek! They got married at WP/AAR on Feb. 18 and were headed off on their honeymoon. Awww.....

What was funny was that they were wearing their Just Married pins and I think wedding ears, while we had decided to retire our hats and just wear pins, so they were getting TONS of attention from the flight attendants as we got our first taste of cold, cruel post-honeymoon reality. I was like, “I never should have taken those free desserts for granted!” But then Brandi saved the day and told the flight attendants that we had just gotten married too, so they gave us ice cream sundaes! HOORAY!!!

We got married and rode an airplane and all we got was this lousy picture!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6033.jpg

By the time we got off the plane at LAX and got our luggage, it was 10pm and we still had to catch a shuttle to our car. I knew there was no way we’d make it to Disneyland in time to get a temporary pass for the park... but I was so tired, by that point I didn’t care. I am definitely going to time things so we can ride both Haunted Mansions in September!

When we got home, the cat tried to pretend like he didn’t care that we’d been gone for two weeks, but after a few minutes of this...

Oh, it’s you. Lemme just finish up in here and I’ll come say hello...
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/IMG_6039.jpg

... This was my view of him for the next two days:

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t63/lurkyloo/Honeymoon/Catface.jpg



Up Next: Wait! ...Where Are You Going? Don’t You Want to Hear About Our At-Home Reception? There’s Caaaaaake...

[mla1977]

Awww! I was so hoping that you made it to both parks! I'm hoping to accomplish both parks within a week next year.

Next time maybe an earlier flight would be necessary. I'll be in WDW in 3 days and then, DBF has 2 conferences in San Diego next year so maybe I can get 2 visits to DLR? Keep you fingers crossed for me!

Can't wait to hear about the at home reception? Will DH's brother be doing another toast to you guys? Will Carrie be sending me some of the Caaaaaake? I'll be waiting patiently...

[inkedupmomma]

Lovely.. I cant wait to read the next post.. so get on it.. k thanks :)

[silverangel879]

Yay! It's not finished yet!!!
More please!

[wannabePRINCESS]

goodness! I just read ALL of it and LOVED your trippie!! :thumbsup2
you were an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful bride!

May you and your new hubby have a LIFETIME of dreams come true! :love:

thanks for brightening up my day! :banana:

[ElleBren]

I loved everything. You are truly gifted at writing. I usually make zero sense. I think its from hating english back in high school. Anywhoo- You are so photogenic I wish I was as photogenic. I am much better behind the camera.

I was so busy reading your tr that my daughter and I almost missed Gymboree. I mean other than reading your journal Gymboree is the highlight of our day.

While you are at disney in sept we'll be over at the GF for our VR. Hopefully we will not have to deal with any annoying neighbors. I'm allergic to smoke so I would have freaked out at that guy.

Now I am off to read your pj. I'm sure I'll finish it eventually.

Congrats and it sounded like you had a great time!

Lana

[lurkyloo]

Awww! I was so hoping that you made it to both parks! I'm hoping to accomplish both parks within a week next year.Next time maybe an earlier flight would be necessary. I'll be in WDW in 3 days and then, DBF has 2 conferences in San Diego next year so maybe I can get 2 visits to DLR? Keep you fingers crossed for me!

:hyper: Ooh! Ooh! Let me know if you manage it! I think it would be a total mind warp to do Disneyland and Magic Kingdom one right after the other.

Lovely.. I cant wait to read the next post.. so get on it.. k thanks :)

Slave driver! :duck:

Yay! It's not finished yet!!!
More please!

See "slave driver," above. :cutie:

goodness! I just read ALL of it and LOVED your trippie!! :thumbsup2 you were an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful bride! May you and your new hubby have a LIFETIME of dreams come true! :love: thanks for brightening up my day! :banana:

You are so sweet - thank you! :lovestruc

While you are at disney in sept we'll be over at the GF for our VR.

Oh cool! Keep your peepers peeled for a wedding crasher in tattered Bride Mouse Ears.... :rotfl: Also, I apologize for almost making you late to Gymboree. Next time, I will insert warnings at regular intervals such as "Attention: If you are due at Gymboree, please stop reading after this sentence!"

[ElleBren]

I will insert warnings at regular intervals such as "Attention: If you are due at Gymboree, please stop reading after this sentence!"

That is exactly what I need! Thank you so much. Now I just have to get everyone else to do it!

[29apr00]

Great!! I'm sorry you didnt' get to do both HM in 1 day, but you could always try after free dining!!:thumbsup2

[tinkspark]

You are my bride heroine! You have designed my dream wedding! I think I may be drawing lots of inspiration from your wedding! :)

[Lynn5700]

Hee hee!

Unfortunately, by sharing my opinions with you all, I seem to have shot myself in the foot. Our contact has been reading my posts and is refusing to do anything but give us a re-shoot - never mind that we would have to shell out for a tux, dress steaming, hair & makeup and a bouquet - to the tune of about $500! Thanks, but I don't think I should have to pay half of what I've already shelled out just to get the decent pictures I should have had in the first place!:sad2:

Carrie..are you serious?????That's a bunch of crap.....you deserve a refund seriously. Your contact is full of it it's freedom of speech you can say what you want..oh and BTW we didn't have to hear it from you to already know how inconsistent thier photography is. Is there somebody higher you can talk to.

[IndyBride]

I'm really sorry to hear about how the MK Photoshoot turned out. Can't wait to hear how the at-home reception went.

[tinkspark]

I've been reading for hours... and I am only on page 25. If I could keep my eyes open any longer I would finish.

After hours of reading I feel like I know you... but I'd love to meet you when you come back in September!

[rottiemom]

regarding the MK photoshoot- at first, reading the recap, I thought that maybe because your wedding photos were so fantastic that the MK photoshoot ones looked lesser by comparison.

But after seeing the pictures, no. They look more like hokey snapshots than serious photographs. If they had been taken by a well meaning friend with a camera, fine. That's not the case & the fact that your restrained (and very apt) comments made here are being held against you is absurd! At any point were you chastised for all of the good press you've given the whole Disney World wedding experience? ("Stop writing such nice things and posting those great pictures...more people will want to get married here!"). I really hope that you can come to a satisfactory resolution.

And I can't believe you've got 50 pages worth of trip report here for me to read :rotfl: .

[snow_white725]

Oh I always love your updates! :goodvibes
I can't wait to read more!!

[lov2b@disney]

Loving the update! I was so hoping for HM in both parks:headache: I'll be cheering for you in september:woohoo:

Sorry about the MK shoot stuff, they better come up with a suitable resolution!:hug:

I'll definately be standing by, waiting on the home reception!:surfweb: :surfweb:

[irisbud]

Darn, too bad you couldn't do both HM (but not for lack of trying!) There is no way I would be so ambitious, so I am impressed that you even thought of it. There's always next time!

[WDWguru]

Awww! I was so hoping that you made it to both parks! I'm hoping to accomplish both parks within a week next year.

Oh take it from me, it CAN be done! I managed to get in every single Disney park in the WORLD in a 10 month period about a year ago! :thumbsup2

Carrie - I can't wait to hear about the reception at home! Too bad you didn't get HM in but next time you'll remember that AP for sure. :)

[mla1977]

Oh take it from me, it CAN be done! I managed to get in every single Disney park in the WORLD in a 10 month period about a year ago! :thumbsup2


That's so cool! I've only got 2 more years to get every single park within a decade. I may as well start from scratch though because I need to revisit Paris now. Disney Studios wasn't there when I went there in 2000.

[lurkyloo]

Great!! I'm sorry you didnt' get to do both HM in 1 day, but you could always try after free dining!!

That's the plan! :thumbsup2

You are my bride heroine! You have designed my dream wedding! I think I may be drawing lots of inspiration from your wedding! :)

Draw away! My goal is to demystify the whole process and share the things that worked or didn't work for me to help future brides.

oh and BTW we didn't have to hear it from you to already know how inconsistent thier photography is.

:rotfl2: Thanks, Lynn!

Can't wait to hear how the at-home reception went.

Here's a little teaser: it involved eight batches of chocolate frosting.... :hyper:

I've been reading for hours... and I am only on page 25. If I could keep my eyes open any longer I would finish. After hours of reading I feel like I know you... but I'd love to meet you when you come back in September!

That would be cool! It seems like a lot of DISers will be there then (although you get to be there all the time!)...maybe we should organize a meet?

regarding the MK photoshoot- at first, reading the recap, I thought that maybe because your wedding photos were so fantastic that the MK photoshoot ones looked lesser by comparison.But after seeing the pictures, no. They look more like hokey snapshots than serious photographs. If they had been taken by a well meaning friend with a camera, fine. That's not the case & the fact that your restrained (and very apt) comments made here are being held against you is absurd! At any point were you chastised for all of the good press you've given the whole Disney World wedding experience? ("Stop writing such nice things and posting those great pictures...more people will want to get married here!").

:rotfl: Good point! Thanks for your support! :cutie:

Oh I always love your updates! :goodvibes I can't wait to read more!!

Oh good! Thanks for hanging in there!

Loving the update! I was so hoping for HM in both parks:headache: I'll be cheering for you in september:woohoo:

Darn, too bad you couldn't do both HM (but not for lack of trying!) There is no way I would be so ambitious, so I am impressed that you even thought of it. There's always next time!

It's gotta happen. It would be SO cool! I'll have to post pictures here to prove I did it. ;)

Oh take it from me, it CAN be done! I managed to get in every single Disney park in the WORLD in a 10 month period about a year ago!

Will you adopt me? :lmao:

[orangecats2]

Hi. Just read your trip report - good job. Sounds like you two had a great time. My honeymoon is at POFQ but wedding is at home.
It would be great to meet some people from the boards. We'll be there Sept
21 - 28 if anyone wants to meet up one of those days.
Your cake and desserts looked and sounded so good, can you send me some?:goodvibes
Oh and we have the same name, even same spelling!
Can't wait to read about the post reception!

[DisneyBrideToni]

I love reading your TR. You should write a book because I would buy it. I love your Scooby Doo reference! All the pics are great especially your sterotypical French pose...:lmao: (no offense to the French out there)

I can't wait for the next installment!

[jennifaerie]

Carrie, everyone is coming to Disney the last week of September to meet YOU. :rotfl: Which means I must have set my wedding date around your trip. I better go change the date to two days earlier so I can actually be there the whole duration of your trip.

How special are you?! :yay: :dance3: :yay: :worship:

:rotfl:

Oh, and please be sure to PM your ressies, so I can make sure mine match! :lmao:

At any rate, it might be dangerous for you to get a reshoot. I may try to jump behind you and pretend to be an ewok.