The "Yeah, I'm famous, I'm on Youtube!" report-Opinions needed 2/22

[Hedy]

CriminyCrafft

Hey there - great pre-TR! Did I read correctly that you're staying at the Dolpin? I'm staying there Oct 21-28 - I hope it's good. I read that it lacks Disney magic so I'm slightly worried but being walking distance to MGM and Epcot should make up for it!

Can't wait to read more!

I'm actually staying at POFQ. I was worried about that with the Dolphin, but I figured what you're thinking re walking to the parks.

hjd0411

Hey, Heather - good work so far! Great about your camera, too. I know I had to get a new camera for WDW. I got mine a couple of months ago and have been practicing, practicing, practicing! I'm thinking I will get a gorilla-pod, too. Do you find it easy to use ad Disney? And easy to carry?

Looking forward to more updates!

From another Heather...

This is actually my Gorillapod's first trip-it's really small and light though, so I don't see it being a problem.

 

[abbybeth]

I plan on attaching the pocket to the blue one using a keychain.

To do list:
*Call CRO with my flight info for DME.
*See that MamaKat makes her flight and rental car reservations.
*Call WDW (CRO?) to make sure that a)it's ok to use the 8 day PH I already have, even though I got a three day PH with our tickets and b)that it's ok for MamaKat not to be there at check-in.
*Buy Pins.
*Order MVMCP ticket
*Liberate Mickey Heads from Home Depot.
*Possibly get Room decorations. I'm planning on some Mickey Heads. I may also pack my Statue of Liberty Minnie, but I don't know (I brought her last time to take her to see Minnie at Chef Mickey's, and then didn't take her). I also may pack Mickey the DLR build a bear. Of course, Sunshine the 18 year old stuffed cat is coming (it's his 5th trip too), but he's, erm, rather loved looking so not exactly decoration material.
*Decide on what to get in terms of clothes. I'm debating whether to get a cute Xmas t-shirt at Target or get an MVMCP shirt once I get there. Of course, I'm getting some sort of Mickey Santa hat (I still regret not getting one from my Xmas week trip in 1996.)
*Take MK popcorn bucket o'change to Coinstar. I tried lifting it up yesterday-it's HEAVY, and I rarely use cash. I'm planning on splitting it between cash and a Disneyshopping e-gift certificate.

Love that blue lanyard! I hope I can find one like that down there, it's great Like the Cheshire Fan Club pin too ... I think I'm getting in to the whole pin thing, it's a dangerous, sliding slope...

yay! lists! I have to decide what, if any, stuffed animals will be accompanying me on our trip...

 

[KathyRN137]

I think that taking a morning or afternoon to tour the different resorts is a great idea! They are absolutely gorgeous when done up for Christmas!

Have you considered doing the Yuletide Fantasy Tour with Mom?? You get to see the theme parks and some of the resorts and get a behind-the-scenes peek at what goes into all the fab decorations, like the giant gingerbread house at the GF! Sounds like fun!


Kathy

 

[maiziezoe]

Great PTR!!

I took a solo trip when I was 21-ish. It was great to do what I wanted when I wanted!

...and I ate ice cream for lunch every day and no one rolled their eyes at me!

 

[iggbees]

hi! i think i remember you posting once that you went to an all women's college in ma? i went to mt. holyoke and i still live in the area and go to umass for grad school now.

anywhoo, have a great time! you're going to love the gorilla pod, it's fantastic and i got so many great shots with it when my boyfriend and i went back in jan. it's really small and light and i had no problem finding a place to prop it for different shots!

 

[Hedy]

KathyRN137-I've considered that tour, but even with my Disney Visa discount, it's still enough that we could other things with the money. Plus as my mom's only going to be there Thurs-Sat, we're going to squeeze in a lot already.

maiziezoe

iggbees I graduated from Smith! Small world. What are you studying at UMASS?

 

[Hedy]

Can we get a double digit dance?
99 days, baby! Woo hoo! I remember when I was excited when that ticker in my siggy said 10 months.
In other news, I have procured retractable sharpies at an excellent price at Ocean State Job Lot. My flight down to Orlando went down $10, so I have that as a credit with Jet Blue.

Does anybody else experience Disney relativism? I'm not concerned about finding my mom's friends' place in NYC that we're staying at soon, even though I've been there once, am taking the subway and meeting up with MamaKat once I get there. I am, however, worried about MamaKat getting from where she drops her rental car off to meeting me in WDW.

 

[Abby's Dad]

Can we get a double digit dance?
99 days, baby! Woo hoo! QUOTE]

I remember that double-digit thing - and I can't believe how fast the time has flown by! Gotta pack!

 

[KathyRN137]

Happy Double Digits!!


Kathy

 

[iggbees]

iggbees I graduated from Smith! Small world. What are you studying at UMASS?

oh smith! cool! i LOVE northampton! yeah, it is a small world, especially since nobody seems to know about our little women's colleges. haha.

i'll be studying molecular and cellular biology (i graduated from mhc with a degree in biochemistry). what did you study at smith?

i sang once at smith for a 5 college choral festival thing my first year at mhc (spring of 2002). i've also been there a couple of times for seminars and my boyfriend gets to hang out with the social work people over there for his PhD project at umass. it's a lovely campus.

wooo for double digits! not much longer now!

 

[abbybeth]

what? Double digits? That's absitively-posilutely DANCE WORTHY!!

 

[Hillary12.8.07]

Joining in! You will be there part of the same time we are!! I think we'll prob be at the same parks at the same time too, I'm still working on my itineraries but I know some of your days look the same!

Can't wait to read more!

 

[Hedy]

Thank you, thank you all.
I'm pleased to announce we are now at...the 3 month mark.
I decided it was high time to Coinstar* the Magic Kingdom popcorn bucket I'd been saving since my trip in March of 2006.
Here's how full it was

And in a Ziploc

It wound up being around $120-I split it between a DisneyShopping gift thingy for pins, cutesy shirts, etc. and cash. I did pay the fee on cash, but I figure it's worth it for it being cash rather than a boat load of coins.

Let's revisit the to-do, shall we:
To do list:
*Call CRO with my flight info for DME. Done!
*See that MamaKat makes her flight and rental car reservations. Flight done, now we just need to reserve a rental car.
*Call WDW (CRO?) to make sure that a)it's ok to use the 8 day PH I already have, even though I got a three day PH with our tickets and b)that it's ok for MamaKat not to be there at check-in. I'm ok to use the package hopper as long as I do no expiration option for $20.
*Buy Pins.-I ordered some from someone someone on the Budget Board recommended, as AbbyBeth's seller seems to have disappeared. They haven't gotten back to me, so I may just get some from DisneyShopping with my "found" money
*Order MVMCP ticket-Done, although they wouldn't let me use a Disney giftcard and I was too worn out to argue.
*Liberate Mickey Heads from Home Depot.
*Possibly get Room decorations. I'm planning on some Mickey Heads. I may also pack my Statue of Liberty Minnie, but I don't know (I brought her last time to take her to see Minnie at Chef Mickey's, and then didn't take her). I also may pack Mickey the DLR build a bear. Of course, Sunshine the 18 year old stuffed cat is coming (it's his 5th trip too), but he's, erm, rather loved looking so not exactly decoration material.
*Decide on what to get in terms of clothes. I'm debating whether to get a cute Xmas t-shirt at Target or get an MVMCP shirt once I get there. Of course, I'm getting some sort of Mickey Santa hat (I still regret not getting one from my Xmas week trip in 1996.)
*Take MK popcorn bucket o'change to Coinstar. I tried lifting it up yesterday-it's HEAVY, and I rarely use cash. I'm planning on splitting it between cash and a Disneyshopping e-gift certificate. Done!

 

[DancinDaisyDuck]

I love Coinstar Machines! When I went to London last year I had $75. In pennies.

Great pre-trippie, it seems as though everything's coming together nicely for you!

 

[Hedy]

So remember how I ordered my MVMCP ticket last week? Remember how I'm going to MVMCP on my dad's death day?

My ticket came today....in an envelope addressed to my dad (I put it on my Disney visa, the reservation's linked to my cell phone)...I have no clue how my dad got in there. MamaKat put it as "talk about being there in spirit"...yeah.

 

[Hedy]

What does a DISer to when she's over two months out to her trip, her traveling partner* hasn't decided on a rental car (or any of her hotels yet. If she were reading this, she'd tell you I take after my grandmother and father in planning ahead). Why, she worries, of course:

There's the petty:
OMG! I can't eat at Pecos Bills the first day! Why not? Because it's one of the few CS open at MVMCP. Ok, Columbia Harbor House, then.
Oh, I should make an ADR for my lunch at Epcot that Sunday....but I got one that morning just fine the last time...oh no...should I eat at the new Italy? I liked Naples at DLR! No, dine with the princesses!
Oh, no, I'm going to the MK on Saturday, Epcot on Sunday, and AK EMH/MGM on Monday...I'm following the same schedule as my solo trip in 2006! Does that make me boring? Should I book the Fantasmic dinner package? There might be an issue like the last time (it was canceled Saturday and Sunday, so my reserved seating was quite nice). So you tell people on the boards to book the Fantasmic dinner package, but debate it for yourself? What was that song from Alice, again...I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it....
And the serious
It sounds like Yak and Yeti might not be open by my trip! Do I just plan on a CS at Animal Kingdom? I could just do a TS at MGM...but where...
Mom still won't tell me what she wants to do. I'm hoping when DisneyMSF and YoungestDB come home from their trip in Oct (their first trip home to AKV, squee) they'll mention some things that pique her interest.

In short:
Am trying to decide on an TS at Epcot-most likely Asherkus, Marrakesh or Rose and Crown.
Am still debating Fantasmic package/calling off Yak and Yeti and doing an AK CS.
Need to prod MamaKat to tell me what she wants to do.
Still not Princess.

 

[abbybeth]

*nudge, nudge* Princesses! *nudge, nudge*

 

[Hedy]

What does a DISer to when she's over two months out to her trip, her traveling partner* hasn't decided on a rental car (or any of her hotels yet. If she were reading this, she'd tell you I take after my grandmother and father in planning ahead). Why, she worries, of course:

There's the petty:
OMG! I can't eat at Pecos Bills the first day! Why not? Because it's one of the few CS open at MVMCP. Ok, Columbia Harbor House, then.
Oh, I should make an ADR for my lunch at Epcot that Sunday....but I got one that morning just fine the last time...oh no...should I eat at the new Italy? I liked Naples at DLR! No, dine with the princesses!
Oh, no, I'm going to the MK on Saturday, Epcot on Sunday, and AK EMH/MGM on Monday...I'm following the same schedule as my solo trip in 2006! Does that make me boring? Should I book the Fantasmic dinner package? There might be an issue like the last time (it was canceled Saturday and Sunday, so my reserved seating was quite nice). So you tell people on the boards to book the Fantasmic dinner package, but debate it for yourself? What was that song from Alice, again...I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it....
And the serious
It sounds like Yak and Yeti might not be open by my trip! Do I just plan on a CS at Animal Kingdom? I could just do a TS at MGM...but where...
Mom still won't tell me what she wants to do. I'm hoping when DisneyMSF and YoungestDB come home from their trip in Oct (their first trip home to AKV, squee) they'll mention some things that pique her interest.

In short:
Am trying to decide on an TS at Epcot-most likely Asherkus, Marrakesh or Rose and Crown.
Am still debating Fantasmic package/calling off Yak and Yeti and doing an AK CS.
Need to prod MamaKat to tell me what she wants to do.
Still not Princess.

*Re "traveling partner"-we went to NYC over labor day weekend, and stopped to spend the night in CT. Our hotel room was having issues-I stayed upstairs with our luggage while MamaKat went to the desk. An engineer was walking by and asked if he could help. I explained the situation, but being as I was not hatched yesterday, I wasn't about to announce to some random dude in an empty hotel hallway I was traveling with just my mother. "...my traveling partner is at the desk, but if you could help it would be great." Engineer fixes the door, radios down to the desk..."Room 1234 needed the key done, her partner is down there..."

 

[Hedy]

*nudge, nudge* Princesses! *nudge, nudge*

I just need to get over being a)twice everyone else's age at the lunch, and b)being a solo there.

 

[abbybeth]

I just need to get over being a)twice everyone else's age at the lunch, and b)being a solo there.

We didn't do the one at Norway, but we did breakfast at CRT ... I'd honestly say about 25% of the tables were adults only. And if Norway is set up like CRT, you'll be too busy eating and mingling with the girls to notice (or have anyone else notice) that you're solo-ing it up! And your waiter or the nice people the next table over will be more than happy to take pics!

we also did the Crystal Palace breakfast, and I'd say almost 50% of the tables were adults only ..

my rule is simple: If you want to do something do it - regardless of who you may or may not be with. You're putting out the money to have fun - don't let yourself or what you think other people might think stop you from having that fun!