BFFs & Birthday Surprises! A "Girls Only" TR *Completed 3/13*

[PixieMama]

to my 1st Trip Report!

I spent 8 full days in WDW on a "Girls Only" trip and had a blast! This was my 5th visit to WDW… I've been twice as a kid, and DH and I have taken our DDs twice. But this was my first time visiting as an adult without my kids. It was definitely a different experience!

My trip was in two parts: I arrived on Wednesday, 8/31, and spent the next few days with my BFF, Angie, and our good friend, Kat.

Me and Angie:

And our Planner Extraordinaire, Kat:

Angie, Kat, and I stayed at Pop Century and had Free Dining. This was my third time using the Disney Dining Plan, but my first stay at Pop. DH, DDs, and I stayed at All-Star Movies on our previous trips. While DH and I both agree we're done staying at Value Resorts, I think our girls would love Pop!


The second half of my trip began on Sunday, 9/4, and was spent with my mom, my sister, Heather, and her BFF, Helen. Helen has a timeshare, so we stayed off-site in a gorgeous condo.

Heather and Helen:

My Mom:

This trip was planned in part to celebrate Mom's 60th birthday, so Heather and I decided we'd give Mom a birthday surprise each day of our trip.

And that's how this TR got its title: BFFs & Birthday Surprises!

If you'd like to get all the scoop on how my trip came about, you can check out my PTR: 4 Hot Mamas take on the World!


Or, for the (not so) condensed version:

My original plans were to arrive in WDW with Mom, Heather, and Helen on 9/4. As I mentioned, this trip was to celebrate Mom's birthday, but it was also Helen's first trip to WDW ever! Meanwhile, Angie, Kat, and I started talking about the three of us taking a trip. We initially thought about going in November, but the best time that would work for Kat was the last week of August… literally the week before my original trip was to begin. I knew my husband wouldn't be ok with my going on both trips, back-to-back (I would have been away from home 15 days!) …but I couldn't let my friends go to WDW without me! So the new plans were for Angie and Kat to arrive in WDW on 8/26, and I would fly down late on 8/31 in order to spend the last few days of their trip with them! Kat and Angie were to go back home on 9/4, which would be the day Mom, Heather, and Helen would arrive!

Now the the introductions are out of the way, let's get this TR started! Coming up... Arrival Day!

 

[PixieMama]

Introduction

Wednesday 8/31
Arrival Day!


Thursday 9/1
Nachos and churros and gift shops, oh my!
"The rain rain rain came down down down..."
PhotoPass pics - Day 1


Friday 9/2
Screamin', shootin', and singin' (but not in the rain!)
'Ohana means "family". It also means "I can't get enough of this delicious food".
PhotoPass pics - Day 2


Saturday 9/3
Putting the Park Hopper option to good use!
PhotoPass pics - Day 3


Sunday 9/4
One trip ends, and another begins!
Our "dee-luxe apartment in the sky"... FINALLY!


Monday 9/5
In which our heroine is serenaded by a rat.
Who knew walking around the World would take so long?
PhotoPass pics - Day 5


Tuesday 9/6
RnR, ToT, or TSM... don't make me choose a favorite!
Helen is the next American Idol... or is she?
PhotoPass pics - Day 6


Wednesday 9/7
A magical day at the Magic Kingdom
A magical ending to our magical day!
PhotoPass pics - Day 7


Thursday 9/8
I don't have a witty title for our day at AK.
Nor do I have one for our evening at Downtown Disney.
PhotoPass pics - Day 8


Friday 9/9
Departure Day and Final Thoughts

 

[ChattaAlley]

This should be fun - I'm in.

 

[jenneth79]

Welcome back! I'm in and looking forward to hearing how things went!

 

[TanzUnited99]

you started!!!

Great intro - am going to subscribe but then will be MIA for a couple of weeks for a good reason of course

Look forward to catching up after our trip

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I'm here! I'm here! Subbing and then reading!

 

[MARsMama]

Love the introduction and the photo of your Mom with Pluto!!

 

[PixieMama]

This should be fun - I'm in.

, ChattaAlley! Thanks for joining!

Welcome back! I'm in and looking forward to hearing how things went!

Thanks, Jen! The trip went great... we had a fabulous time! Albeit an exhausting one. I've been home for 3 days and I'm still worn out!

you started!!!

Great intro - am going to subscribe but then will be MIA for a couple of weeks for a good reason of course

Look forward to catching up after our trip

Yay, you're here, Tanz! Glad you made it over before leaving... hope you get a good night's sleep and have safe travels! Enjoy your first trip to WDW!

I'm here! I'm here! Subbing and then reading!

Hi, Karen! Thanks for joining!

 

[PixieMama]

Love the introduction and the photo of your Mom with Pluto!!

Thanks, MARsMama! Glad you're here!

 

[Kat in GA]

I'm here! And ready to add my two cents - and some pictures to your report!

 

[mrssmith06]

I'm here!! Can't wait to read all about your trip!

 

[PixieMama]

I'm here! And ready to add my two cents - and some pictures to your report!

Woohoo! And speaking of pictures... I think I'm finished editing the PhotoPass pics. I guess I'll just add those to this TR when I get them!

I'm here!! Can't wait to read all about your trip!

Yay! Glad you're here, Melissa!

 

[PixieMama]

Wednesday morning started out just like any other day: I got up about 30 minutes after DH left for work, got DDs out of bed and fed them breakfast, packed their lunches and took them to school. BUT… this was no ordinary day. This was the day I was going to Disney World!!!

DH worked half a day so he could drive me to the airport; it was about 12:30 when he got home. The two of us ate some lunch and then it was time to leave!

I wanted to leave our house by 2:00 so that we'd get to the airport by 2:30. My flight wasn't until 3:59, but I wanted to be absolutely sure to get there in plenty of time. DH and I didn't leave our house until about 2:20, though. Which means I was getting anxious! I'm not a big fan of flying anyway, so I was already nervous… and getting a late start just had me thinking I was for sure going to miss my flight. But I had nothing to worry about, as you'll find out shortly…

It was about 10 'til 3 when DH dropped me off at the airport. Since I had completed my online check-in and printed my boarding passes, I went directly to the gates. Even though Chattanooga has a small airport, it took about 30 minutes to get through security! There were only 4 or 5 people in front of me, but the TSA agents were checking everything. And I mean, EVERYthing. Every suitcase and bag was opened and rifled through by hand, no bags went through any scanner. When it came to be my turn, everything in my tote bag was taken out and inspected… cosmetic case, sunglass case, camera case, phone, every pocket, nook and cranny!

I finally made my way to the gate and sat down to wait. I think I was sitting there for about 20 minutes when it was announced my flight would be delayed 30 minutes. So all that worrying about getting to the airport late was for nothing!

The flight to Charlotte began boarding around 4:15, and (thankfully) it was a pretty uneventful flight. The plane landed around 5:50, and I went to locate the gate for my next flight and to find something for dinner.

My flight to Orlando was scheduled to leave at 8:00, and this one was on time! Boarding began promptly at 7:30… I don't recall the time I landed (I think it was about 9:15 or so) but I did note that I was in line for the Magical Express bus by 9:30! Woohoo!

It took just a few minutes to get through the line and actually on the bus, but we waited 20 or 30 minutes for the bus to fill up. The bus first stopped at Caribbean Beach, and then it was on to Pop! I made it to the resort around 10:45. Not bad, as I was hoping to get there by 11!

Angie and Kat had driven to Animal Kingdom Lodge for their dinner at Boma… I called Angie as I was getting off the bus, and the two of them were just pulling into the Pop parking lot… talk about perfect timing!

Our room was in the 80's section… number 7171, right in front of the Computer Pool. Here are a few pics I took the next morning:

I know Angie, Kat, and I stayed up for awhile, talking and catching up… not sure what time we went to bed, but I don't think we stayed up too late since we'd be up early to make rope drop at Epcot the next morning. At least, that was the plan… did we make it? Stay tuned to find out!

 

[MARsMama]

Can't wait to hear more!!!

I'm nervous about going through security at the airport. It's been so long since I've flown I don't know what to expect, and I hate that feeling. With the five of us makes me stress 5 times as much!!!

 

[beebeeryan]

woohoo I'm here, can't wait to hear more and live vicariously through you! I remember your comment on my FB post saying you were on ME when I was sitting on my balcony at the CR enjoying a drink and my last night staring at the castle!

 

[jenneth79]

Good note about airport security! I'm going to make sure my carryon is super organized so I don't end up with a jumbled mess getting on the plane.

I like that you all got some time to chat and catch up... that's often some of the best memories from trips!

 

[Shannon84]

I'm here enjoying the TR so far!!

 

[lbuzz52]

joining in.

sounds like security was in a fowl mood that day. or maybe they had a big wig watching them.
I didn't realize you were in TN- i'm on the other side of the state!

 

[Nermel9]

Hey I'm here, sorry it took me so long! Love the TR so far, ugh, the airport security sounds obnoxious...however, after watching so many 9/11 shows this past weekend, I'd much rather them search through everything, than miss something important! This is why I'm a crazy person when it comes to getting to the airport early! Did you have to go through the scanners?

Looks like you got a great room at Pop, did you like that location?

 

[PixieMama]

I'm nervous about going through security at the airport. It's been so long since I've flown I don't know what to expect, and I hate that feeling. With the five of us makes me stress 5 times as much!!!

Good note about airport security! I'm going to make sure my carryon is super organized so I don't end up with a jumbled mess getting on the plane.

Last year (or maybe it was the year before last?) I flew out of the Nashville airport to Las Vegas... and then from Las Vegas back. You'd think with those being big airports, going through security would take longer, right? I guess because the bigger airports ran the bags through scanners, it didn't take very long. But at CHA, they were doing all the checking by hand.

woohoo I'm here, can't wait to hear more and live vicariously through you! I remember your comment on my FB post saying you were on ME when I was sitting on my balcony at the CR enjoying a drink and my last night staring at the castle!

We were like two ships passing in the night, weren't we? Bummer that we just missed each other!

I'm here enjoying the TR so far!!

Thanks, Shannon! Glad you're here!

joining in.

sounds like security was in a fowl mood that day. or maybe they had a big wig watching them.
I didn't realize you were in TN- i'm on the other side of the state!

Thanks for joining, Lauren!

I have no idea if the agents checking everything by hand is the norm for our little airport or not. The last time I flew out of CHA was way back in 2000, and I know they just scanned every carry-on.

And sing it with me: "It's a small world, after all!"

Hey I'm here, sorry it took me so long! Love the TR so far, ugh, the airport security sounds obnoxious...however, after watching so many 9/11 shows this past weekend, I'd much rather them search through everything, than miss something important! This is why I'm a crazy person when it comes to getting to the airport early! Did you have to go through the scanners?

Looks like you got a great room at Pop, did you like that location?

Yay, you're here, Jen!

Very true, I'd rather the TSA be very thorough! Yes, I still had to walk through a metal detector. But all the carry-on bags were opened and checked by hand. Those didn't go through any machine.

Our room location was ok. Ground floor and close to the bus waiting area, but also close to the computer pool. Which wouldn't have been so bad had there not been guests in the pool until 1:00 in the morning most nights! Tough to get to sleep when there are noisy people literally right outside your door.