Year of the Mouse – An AP TR -Leap Day PTR

[IndayMichelle]

Mantra: I will finish this trip report.
I will finish this trip report. I will not start a PTR and not finish it. Not this year! It’s a brand new year and I have an AP to prove it!

So let’s start with me.

My name is Michelle. I live in Seattle, WA. I love Hello Kitty, classic rock, eating, knitting, Momiji (more on that later), and all things Disney. My favorite character is Tinkerbell and my favorite Disney movies are Bambi and Mary Poppins. My favorite DLR attractions are Peter Pan's Flight and Storybook Canal.

Supporting Roles

Kogal is my travelling companion. She is a Momiji doll. Momiji are small, collectable resin dolls. Right now I have over 40 dolls. Kogal lives in my purse. I take her picture for a photoblog.. She’s been to Disneyland before. I’ve taken her to Vancouver, L.A., Chicago, and all over Seattle. I will have to cut back on my Momiji collecting if I am going to be able to afford multiple trips to DLR and WDW this year.

Joy is my cousin. She is the monster I have created. She went to DLR once in high school for one day. I invited her for my birthday trip last July and now she’s hooked! I think she’s crazier than I am. She refuses to take naps…
Her favorite ride is Space Mountain. She will stop at nothing to ride it multiple times a day. She is calculating and manipulative when it comes to getting you to ride Space Mountain.

This is B. He’s my DBF. He’s a rockstar and a CM. Seattle guys work for tech companies and moonlight as drummers and guitarists in indie bands. Well, my Seattle guy does. He works for Disney in Seattle. Go.com was a Seattle based company when Disney acquired it. DBF is awesome because he brings the Disney swag home to feed his little Disney addict. He doesn’t like to come on Disney vacays with me as much. He said it’s because he’s around it everyday at work. We’ll be going to WDW together for Easter to spend it with his family. THEY understand my Disney obsession. DBF, not so much.
B loves Nightmare Before Christmas, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars.

The Annual Pass
When DBF asked me what I wanted for Christmas I told him I wanted an AP. I already planned on going to DLR the first weekend in January with Joy. I had plans of visiting DLR at two more times in 2012 so I thought the AP would be a good investment. I’m upgrading the AP to a Premier pass since I have two WDW trips planned.

I have seven trips planned for 2012.
-DLR in January for the holidays DONE
-DLR in February/March for One More Disney Day
-WDW in April for Easter with DBF’s family
-DLR in May for a (so far) solo trip
-WDW in June at the new Art of Animation Resort for a family reunion
- DLR in October for Mickey’s Halloween Party
-DLR in November for Girls’ L.A. weekend

SOOO much to do and SOOO much money to save.
I have decided to cut back on a lot of things this year. I usually go to the theatre often and see a lot of concerts. There will be no theatre and very few concerts for me in 2012. There will also be very little eating out. I’m not giving it up completely, mostly because I’m a have a sushi problem and I don’t know how to make my own!

Airfare from Seattle to SNA, LGB, and ONT isn’t all that bad. I have frequent flyer miles that I used for my February/March DLR trip and my June WDW trip. I am also using a Living Social deal for my May DLR trip. Retro rates at Hojo and other specials are making for affordable lodging. I’ve found rental cars for $15.00 a day, too!

I’m really excited to share my finished January trip and plan for my upcoming ones!

UP NEXT: Past trips and my January holiday trip intro.

 

[tksbaskets]

I'm in! B likes all my favorite rides. Looking forward to hearing about your adventures!

 

[mvf-m11c]

I'll be in on your amazing adventures this year.

 

[IndayMichelle]

I'm in! B likes all my favorite rides. Looking forward to hearing about your adventures!

Hooray! Most of B's t-shirts were souvies from Star Trader's

I'll be in on your amazing adventures this year.

Thanks for following! Brett I'm think I saw you at DCA when B and I went for the holidays. But you were heading somewhere at a fast pace!

So a little trip down memory lane is in order.

 

[IndayMichelle]

Past Trips

I went to WDW for the first time when I was in high school. I went with my parents and my little brother. It was the first family vacation we had ever taken, and my mom had spared no expense. We stayed at the CR. We saw every dinner show. We bought every photo and were allowed every souvenir. It was our first vacation and my mom made sure it was magic.

My first trip to DLR was very different from my trip to WDW. I went with my best friend and her now husband. It was the first vacation we’d ever been on as adults. We ate fast food and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We stayed at the Super 8 and collected pressed pennies as souvies. It was vacay light, but I loved every minute!

Best friend and her now husband got engaged in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle on our next DLR trip. They were married at the Japan Pavilion at Epcot in 2008. The wedding trip was my first Disney trip with B. I learned on that trip that he could never be the Disney fanatic I was, and that it okay. I could go when I wanted!

With Ariel in 2006

Madamoiselle Marie et moi en 2008

B, me, Cindy, best friend and her DH two days before her DFTW

Minnie in her formal attire at my best friend’s DFTW

Girls’ trip in April 2011

Birthday at Ariel’s Grotto with Joy

First ride on the new Star Tours!

B’s first meeting with Duffy

Nieces’ first trip to DLR

Post KRR


NEXT UP: Joy is nuts! First day at DLR in 2012!

 

[tksbaskets]

Great pics! B doesn't have to be as nuts about Disney but he sounds like my DH and he's happy to indulge his sweetie.

Can't wait for more

 

[mvf-m11c]

Thanks for following! Brett I'm think I saw you at DCA when B and I went for the holidays. But you were heading somewhere at a fast pace!

So a little trip down memory lane is in order.

You did say back in my 2010 Solo Holiday trip that you and B saw my backpack with the LGMH at DCA right by the former Mission Tortilla factory if I remember correctly. I was just walking very fast during that day looking for any Holiday related decorations.

Glad that you started your own TR and can't wait to read more.

 

[IndayMichelle]

Ack! I have to remember my mantra!

B and I packed up the dog and kitties and moved to a new house today! After almost an hour on the phone with our cable internet provider, we're up and running. Day one up soon!

I needed my Dis fix!

 

[tksbaskets]

Ack! I have to remember my mantra!

B and I packed up the dog and kitties and moved to a new house today! After almost an hour on the phone with our cable internet provider, we're up and running. Day one up soon!

I needed my Dis fix!

Congrats on the new home! So glad your cable and internet are up and running now. Looking forward to more of your report.

 

[kaoden39]

I don't know why I didn't see this before. I am here now!!

 

[IndayMichelle]

January 2012ay One

Actually this is more like day zero and day one.

While our first park day was a Thursday, Joy and I flew in to Ontario on Wednesday night. After a ceremonial stop at In-N-Out, we were on our way to the land!

This was a very big deal. I have never rented a car before. I have always been the one who never wanted to drive in an unfamiliar area. I also have never driven in the state of California before.

The drive only took about 30 minutes. It was after midnight and there was hardly anyone on the road. We arrived at the Cortona Inn just before one AM. I was too exhausted to take room photos for the Dis. The hotel was nice enough. It was clean and quiet. My only complaint was that they didn’t have a luggage rack. We set our alarm for six so we could leave by seven.

I woke up to Joy standing over me saying my name. “Michelle! I’m too excited”

“What time is it?”

“5:30.”

I told you Joy is nuts! Creepy cousin standing over me. Jeez. Only THREE HOURS OF SLEEP? Argh.

After getting ready we hopped over to the hotels’ complimentary breakfast. It had the usual cold continental fare. We each grabbed a muffin and an apple and off we went.

We left for Mickey and Friends at seven, and arrived at the turnstiles at 7:40.

Joy’s first trip on the tram.

Wearing ears!

Giant tree!

Gingerbread….::drool::

Salam from Agrabah.

After riding Space Mountain TWICE (that Joy!) and feverishly hoarding fast passes, we decided to try out the breakfast at River Belle Terrace. It was delish! We headed to DCA to hoard a few more fast passes.

Kogal getting ready to meet the Muppets.

Here’s where the stinky stuff hit the fan. Joy and I bought lanyards and those little plastic thingies to put our ticket/AP and FPs in. We then got in line to ride KRR.

Joy’s plastic thingy broke off of her lanyard and was lost in the water on KRR! We went to Guest Services where they gave her a one day park hopper, but said she’d need to go to lost and found to file a lost ticket report. They were, however, able to replace FPs to ToT, Space, Indie, Splash, and HMH! Best of all, the FPs were good for up to six people! Lots of opportunities to pay it forward.

Even better than that, lost and found was able to replace Joy’s 3 day park hopper. She bought it online and saved the email. She showed the CM at lost and found her email and boom! We were on our merry way!

We met a family of four from Hawaii who rode Splash with us. We rode ToT with a family of three from southern Oregon. A local family of three rode went with us on Indie, and a San Diego family of four went with us to HMH.

Exhausted, we ate dinner at Plaza Inn and stayed to watch the fireworks. Then, because Joy is NUTS, we used our last FP at Space. We somehow made it back to the Cortona Inn, and to bed. What a day!

UP NEXT: Jolly Holiday Bakery, Billy Hill, WoC and Munchkin’s 1st visit!

 

[IndayMichelle]

Congrats on the new home!

Thank you! We moved from a townhouse to a house. Now we only have one bathroom But fewer bathrooms to clean...

I don't know why I didn't see this before. I am here now!!

Hooray! I like Micheles/Michelles. Especially yarn crafty ones who love animals and RPGs You're leaving soon! I'm so excited for you!

 

[kaoden39]

So glad she kept the email!! Wow!!

 

[kaoden39]

Thank you! We moved from a townhouse to a house. Now we only have one bathroom But fewer bathrooms to clean...



Hooray! I like Micheles/Michelles. Especially yarn crafty ones who love animals and RPGs You're leaving soon! I'm so excited for you!

Oh yeah we are!! My DH turned to me earlier and said "oh my gosh we are leaving in a week!!"

 

[IndayMichelle]

So glad she kept the email!! Wow!!

Seriously! She said she'll never ride GRR again. I told her it wasn't the ride, it was the little plastic pouch thingy. Mine broke too. The little plastic sliding thingy came off and wouldn't open anymore. We had to rip a hole in the bottom to get my AP out!

I wonder where I can buy a sturdy little plastic pouch for the lanyard. I go to a lot of conventions where they give you badges, but a lot of them don't use a pouch. They usually just print the badges on plastic.

 

[kaoden39]

Seriously! She said she'll never ride GRR again. I told her it wasn't the ride, it was the little plastic pouch thingy. Mine broke too. The little plastic sliding thingy came off and wouldn't open anymore. We had to rip a hole in the bottom to get my AP out!

I wonder where I can buy a sturdy little plastic pouch for the lanyard. I go to a lot of conventions where they give you badges, but a lot of them don't use a pouch. They usually just print the badges on plastic.

I have an idea. Look in the sporting section in a store that sells fishing licences. They usually have pouches in those for people to put their fishing licences in them.

 

[IndayMichelle]

I have an idea. Look in the sporting section in a store that sells fishing licences. They usually have pouches in those for people to put their fishing licences in them.

Genius! Disney vacations should be considered an extreme sport. I always end up at REI!

 

[kaoden39]

Genius! Disney vacations should be considered an extreme sport. I always end up at REI!

Oh they are an extreme sport!!

 

[IndayMichelle]

Oh they are an extreme sport!!

Now when I'm planning vacays I'm going to tell B that I'm "working out" or "conditioning for the main event."



I wish making spreadsheets and watching Lady and the Tramp gave me muscles!

 

[tksbaskets]

Now when I'm planning vacays I'm going to tell B that I'm "working out" or "conditioning for the main event."



I wish making spreadsheets and watching Lady and the Tramp gave me muscles!

You do get your exercise on a Disney vacation that's for sure! Looking forward to more of your TR....HINT