Movies & DREAMs 1/13 (Recent 11/18) Castaway Cay & MK

[Marshay]

Post Trip Report starts on Page 5, Post #67. Table of Contents in Post #2

Hi! Welcome to my PTR. This is my 10th TR on DIS and welcome back to all my old friends and hello to my new friends.

We leave for WDW via the Autotrain on 1/12 and arrive back 12 days later. This will be an awesome trip!

But first let me introduce myself. I am Marsha, a SAHM mom who loves Disney, plays competitive volleyball, scrapbooks and is a Girl Scout Troop Leader. Here I am in July at Disney when I took just my oldest daughter on a trip to WDW for our double birthdays (we were born on the same day!)

My DD7 Rachel loves Disney nearly as much as I do. Her favorite characters are Rapunzel and Tiana and Brer Rabbit. She loves Expedition Everest and is my little artist. Here she is getting her hair done to become a Mermaid in The Pirate's League.

DD3 is just a bundle of joy ... or terror, as is typical of her age. She loves riding Aladdin's Magic Carpets and looks forward to riding Dumbo (it was down when we went last January).

Her favorite character is Sleeping Beauty -- which I credit back to when she was 9 months old and Aurora planted a big ole kiss on her forehead! If you look on her forehead, you'll see the lipstick mark she left on my DD. Aurora was never one of my favorite princesses, but now she is quite popular in our household.

DH is a wonderful guy who loves his family and works hard so we can go to Disney each year. He loves the more wild rides of Disney and just people watching and taking photos.

 

[Marshay]

PreTrip Report
Our Plans, Page 2, Post #23


POST Trip Report
AutoTrain to Disney, Page 5, Post #67
More AutoTrain to Disney, Page 5, Post #75
DHS & Nemo Pool, Page 7 #91
This is Just the Pretend Disney, Page 7 #99
AK The Oasis and Big as a Barn, Page 7 #103
DCL Dream, Page 8, #107
Flamingo Chest Thumpin', Page 8, #108
Castaway Cay and MK, Page 8, #116-120

 

[Marshay]

I've been to WDW over 30 times (lost count) and my DD7 has been 10 times, so you know we go alot. It really started when my DH suggested that we purchase DVC. And he was not the Disney freak.

He still isn't but he does enjoy seeing his family enjoy it so much. So I always try to do new things on each trip to help keep the fun and excitement going. It also helps that we don't have to go commando anymore and can take our time.

OK, here are our plans:

We are taking the AutoTrain from Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL on Saturday, Jan 12th, arriving Sunday, Jan 13th.

Then we will check into the newest resort -- Art of Animation, which is built entirely as if you were in the movies of Finding Nemo, Cars, Lion King and Little Mermaid. Rachel and I had a chance to explore and take the tour of this resort in July ... and I knew that we needed to come back and stay in one of their suites. We decided to go with Lion King, since we liked the decor and theme (and Little Mermaid is just a regular room).

We'll stay here for 4 nights and then head over to Port Canaveral to board the Disney DREAM cruise ship for our very first DCL cruise!

This is a 3 night cruise to Nassau, Bahamas and will be a fun introduction to cruising.

Then we'll spend 2 nights at BLT with a water view before boarding the AutoTrain to go back to cold Virginia.

Want to come along on our journey?

 

[DisneyStitch626]

I am here! I can't wait to hear about all the fun! Especially the cruise, since we'd really like to do this some day. Sounds like so much fun!

 

[Marshay]

I am here! I can't wait to hear about all the fun! Especially the cruise, since we'd really like to do this some day. Sounds like so much fun!

Hey! You are the first person to post -- which means you even beat Kelly!! Welcome!

I've had my eye on the DCL cruise for a while now...then when our friends bailed out from joining us last January, that gave us a few more DVC points to carry over into this year. So it made the 3 night really affordable! We used points for DH, Me and DD7 and only paid OOP for DD3 who was super cheap (plus a $95 administrative fee).

Of course if we get hooked on cruising and want to take a longer trip, I'm wondering how that will work AND still go to the parks...

 

[Trentmom]

I am here

I am very excited to hear all about AOA and the Disney Cruise

This should be a great report

 

[TruBlu]

Subbing... Can't wait to read all about it!

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[hoffmann2828]

Hi Marsha! Subbing, although we're going at the same time so I might not get a chance to read/post until we return. Can't wait to meet you Girl Scouts! I was thinking we could meet on the bridge near International Gateway? Bridges are very cool for GS, and there is a photopass guy there!

 

[Marshay]

I am here

I am very excited to hear all about AOA and the Disney Cruise

This should be a great report

Yay! You made it. I look forward to sharing with you

 

[Marshay]

Subbing... Can't wait to read all about it!

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

Welcome! January is going to be great!

 

[Marshay]

Hi Marsha! Subbing, although we're going at the same time so I might not get a chance to read/post until we return. Can't wait to meet you Girl Scouts! I was thinking we could meet on the bridge near International Gateway? Bridges are very cool for GS, and there is a photopass guy there!

Yay! Yes, I can't wait to meet up with you, and Rachel is very excited to meet the Girl Scouts and trade patches!

The bridge location sounds great..that overlooks France, right?

What time do you want to meet? We are in Epcot that day, just need to decide if we are sleeping in and going for late afternoon and evening or getting up early and leaving mid afternoon.

 

[hoffmann2828]

Yay! Yes, I can't wait to meet up with you, and Rachel is very excited to meet the Girl Scouts and trade patches!

The bridge location sounds great..that overlooks France, right?

What time do you want to meet? We are in Epcot that day, just need to decide if we are sleeping in and going for late afternoon and evening or getting up early and leaving mid afternoon.

How about 4 or 5 pm? Yes, the one by France. . We'll be in Epcot that day too.

 

[ButterflyJen]

Subbing from the Jan thread . You get home the day before we leave so I can't wait to read all your live reports!!!

 

[hotveggy]

We are there now and staying at AoA in a Nemo suite. The kids are loving it! Hope you have a great trip!

 

[Marshay]

Subbing from the Jan thread . You get home the day before we leave so I can't wait to read all your live reports!!!

Welcome! I'll have photos on FB/group most likely...not sure I will get photos up on DIS since it just takes too long, but will definitely report back! I know you are getting so excited for your trip!!

We are there now and staying at AoA in a Nemo suite. The kids are loving it! Hope you have a great trip!

Welcome! Oh, you must tell me what is a "not to be missed" at the resort!! Have an awesome time!!

 

[Marshay]

How about 4 or 5 pm? Yes, the one by France. . We'll be in Epcot that day too.

Sounds great! Let's do 4:45pm.

We are going to do Epcot EMH that morning but leave around 12 noon to go back to nap or swim if it's nice or just hang out at AoA. Then we'll return to Epcot for the DIS/Girl Scout Meet and eat at Biergarten that night at 5:30pm.

I'll PM you my info so we can contact each other in case something changes.

 

[pld5]

Hi Marsha! I'm looking forward to your report! While I'm not traveling the same time as you this year (going in February instead), you helped provide such great information prior to our January trip last year, that I'm hoping to get some extra useful tips again.

The cruise sounds so exciting. I actually picked up a cruise brochure in the fall after saying for most of my life that I would never do one. Well, except for those years I was watching Love Boat of course. I can't wait to hear your experience with it.

Patty

 

[Marshay]

Hi Marsha! I'm looking forward to your report! While I'm not traveling the same time as you this year (going in February instead), you helped provide such great information prior to our January trip last year, that I'm hoping to get some extra useful tips again.

The cruise sounds so exciting. I actually picked up a cruise brochure in the fall after saying for most of my life that I would never do one. Well, except for those years I was watching Love Boat of course. I can't wait to hear your experience with it.

Patty

Hey, Patty! Welcome! Once again we are going close to each other. We are doing January again b/c we bought AP last Jan 2012 and this will be our 2nd/3rd trip in one year on our AP. Our passes expire the day before we leave! So planned this one really close.

I feel better prepared for January -- crowd-wise and weather-wise on this trip ... but the whole DCL Cruise thing is so off my radar and comfort level -- I know the NEXT cruise, I will be better prepared. But we are just hoping to have a lot of fun and realize that just like the parks, you can't do it all in one cruise, let alone a short 3 night cruise!

And Yes, images of The Love Boat are definitely in my head. I grew up watching that with my mom!! Along with Fantasy Island!

 

[DisneyOHFan]

Welcome! January is going to be great!

The days are flying by and it will be here before you know it

 

[Marshay]

The days are flying by and it will be here before you know it

I know! Can't wait to meet you on the Dream next week!!