"It's Time for the MONORAIL PUB CRAWL!" April 2013 Trip Report**COMPLETE 7/14

[rachel09985]

Hi everyone!!

I just got back on Monday from my 4 night, 5 day trip to Walt Disney World. I left April 11th and returned April 15th. We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside in a Royal Room.

My name is Rachel and this is my 3rd trip report!! I went with my Dis-friend Patty(emmebear) and her 3 year old daughter Emme. We met in January for the first time for 1.5 days when we found out we would be there the same time. We had so much fun that we planned a trip, thus the reason of this trip report.

I live in Minneapolis, originally from Ohio and Patty is from Jacksonville, so she gets to go to Disney a lot because she is so close. I have been obsessed with WDW for about 5 years after going back with my boyfriend in 2008.



I have a puppy named Lola who is a cockapoo.


And here are the stars of this Trip Report: Patty, Emme, and Rachel!



Can't wait to get this party started but first I have to upload my 1,100 pictures!!

Table of Contents

Thursday April 11th
Chapter 1 On My "Nightmarish" Way to WDW
Chapter 2 The ROOM!
Chapter 3 Finally Together!
Chapter 4 Hollywood Brown Derby
Chapter 5 Hollywood Studios Night of Fun Part 1
Chapter 6 Hollywood Studios Night of Fun Part 2

Friday April 12th
Chapter 1 Late...For a Very Important Date!
Chapter 2 1900 Park Fare
Chapter 3 FLOWERS!
Chapter 4 Stuck in Oz
Chapter 5 "Where are their eyes??"
Chapter 6 Beer and Margs
Chapter 7 More Booze!
Chapter 8 $400 Topiaries!
Chapter 9 Cameras in High Places
Chapter 10 Ending the night at Epcot

Saturday April 13th
Chapter 1 Late..to meet the Mouse
Chapter 2 Chef Mickey's Breakfast
Chapter 3 Shake it like a Salt Shaker!
Chapter 4 Shake it like a Salt Shaker II!
Chapter 5 Princess Meet and Greet Time
Chapter 6 More Princesses!
Chapter 7 Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade
Chapter 8 Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade part 2
Chapter 9 It's Tea Time Part 1
Chapter 10 It's Tea Time Part 2
Chapter 11 Monorail Pub Crawl Time
Chapter 12 The Dusky Hour
Chapter 13 Dessert Party Part 1
Chapter 14 Dessert Party Part 2 - Celebrate the Magic
Chapter 15 Dessert Party Part 3 - Wishes!
Chapter 16 Closing the night out at Magic Kingdom

Sunday April 14th
Chapter 1 I don't want that Vinylmation!
Chapter 2 Bangin' on the Drums
Chapter 3 Safari Time!
Chapter 4 Saana
Chapter 5 Hanging at the Pool
Chapter 6 Flying Fish
Chapter 7 The Best Ariel Interaction Ever!
Chapter 8 The End of PM EMH

Monday April 15th
Chapter 1 Be Our Guest Lunch
Chapter 2 Last Few Hours in WDW


Real Life Updates
Trip to PCB

 

[wdwgirl03]

Joining in!

 

[wiigirl]

Joining in!

 

[cheekypoppins]

Awesome,i have yet to meet a diser but i've met friends from another forum,and it's so nice to have people to talk to who get it.

 

[wiscbugs]

Ready for another great report!

 

[Niewoe]

I'm in!! Love that you made a DIS friend! Very cool!!

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

I think that's great that you made friends on the DIS. Joining in to hear all about your trip.

 

[rachel09985]

I apologize in advance but this is going to be a lengthy story!

I was scheduled to leave town(Southwest flight) on 11:20am on Thursday April 11th. The morning of April 10th I learned we were getting a Winter Storm Warning. At first we were only getting 6 inches but then it started creeping up to 10-12 inches. At first the warning was supposed to go to 11am then it got moved to 7pm.

I for surely thought there was no way I would be leaving that day. How could a flight possibly take off with all of that snow? I tried calling Southwest multiple times to switch flights but I would have to pay for the upgrade which was like $250. I didn't want to pay that not knowing if my flight wouldn't take off for sure. In order to move my flight SW would have to call a Travel Advisory. They did not have a travel advisory.

So I went about my day, ran some errands, got a pedicure in I'm All Ears, did some work, and packed. Still no travel advisory.

About 5pm I checked online and they had a travel advisory!!! I called to see if I could get on the 6:30 flight. No available seats

This entire day I was texting Patty(emmebear) that I wouldn't be making it on time and to just cancel Hollywood Brown Derby. She kept me positive and told me I would make it!

I went to sleep with no snow starting yet (it was supposed to be starting at 11pm). I did not sleep well at all and at 3:30 I woke up and looked outside and there was nothing on the ground. I decided then that I was getting to the airport early and trying to get on the 8am flight to Chicago then to Orlando. I got up then and got ready, showered, and finished packing. It started to sleet during this time and Corey(my boyfriend) and I left at 5:30. The roads were horrible. Just covered in this thick layer of slush! I got very down when I saw that.

I got to the airport and asked if I could move flights to an earlier flight. At first she didn't really say anything but then checked the 8am flight and could get me on that flight!!! It wasn't delayed yet but she said it might be delayed. I was soo excited but sooo nervous. I have never been so stressed. I just wanted to take off and get to Chicago. I was a wreck. I wanted to get to Disney on time. With such a short trip I wanted all Disney time possible.

I waited in the airport and checked work emails and just sat there anxiously awaiting. The sleet had turned to snow and it was coming down hard. Not much visibility.



There were a lot other flights taking off so I thought that was a good thing. Our flight was coming in from Chicago and it was a couple minutes late. Still no delay. We eventually got on the flight, it was my first time riding SW, and and I was so happy that I was on the flight.

Snow was getting worse..


Our flight left then stopped! Apparently we were stuck in snow. They had to wait for the plow to get us out.

Then we got stuck in the line to get de-iced. We finally took off after about an hour. Halleluiah! I had a nice man I sat next to and we were talking about my love for Disney. He wanted to know what I loved so much about Disney. I told him the environment, food, and just the fantasy of it. I know I shouldn't want to live in a fantasy world but you literally don't have to think about the real world when you are there and I love it so much.

In Chicago I was soo far away from my new terminal. I wanted to eat something but i didn't have time. In our terminal I went to get a coffee but their espresso machine was broken. We boarded soon after I got there and I was in an early boarding group and I got a window seat.



I checked my original flight and found out it didn't leave on time! In fact it was almost 2 hours late. Thankfully I made the right decision to get to the airport on time!


I finally made it to the Orlando airport and I couldn't believe I was there. I thought for sure I would be delayed or cancelled.

Fake monorail time!


The sky was beautiful! I was so happy I was going from 32 degree weather to 88.



I made it to the Magical Express check in and noticed they had new check in desks!! That is a much needed upgrade I think. They are super cute.



I was the only one in line for the line and I got in after 10 minutes to a pretty empty bus.



I was in the 2nd row.



My phone was almost dead so I used my new handy dandy pocket charger for my iphone to charge it. I highly recommend getting something like this product if you have an iphone.



I took a selfie of myself! My new lens is easy to take pictures of yourself because it is wider. Wow- I am pale. I got tan as the trip went on though.






I finally made it under the Welcome side!! Yay!



Next up: Check in at POR!

 

[rachel09985]

Joining in!

Thanks! Welcome!

Joining in!

Thanks for joining in!

Awesome,i have yet to meet a diser but i've met friends from another forum,and it's so nice to have people to talk to who get it.

It is super nice. We loved planning our trip together.

Ready for another great report!

Thanks for joining in!

I'm in!! Love that you made a DIS friend! Very cool!!

It was very cool!

I think that's great that you made friends on the DIS. Joining in to hear all about your trip.

Welcome!!! It was a fun time thats for sure!

 

[mercydisney]

Enjoying your trip report.

 

[jecskc]

I'm here !! Going back to read now.

Susan

 

[jecskc]

YAY for getting on an earlier flight. Good thinking, girl !!

Can't wait to see your POR photos !!

 

[emmebear]

hooray!!! you started!!


emme & i had an absolute blast with rachel! it was so nice to be with someone (minus a 3 year old) who enjoyed disney, photography & eating as much as me.


rachel & i are doing tandem dining reviews here.


can't wait to see all the pics you took on the big screen!! you got some wonderful photos!

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Joining in! I will admit, I am a bit jealous of how many times you've been to WDW lately! What a stressful first day, I'm glad that you managed to make it to WDW at a decent time.

 

[LizzieinDisney]

I'm in! Way to go with getting out before the snow!

 

[Cshel85]

Joining in!

 

[rachel09985]

Enjoying your trip report.

thanks for coming along for the ride. Happy to have you!

I'm here !! Going back to read now.

Susan

Susan- thanks for joining! Maybe one day our trips will cross!

YAY for getting on an earlier flight. Good thinking, girl !!

Can't wait to see your POR photos !!

It was good thinking Jill from the Dining thread and Patty both told me to go early so I am glad I listened to them.

hooray!!! you started!!


emme & i had an absolute blast with rachel! it was so nice to be with someone (minus a 3 year old) who enjoyed disney, photography & eating as much as me.


rachel & i are doing tandem dining reviews here.


can't wait to see all the pics you took on the big screen!! you got some wonderful photos!

Thanks for link! I like some of them but they always look better on that tiny camera screen. I do like a lot of my firework photos. I am glad I put my camera on that ledge and wedged it between the railing at the fireworks party.

Joining in! I will admit, I am a bit jealous of how many times you've been to WDW lately! What a stressful first day, I'm glad that you managed to make it to WDW at a decent time.

It was super stressful! Now that I have an annual pass I want to go at least 3 more times with my AP. I won't be renewing next year though

I'm in! Way to go with getting out before the snow!

I know I was soo happy! Thanks for joining!

Joining in!

Thanks for reading along

 

[Miss Potts]

I loved your last trip report! I'm excited to follow along with this one!!

Glad you made it to Disney - it's so stressful flying with winter weather!

 

[smile4stamps]

Oh yuck on the weather! This winter seems to be lasting forever for a lot of the country. My hubby is coming to visit me next week and he said yesterday that he might be delayed as Denver is to get yet ANOTHER snow storm. Hopefully he gets out of there because I miss him!

I love traveling SWA! The other time you can change flights without paying the upgrade is if your flight is delayed. A friend was able to get changed to an earlier flight once when hers would have gotten her in several hours later. Of course we had to go back to the airport for her bags but was still better than sitting at the airport for hours!

Can't wait to read more about your trip!

 

[rachel09985]

Patty and I contemplated many different options for hotels. We contemplated staying off site, staying at a value, staying at Coronado, staying at POR Royal Room, and lastly renting DVC Points and staying at AKL.

We finally decided on the Royal room, because it would be a little bigger than the Value and we figured we would love how girly these rooms are. Plus, it is easier to split the cost with 2 people. It made it affordable for us.

When we got to the hotel I could have sworn the person welcoming me out of the bus called me by my name??? Do they know who is on the magical express bus right when they come out??

Patty did express check in so I just had an easy check in. I just had to show my ID since it was under her name. They gave us a special welcome from Tiana. I decided to not open it and let Emme open it. Before I went to the room I needed to eat. I was starving and so thirsty.

I ordered the Cajun Chicken Sandwich with pasta salad and a diet coke. I dropped my original bun on the ground so I had to get a new one.





The chicken was very good and I loved the fresh toppings. The bun was hard and gross and dry so I didn't eat that. I loved the pasta salad. It was so cold and tasty. It was just tossed in basic italian but it was very good because of the veggies.

The pop I had tasted sooo good. I was so thirsty and I just love fountain pop. Just keep it on the down-low as Pepsi doesn't like me supporting Coke, lol!

Now I was on my way to my room! I was worried it would be far away because we were in Parterre, but it was actually close. It was just right across the bridge. The room buildings were so beautiful and did look like the south. I got lost going to my room though. I think were in room 9922. It was a corner room so I guess it was a little bigger.

I opened up the door and WOW I was amazed!!! I was like a giddy little 7 year old. It was beautiful and I could definitely tell that it was bigger than the value rooms.

I set my stuff down and went into paparazzi mode!





These beds were definitely the focal point of the room. The headboards were beautiful.



The princes have their own plaque.



The tv stand/chest was pretty big!



Loved the big double sink with the ledge.



Hi!



The shower curtain was designed for royalty. The story with these rooms is that princesses gave Tiana a gift. The shower curtain was from Ariel.





This picture was holographic and it was from Snow White.









These were from jasmine. I loved these faucets.



Each princess had a crown on the bedspread. Emme loved finding all of the princess crowns.

Aurora



Rapunzel



Ariel



Cinderella



Tiana



Jasmine



Belle



This coat hanger was from Cinderella.



About this time Patty was texting me telling me she was only 5 minutes away!! Yay, she was almost here!!! I decided to head downstairs and meet them. I let her know which building we were in so she could find it.