Ready, Set, Let the Games Begin! - Link to new PTR/TR!

franandaj

I'm so happy, I could BOUNCE!
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Welcome to another franandaj TR/PTR. For those of you who know me, you can rest assured that this will be a report full of laidback fun, lots of food porn, and plenty of surprises, and probably a little bit of shopping too!

If you haven’t joined me before, please feel free to check out the links in my signature to past escapades. We had a couple years off from traveling due to medical issues, but since November 2012, we have been traveling as strong as ever!

Let me introduce the characters. This is me (Alison) and my partner Fran. We have been traveling together for well over 15 years now, we are DVC members, we are working our way up to Gold Castaway Club members and we enjoy all sorts of culinary endeavors from Diners, Drive Ins and Dives to Five Star Cuisine.





However, in this particular production there is going to be a whole host of supporting roles. Let me explain how this all got started and introduce the others. Way back several years ago around 2011, PrincessInOz got this idea that those of us folks who like to hang out on the DIS Games Board, should try and plan a 3D meet at WDW. Being from down under, a trip to the world takes some time in planning, so she suggested a two year time frame and we decided to focus on the end of September/beginning of October as that fit well in the Australian School Holiday Calendar.

In the beginning, we had as many as a dozen folks from the games board considering this holiday and we even set up a thread on the boards for folks to join in and plan the trip. Slowly but surely conflicting schedules, finances and other realities of life set in for many of the folks, and we were left with our core crew.

PIO and her family (that's Fran and me there too, we'd be happy if she would adopt us, but I don't think we can move down under :rotfl:)



Bobbiwoz (quite a regular here on the DVC boards)

d6d10b9e4adfe2dc95388daf6c1a68f1_zpsbe08dfdd.jpg


And of course, yours truly. I’m the one on the left if you couldn’t tell.



So about a year out from the trip, we realized that we needed to settle in and lock down some dates, 11-month window and all.

We settled in on September 29 – October 7 at WDW, and I booked the BCV for PIO and her family. Fran and I will spend the first three nights at VWL and then move to BCV on October 2nd. Bobbiwoz will be arriving October 2nd and also joining us at the BCV until she departs on October 6th.

As we were settling in on our activities, a few Floridians caught wind of our shenanigans and thought it would be fun to come join us for the weekend activities. SunDial will be joining us from 2-3 hours away, and TiffanyD from Tampa and her DH will also be coming in Friday evening and staying for two nights.

While the gamers have scheduled quite a few events that we will enjoy together, we also have some “family” time to ourselves as well. I will talk about what Fran and I plan to do and how that will overlap with the other DISers.

Our WDW plans look like this.

Sun – Sept 29 Arrive VWL via DME, groceries delivered via WeGoShop. Dinner in the room.

Mon – Sept 30 9:00AM Breakfast at 1900 Park Fare (Strawberry Soup Heaven!), meet up with PIO and dhorner at MK, Dinner at Narcoosies

Tues – Oct 1 No plans whatsoever, but we’ll probably have dinner in the room, something easy like sloppy joes.

Wed – Oct 2 Today is our day to switch to the BCV, we’ll probably hang out until 11AM when we have to check out and then head over to Epcot to snack from the Kiosks. Dinner is 5:45PM at Raglan Road with PIO and her family.

Thurs – Oct 3 Today we have an 8:00AM ADR at Cape May with PIO & her family, and Bobbiwoz & her sister. We will probably relax at the resort for a bit before heading back to Epcot and the kiosks. We have a reservation at the Hollywood Brown Derby at 3:50PM for the F! dining package, hopefully there will be a cancellation, and we can eat a little later, if not, we’ll survive. Then 8PM Fantasmic! This might be a good night to visit Jelly Rolls after F!

Fri – Oct 4 We’ll have a lazy wake up this morning (especially if we go to Jelly Rolls the night before!) and visit the kiosks at Epcot until the local crowds start to fill up the park. It will be off to the Contemporary for dinner at the Wave at 6PM with PIO & fam, Bobbiwoz & sis, plus we will be joined by TiffanyD & DH, and SunDial. From dinner we will board a pontoon boat for our Hallowishes cruise!

Sat – Oct 5 Another lazy morning today. I’m hoping that they will offer the Grand Mariner tasting as a Special Event in Epcot and plan to book it if I can. Traditionally it starts at 2:30PM. After that we are planning a cookout at the quiet pool at the BCV. It’s going to be a potluck, and so far we’ve worked out quite a menu. I’ll have more on that one in a later post.

Sun – Oct 6 This is another with absolutely no plans. We’re considering making an ADR for the evening. The kiosks will be mobbed with the locals, so Epcot is out. We’re leaving our options open for the time being.

Mon – Oct 7 Today is departure day. As much as we would like to stay longer, we have another obligation and need to be back on a plane Wednesday morning to travel to a new destination, so we are booked on a 1PM flight from MCO to LAX and will depart on DME at about 10AM.

While this is our WDW portion of the trip there is still more, or should I say, there is a “preview performance”. For those of you who are not familiar with the travel habits of the Aussies, most figure if they are spending the time, effort and money to travel “across the pond”, they better make the most of it. While PIO has only a week in WDW, her journey begins nearly three weeks before that. If you like, you can read all about her plans at

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2958450

But, before that whole adventure gets started, Fran and I will be spending two days with PIO and her family at the park where it all started, Disneyland! We are staying at the VGC for two nights in September to help kick off the whole party, so I’ll be reporting on those fun times here as well!

I may throw in a few other Disney related stories and updates since I have plans to meet a lot of DISers out at the DLR in the next six months. Hopefully you’ll be following along and can chime in on our meets and fun along the way!

Don’t be shy come in and join in the fun, because win or lose, we’re just here to have fun playing the game!
 
First because I'm a geek with no life. :cool1: Actually I'm helping Gabby with an AP Euro paper and she's sighting her work. Now I'll go back and read. :lmao:
 
Looks like its going to be an amazing trip! And Disneyland first? :cool1:

Love the photos of you and Fran on this last cruise. The formal one is too cute. You both look relaxed and that you're having a great time.

This is one of those trips I wish I was going on. :goodvibes

8 am ADR? At first I would have doubted your ability to make it :rotfl: but after reading your last DVC report, you can do it and did do it. I can't believe how many openings you made. :cheer2:
 


This is going to be quite a bit of fun. I will have camera or cameras in hand to capture all of the incriminating evidence.

I will be there atleast one day on the 28th or 29th maybe both to meet Denise and her cousin. Then back up the following weekend to meet everyone else and do the Wishes cruise. I have never done that before. You figure being so close i would have done everything a few times over.
 
8 am ADR? At first I would have doubted your ability to make it :rotfl: but after reading your last DVC report, you can do it and did do it. I can't believe how many openings you made. :cheer2:


Speaking from first hand experience, I have no doubt 8 am is doable for Fran and Alison. They got up at 6 am in order to get me to DLR for rope drop in November.

And I did try for a slightly later time but that was the time the CM gave me over the phone.
 


This is going to be quite a bit of fun. I will have camera or cameras in hand to capture all of the incriminating evidence.

I will be there atleast one day on the 28th or 29th maybe both to meet Denise and her cousin. Then back up the following weekend to meet everyone else and do the Wishes cruise. I have never done that before. You figure being so close i would have done everything a few times over.

Don't forget that we're expecting you for the Potluck as well.
 
Speaking from first hand experience, I have no doubt 8 am is doable for Fran and Alison. They got up at 6 am in order to get me to DLR for rope drop in November.

And I did try for a slightly later time but that was the time the CM gave me over the phone.

I was just being funny. :blush: She always says they're not morning people. ;) You all have such a great trip planned! :woohoo:
 
I was just being funny. :blush: She always says they're not morning people. ;) You all have such a great trip planned! :woohoo:

It was my turn to be funny....only stirring back (at you!!) :stir:

I know....she says she's not morning people so I was surprised to see them up at that hour. She even BEAT me up!!! And I say I'm a morning person. :lmao:
 
First because I'm a geek with no life. :cool1: Actually I'm helping Gabby with an AP Euro paper and she's sighting her work. Now I'll go back and read. :lmao:

I can't believe you found me so fast!

Looks like its going to be an amazing trip! And Disneyland first? :cool1:

Love the photos of you and Fran on this last cruise. The formal one is too cute. You both look relaxed and that you're having a great time.

This is one of those trips I wish I was going on. :goodvibes

8 am ADR? At first I would have doubted your ability to make it :rotfl: but after reading your last DVC report, you can do it and did do it. I can't believe how many openings you made. :cheer2:

This is going to be a great trip! Good friends, good food, and Disneyworld, what's not to love!

This is going to be quite a bit of fun. I will have camera or cameras in hand to capture all of the incriminating evidence.

I will be there atleast one day on the 28th or 29th maybe both to meet Denise and her cousin. Then back up the following weekend to meet everyone else and do the Wishes cruise. I have never done that before. You figure being so close i would have done everything a few times over.

:rotfl2: What makes you think there will be any incriminating evidence? :confused3 :scratchin :lmao:

I'm subbing in.

:cool1:

Speaking from first hand experience, I have no doubt 8 am is doable for Fran and Alison. They got up at 6 am in order to get me to DLR for rope drop in November.

And I did try for a slightly later time but that was the time the CM gave me over the phone.

If Disney is involved we can do anything! :thumbsup2


:wave2:

Can I cross-reference yours to mine? :rolleyes1

Of course!

Don't forget that we're expecting you for the Potluck as well.

::yes::

I was just being funny. :blush: She always says they're not morning people. ;) You all have such a great trip planned! :woohoo:

I used to be a morning person. :rolleyes1

Great intro, this sounds like a fun trip!

Thanks! It should be a great trip!
 
It was my turn to be funny....only stirring back (at you!!) :stir:

I know....she says she's not morning people so I was surprised to see them up at that hour. She even BEAT me up!!! And I say I'm a morning person. :lmao:



:rotfl2: Gotacha! :thumbsup2 I need to go catch up on your report. Are you going to do a group post report or singles?
 

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