Only The Cool Kids Start Their Pre-Trip Reports This Early! - September Trip 2012

[BeckWhy]

Wow! This is something I haven't done in a very long time! It feels foreign to me.

Oh wait, y'all don't know me. Maybe I should introduce myself:

Well, that's me. Yep that cute redhead with pigtails. (Yes, they are pigtails!)
I'm Becky, 28, a lifetime resident of Western New York. You know, it's that place that gets a lot of snow. In fact one year we got like 8 feet in a week. I was in Vegas then, but my parents had to clean all that off the car when they landed. Don't get me wrong, I love snow. I'm actually like one of the 3 people here who doesn't complain about it. I'm the master lake effect snow driver too (front wheel drive, not all wheel drive).

Anyways, I'm a WDW vet as HydroGuy likes to call us. 12 trips under my belt? I know there are many who have more, but most people think I'm crazy for even going that much. Sorry, I love it there and it makes me happy. I'm sure you guys understand. I have NEVER been to Disneyland. This is a whole new experience for me (or a Whole New World according to Aladdin & Jasmin).

I had never considered visiting Disneyland in my life, until Year of a Million Dreams. Then I thought to myself "how fun would it be to get to see all the Disney parks around the world". Even still, I couldn't justify the cost to myself. I could go to WDW and be content.

UNTIL... CARS LAND. Yes, Cars is my favorite movie. Of all time, too, not just Disney. People think I'm some sort of nerd, but I know many of you understand. I'm not going to lie, I was pretty upset when I found out they were adding this to Disneyland and not WDW. But it finally kicked my butt into gear and got myself thinking it's time for a trip to the other coast.

Ok, so a little about my history. I've pretty much been going to WDW every other year since 2002. 2009 was an anomaly. Disney had just announced they would be redoing both Star Tours and Fantasyland. JetBlue also made the choice easier with offering the cheapest flights I have seen since 2003 (or 2005). 2009 was also my first solo trip, anywhere. I had my concerns, but read many reports of people going alone. My dad was also not fond of the idea (or the fact that I was going for so long). But no one else was able to go and I wanted to go. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. I had the best time. I could run the show how I wanted it and no one to say otherwise! YAY! Well, with the closure of Fantasyland, I decided it was the last Disney trip I'd take until Fantasyland reopened. UNTIL... CARS LAND.

Aren't you sick of reading this yet?

So anyways, last year my dad asked me, "when are you planning on going to Disney World next?" My response "2015?" I think he was offended by that. He couldn't understand why. And didn't think I could go that long without going. I explained to him Fantasyland (of course he didn't remember me explain that to him in 2009) and my idea of going to Disneyland (and the major cost of it).

Well here we are: 2012, the year of Cars Land. And of course the major, extensive planning that goes with a trip. And the start of a beautiful pre-trip report.

[TheColtonsMom]

I'm all ears

[BeckWhy]

Originally Posted by TheColtonsMom

I'm all ears

I started reading your trip report earlier today. I should be done with it by the time I go. You have a really good following.

[martinolichfamily]

Ready to read all about your plans!
We are also going to DL for our first trip this July!
We always go to WDW and just it so much!

[BeckWhy]

Originally Posted by martinolichfamily

Ready to read all about your plans!
We are also going to DL for our first trip this July!
We always go to WDW and just it so much!

Are you doing a trip report? Are you guys going to check out Cars Land? Sorry, I'm obsessed, I know!

[BeckWhy]

Since last week I decided it's time to get my butt into gear and lose some weight. No it wasn't my New Years resolution, but I've been trying to lose weight since 2006 (2007 or 2008 is when I hit my heaviest). I'm down about 35 pounds since, but still have a lot to be back to where I was.

This is me, at my skinniest in 2002.


And here's me (not at my heaviest) in 2009.


Anyways, I started Weight Watchers in 2010. Up until Christmas I did really well and lost a bunch of weight. After the New Year they switched to this new Points Plus system, and it was NOT doing me any good. So I spent all of 2011 trying to figure it out. No matter what I ate, I was always starving! Towards the end of summer I finally caught the hang of it.

Come October and my life got extremely stressful. To make a long story short, I basically started working a second job and my first job wanted to fire me over it. I fought it like whoa and kept the first job (I just had to step down from my manager position). Then after that rolled into the holidays. Holidays plus working 60+ hour weeks (and job one never kept calling me in, so I never really knew when I was working there). Let's just say I went downhill fast. I put on almost 15 pounds in those 3 months.

But I've decided I need to take control of it! So I'm back on my Weight Watchers. It's only my second day, but so far so good. I also decided I need to do some sort of exercise, so belly dancing it is. I figured it would help shed extra inches around my waist area. I'll let you know how it works.

Anyways, I had trouble sleeping last night and didn't wake up early enough to get a workout in. I ate a "later" breakfast and a "later" lunch. So I'm hoping I can hold my hunger off "later" for dinner and get a quick dance in beforehand. Otherwise, I guess today was a failure, but I'll be back to the basics tomorrow!

I won't be visiting Disneyland until the fall, so I'm hoping to lose anywhere from 40 - 60 pounds.

[martinolichfamily]

Originally Posted by BeckWhy

Are you doing a trip report? Are you guys going to check out Cars Land? Sorry, I'm obsessed, I know!

No TR this time! Yes...I'm hoping cars land is open when we go! . Obsessed?? No! I'm working on my DH to let's get PRemier Passes so we can use them in July at DL, Thanksgiving at WDW ( I'm determined to see the Christmas decor!) and then June 2013 at WDW!

[BeckWhy]

So I don't have much of a life and decided I should watch all the Disney animation DVDs I own. I know there are some of you out there that own far more than I do, but I have a nice selection. I couldn't decide what to watch first, so I figured I should watch them in chronological order. That's a great idea, except I don't know enough about Disney animation to know what came after what. I have the first few down.

So I watched Snow White first. I should watch this again before Disneyland since there is the Snow White ride or attraction or whatever it is. But watching it got me excited for the opening of the new Fantasyland in WDW.

Next SHOULD have been Pinocchio, but I don't own it. Don't ask me how, but I don't.

So now I'm onto Fantasia. I enjoy classical music very much and love laying around letting it take my imagination wherever it wants to go. So I actually have a hard time paying attention to the movie, since my brain wants to think whatever it wants and not see what Disney has come up with for their interpretation. But alas I must say, I do not like the dinosaur scene. It's so funny. I'm ok watching humans hurt or kill each other, but for some reason watching the Rex attack the Stegosaurus, it just upsets me a lot. Oh well.

Dumbo is next, I think?

[martinolichfamily]

Originally Posted by BeckWhy

So I've made it obvious that I won't be going to Disneyland until after Cars Land opens. I will also state that I hate traveling during the summer months, so I've decided that it looks like I'll be going to Disneyland ---

Drum roll please!

In October or November.

I'm definitely leaning more towards October. I was planning on the beginning but I heard that Toy Story Midway Mania will be closed until October 10th. So I'm considering October 17th to October 23rd.

I think I'm convinced of going to Mickey's Halloween Party this year, too.

I can't wait until martinolichfamily (is that supposed to be Martinolich family or am I just seeing things? ) comes back from their July trip so I can get the down low on Cars Land.

If we decide to go in November... well I haven't decided on dates yet.

Yep...got the name correct!

Originally Posted by BeckWhy

And just because I haven't gotten enough attention today:

It's my birthday! Yes, thank you thank you. *Bows*

I've been Mia a bit...so.... Belated

Originally Posted by BeckWhy

I like to make random three line posts, so here comes another one.

If you like to look at pictures, I'm definitely a person to follow. I take about 1200 pictures a trip, and I usually post all of them. You can check out my trip report from WDW 2006 if you want to see. And if you want to see pictures from 2008 or 2009 let me know. I'll get them online or something!

I love looking at pics from trips! I too take tons!

[BeckWhy]

Originally Posted by martinolichfamily

Yep...got the name correct!



I've been Mia a bit...so.... Belated



I love looking at pics from trips! I too take tons!

Thanks for the belated birthday wishes.

I've been sort of MIA also. One of my jobs does this "on call" thing and so I'm scheduled to work only 7 or 8 hours a week, but because of this "on call" I work 5 days. I haven't been able to do much. I also got really sick. I don't know if it was the flu, a cold, or allergies. No medicine I took helped. And I have insomnia for some reason. You'd think I'd be up all night online if I couldn't sleep, but I just lay in bed trying to sleep.

I've been spending some time with my mom lately too. With the release of Breaking Dawn Part I, I had her watch all the Twilight movies and just watched Breaking Dawn last night. It makes me want to reread the books all over again. She also found some random figurines somewhere so we've been spending time painting those.

I know I don't have much of a life. Oh well.

I have to get back on track with this trip report thing soon though. I know not much has changed, still waiting for plane tickets and such. I still don't know if anyone is going with me. I think I've decided what restaurants I want to try (they are all quick service).

Ok I think that's it for now. I better get back to work!

[BeckWhy]

JetBlue just released their schedules for October! I'm so excited! Not bad flight times, but I'm also not booking my flights right now. I'm just excited!

[BeckWhy]

I've noticed that I goes through a lot during my trip planning process. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive. Oh well!

I'm currently attempting to find another job. Maybe not to replace the current job I have, but to supplement it. I do have two jobs already, but one of them schedules me around 8 hours a week, but schedule 5 days also. It's really stressful. So I'm working on finding another job (or even a full time one) so I can have a bit more money. I can make ends meet now, but a little extra money never hurt anyone, right?

Ok that was my little pitty party. Now... I'm all sorts of paranoid about the rumors of the attractions that will close come fall for refurbishment: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Alice in Wonderland, and Indiana Jones. Do I really want to go if the latter two are closed? I mean, we don't have those in WDW, so I'd be missing out. Should I just wait until next year? If I postpone Disneyland until 2013, I think I'll go to Universal Orlando this year for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Of course I haven't been to Universal Orlando since I can't even remember... the 90s?

Or maybe it's not a big deal if I miss those couple of attractions at Disneyland? I could always just go again in 2015. (Disneyland in 2012, Universal Orlando 2013, Walt Disney World 2014.)

The worst part is we won't even know about the attractions closing until late August or early September.

See I have a feeling that I'm going to book the trip if plane ticket prices take a dip. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm prepared to pay the $400 or so they are charging right now, it's just when you book flights this early in advance, they change the flight time a million times. And I really want to book the best flight times.

Speaking of flights, JetBlue and SouthWest have finally released their October schedule. Both have pretty good flights, but SouthWest is by far better (and cheaper). At least for me (and my mom if she goes). My sister on the other hand, if she wants to go.... oy! Plane ticket prices are SO FREAKING MUCH! I don't even understand why since they are direct flights from New York to Los Angeles. In fact, our JetBlue flights stops at JFK for layovers. And our tickets are CHEAPER!

Well, it's still really early. 8 months to go still.

[BeckWhy]

Initially I was planning on traveling from Wednesday to Tuesday. But plane ticket prices on SouthWest are the same almost any of the week. So I'm starting to think maybe Monday to Sunday. Here's my logic:
Monday: Arrive - Downtown Disney, hotel/nap, dinner at Bubba Gump's (unless I go by myself, then I doubt I'll walk there)
Tuesday: Parks
Wednesday: Parks
Thursday: Parks
Friday: Parks
Saturday: Parks
Sunday: Goodbye
Everyone tends to say that the parks are busiest Friday - Sunday, BUT they also have a lot more entertainment scheduled. So I'm thinking the Tuesday - Thursday we can spend time on rides and attractions (and try to get World of Color in), then Friday and Saturday we will have more time to catch entertainment if we missed it earlier in the week or it just didn't happen during the week.

So if I decide to do Disneyland, I'm hoping plane ticket prices stay the same through out the week (not get more expensive on the weekends, knock on wood).

Also, initially I was planning on taking an early flight out. That means I'd have to leave my house around 3:45 am! And who knows how early I'd have to get up to do my makeup. I'd arrive at LAX around 11:00 am, so I mean, like I said earlier, take a nap. Or I guess I could sleep in later and take a later flight out. Arrive at LAX around 5-ish?

Decisions! decisions!

[BeckWhy]

More than every am I pumped to go to Disneyland. And more than ever, I think I want to go by myself. This could just be a reflection of my current mind set and in over 200 days could change.

Plane ticket prices haven't changed any... I know it's still far away, so there is time.

I'm waiting for Cars Land to open so I can see what amazing food they will be serving up!

[BeckWhy]

Since I have such a long time before I go, I run out of things to do. In this case, I decided to check out the other hotel options in the area. So unless someone adds something these are the hotels I'm considering (and still have a long time before I book):

Ramada Inn Maingate
Best Western Park Place Inn
Anaheim Fairfield Inn
Tropicana Inn
Desert Palms Inn
Howard Johnson Hotel

I'm nervous about the last two because they are quite a distance away from the entrance, and I'm not sure how walking alone late at night will go. Plus will I want to walk that far after being in the park so long during the day?

I am drawn towards the Desert Palms because of the breakfast they offer, but generally when I'm in WDW all I have for breakfast is a bagel or donut anyways, so any of the restaurants with the continental breakfasts will cover my breakfast-ing needs.