A Few of My Favorite Things, A Race & Scrapbook Pages, Too! FINAL THOUGHTS

[momabaarjo]

A Few of My Favorite Things, A Race, & Scrapbook Pages Too!​

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This TR is going to be a little different than other trip reports. One of the things I enjoy most about planning at trip to WDW is thinking about all the things that I looking most forward to. My plan for this TR is to start off getting us to WDW and then switch from we did this, then we did this to going back through my PTR list of the things I was looking most forward to on my trip and reflect on those things& and then get us home again.

My Favorite Things:
28. Tonga Toast at Kona Café
27. Expedition Everest (EE)
26. Mickey Bar
25. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
24. Boma/Animal Kingdom Lodge
23. Tower of Terror (ToT)
22. Fall Funnel Cake at Sleepy Hollow
21. PeopleMover
20. Be Our Guest (BOG)
19. Caribbean Beach Resort
18. Fall Decorations & Stroll down Main Street
17. New Test Track
16. Tusker House
15. Philharmagic
14. Villain Party
13. Wizarding World of Harry Potter
12. Haunted Mansion & Magic Shots
11. Food & Wine
10. Hidden Mickey Search (Replaced by Akershus)
9. Butter Beer
8. Air Supply
7. MNSSHP
6. New Fantasyland
5. Dole Whip
4. Parades...Headless Horseman
3. Wishes
2. 2 Castles...okay make that 3
1. Finishing the Tower of Terror 10 Miler​

So get ready to experience A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS&Disney Style...and LET THE MEMORIES BEGIN!

 

[momabaarjo]

Table of Contents​

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Trip Report Updates
The Who, What, When & Where
Departure Day Comes
Gate to Gate Service
Another Reason to Hate NemoDeserted
#28 Tonga Toast at Kona Café: "Sweet & Crusty on the Outside, Warm & Rich on the Inside&Just like Me"
#27 Expedition Everest: No Fast Pass Needed, Slowing down to Enjoy a Line?
#26 Mickey Bar: Ice Cream for Breakfast, a Trip Tradition
#25 Rock n Roller Coaster (included in ToT 10 miler Race)
#24 Narcoossees: All Dolled Up, Celebrating Friendship (Formally Boma)
#23 Tower of Terror (included in ToT 10 miler Race)
#22 Spiced Pumpkin Waffle Sundae (included in MNSSHP)
#21 PeopleMover (included in MNSSHP)
#20 Be Our Guest (Part 1): Strolling Along in MK
#20 Be Our Guest (Part 2): Lunch with a Friend
#19 Caribbean Beach Resort: Toes in the Sand, A Perfect Fit
#18 Fall Decorations & Stroll Down Main Street (include in MNSSP, BOG Part 2)
#17 New Test Track: A Design Challenge Success
#16 Tusker House
#15 Villain Party (included in ToT Run)
#14 Philharmagic (included in #20 BOG Part 1)
#13 Wizarding World of Harry Potter: A Morning Date with Harry
#12 Haunted Mansion & Magic Shots (Included MNSSHP)
#11 Food & Wine Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
#10 Akershus (formally Hidden Mickey Search): Brunch with Royalty
#9 Butter Beer (Included in WWOHP)
#8 Air Supply
#7 MNSSHP Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
#6 New Fantasyland
#5 Dole Whip (Included in MNSSHP, BOG)
#4 Parades (Included in MNSSHP)
#3 Wishes
#2 3 Castles (Included MNSSHP, BOG)
#1 Finishing the Tower of Terror 10 Miler
RunDisney Expo
Prerace
Race Part 1
Race Part 2
Finish Line
Partying with the Villains Until the Wee Hours of the Morning
Departing: The Morning After (Well Just a Few Hours After)
FINAL REFLECTIONS & A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

Scrapbook Pages
Travel Day
#28 Tonga Toast
#27 Expedition Everest
#26 Mickey Bar
#26 Rock n Roller Coaster
#24 Narcoossee's
#23 Tower of Terror
#22 Spiced Pumpkin Waffle Sundae
#21 People Mover
#20 Be Our Guest Lunch & Masters Cupcake
#19 CBR Around the Resort, Our Room, Old Port Royale, Pool
#18 Fall Decorations & Stroll Down Main Street
#17 New Test Track
#16 Tusker House
#15 Philharmagic
#14 Villain Party
#13 Wizarding World of Harry Potter
#12 Haunted Mansion & Magic Shots
#11 Food & Wine
#10 Akershus (Formally Hidden Mickey Search)
#9 Butter Beer
#8 Air Supply
#7 MNSSHP
#6 New Fantasyland Set 1 Set 2 Set 3
#5 Dole Whip
#4 Parades
#3 Wishes
#2 3 Castles
#1 Finishing the Tower of Terror 10 Miler
RunDisney Expo
PreRace
Race
Finishing ToT 10-Miler
LINK TO COMPLETED ALBUM


Training Updates
Sunday, October 20

 

[wiigirl]

Following along!

 

[petals]

Joining in

 

[kimbo0569]

I'm in!

 

[swwake]

Looking forward to reading along! Nice ticker!

 

[momabaarjo]

The Who, What, When & Where​

WHO:

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This is me! I am a 40 something pooh/tink sized girl. I had never run in my adult life, and was peer pressured last October to agree to run 10 miles for a trip to Disney World with a group of online friends. YIKES! But I will run for Dole Whips and Disney Trips! So I started my training almost a year to the day of when I would be running the Tower of Terror 10 miler. My training has had highs and way too many lows&the lowest coming the beginning of July when I developed a stress fracture and was sidelined from running for 8 weeks&some of my darkest hours made even darker when the "friend" side of this trip fell apart the beginning of August. Words cannot even tell you how broken hearted I am to this day...but "just keep swimming." Not letting injury or rejection stop me, I pulled up my big girl panties and became a better person inside and out. I love to scrapbook, and recently have gone digital in this hobby! Be aware you might have to view lots of my pages that go with this trip! I also hate to be in pictures&so you wont see me a lot!

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This is Cammy with her favorite character Goofy! She is a 20 something ball of fire and my own personal cheerleader. When I told her about my plans last fall, she instantly began helping me with this running thing and offered me lots of moral support&she was so jealous of the trip and the run. When things fell apart, she was the first one I called and asked if she would like to go along (thankfully she has a wonderful husband who agreed). But her trip was almost derailed too&midSeptember she fractured her foot, however she is one tough gal and even injured I could not keep up with her. This would be her 2nd trip to WDW, but she doesnt remember much of the 1st trip and I intended to make it memorable for her this time around.


WHAT:
A girls trip to the world (no boys and no kids) to spend some time in the most magical place on earth and ending it with a Disney Run&Tower of Terror 10-miler!

WHEN:
October 1-6, 2013

WHERE:
Disney Caribbean Beach

 

[momabaarjo]

Following along!

So glad you returned to see if I actually pulled this off!

Joining in

Hi, Emma...so glad to see you!

I'm in!

Yay...I love it when people actually think what I have to say sounds like fun and enjoy my trip with me!

Looking forward to reading along! Nice ticker!

So glad you are here Susan...and I the ticker too...helps to fight those Disney blues...and you know that you and Katie are welcome to join in on this next trip....Queens, Princesses and Friends!

 

[momabaarjo]

Departure Day Comes​

What a long day departure day it was, having to put in a full day at work before we could be on our way. This journey to the world had been in the works for almost 2 years, but this actual trip I was taking was put together in less than 4 weeks. My morning started with last minute packing and preparations for my family for the time I was gone. It was made a little more magical when I put on...

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before loading the car with my luggage...

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(don't you just love the red bag...a wonderful gift from an AWESOME TRAVEL AGENT) and heading off to a morning meeting. After my meeting I stopped by Walgreens to pick up a couple of items when I found...

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a little treat for our plane ride to get us in the mood. The afternoon seemed to be endless as I watched the clock and tried to get some work done. Finally, the 3 pm dismissal bell for the students rang and not long after I found myself sprinting out the door for a short drive to the airport. I had not had a chance all day to see Cammy and I was a little concerned as to what I was going to see at the airport...

 

[momabaarjo]

Gate to Gate Service​

About 2 weeks prior to our trip Cammy ended up with a stress fracture in her foot. Really the fracture happened a few weeks prior but she finally decided to get it checked, thus resulting in a boot on her left foot.

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Does this seem like this race was doomed...I had just been sidelined for 8 weeks thanks to a stress fracture and been in Physical Therapy and only been running again for about 3 weeks. But just like me Cammy did not let a little stress fracture get in the way of a trip to WDW and we both prayed that come the night before our trip when she went back to the doctor the fracture would be healed enough for her to run. She texted me the night before our trip, with the news that her stress fracture was gone only to be replaced by a complete fracture of her foot in 2 places and we would be traveling to WDW with a knee walker. Her doctor (who is also a friend) did not rule out the run for her…guess the doctor knows that a little thing like a fracture would not stop Cammy. So at the airport I met Cammy, her husband, and her new toy (and yes for her it was a toy).

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Goodbyes said we headed to our gate, where we checked in with the gate attendant and requested that the walker be checked through to Orlando, wheelchair in Denver, and then the knee walker at the gate when we arrived in Orlando…plus the perk of pre boarding on Southwest for both legs of our flight (even though I scored boarding group A passes when we checked in the night before). Maybe this injury will have a silver lining! Knowing that we had a tight connection in Denver and would not have time to get something to eat we picked up something while we waited to board to have on our long flight to Orlando. I ordered an “Amarillo club”, but forgot to take a picture…but think a club sandwich but with pepper jack cheese and avocados, too! The 55 minute flight to Denver was pretty uneventful...just lots of excited talk about the adventure that was ahead of us.

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When we arrived to Denver, it was gate to gate treatment for Cammy, hoping to ease the VERY short connection we had to make.

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[disneyfan61]

Since you joined in on my TR I am along for this one! Need to go back & read..

 

[disneyfan61]

Wow I give you a lot of credit!! I have wanted to start running but with the med's I am on they are afraid I will break a bone. Prednisone takes all the calcium out so no running for me right now but soon I hope.

I have the same red bag probably from the same travel agent.

Wow this trip does seem doomed with all the fractures & friends not going. But good for you & Cammy. She seems like nothing will stop her from doing what she wants!!

So we were there at the same time for a few days. I remember all the runners getting on busses at the Beach Club.

 

[Disneychix]

I didn't know you were still on! Congrats! I did read the original PTR for a bit as I ran the ToT last year and 'knew' some of the original group.

I'm glad you made it! Can't wait to hear about it!

PS: You look great in that picture and in no way look 'pooh sized'!!

 

[petals]

OMG just one thing after another. Hopefully the trip went better than the lead up to it

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I'm in!

Congrats on doing the 10 Miler. Sorry you had drama leading up to the trip. I was proud of finishing the 5k as a larger girl.

 

[momabaarjo]

Since you joined in on my TR I am along for this one! Need to go back & read..

Glad to have you!

Wow I give you a lot of credit!! I have wanted to start running but with the med's I am on they are afraid I will break a bone. Prednisone takes all the calcium out so no running for me right now but soon I hope.

Fractures are a very frustrating thing...take that calcium and build up your bones! I never thought I would say this EVER...but I do enjoy the running...of course I am not running straight for 10 miles, either. I found out about Jeff Galloway and interval running/walking and I LOVE IT! It helps that Disney is part of the mix...and there are 10,000 other people out there and I don't have to worry about coming in last!

I have the same red bag probably from the same travel agent.

It is a great bag...and an EVEN MORE AWESOME TRAVEL AGENT.

Wow this trip does seem doomed with all the fractures & friends not going. But good for you & Cammy. She seems like nothing will stop her from doing what she wants!!

Sometimes you just have to sit back and laugh because if you don't you end up crying and I still do too much of that over this whole trip!

So we were there at the same time for a few days. I remember all the runners getting on busses at the Beach Club.

So jealous of the beach club...my fellow trip mates for our next trip and run are working on budgets so we can do a mom/daughter/sister stay at BC! That is my dream resort...have stayed at BW and I just love the area!

I didn't know you were still on!

So glad you came back...you know my fustrations and trails with the running thing...it took a little work for me to pull off my trip...I am glad I still went, but it was really doubtful for quite awhile.

Congrats! I did read the original PTR for a bit as I ran the ToT last year and 'knew' some of the original group.

I'm glad you made it! Can't wait to hear about it!

PS: You look great in that picture and in no way look 'pooh sized'!!

I feel pooh sized and can't stand to look at myself in pictures. I am still working on that issue...you would think with all the exercise I did I would have lost more than 15 pounds this year! Thank you...your very kind! Hoping by the time PHM in 2015 rolls around I will be in EVERY PICTURE!

OMG just one thing after another. Hopefully the trip went better than the lead up to it

It was crazy, but you know I truly believe I came out a better person inside and out...

I'm in!

Congrats on doing the 10 Miler. Sorry you had drama leading up to the trip. I was proud of finishing the 5k as a larger girl.

Great job on your 5K! You should be proud! It is just one step in front of the other to a 10 mile...and thank you! I am still surprised that I accomplished this...surreal that I went from NEGATIVE to 10 over the last year!

 

[momabaarjo]

Another Reason to Hate Nemo...Are We There Yet?​

It turns out that I need to worry about the tight connection because our flight would depart about 30 minutes later than expected, thanks to about 40 HUGE boxes of tropical fish that had to be loaded along with our belongings. For those that know me, I am not a huge fan of ANYTHING that has to do with Nemo. While I think the message of the movie is awesome and I love Squirt & Crush&Nemo, Dory and Marlin ANNOY ME TO DEATH. So seeing that 40 boxes of live tropical fish were holding up my trip to WDW did not help matters. I am still trying to figure out why Denver is shipping tropical fish to Orlando&should it not be the other way around? Cammy and I had to laugh watching the boxes be loaded because the boxes where clearly marked handle with care&keep warm because the boxes were tilted and thrown onto a luggage car, sitting outside in Denver (which was around 50 degrees) being loaded not very gently (as can be attested to by my broken suitcase when I arrived in Orlando) into the cargo hold of a plane (which I have to ask, it is heated?). Finally, all boxes were loaded and we were ready to take off.

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The great thing about the long 3 ½ hour flight was that it was a Wi-Fi flight, although we did not pay for it we were still able to access Direct TV (and watch a few shows) plus this great think called Flight Tracker where we could monitor where we were at any given time. I noticed that we would be almost directly flying over my DISfriend Amys town&and got really excited (but sad)&Amy was supposed to be on this trip with me&but life happened for her and she had to cancel right around the time the "trip" plans blew up in my face...going without her was hard for me. She and I have come to believe we are sisters from another mother (and lately the evil stepsisters) and had plans to laugh our way through the ToT 10-miler...dragging each other to the finish line if need be. While this trip did not work out together...we have the one in works with our daughters and a few friends for 2015! When we passed over her I took a picture to text her, asking if she waved to any planes.

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The flight was pretty uneventful from there...&other than annoying the man sitting next to us with the smell of my sandwich and the two of us chatting away about all of our plans! We did get to see an amazing sunset out the window!

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After the sunset the flight seemed endless obecause we were like little kids constantly monitoring the flight tracker to find out where we were&Are we there yet? probably furthering the annoyance of our row mate!

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[momabaarjo]

Deserted​

When we landed at MCO it was almost 11 pm and it was very apparent that we were probably the last flight in for the evening. As the airport was completely deserted and closed up. We made our way to baggage claim and stood there for almost 30 minutes before our luggage finally appeared, darn tropical fish. Then it was off with Cammy on her scooter and me pulling our luggage…trying to figure out how to get to ME.

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Finally after asking someone we learned we had to go up the elevator, across the airport, down the elevator on the other side, then down the entire concourse to reach ME. I was a little worried that with our late flight, late baggage claim, trek to ME that we would miss our bus entirely…and when we got there ME was basically deserted

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but thankfully they were waiting on us (sorry to the 4 people on ME who had to sit there).

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The bus ride was quite, except for Cammy and I who found our second wind (again sorry to the 4 people that had not only wait on us, but now had to listen to us). It was not long until I nudged Cammy and we drove under….

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WELCOME HOME! Even at midnight after a long day, that sign makes me smile! From there we dropped off the 4 other passengers at POR and our driver headed for CBR and the Custom’s House, which was again deserted all but a few CMs who were waiting up for us, and did not have the same second wind as we did.

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Checking in seemed take a LONG TIME, they had gotten all my requests and had us assigned to a room and had all of our things ready, but then we had to throw in Cammy’s injury and ask for a 1st floor room…which apparently was a major issue to change with their unmagical mood. Rooms changed, our driver appeared to take us to our home for the next few days.

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When we arrived only 1 key worked…which I soon discovered why…I had 1 key for the old room and 1 key for the new room…both under my name…NO KEY for Cammy!

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Great something we are going to have to take care of before we can head to Epcot in a few short hours. Our driver assured us that we would let them know back at the Custom’s House as he shut the door and wished us a magical stay!

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The time now 12:45 pm and I set to work decorating our windows while Cammy unpacked her things and took a quick shower. Lights out at 2 am, we had now been up nearly 24 hours, but we were finally HOME!

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[lovethattink]

Thanks for the heads-up, Tammie! I'm in. Now to go back and read.

 

[lovethattink]

Despite a few snafus along the way it sounds like you had fun arriving. How did you know the sandwich smell annoyed the row mate? I bet your husband would have been interested in those tropical fish. Though maybe not, they weren't trophy fish. Did you know there are resort runners? You could have called about the key and a runner would have "ran" a new working key to you. How did you manage to get a driver? When my elderly aunt and uncle stayed there, they were destined to walk from Custom House to Jamaica.