Feb 2016 PTR -- AKL & Disney Magic! 11/10 Update!

[princessnikitaa]

Hello Everybody! Welcome to my first ever Pre-Trip report.

I’m a fairly new member of DISboards but have been a lurker for many years. This is super exciting for me because planning is my favorite hobby. As soon as I know I’m going on a vacation, I spend the rest of my days planning, talking, and analyzing my trip. So when I discovered this concept, I was over the moon. I’m not too sure how I will go about this process; it’ll be a learning experience for us all. Should I do more pictures and fewer words, or should I do many pictures and many words? I’ve read some that sound more like a story, and I think that’s the way I’m going to go. I want you to feel like you’re on this journey with me….

Let’s jump into it!


WARNING!: I use tons of exclamation points without realizing because I get too excited!


Introductions:

First of all, who am I?

Well, my name is Nikita and I am 20 years old! (That picture above was just last week when I went to the pumpkin patch! It was cold!) I’m a full time student from MA and I’m a full time receptionist (Yes, it gets a little hectic at times). My love for Disney began with my family! We were always watching videos and singing the songs. It wasn’t until I was around 6 years old that I had my first trip to Disney World. The first time I stayed on property was when I was 14, and that’s when the obsession started!


My Favorites:
Favorite Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean – At World’s End
Favorite Ride: Haunted Mansion & Spaceship Earth
Favorite Park: EPCOT
Favorite Mickey Gang Character: Donald Duck
Favorite Princess: Belle
Favorite Misc. Character: Captain Jack Sparrow (duh) , Mike Wazowski
Favorite Resort: Wilderness Lodge

Who am I going with?

My little cousin!

(This is the only picture I could find of her alone! haha!)

This is Cynthia, most people call her Cindy, but I call her Cindizzle.
She’s currently 14 years old, and is a newer fan of Disney!
Her obsession began the summer of 2014. We all stayed at the French Quarter and she absolutely love it!

Her Favorites:
Favorite Movie: She really loved the live action Cinderella.
Favorite Ride: Rockn’ Roller Coaster & Tower of Terror
Favorite Park: EPCOT / Hollywood Studios
Favorite Mickey Gang Character: Donald Duck
Favorite Princess: Cinderella (It has everything to do with them sharing a Name, haha)
Favorite Misc. Character: Stitch!!
Favorite Resort: So far French Quarter


About this trip:

This trip is a super awesome, super meaningful one! We are going in May from the 11th – 16th. 11/3 -- This has actually changed to Feb. 17th - 21st! For me this will be my 10th Disney Resort Vacation that I have gone on, and this will be my 5th Disney cruise. That’s right. I said it: WE’RE GOING ON A DISNEY CRUISE. I usually go to Disney, once a year, and have been going on a Disney cruise once a year (skipping 2014). This is the first trip where I am the person who plans and books everything! I’ll be turning 21 this trip, which as you may have guessed it, I’m super stoked!

As for my cousin, it’s such a special trip for a couple of reasons:
1. It’s a surprise! She doesn’t know that we’re going to Disney and that we’re going on a cruise. She knows that we’re doing something special for her birthday, but I don’t think she knows it’s this big. Which brings me to point 2:
2. It’s a celebration of her 15th birthday! In our culture, the 15th birthday of a girls’ life is really important. It’s usually celebrated with a large ceremony/party, with a large gown. However, she said she’d like to do something memory filled like, take a trip or have a nice dinner…(what a surprise she’ll be getting).
3. This is her first cruise ever! I’m not too sure how many of you have been on a cruise, but it is SPECTACULAR! I think she’s going to absolutely love it!
4. It’s a girls only trip! We’ve been developing a close bond lately and I think it’s crucial for her to have a role model at this time in her life!

So we are actually going in May, and we are staying two days at the Caribbean Beach Resort and doing a three night cruise on the Disney Dream. This trip is shorter than I’m used to, but I’m still very excited. I’m also very excited to see what kind of stuff I can fit into two days!

I hope this was a good enough introduction, and beginning of a report.
Sorry for being super chatty. I’m just so excited! Haha. Can't wait to start posting.
Until next time!

I thought I'd stick a picture of the both of us on here:

 

[accountingbabe08]

Looks like fun

 

[princessnikitaa]

Looks like fun

Hopefully I did it right, haha

 

[sunshinemelody]

Girl, you are gorgeous (+ your cousin is adorable)! I honestly wish that we were going to the parks at the same time so that I could meet you! OK, now that I've gotten that girl crush moment off my chest, I love the start of your PTR! You know I'm following! But just so you know, your link has an extra '/g/' at the end of the link and won't take you to this exact page. I think it's funny that we love exclamation points; makes me feel normal.

I hope Cindy has the best Quinceañera a girl could ever have and to be sharing it with someone she admires sounds like a home run. Super excited to follow along!

 

[princessnikitaa]

Girl, you are gorgeous (+ your cousin is adorable)! I honestly wish that we were going to the parks at the same time so that I could meet you! OK, now that I've gotten that girl crush moment off my chest, I love the start of your PTR! You know I'm following! But just so you know, your link has an extra '/g/' at the end of the link and won't take you to this exact page. I think it's funny that we love exclamation points; makes me feel normal.

I hope Cindy has the best Quinceañera a girl could ever have and to be sharing it with someone she admires sounds like a home run. Super excited to follow along!

Hopefully I fixed it! Thank you for that. Sometimes I have trouble with the codes for the forums, it's a newbie syndrome.
And I've been thinking that we should totally meet this entire time, haha. Maybe fate will have it that one day we can plan a trip where it's us girls, and we can do a report on how two girls from DISboards met and had the time of their lives!

*wishful thinking*

and you are sooo sweet! thank you so much.
Ever since I've started this post, I've been thinking of other ideas I can post. I keep stalking yours for inspiration.
I'm still scared.. but I'm just going with it.

 

[sunshinemelody]

Hopefully I fixed it! Thank you for that. Sometimes I have trouble with the codes for the forums, it's a newbie syndrome.
And I've been thinking that we should totally meet this entire time, haha. Maybe fate will have it that one day we can plan a trip where it's us girls, and we can do a report on how two girls from DISboards met and had the time of their lives!

*wishful thinking*

and you are sooo sweet! thank you so much.
Ever since I've started this post, I've been thinking of other ideas I can post. I keep stalking yours for inspiration.
I'm still scared.. but I'm just going with it.

I stalk PTR's trying to figure out what else to do, but with school and work, I can't even think about Disney Planning right now. That and it's been stressing me out about other factors, so I just let it go for awhile. My boyfriend don't even talk about it unless I remember something that relates to it and we talk about it for 5 minutes and go on about our day.

I might start an adventure book outside of the PTR, though. Just have to figure out what I'd like to put in it. I guess that book would be as good as a PTR, right? In any case, no need to be scared! I see that it's your first time planning and it's also mine, so I understand your anxiety, but don't be. We both have enough to stress out over, Disney shouldn't be one of them, y'know?

In any case, hope to throw around ideas with you! Oh, and you're welcome!

 

[princessnikitaa]

I stalk PTR's trying to figure out what else to do, but with school and work, I can't even think about Disney Planning right now. That and it's been stressing me out about other factors, so I just let it go for awhile. My boyfriend don't even talk about it unless I remember something that relates to it and we talk about it for 5 minutes and go on about our day.

I might start an adventure book outside of the PTR, though. Just have to figure out what I'd like to put in it. I guess that book would be as good as a PTR, right? In any case, no need to be scared! I see that it's your first time planning and it's also mine, so I understand your anxiety, but don't be. We both have enough to stress out over, Disney shouldn't be one of them, y'know?

In any case, hope to throw around ideas with you! Oh, and you're welcome!

Honestly, the only thing that is freaking me out is that if Cindy doesn't do well in school, she won't be able to go, lol! So I keep pushing her to do her best! Because then I might have to end up going alone.. and then this trip will turn into a solo trip, haha. (Which might be an adventure in itself)

What's an adventure book?! I see that term tossed around the time without any explanation, haha. It sounds awesome! And yes this is my first time planning the whole thing, I've almost had to plan a Disney trip two years ago, but those plans fell through because I was no longer with that person... oh well! *Shrugs shoulders*

I do have a couple ideas for my post: I want to post about how I'm going to reveal this surprise to her, and maybe do personalized bucketlist for this trip, because there is still a ton of things I have not done!

We should exchange info and become Disney GalPals!

 

[sunshinemelody]

Honestly, the only thing that is freaking me out is that if Cindy doesn't do well in school, she won't be able to go, lol! So I keep pushing her to do her best! Because then I might have to end up going alone.. and then this trip will turn into a solo trip, haha. (Which might be an adventure in itself)

What's an adventure book?! I see that term tossed around the time without any explanation, haha. It sounds awesome! And yes this is my first time planning the whole thing, I've almost had to plan a Disney trip two years ago, but those plans fell through because I was no longer with that person... oh well! *Shrugs shoulders*

I do have a couple ideas for my post: I want to post about how I'm going to reveal this surprise to her, and maybe do personalized bucketlist for this trip, because there is still a ton of things I have not done!

We should exchange info and become Disney GalPals!

That'd be great! I'd love that.

But, I figure an Adventure Book would be a book that has all of the plans I propose to have for Disney with photos and paraphernalia of the process (so basically a PTR). I was thinking something else yesterday, but I can't remember, but that's the basic gist of it all.

Tell Cindy that those grades let her get into a good college and a scholarship!

 

[princessnikitaa]

Alrighty... I can't believe I already have an update...

So here's a little back story.. My mother, my aunt, and I all work in the same office. So as you know, my planned vacation is the topic of conversation most days (of course!), and my aunt, who is the one I do annual vacations with.. surprises us with this suggestion:

"Why don't we all go on a 3-night cruise, in February..?"

My mother and I both turned around so fast, it was hilarious!
My aunt justified her reasoning by telling us she needs her Disney fix.

So the bottom line is... our May 2016 trip might turn into a February 2016 trip. And we might add two extra girlies on the trip.
This trip works out for us still, because Cindy's birthday is in March, and she has school vacation.

The only thing that'll be different is that this technically wont be my 21st birthday celebration (because my birthday is in May), but who cares! I'll be in Disney for a day, and on a Disney cruise.

Plus, this has got me thinking that maybe I should plan my first weekend solo trip in May...
So many decisions! haha.

It's all in a matter of contacting my travel agent, and having her change dates and all that! We'll see how it goes!

I'm sorry that this post was a bit of a mess, but that's the update for now!

 

[princessnikitaa]

It's official! Our May 2016 Trip is going to be our February 2016 trip!
That officially cuts our countdown in half. Our countdown is 104 days!
We will be going on a cruise, February 18th - 21st. And Cindy still doesn't know.
(I'm thinking of telling her this Christmas as her gift, have any ideas..? Please list them below!)
The day before we board, we are staying at a one bedroom villa at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. My aunt decided that it was time to use up her remaining DVC points, so we're staying there. I believe we are in the Kidani section, but I'm not too sure. She always treats me well, bless her, haha! We aren't doing any park days but we are doing Disney Springs.
My oh my! Have my plans changed or what?


So this Trip Report kind of turned into a DCL PTR and not a WDW PTR. *palms face*
I hope you don't mind.
It just sucks because I already put down money for a package, and have to wait a whole month to get that in return to apply to my cruise, a little unsettling, but nothing major.

So this means, I have around 100 days to over analyze, 100 days to do Fish Extenders, and 100 days to lose 2389529347598 pounds. no but seriously, maybe 10-15 for now?

I've also been thinking about posting about some new luggage I'll be getting, and how I pack. I don't know if that interest anyone, but it always interest me. I'm a overplanner and those kinds of things make me excited! Also, I might create a DCL bucketlist, because why not?

Now I have to work on changing my countdown in my signature, and trying to link this in the DCL forum.


And here's an overall idea of my anxiety for pulling this off/ paying this off.
Plus, I wanted the honor of posting my husband's beautiful face.

 

[princessnikitaa]

This is just a post to say we are officially in the double digits of the countdown!
98 Days to go! Woohoo!

A few updates:
- We extended our stay one more day: we're actually leaving on the 22nd instead of the 21st! We're staying at ASSp
- Cindy has been doing much better so I have faith in her ability to actually get on the trip!
- Also, I have most of the trip already paid and I'm so excited!
- I'm on a search for great luggage that's really cute! I go on vacation at least once a year, most times twice, and I would like to invest in moderately priced luggage. I don't want to spend crazy money, but I don't want to buy a bag that's super cheap and bound to break. (Maybe you folks have some suggestions?)

Stay lovely you awesome people!

 

[sunshinemelody]

How'd it go!?

 

[princessnikitaa]

How'd it go!?

So who is holding her head in her hands shamefully because she never did her trip report?! That's right! It's me!
Luckily I am already planning a trip and it's only 74 days away! Should I try again and really do it this time?! ahh, I don't know!