"I'M STUCK IN DISNEY!!!!!!!!" A Delightfully Unliveable TR ~ NEW TR 9/27!!!!!!!!!!!

[blabbermouth]

HEY GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I just got back from another Hanson adventure. They had their 21st Birthday Show & Album Release Show in NYC and it was beyond amazing and I don't even know what to say about it. If you haven't purchased the album yet, I don't really know what's going on with you. You might wanna see someone about that.

OH so wanna hear something weird? This trip report is the #4 most visited thread on the Disboards which is SO HILARIOUS to me. Like I remember reading ZZUB's reports back in the day when I was like 15 and thinking, I wish I could write awesome reports that tons of people read! Also, I've literally been listening to The Dis Unplugged podcast since it started in 2006 so it was exciting to hear my TR name be read on there. Thanks for checking out my report, everyone!

Onto the replies!






Yeah, my fear has definitely lessened over the years, but I still freak if I see one near me that is not behind glass.

LOL corn candy! That is really funny. What does it taste like?

People always tell me to take pictures with the foreign CMs I meet but I am too shy. I don't even know why, but I just feel stupid asking or something!

Yes, Disney fries are the best!

LOL I know, I have no idea either!

Thanks for the tip!

Congrats on being thread #4!!!

Glad you enjoyed the show! Ok, I will check out the new Hanson stuff on youtube. Fine.

It's ok, I wouldn't ask the CMs for pics either!

Well, the candy doesn't taste like corn. It's like umm, a sweet sucker (maybe like those white ones with multicoloured stripes) and then with a sort of spicy powdery coating like jalapeno chips?

 

[__disneygirl]

Okay omg, I'm now on pg.53 and you're talking about doing the 24 hr MK day. (My son btw is a CM there, working the front gate with all the new RFID stuff, did you ever see a cutie patootie by the name of Pat?, oh you'd love him) anyway! So because my son and his wife, were headed into MK that very night with their friends, I said you have to wave to me on the special webcam that was set up in front of the inside of MK. While I was waiting, I watched a blonde girl dancing like crazy, for like 30 minutes straight and having a ball, OMG, WAS THAT YOU??!!!!! Now I'm realizing that it may have been. She (or you) was having so much fun!!!!!!

Yeah that would be me!

Congrats on getting one of the top threads of the month!!!

Thanks!!!

Congrats on being thread #4!!!

Glad you enjoyed the show! Ok, I will check out the new Hanson stuff on youtube. Fine.

It's ok, I wouldn't ask the CMs for pics either!

Well, the candy doesn't taste like corn. It's like umm, a sweet sucker (maybe like those white ones with multicoloured stripes) and then with a sort of spicy powdery coating like jalapeno chips?

That's so weird! I wonder why it's shaped like corn. So random!

 

[Tracy161]

Lia, that is AWESOME!!!!!!!!! A huge congrats to you on #4!!! It's not at all surprising, your TRs are amazing!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

Hey there!

I followed your TR over from Jess's DCP and I have to say that you are awesome!! So many things to comment on, I don't where to start! So I'll just comment on things I can remember at the moment

1. What a fantastic dilema to be "Stuck in Disney!" I would seriously be ok with not having to come home for a few weeks.

2. I officially HAVE to go during Food and Wine, like NOW!! I love to eat! AGH! Why have I not thought of this before?!? I mean sure, the whole school schedule is kind of a pain, but I swear to work around it

3. I LOVE your gorilla tension scene! Seriously, I caught myself laughing while driving as I was thinking about the "Gettin' real tired of your crap Navid" spot! Good stuff!

4. Ok, not to overuse caps on this post, but your Mickey costume... OH! EMM! GEE!! That is freaking fantastic!

5. And your encounter with Eugene.... Priceless! If only he called me princess!

I can't wait to read more!

 

[__disneygirl]

Lia, that is AWESOME!!!!!!!!! A huge congrats to you on #4!!! It's not at all surprising, your TRs are amazing!

Thank you!!

Hey there!

I followed your TR over from Jess's DCP and I have to say that you are awesome!! So many things to comment on, I don't where to start! So I'll just comment on things I can remember at the moment

1. What a fantastic dilema to be "Stuck in Disney!" I would seriously be ok with not having to come home for a few weeks.

2. I officially HAVE to go during Food and Wine, like NOW!! I love to eat! AGH! Why have I not thought of this before?!? I mean sure, the whole school schedule is kind of a pain, but I swear to work around it

3. I LOVE your gorilla tension scene! Seriously, I caught myself laughing while driving as I was thinking about the "Gettin' real tired of your crap Navid" spot! Good stuff!

4. Ok, not to overuse caps on this post, but your Mickey costume... OH! EMM! GEE!! That is freaking fantastic!

5. And your encounter with Eugene.... Priceless! If only he called me princess!

I can't wait to read more!

Hi!

LOL. Oh I wish it was a few weeks! But the extra days I had were so great it felt longer than it was.

Food & Wine is absolutely the best time to go. I can't stress it enough.

hahaha I'm glad I made you laugh! I love to hear that!

Thank you so much! I love that costume and I worked so hard on it. I'm so happy it turned out so well! I really want to wear it again!

Eugene is just perfect.

 

[LibbyLovesDisney]

I FINALLY CAN START READING THIS PERFECT TR!

I was going to read it a few weeks, months, years, I don't remember the time frame, but some time ago, but then I saw you had two other magnificent TR's & just HAD to read those first!

After hours & hours & hours of reading every detail of your trips (WHICH I LOVE, HECK YEAH FOR DETAIL!), I am finally here!

Now, I just have to get caught up, but then I almost don't want to get caught up, cause then I'll sit down with my cup of coffee & say, "Time to read Lia's TR!" Then realize that I actually have to wait for you to update cause I can't just read when I please, oh Lord. That may cause me to spill my coffee right over & that's just terrible.
That can't happen.

So now, here I begin FINALLY to read your TR that I have been wanting to read forever!
WOOOO!

 

[twinmom]

Had to tell you I bought some Basin shampoo soap on Ebay so I could decide if I wanted to get some when I go to WDW in August. OMG I love it. I cannot wait to go and stock up. I am amazed at how it lathers up. You barely have to touch it to your hair and it gets all soapy!! And I have thick hair. I am with you, I may never use regular shampoo again.

Waiting on updates!!!

 

[Happy Duck]

Hey Lia! I just found your TR...and I can't believe I haven't read it until now! You had me at the "It Takes Two" reference. LOVE that movie. (Big, gooey, messy burger anyone?) I've only just begun this masterpiece yours but I'm loving it! Great job!

 

[Drea2500]

The more I read your TR, the more I get excited for my own trip!

 

[NaniKate]

Lia - did you quit on us???? We want to hear what happens next

 

[Happy Duck]

Just so you know, I finished your TR up until this point, and somehow I ended up on the Disney site. Pricing out a quick solo trip in October. Just so I can go to MNSSHP. My bank account isn't too happy with me. Someone stop me!!!!

 

[__disneygirl]

I FINALLY CAN START READING THIS PERFECT TR!

I was going to read it a few weeks, months, years, I don't remember the time frame, but some time ago, but then I saw you had two other magnificent TR's & just HAD to read those first!

After hours & hours & hours of reading every detail of your trips (WHICH I LOVE, HECK YEAH FOR DETAIL!), I am finally here!

Now, I just have to get caught up, but then I almost don't want to get caught up, cause then I'll sit down with my cup of coffee & say, "Time to read Lia's TR!" Then realize that I actually have to wait for you to update cause I can't just read when I please, oh Lord. That may cause me to spill my coffee right over & that's just terrible.
That can't happen.

So now, here I begin FINALLY to read your TR that I have been wanting to read forever!
WOOOO!

Wow, that's awesome! Thanks for reading my past TRs! I'm glad you enjoyed them so much and are so excited to read this one. I hope it lives up to my other ones!

Thanks again

Had to tell you I bought some Basin shampoo soap on Ebay so I could decide if I wanted to get some when I go to WDW in August. OMG I love it. I cannot wait to go and stock up. I am amazed at how it lathers up. You barely have to touch it to your hair and it gets all soapy!! And I have thick hair. I am with you, I may never use regular shampoo again.

Waiting on updates!!!

That's great! I agree, the lathering is amazing. It lasts so long because you only have to use a small amount each time. I'm addicted to the stuff!

Hey Lia! I just found your TR...and I can't believe I haven't read it until now! You had me at the "It Takes Two" reference. LOVE that movie. (Big, gooey, messy burger anyone?) I've only just begun this masterpiece yours but I'm loving it! Great job!

YAY It Takes Two is such a great movie. I need to watch it again! Thanks so much for reading

The more I read your TR, the more I get excited for my own trip!

Yay!!

Lia - did you quit on us???? We want to hear what happens next

No, I'm just busy! It's the summer, I can't be staring at a laptop all day. I mean, most of the day, sure. But it takes awhile to write these updates!

Just so you know, I finished your TR up until this point, and somehow I ended up on the Disney site. Pricing out a quick solo trip in October. Just so I can go to MNSSHP. My bank account isn't too happy with me. Someone stop me!!!!

Well, I am definitely not going to stop you. That's AWESOME. I wish I could do the same. I want to go so bad but I just don't think it's going to happen this time But I am so happy for you, I hope you have an AMAZING trip!!!

 

[blabbermouth]

The pressure of being #4, you can't cope! Heeheehee.

Summer is always so much busier. But my work is quieter in the summer, so I can get a bit of dis time during the day

 

[__disneygirl]

OCTOBER 30, 2012
Day 10, Part 1 In Which Who Knows When I'll Even Get Home​

​

Sooo this was one of the most frustrating mornings of my life. But kind of not really, because all the frustration was happening in Disney. Disney frustration is a lot better than non-Disney frustration because Disney frustration occurs within minutes of Cheddar Cheese Soup.

So it was fine.

Kind of. I was just genuinely worried because at this point I totally did not know how or when I was going to get home. I mean, look, I was happy to be stuck in Disney, but my bank account was like "HEY, LADY! STOP STARVING ME! I NEED SOME EXTRA PADDING FOR THE WINTER!"

Also, I had horrible guilt over my parents being stuck in a freezing, powerless house, my uncle living in a shelter because his home was destroyed, and my cousin trying to figure out how she was going to afford to make her home liveable again... all while I was basking in my version of Heaven. I just felt like I should be there helping, and even if there was nothing I can do, at least be there for support, hugs, and company. So I was really starting to not be so happy about being stuck... even though I was stuck in Disney. It's so true that there is a catch to everything.

I was on the phone with Expedia for over an hour, mostly being put on hold. I understand that they had high call volume to due all these canceled flights, but when I called Southwest later, the call was less than 10 minutes... just sayin'. The Expedia people were not very helpful as I have written about in a prior update.

Basically, I don't even want to explain all the details of everything that went on this morning, so I will just let my tweets do the talking:

@babybritney: Expedia is playing "Come Fly With Me" while I'm on hold and I'm like yeah, I tried. I'm trying.

Oh man. I literally had a laughing fit over that because that song is so upbeat and happy and I was like LOOK, SINATRA. I AM TRYING TO FLY WITH YOU. IT'S LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE. I'M TRYING.

@babybritney: LMAOOOOOO NOW THEY'RE PLAYING HOTEL CALIFORNIA. "You can check out any time you want...but you can never leave." #sotrue #StuckInDisney12

HAHAHAHAHA. THE MUSIC WAS TOO MUCH.

@babybritney: Gah I've been on the phone for over an hour. It's Disney and I'm stuck in the room!!!! Though I'm not even supposed to be here so whatever.

Expedia is saying they don't even know if they'll be flights bc the hurricane warnings have been extended to Nov 4. #StuckInDisney12

The only flight they have available tomorrow costs $530 before tax! That's a joke.

I could not believe that. Were the other customers they were talking to exclusively millionaires and idiots or something? I was NOT paying that much for a flight home when I didn't even get my credit for my original flight back yet!

@babybritney: My refund for my original flight may not process for ONE TO TWO WEEKS! They originally said "depending on your bank it may take a few days"

I wish Disney had an airline. @Expedia has been completely incompetent in helping with this situation. I have no idea what I'm going to do.

Disney gave a hurricane rate even though I didn't ask for it + @Expedia wont give me the credit/refund Im ENTITLED to. #thedisneydifference

Looks like I can't leave tomorrow unless I pay $500 which I refuse to do. #ThisIsTheTripThatNeverEnds #YesItGoesOnandOnMyFriends

At some point, Gina (one of my best friends who now lives in Florida) said that I should just come to her house to wait out the storm. At first we were both kind of joking about it, and then we were like... wait. We should totally do that. LOL.

I don't remember the timeline of exactly how it happened, but she talked to her parents and eventually we came to the conclusion that Gina would drive to Disney to pick me up that Thursday (November 1), and I would stay at her house until I could fly home for a reasonable price.

As much as I would have loved to stay in Disney indefinitely, it was getting so expensive and I couldn't purchase more days on my ticket anyway. Plus, I wanted to visit Gina. So it really ended up being a win-win. I was SO thankful that Gina made that offer, because I really had no idea what I was going to do. And now I got an extended vacation AGAIN - not just another day in Disney, but bonus days with one of my best friends! CRAZY.

Thanks SO MUCH to everyone who has sent good wishes + tried to help! It's official: I'm leaving Thursday morning.

I had to call my mom and fill her in on everything, but I could NOT stay in that room another minute after being cooped up all morning. I had to get some air, so I decided to go for a walk.

Here is the view from my door:

Exciting, I know!

I wanted to always remember exactly what it was like to be #StuckInDisney, so I took pictures of the left...

and right of my room too.

On my walk, I ran into my favorite deputy. Of course, I'm talking about Sheriff Woody. I just had to take a selfie with his shoe.

Andy <3

I really wanted to explore other sections of the resort, since so far all I had seen was the main areas and Andy's Room, so I set off for the Fantasia, 101 Dalmatians, Love Bug, and Mighty Ducks sections!

Fantasia is the "dreaded" part of the resort for some people. A lot has been made of the noise due to the pool and also the giant scary Jack in the Box.

I personally love the entire thing.

That said, would I want to stay in this section? Not really. Mainly because the Fantasia area is just so wide open and in the middle of the action. I think the way Andy's Room is sectioned off and cut away from the entire rest of the resort makes it really feel like you are being transported in to Woody's world. It would be hard for anything to beat that kind of magic.

I also wish they would have focused less on Fantasia 2000, and just made the whole thing all about the original Fantasia. If they had the dancing hippos and multicolor unicorns here, OH MY GOD.

I still really enjoy the whole thing there. I would not be mad if I ended up in a Fantasia room, I'd just miss hangin' with Woody and Buzz a whole lot.

Here it comes guys... brace yourselves... hide your children's eyes..........!

Whatever, I actually love it. LOL. You know me, I love weird and spooky stuff. Now, does it belong in the middle of icons of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Woody & Buzz, etc? The jury may still be out on that one.

Anyone want to visit Roger and his doggies?

I think 101 Dalmatians was a really random choice for All Star Movies, but I'm glad this film is represented somewhere in Walt Disney World. Come to think of it, the whole resort is such a hodgepodge of Disney movie randomness, you know?

Anyway, I have a thing for 1970's animation, and an even bigger thing for dogs, so I am very happy with this choice.

Onward through the Dalmatians section, you reach the Mighty Ducks, which I will cover in the next update. Scroll!​

 

[__disneygirl]

OCTOBER 30, 2012
Day 10, Part 2 In Which For A Brief Moment In Time, Everything Really Is Okay

The Mighty Ducks section is probably my least favorite, which is not a criticism on the design, merely my personal taste. Despite my love for Emilio Estevez, I've only seen parts of the Mighty Ducks movies on TV in passing, and I'm also not a hockey fan, so there's nothing that really ties me to this area.

However, the other pool is here, and they have a really cute locker room, so yay.

Donalds & Daisys, how cute.

After this, I turned around, and walked back through where I had just been to get to the other end of the resort, which is the Love Bug section.

I LOVED THIS PLACE SO MUCH. It will always hold a special place in my heart, and you're about to hear why!

I sat on one of those tires in the picture above so I could call my mom and fill her in on everything that happened that morning, and vice versa. She was SO happy that I was going to Gina's on Thursday and also really thankful. I was so happy to talk to her because she really made all the difference in my mood.

She told me, again, to stop worrying and just enjoy myself. She said it was a once in a life time opportunity, I mean when else am I going to get an experience like this, to be physically STUCK in my most favorite place on earth?

She said since everyone was safe and there was nothing I could do, being upset about what was going on at home was totally pointless. I mean, I was so lucky. I escaped one of the worst storms ever and I had this once in a lifetime opportunity of STILL being stuck in my favorite place. I just had to let it go and enjoy myself.

This is not an easy thing for me to do. I never just let go and enjoy myself. I obsess.

Somehow, though, call it Disney magic... I realized she really was right. And I felt better.

All we have in life is here and now. If anything, Sandy is a perfect example of that. Think of where you are right now, reading this. Maybe you're like me, sitting in bed. Now imagine your bed underwater. Imagine swimming out of your bedroom.

People did this during Sandy. People died doing this. Hundreds of them. Those who only lost their homes and belongings were the lucky ones. Imagine losing everything you ever owned, including your HOME, and still feeling lucky.

That is the kind of thing that was going on minutes from where I live.

I will never, EVER understand why some of us get lucky and survive the storm, and some of us do not. It is something that has plagued me since I was a child.

This is why you must look around you and be thankful for every single good piece of your little life in a sea of seven billion others. Because you never know when all of it will slip right out of your fingers.

Things can seem so horrible, but you never know how bad things can be until you lose what really matters - a person. And I have lost people, many of them, before. So in this particular circumstance in which I lost no one, I felt SO LUCKY.

Not because I was stuck in Disney, not because I didn't have to deal with being in my freezing house without power, but because I did not get a phone call with unthinkable news, like so many relatives of Sandy victims did.

No one I knew had died. No one I knew was in the hospital.

In that moment I could feel nothing but thankful. So I sat in Disney World, on a tire in the Love Bug section of All Star movies on the day before Halloween, just appreciating my situation. I think I actually cried.

Trust me, I am not a "Every day is a gift, just be thankful you are alive" kind of person. I often complain about my life.

However, in this moment I could not find anything at all to complain about.

It was the kind of moment that almost never happens, and you can never predict when or where it will. It's like a stream of consciousness, everything is exactly how it is supposed to be kind of thing. I do not believe everything happens for a reason and I don't think karma necessarily exists or anything like that. However, every once in awhile, these moments occur, and though as fleeting as anything else, they provide a comfort unlike any other. Things seem right in a way that makes me feel like God is personally patting me on the back and telling me it's okay.

After my deep philosophical moment, I was ready to embark on my latest adventure.

If it was going to be all over tomorrow, at least I wouldn't regret skipping a third MNSSHP because it would be "too much" or something.

If #StuckInDisney12 taught me anything, it's that there can never be too much MNSSHP. One day, I want to plan a trip entirely around going to MNSSHPs. I want to do it like six times or something ridiculous like that. Ridiculousness is necessary in a world of hurricanes and bombings and shootings and other things that make life unbearable.

This is why my motto since age 13 has been "Do whatever you want to do all the time, as long as you're not hurting anybody, including yourself."

I'm smart. Heed my advice!!!

So I got off my little tire seat and headed to the front desk to purchase my third ticket to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!!!!!!!!!!!

OH MY GOD. It was really setting in now. THREE PARTIES IN ONE TRIP. This vacation was certainly turning into something I never, ever expected.

I decided that out of everything I could do in Disney World, nothing was going to make me happier than going back to the party. This was perfect because I was running out of days on my park hopper, so an event with a separate ticket would have been the only way I could go to the parks every day of my trip. You can only purchase 10 park days on a Magic Your Way ticket. Any more and you need to upgrade to an Annual Pass, which I wish so badly I could have done, but I didn't exactly have an extra $200+ bouncing around in my pocket due to the unexpected #StuckInDisney cost.

For my third MNSSHP, I actually wanted to go ON Halloween, but unfortunately they were sold out. That night usually always sells out in advance, so if you are thinking of going, make sure you get those ahead of time! Since I had no idea I would even be in Disney on Halloween, obviously I did not have that opportunity.

It was really funny because by this point at least two of the women working at the Front Desk knew me. One of them saw me approach and said, "Girl, you're back again?!" and the other one had a worried look on her face, like, "Oh no... what's happened now?" So I said, "It's cool guys, I just need another Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party ticket!!!"

They cheered and clapped and so did I. It was a moment of celebration!

Up Next: Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, take THREE!!
​

 

[beachmama3]

I loved that last update. Thank you for that! Being a Cape May County girl and seeing the destruction that happened just miles from me was so eye-opening and made me appreciate so much. You are right- my family was fine and my house was fine, but I know many people who lost so much. Glad your family was safe!!

Can't wait to hear about your 3rd partaaayyyy!

 

[princess_momma]

Aw Lia...your post made me cry. I loved your philosophical thoughts. My personal corner of this world is quite far from the east coast, so I wasn't plagued by Sandy...but my corner has been plagued by the Century 16 theater shooting and wildfires, and I have known people personally who lives have been forever changed by both. It's crazy. And heartbreaking. So easy to look at the unfairness of it all. But everything is fleeting. The tragedies and the joys. What else can we do but be thankful for the moment we are in? For the people we still have?

 

[wiigirl]

Great update!

 

[11point5]

I love that you took the time to check out the rest of the resort!! I always mean to do that, and then I always forget until I'm on the plane to go home and then I'm ridiculously devastated

Can't wait to hear about MNSSHP round 3!!

 

[disnic75]

Hi, Lia!

I love your trip reports (and Jess's) and I even spotted you guys in Japan on our May trip. Dis needs a starstruck smilie

Just wanted to comment on the hurricane situation. I had to evacuate Southern Louisiana for Hurricane Katrina but my husband had to stay since he's in law enforcement. I was stuck in Little Rock, Arkansas (of all places!) for a week. All phone service back home was down so I couldn't talk to him or check on family and friends. We were lucky. No power for a month during the summer heat but did not lose everything like some of my family. I hope nothing like that happens again.

But with every hurricane threat, I secretly hope it will cause me to evacuate to Disney