See what a little Wishin' can do? A very ENGAGING January 2015 trip! *COMPLETED 10/9*

[Cando86]

To all who come to this happy place: WELCOME!!!

I'm here to tell you about our amazing trip to the World! It was magical in so many ways but especially one in particular...we'll get to that later though!

How about some introductions?

I'm Candace...unfortunately sometimes known as Candy much to my chagrin Mostly, though, known as Can or Candace and sometimes, much to my...well, the opposite of chagrin, "that girl who's obsessed with Disney."



And here's a more accurate representation...



My partner in crime...



That's Joe. We've been together for three awesome years and he's the best. We went to high school together and have been friends throughout the years. Three years ago we went out for a drink at a really classy establishment (aka a smelly dive bar in the city where we went to high school) and the rest, as they say, is history. And a more accurate representation of Joe?



Hands off now...he's taken .

Joe and I are both 28 years old...how we graduated from high school ten years ago is beyond me. Here are a couple lovely pictures of us together representin' some of our teams...







And I'll throw in a "GO GREEN!" and see who bites...

So the reason for the trip? Ha, that's funny, as if you need a reason...
How about "the excuse I used for going to Disney again?"
That would be my graduation from graduate school! After 16 long, stressful, awful, tear-filled months I was done. And Joe had stayed with me through it all so we both deserved a vacation! Joe also had not taken a real vacation since he started working after college.

With these two things in mind, we decided a nice long vacation was necessary. AKA I was able to get away with suggesting a longer than one week vacation . I graduated mid December and while I would have loved to leave right after, the drastic price jumps during the holiday season were too difficult to justify. We decided to go early January and booked in July after the Play, Stay and Dine promotion came out. We'd be arriving January 5th and leaving for home on January 16th.

One more piece of information though about this trip. I hate flying. Absolutely, positively hate it. Joe, on the other hand, LOVES it...one of his life goals is to get his pilot's license. The notion of opposites attracting could not be more true here...
So, we ended up deciding to drive. Much to Joe's dismay. We would leave Sunday January 4th, stay the night in Georgia and head home sad1 Friday January 16th where we'd stay the night in Kentucky and then finish the drive on the 17th.

PHEW.

Are you ready? Please stand clear of the doors.

 

[Cando86]

Where we introduce ourselves

Pre-Trip Woes

Sunday January 4th, 2015
And away we go!

Monday January 5th, 2015
WE'RE HOME!!!
Raglan Road/Downtown Disney
Raglan Road/Downtown Disney Continued

Tuesday January 6th, 2015
Africa, Asia, Dinosaurs: alive and well - You name it, it lives here
Donald, Dinosaurs and Dining oh my!
More Animal Kingdom fun!
A Food Coma at Boma

Wednesday January 7th, 2015
I could get used to a view like this. Yep, I'm used to it. Guys, I want a castle.
Rope Drop It Like It's Hot
A Magic Kingdom Afternoon!
The (Gladly) Never-Ending Magic Kingdom Afternoon
When I Provide You With The Most Accurate Wait Times
Being Their Guests
Can I Say Something Crazy?
Mission: Get Engaged - ACCOMPLISHED

Thursday January 8, 2015
Gooooood Morning Hollywood Studios!
The One Where Minnie Has Too Many Dole Whips
50's Prime Time and a Game Time Decision

Friday January 9, 2015
Nice Work, Pal
Drinking Around The World/We're Cheap Dates
Where We're Too Excited To Sleep: Switch That - Too Sleepy To Be Excited

Saturday January 10, 2015
They Should Pay YOU To Go There
DON'T QUESTION MY DISNEY AUTHORITY
California Dreamin' On Such a Florida Day
Gimme Back That Filet-O-Beef - GIMME THAT BEEF

Sunday January 11, 2015
I Think This Is The Beginning Of A Beautiful Friendship...With Buzz Lightyear
Being Their Guests...Again
Being A Part Of Belle's Favorite Story
Fans Of The Day!
When Something Threatens To Ruin Our Evening
Mickey! I KNOW HIM!!!
Where We Accomplish An Important Mission
PhotoPass Nails It

Monday January 12, 2015
Sleep, Eat, And Breathe
A Relaxing Afternoon
Strawberry Shortcake And Have You Ever Seen The Rain? We Have

Tuesday January 13, 2015
Where We Visit The Doctor
When I Actually Like My HS QS Meal
We Buckle Ourselves In All By Ourselves!
Sci-Fi DIE Inn
A Simply Fantasmic Evening

Wednesday January 14, 2015
Yeah, Use Your IMAGINATION
Our EY Game
Future So Bright
When The Moon Hits Our Eyes Like A Big Pizza Pie

Thursday January 15, 2015
We've Got The Last Day Blues
Squeezing Out The Last Of The Magic
Sadness In The MK
All Good Things Must Come To An End

 

[ashw100]

Hi! Subbing in. Congrats on graduating what an awesome gift to yourself. Got to support a fellow Detriot fan especially a Redwings one. Can't wait to hear more.

 

[hops&dreams]

subscribing - I'm in.

I enjoyed your Just Back observations, so I'm guessing your TR won't disappoint.

I leave in 9 days, and we're also driving. (this will be our first time driving). I'm SO excited!!!

Congratulations on your graduation! Any career plans you care to share?

 

[DisneyPsycho]

Hi Can....

 

[Cando86]

Hi! Subbing in. Congrats on graduating what an awesome gift to yourself. Got to support a fellow Detriot fan especially a Redwings one. Can't wait to hear more.

HELLO! Thank you for the congratulations! Grad school was quite the experience Disney was the BEST way to celebrate! And you're from Detroit! How 'bout that Wings game last night? Joe was there!

subscribing - I'm in.

I enjoyed your Just Back observations, so I'm guessing your TR won't disappoint.

I leave in 9 days, and we're also driving. (this will be our first time driving). I'm SO excited!!!

Congratulations on your graduation! Any career plans you care to share?

HI! Ahh, driving. I actually loved the trip! It didn't feel like it dragged on or anything. Are you stopping for the night or going straight through?

Career plans...the field I'm in requires me to get licensed and that process is a gigantic pain. So I just started that and once that is completed I can start applying for jobs!

Hi Can....

HI MOM!

 

[Cando86]

Pre-Trip Woes

A couple weeks prior to the trip, nothing major had gone wrong and I was secretly hoping we were in the clear. Because something always happens, right? So two weeks prior, when nothing major had happened to interfere with the trip I was thinking ! That's when the world decided to show me how life really works.

While getting an oil change, the mechanics informed me that my car battery was running at a pretty low performance. The print-out they gave me had stated it was "severely low" and ran the risk of unexpectedly dying on me. Keep in mind that the plan was to take this very car to Florida in two weeks.



Not the biggest deal in the world but I certainly could have done without it. I was slightly skeptical, as I always am when it comes to my car, that they were simply trying to upsell me during my routine oil change. However, after taking it to another shop and receiving the same information I had to bite the bullet and get the battery. Then they installed it wrong and my car wasn't starting properly. So I had to take it back and have them re-install it.

THEN. While finishing up Christmas shopping on the Sunday before Christmas...dun dun dun.
My car started driving like it had a flat tire. I pulled over into the Trader Joe's parking lot and went out to look. Tires looked fine. I got back in the car and put it in drive and...the car wouldn't move forward at all and was making a very loud noise when I tried to do so. I frantically called my dad who came to the rescue, googled what the issue might be and called AAA who then confirmed my suspicions that the issue was way worse than I was hoping it might be.

Both google, who is pretty knowledgeable and dependable in information, and the AAA worker seemed to think my transmission had died. We had it towed to a transmission place. And I tried to keep my cool but was secretly like this . My dad thought I should sell the car. The transmission was estimated to be over $3500 and my car has had a pretty long life when it comes to miles traveled.

Oh, we were also leaving the next day for Christmas at my sister's in Chicago.

While in Chicago I tried to relax and enjoy myself. But I was pretty nervous about the car situation. My initial plan was to cancel Disney. How responsible would it be to go on a trip where we'd now have to rent a car (Joe's car is a lease with mileage restrictions and so we couldn't take his), pay the extra money for that and sell my car OR pay for a new transmission. It felt like whatever was supposed to happen for us to cancel this trip was finally happening. My family and Joe were both adamant that the show would go on. They had their reasons too...

Well, a couple days into the Chicago trip my dad got a voicemail from the transmission people. Who said..."we have good news." After calling back we discovered it was NOT the transmission but a bolt that had come undone on the wheel ! And it would cost $100 instead of over $3500. And I proceeded to dance and get excited about our trip again !!! Oh, and finally RELAX.

 

[Cando86]

And away we go! - Sunday January 4th, 2015

IT WAS FINALLY HERE!!!

After a year of planning, graduate school and way too much stress it was FINALLY.TIME.!!! There is nothing quite like Disney departure day. Even if all that is ahead of you that particular day is 12 hours of driving. But seeing those countdowns read these numbers? Nothin' like it!





Since we were driving about 12 hours today, we planned to hit the road at 7am. Would that happen? We shall see...

I think I set my alarm for about 5:30 to leave time for all that last minute packing and to give myself time to wake up before we hit the road. We packed up the car and headed out the door well before 7am!!! One more character to introduce you to who won't be a major player in this story but sure is a major (crazy, messy, cute, awesome) player in our lives. That's our pup Riley.



We were dropping him off at his grandma and grandpa's house while we were gone. We visited with Joe's dad for a bit and then Joe disappeared for a few minutes. I'd discover why later...

We were finally off and on the road at 7:05! We stopped for some McDonald's breakfast at 9:45 and hit some CRAZY wind.


Basically.

At some point, Joe took a nap and I remember for the first time feeling truly calm and relaxed and the reality of the trip was really setting in. There's always that one moment that hits me where it finally feels real – and this was it. Coincidence that that calmness happened to coincide with Joe sleeping?

At 3:00 we stopped for some grub at Hardee's. Where I was severely disappointed. I always get excited about the new road trip food you get to try and this one...did not deserve the excitement. Around 8pm we made it into Macon, Georgia where we had booked a hotel to stay in for the night. Now...this “hotel”? Let's just say I'm glad we were here for less than 12 hours. And Joe, who is not one to complain and gladly let me take most of the reins when it came to planning this trip, mentioned something about not wanting to stay here. And my exhaustion got the best of me and I snapped a little. Little did I know he had a better reason than I realized for not wanting to stay in this weird, unsafe-feeling hotel... <foreshadowing dun dun DUN>

We got some KFC after unsuccessfully trying to get some Chick fil A (on a Sunday...oops). Joe watched a little



which he has recently become slightly obsessed with. And by slightly I mean he finished close to 10 hours of one season so he could go buy the next one for the trip.

Oh, the total spent on gas? We started with a full tank paid for by my lovely father, so I won't include that. Then stopped twice for a grand total of... $49. So thankful for awesome gas prices!

Up next...MY VISION'S CLOUDED FROM THE TEARS! And... PICTURES. Finally real pictures.

 

[Hardheadedwoman]

Following along - can't wait!

Lissette

 

[saintstickets]

Just found your TR and subbed in. Looking forward to reading more!!

 

[Biggie Smalls]

Following along- I might totally understand your mans obsession with SOA... Sigh, best show ever.

 

[jennnymccarthy]

Following along - I'm excited to read your stooooory And maybe (if I'm guessing what happens correctly) hope to imitate it on MY Disney trip w/my boyfriend in a few weeks!

 

[JoyFaithGrace]

<lurking>

 

[Lady Marie]

I'm following along too! Can't wait to see what happens!

 

[smickchic]

Go Blue!

I'm from Michigan too!

 

[ljcrochet]

Can't wait to read the rest of your story

 

[Cando86]

Following along - can't wait!
Lissette

Hi there!!! Thanks for joining in

Just found your TR and subbed in. Looking forward to reading more!!

Hello! Thank you for reading!!

Following along- I might totally understand your mans obsession with SOA... Sigh, best show ever.

Welcome!! And yes...it is a fantastic show. We have two episodes left and Joe doesn't know what he's going to do once it's over!

Following along - I'm excited to read your stooooory And maybe (if I'm guessing what happens correctly) hope to imitate it on MY Disney trip w/my boyfriend in a few weeks!

Oh HOW EXCITING!!! Keep us updated!!! (And thanks for reading!)

<lurking>

HELLO! I'm all too familiar with lurking...

I'm following along too! Can't wait to see what happens!

Hello and thank you for reading!!!

Go Blue!

I'm from Michigan too!

Hello fellow Michigander...how's that snow treatin' ya?

Can't wait to read the rest of your story

Thank you so much for reading !!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Joining in! There was something in your trip report title that drew me in but can't quite put my finger on it

Congratulations on finishing up with school! That is definitely something work celebrating!


"And it would cost $100 instead of over $3500." ... so you are saying it will cost less?!?!?

 

[Cando86]

WE'RE HOME!!! - Monday January 5th, 2015


Today the alarm was set for 6:30am. Hahaha...that's a joke, do you think I made it until then? My “I'm too excited to sleep” was in full force. But I didn't let that rub off on Joe and I let him get his beauty rest until the alarm went off - when I proceeded to jump around the room and exclaim “IT'S DISNEY DAY, IT'S DISNEY DAY!!!” until he fully comprehended that everything my family had warned him about how I act in Disney was 100% true.

We had breakfast at the hotel where I steered clear of caffeine. Extra energy was unnecessary. After we finished eating, Joe took my stuff and threw it away. A nice older women commented “it's nice to see young people doing that” with a smile. It was very sweet and I always like when Joe gets the opportunity to see what a good person he is!

I forgot to mention that when Joe woke up he was in a pretty significant amount of pain . We think he must have pinched a nerve and his shoulder/neck was bothering him a lot. We got on the road a little after 8am and stopped for some Icy Hot which helped him a little. The drive was pretty uneventful until, of course, we started seeing our first “Walt Disney World” signs and then...once we got on property the excitement went full force, no holds barred. See the “I'm too excited to act like an adult” video below for evidence.

Needless to say, we were both so excited. It was really cute to watch Joe get excited and start experiencing all of this together! Disney, surprisingly and I'm sure no one else here feels this way, is my happy place. And I was hoping to introduce Joe to all the greatness that is WDW. WE WERE HERE!!!!!!!






Checking in could not have been more exciting and I was PUMPED about our room location! The only request I had made was 60s section which we got but we also got a GREAT room with a lake view that was very quiet. Our room number was 5234 - easy to remember, which was nice for a forgetful person. So, if anyone is looking into Pop and wants a quiet room with a lake view in the 60s section...5234 it is. Here's a video of us (me) using our MagicBands for the first time and entering our home for 11 days! SO EXCITING! Ah, I can still remember how exciting this was!

Joe got a luggage cart and transferred all of our big stuff to the room while I parked the car and cleaned out some of the smaller stuff. We noticed we didn't have a remote control in our room and needed some more hangers so I called for more and they came by with both immediately! As we were unpacking we heard a knock at the door. ??? We had no idea what for. As we opened the door, somebody said “Disney delivery” and had a huge basket for us! We were completely surprised! Here's what greeted us:



It was the absolute sweetest thing!!! It was from one of my best friends and included the sweetest note congratulating me on grad school graduation and had the cutest things inside! There were four champagne glasses with Mickeys on them, a bottle of champagne, a Jedi Mickey for Joe (the Star Wars obsessed), an awesome Little Mermaid towel that had my name engraved on it and a box shaped like Mickey MADE OF CHOCOLATE with Mickey shaped chocolates inside! We were both so happy and blown away. I briefly considered popping the bottle of champagne but we had to get ready for our first dinner reservation at a brand new restaurant to us – Raglan Road! (and I'm so glad I waited on that bottle of champagne...!).

 

[Cando86]

Joining in! There was something in your trip report title that drew me in but can't quite put my finger on it
Congratulations on finishing up with school! That is definitely something work celebrating!


"And it would cost $100 instead of over $3500." ... so you are saying it will cost less?!?!?

Doesn't ringgg a bell...?

Thanks for the congrats! It was quite an experience...can't say I'm sad that it's over!!!

And THANK YOU for reading!!!