therussells08
Roger, Simba One!
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2010
The Greatest Hits: A Trip Like This Needs a Soundtrack!- A July 2012 TR
HELLO and
, everyone, to my fourth trip report! If you dont know me and youd like some background reading, please feel free to explore my previous TRs. You can find all three in my signature. I hope you enjoy reading about my past trips and my most recent adventure! If you already know me and youre still reading this, bless you. You have obviously accepted and embraced me and my craziness, and for that I am eternally grateful. So, allow me to introduce myself...
I wanna rock right now.
I'm Joni and I came to get down.
I'm not internationally known,
but I'm known to rock the microphone.
Okay so Im really not internationally known, OR known to rock the microphone, but I am known for being a Disney World fanatic and trip report writer! The reason I chose lyrics from everyones favorite one hit wonders, Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, is because I decided a long time ago that I wanted to write this trip report a little bit differently. You know how sometimes when life is going really great, you find yourself wishing you lived in the movies where there was the perfect song playing in the background all the time? Well, thats how I felt on the trip. Everything was so amazing, I just felt like it NEEDED a soundtrack to go along with it. I mean seriously, so much amazing stuff happened on this trip. Were talking surprises, an awesome DISmeet, celebrity encounters, tears of joy, first experiences, hilarious antics, and lots of pixie dust! So thats what Ive done- Ive compiled a soundtrack to complement this trip report! The songs will all be relevant to the updates in some way- it could be anything from a silly play on words, to a song that I have some sort of deep emotional attachment to that reflects my feelings during that particular time. Every update will be accompanied by a song, with a link provided for your listening pleasure. Also, the song title will also serve as the chapter title for each update. I will also be posting a soundtrack track listing in the chapter links section, so if you feel the need to download and burn the soundtrack of this trip, you can easily do that.
Now that weve got the basic layout of my TR down, lets do some introductions!
The Cast
Me: Im Joni, and Im a 25 year old high school English teacher from beautiful NC. I have been to Disney World 10 times since 2007, and Im completely obsessed. Everything about it is pure magic to me, and I will NEVER get tired of going. My life is not complete unless Im either A.) planning my next trip to Disney or B.) actually in Disney World. Even though I a didnt start going to Disney until I was an adult, the magic is not wasted on me AT ALL. Every trip just keeps getting better and better, and I am more in love with it now than ever.
My Disney Breakdown:
Favorite Movies: Aladdin, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast
Favorite Songs: Circle of Life, Stay Awake, A Whole New World, Beauty and the Beast
Favorite Characters: Aladdin, Jasmine, Woody, Pluto
Favorite Park: Disneys Hollywood Studios
Favorite Ride: Rockn Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Favorite Non-Ride Activity: Animation Academy
Favorite Resort: Beach Club
Favorite Restaurant: Le Cellier, Beaches n Cream, and Ohana
Favorite Dessert: No Way Jose from Beaches n Cream
John- My wonderful 26 year old husband. John is a Green Beret in the US Army. Hes 62 and covered in tattoos, but he loves Disney World almost as much as I do. John isnt really into the planning part, he just likes going on the trips. Hes more of a go with the flow kind of guy, and he likes to relax at Disney a little more than I prefer, but other than that hes a great traveling partner! John was my companion on the first week of my trip!
Johns Disney Breakdown:
Favorite Movies: The Jungle Book, Swiss Family Robinson, The Sword in the Stone
Favorite Songs: Gaston, Les Poissons
Favorite Characters: King Louie, Shere Kahn
Favorite Park: Disneys Animal Kingdom
Favorite Ride: Expedition Everest
Favorite Non-Ride Activity: Drinking around the World Showcase
Favorite Resort: Animal Kingdom Lodge
Favorite Restaurant: Le Cellier, Yak & Yeti, Ohana
Favorite Dessert: Fried cream cheese wontons from Yak & Yeti
Mom- My mother, Sandra, is also my best friend in the world! This was her first trip to Disney, and she came down for the last three days of my trip. My mom doesnt get to travel much because she has some health issues, so I gave her this trip as her birthday present. We only had a few days for her to see everything, but she fell in love! It was truly magical for me getting to see her experience everything for the first time!
Moms Disney Breakdown:
Favorite Movies: Mary Poppins, Snow White
Favorite Songs: A Spoonful of Sugar, Jolly Holiday
Favorite Characters: Mary Poppins, Princess Tiana
Favorite Park: Magic Kingdom
Favorite Ride: It's a Small World
Favorite Non-Ride Activity: Meeting characters
Favorite Resort: Port Orleans French Quarter
Favorite Restaurant: Sci Fi Dine in Theater, Casey's Corner
Favorite Dessert: Dark chocolate covered caramel from Karamell Kuche
Trip Details
When- This was my longest trip Ive ever taken! I left home with John on July 7th. John stayed until the 15th, then my mom flew down and we stayed for three days, flying home together on the 18th. Thats eleven days for me!
Where- During my time with John, we stayed at the Beach Club for the first time!
With mom, I stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter!
Before we begin, heres a few more details you should know for how this report will be written. I have decided to write the portion of my trip spent with John in a blue font, and the portion of my trip spent with my mom in a pink font. Also, I have written very thorough dining reviews that I will be sharing with you. I have established a system for rating my dining experiences. I will be judging them based on: service, atmosphere, food quality, and overall dining experience. The rating system will be as follows:
THE FOOD RATING SYSTEM
Category 1- The Remy
This place is the best of the best. Like its namesake, a Category 1 meal is all about good food and good dining experiences. It just doesnt get any better than this!
Category 2- The Emile
This place has potential, but it also has the potential to be a little imperfect, just like Remys brother. Hes open to new ideas, but still gravitates toward eating trash. A Category 2 meal was pretty good, but could use some improvement.
Category 3- The Django
Like Remy and Emiles garbage loving dad, a Category 3 meal is just kind of gross or disappointing. A meal in this category definitely did NOT live up to our expectations.
Okay so thats the basics for our meal rating system, however, I really enjoy making things complicated, so THERES MORE.
Anyone who knows me knows how seriously I take my meals (obviously, judging by my intense meal rating system you just saw). One of my favorite foods in the entire world is CUPCAKES. Before I left on this trip I decided to attempt a Disney World cupcake crawl. It wasnt as successful as I had hoped, but I still managed to sample and rate some of the most popular cupcakes in WDW. In order to review said cupcakes, I developed a special rating system that I like to call...
The P.I.E.C.E of Cake Guide to WDW Cupcakes
P- The Presentation. This is the overall appearance of the cupcake. Is it aesthetically pleasing? First impressions are very important, even for cupcakes.
I- The icing. What cupcake is complete without iicing? This portion of the evaluation tool will focus on that delicious topping thats the...well..icing on the cake!
E- The extras . WDW loves to add special touches to its cupcakes that makes them even more amazing. This portion of the evaluation will look at those extra toppings on each cupcake.
C- The cake! Duh. I mean, its the most important part. They dont call it a cupCAKE for nothin!
E- The eating experience. This is the overall feeling that eating the cupcake gives the devourer. Was it too filling? Too sweet? Too messy? Or just right? This part will answer those questions.
Hopefully using my state-of-the-art P.I.E.C.E of Cake Evaluation Tool, I can help you determine the absolute best cupcake in all of Disney World!
I think that about sums in up for the introductions, so I hope youre ready to join me on this crazy musical adventure through the best Disney trip Ive ever had! Lets not waste anymore time...here we goooooo!!!
This sounds like such an amazing time!!!!!! 
I actually squealed with excitement when I saw this link in your last TR! 
Oh, and your food rating systems just made me laugh out loud! How cute!!!!
