"We're really going this time?!" - A June 2015 PTR (Pic Heavy)

[ABDonovan]

WELCOME!!! *throws confetti all over the room*

This is my Pre-Trip report for my June 2014 Walt Disney World trip! WE ARE FINALLY GOING TO DISNEY WORLD! As a couple, DH and I have been trying to plan a Disney vacation for around five years. We always seem to screw up somewhere, and of course we ruin the vacation. Sometimes it's money. Sometimes it's my DH losing his job. Sometimes it's simply that we feel obligated to not attend, because it will take quite a bit to save the money for the trip, and we could buy a lot with that money.

I will go a bit into the cast members here.

This is DH.

- Wes at BWW

His dog tags say Wesley, but I affectionately renamed him Wes (lol). I hope his old owners don't want him back, because I've started to enjoy his company.

Anyways, he's 24 years old and takes care of me, like he loves me or something. I call him DH, even though we're not married. We're attempting to wait out my college, because while I'm single, I get more in grants and free college money. Married people get less assistance, which is ridiculous (imo).

Anyways, I found him when I was on the PBA (Professional Bowler's Association) circuit. He was working at the big bowling center that my dad had me participate in a house tournament at. He was witty and fun, and when my boyfriend stood me up to go on a date with two younger girls, he picked me up from my depression, bought me some disgusting and greasy junk food (Chili Cheese Burgers. YUM!), and took me on a date. It opened up my heart to something new, and something great, and we've been together ever since. It's been six years, and I'm never looking back.

He loves Aerosmith and is a huge fan of Winnie the Pooh (Trust me it's as adorable as it sounds). He watched the entire movie the other night, giggling and singing along with it. It made me about as happy as anything ever has. This is going to be his second Disney trip.

Favorite Park - Hollywood Studios
Favorite Character - Winnie the Pooh and Tigger (he says they're equal lol)
Favorite Ride - Rockin' Roller Coaster
Favorite Restaurant - 50's Diner
Favorite Movie - The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh


Then there's me.

I'm Missy, but a lot of my friends call me A.B. because my pen name is AnnaBeth Donovan. I'm a Junior in college, working toward my second bachelor's degree in Wildlife Management and Ecology.

I have already received one degree in Marine Biology with an emphasis in Marine Mammal ecology. My emphasis in this degree is currently Bat Ecology.

- After a Common Yellowthroat banding

- Banding a Common Yellowthroat

- Dusky Salamanders

- Eastern Musk Turtle

- Turtle Skull found doing a survey

My degrees and my studies pretty much rule my life, because I love my work. I love what I do, and everyone involved. It's a lot of hands on wild animal experience that not everyone gets to have in their life. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity that has been placed in front of me.

I like cycling and running, and have recently decided to try and lose 50 pounds before my Disney Trip, so that I will feel better, will have less of a problem with sore feet and aches and pains. I am also a huge Disney nerd, who has been forced to keep the Disney at a minimum, because otherwise I would get super depressed about not being able to go to Disney World. I deal with BiPolar Disorder and severe anxiety episodic disorder (which I don't say I suffer from, because most of the time I'm pretty chill). It's tough sometimes, but I find that if I keep busy and don't give myself time to daydream, I don't stress and I have less manic episodes.

I'm 25 years old and this will be my second Disney Trip as well. It also so happens that we are going to the World during my birthday. The special day is June 15th.

Favorite Park - Animal Kingdom
Favorite Character - Stitch
Favorite Ride - Splash Mountain
Favorite Restaurant - Rainforest Cafe (we didn't eat much in the parks when I was there).
Favorite Movie - A close race between Frozen/The Lion King/Lilo and Stitch

- Buffalo River View

I have reached photo limit, and I LOVE photos. So, I will share more of my beautiful little world in the post right below this

 

[ABDonovan]

We don't know if she's going yet, but my mother is also partially part of this cast. So we shall add her in here.

- me and mom
Where to start...

She's 55 and the most supportive mom that has ever lived. She gets dirty and muddy right along with me, and most of the time when I need extra hands for a survey or for a project that I'm doing with Wildlife (especially snakes), she's the first to volunteer, and honestly, I'd rather have her than most others. She's never been to college, and is educated enough through our trips that she could get her degree if there was some sort of test she could take for it. I'm uber proud of her.

- Mom Fishing
She's also a huge Disney nerd. We didn't have much when I was a kid, and so she couldn't afford to take me to Disney World until my 13th birthday, with the help of family members (one of which was a CM). I've always thanked her every day for our little trip, although rushed. It was one of the best memories of my life, so far. So, we have to go back! She watches every Disney movie that comes out, in theaters with me, and I break down and watch all of the Transformer movies with her. She's a bit obsessed lol

- Dove Hunting

This will be her fifth trip to the World. Her family lived in Orlando when she was young, and her uncle was a CM for many years, before his daughter became the same CM in the same position, and he retired. My grandfather, however, decided to move to Arkansas to take a job. So, it was a LONG time before my mom got to go back to Disney after she was like 13 years old. This will be a super treat for her.

- Catching Perch from Buffalo River
Favorite Park - Magic Kingdom
Favorite Character - Timon
Favorite Ride - Haunted Mansion
Favorite Restaurant - She says she doesn't know because she's not eaten much there.
Favorite Movie - The Lion King

I have fur babies as well. Their names are Bella (the chihuahua)

Pyper (the Yorkie)

and Scout (my king, and he's a cat obviously lol)

So, about the trip!

We're Planning to stay during the week of June 13-19, 2015 and we're staying at the Art of Animation Resort. We were originally going to stay at the campsites at Fort Wilderness, but my mom thinks it will be too hot, and would rather spend the extra cash to just stay in a hotel. So, we chose the All Star Music Resort. Well, we were watching a show on youtube while she was here for a hiking trip, and it was about the different resorts. Art of Animation had just opened at the time, and was featured. She. fell. in. love. I've never been more excited for someone to start crying in my life. She said that if she was able to go with us, we HAD to stay at AoA. So...that's the plan!

We're planning to drive ourselves, and are driving a Jeep Patriot (28 miles a gallon on the highway...thank the gods). Hopefully we can fit all three people and luggage into it! My mom is deathly afraid of flying, to the point to where we lost a lot of money a few years ago, because we missed a flight to Nicaragua, and by the time I got her convinced to get onto the airplane, she was so tired that she fell asleep the second we were in the air, and forgot about the flight. I feel like a flight to Orlando is just too petty to stress her out that bad, when I could just ask an extra day off from work and drive in. We're driving from Jonesboro, Arkansas. It's like 14 hours or so, but it's worth it to have her in a perfect mood. If she doesn't get to go, DH and I can always book a flight later.

For our hotel reservations, our food, and all of our gas, we're pushing around $4000. With the consulting work I've done lately, I'm planning to pay my mom's part of the trip, which is going to probably cause her to faint. She deserves it, though. She works so hard for me, and to keep me sane and moving. Again, best mom ever.

I don't really know what else to post here, at the moment. I will post more about the trip plans in a week or so. I'm waiting to see about Wesley's job, before I book officially. It's hard to book, too early, with him changing jobs. But we're going for sure. Subscribe for the ride!

*pixie dust for sure*