13.1 Before I Hit 40 - Running my 1st 1/2 Marathon at Disney uptd 09/30

[skier_pete]

I was playing around on the AMC website last night and I Mad Men'd myself. Thought I'd use it as my avatar for awhile. I get easily bored with my avatars and need to change them up every once in awhile.

Oh, I like it! But I also really liked the old one. I dug through my old pictures from childhood. For all my youthful Disney trips...I found ONE picture of me at WDW in front of PotC. You're old avatar has me inspired...I want to scan it and use that.

 

[If U Had Wings]

Oh, I like it! But I also really liked the old one. I dug through my old pictures from childhood. For all my youthful Disney trips...I found ONE picture of me at WDW in front of PotC. You're old avatar has me inspired...I want to scan it and use that.

I'm sure I'll get bored with this one soon enough. I am a bit partial to the one when I was a kid. It was hard for me to take it down.

 

[moparop]

I hope the ebay listing goes well because that suit is amazing!! I hope you can get it!

 

[If U Had Wings]

I hope the ebay listing goes well because that suit is amazing!! I hope you can get it!

Thanks! I want that suit so badly!!

 

[If U Had Wings]

Part of my plan might need a bit of tweaking. I got an e-mail from Passporter today and it said that it's rumored that this year Disney is no longer going to let people in to the Halloween and Christmas parties at 4pm. They are going to have to wait until the party officially begins at 7pm.



There is no official word yet, so I'll have to hang in there until the first party on 9/14 to see if it's true or not.

Right now the plan for party day is to spend the afternoon at Stormalong Bay and then be at the Magic Kingdom for our Crystal Palace ADR at 5:30. I am going to be really annoyed if I have to find a new place for dinner now. I do not plan on missing any of the party by eating in the park after 7pm. I would be fine, as I have a Annual Pass, but my friend only has 4 days left on her 10 day non-expiring pass and they are all accounted for. There is no way we are going to pay for a ticket when we only want to get in early to eat.

Keep your fingers crossed that they keep letting people in early.

 

[If U Had Wings]

I don't know how these things manage to escape my attention, but it suddenly dawned on me this morning that I'll be leaving for Disney in less than 2 months! How in the world did that happen? I guess it's just been my mind set lately. I don't seem to be focusing on much these days. I need to get my butt in gear and start taking care of those last few details, and make sure I make myself a shopping list for the few things I need to pick up.

The NeverEnding To-Do List

Universal Tickets - Yep, I still need to pick these up. I was on the fence about going with two day base tickets or two day/park to park tickets (hoppers). It's about $20 more for the park to park tickets, which isn't huge, but still will we really need them? I'm pretty sure that I'm going to go with my gut on this one and say no. We only have two days there and we will have the front of the line access for all the big rides. I think we'll be fine just hitting one park per day.

Arrange for car service from the Beach Club to Hard Rock. - I had originally wanted to just rent a car for the last few days to get to Universal and then back to the airport, but unlike Disney, Universal hotel guests have to pay to park at the resort. It just isn't worth it. I compared the cost of a cab to private car service and I think I'm going to go with private car service. A cab could potentially be a bit cheaper, but we'll be heading to the Hard Rock in the middle of the week during prime commuting hours. We could hit traffic and the rate could skyrocket. With private car service we'll have a guaranteed rate which is close to the cab rate, and I won't have to worry about getting a cab the morning we leave the Beach Club.

Arrange for Mears shuttle from Hard Rock to Beach Club. - I wanted to book private car service for this as well, and if we were both flying out of Orlando on the same airline or even the same terminal I would. I am flying Jet Blue, and my BFF is flying Air Tran which are in different terminals at MCO. The quote I had for car service to the airport was $58, which was good, but to make a second stop at the other terminal they will charge us an additional $15. The get to the airport using Mears will be $20 each. It just seems like a bit of a waste to pay that much extra. $15 seems a bit high to just stop at another part of the airport. I'm still checking around with some other services and haven't completely elliminated the possibility of private car service.

Buy a new memory card for my camera - Absolutely necessary. Mine is about 3 photos away from being completely full. My brother thinks I should just delete the existing photos on the card once I download them, but I like keeping the memory cards as my backups. He is conviced I'm nuts.

Get my Disney Rewards Card - Just waiting a bit longer before doing this.

Make an appointment for a haircut. - I'm in desperate need of a haircut, and part of me really wants to chop it all off. (At the moment my hair is just a bit shy of hitting my waist). I'm thinking though that if I go as Esmerelda to MNSSHP my hair will be much more Esmerelda like if it's long. (Yes, I do think of things like this. I've passed this on to my nieces as well. ) Plus I know that my urge to cut my hair will start to ease up once the weather starts cooling off. I don't want to cut it off and then be sorry I did it. Still it needs to be cut a few inches and fixed up before I go. A fresh coat of color wouldn't hurt either.

Shop for toilietries for trip. - I think I'm set, but I just need to see what I have to be sure.

Finalize what I'm wearing for the race. - I think I'm mostly set on this one. I'm pretty sure I'll be wearing my red plaid running skirt, with black compression socks, and my red ROTE t-shirt (from a Disney running message board I frequent). I just have to see if I'm going to want to add some compression shorts underneath. I may need to pick up a new sports bra and sneakers as well. Those are going to be really dependent on money though. Stupid sneakers are way too expensive. If I need the shoes I need to buy them soon so I can get them broken in before the race.

Lastly if possible a new Passporter. - I really love the passporter for keeping all my stuff nice and organized during the trip.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Ugh. I am bummed about the whole MNSSHP thing. I'm going to that first party too!! So do I take a chance and go all dressed up at 4PM or just wait until 7PM and possibly waste 3 hours I could have in the park? I don't think we are going with hoppers so unless I go to MK that day then I won't have a ticket.

I feel like I have a million things left to do as well, I'm starting to freak out a bit!

 

[skier_pete]

Part of my plan might need a bit of tweaking. I got an e-mail from Passporter today and it said that it's rumored that this year Disney is no longer going to let people in to the Halloween and Christmas parties at 4pm. They are going to have to wait until the party officially begins at 7pm.

I don't buy it! They USED to do this, but back then they would close the park at 6 PM and clear everyone out first. I don't think they are going to want to deal with the logistics of letting 30,000 people into the park at the same time as they are trying to clear out 30,000 people. So, unless the park closing times change to 6 PM...don't expect this one to come true. I don't buy it!

Universal Tickets - Yep, I still need to pick these up. I was on the fence about going with two day base tickets or two day/park to park tickets (hoppers).

I think I am with you, I would just buy the two day park passes. There is enough stuff in each park to easily fill a whole day...I would save that $20 and spend it somewhere else. (On the other hand...Does UNI let you ADD the Park-to-park option later like Disney does? You could simply wait until you get there and decide to add it.)

Arrange for car service from the Beach Club to Hard Rock. With private car service we'll have a guaranteed rate which is close to the cab rate, and I won't have to worry about getting a cab the morning we leave the Beach Club.

Makes sense to me!

Arrange for Mears shuttle from Hard Rock to Beach Club.

OK, Maybe I missed this detail reading your PTR - why are you going back to Beach Club? I thought Uni was at the end of your trip. I realize ME is free, but if you have to pay to get back to Beach Club, why not just pay to go to the airport?

Buy a new memory card for my camera - Absolutely necessary. Mine is about 3 photos away from being completely full. My brother thinks I should just delete the existing photos on the card once I download them, but I like keeping the memory cards as my backups. He is conviced I'm nuts.

I spend $100 on a 1 Terabyte hard drive. I back up all my pictures on my computer / a CD / and the back-up hard drive. Same with Videos. (I also have my entire CD collection on there now.) Then I wipe the memory card. I would agree with your brother on this one. I would not use a memory card as a back-up, not so much because of the cost of new memory cards, but because they are just about the easiest form of media to lose or damage (OK, may CDs are easier to damage).

Can't comment on your hair, clothing or toiletry choices.

 

[Hedy]

Part of my plan might need a bit of tweaking. I got an e-mail from Passporter today and it said that it's rumored that this year Disney is no longer going to let people in to the Halloween and Christmas parties at 4pm. They are going to have to wait until the party officially begins at 7pm.



There is no official word yet, so I'll have to hang in there until the first party on 9/14 to see if it's true or not.

Right now the plan for party day is to spend the afternoon at Stormalong Bay and then be at the Magic Kingdom for our Crystal Palace ADR at 5:30. I am going to be really annoyed if I have to find a new place for dinner now. I do not plan on missing any of the party by eating in the park after 7pm. I would be fine, as I have a Annual Pass, but my friend only has 4 days left on her 10 day non-expiring pass and they are all accounted for. There is no way we are going to pay for a ticket when we only want to get in early to eat.

Keep your fingers crossed that they keep letting people in early.

I'm hoping this is just a rumor for my sake as well, LOL.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Buy a new memory card for my camera - Absolutely necessary. Mine is about 3 photos away from being completely full. My brother thinks I should just delete the existing photos on the card once I download them, but I like keeping the memory cards as my backups. He is conviced I'm nuts.

I'm with Skier Pete on this one....I do the same as he does. I clear off my memory card every month and back-up with an exteral drive.

Get my Disney Rewards Card - Just waiting a bit longer before doing this.

What I do is order the card at least a month or so before the trip but I don't put all my points on it at first. I hold back whatever the minimum amount of points it is to call and add on to the card so that way I can transfer ALL the points that remain on that last billing cycle right before my vacation. Does that make sense??? It's horribly written!

How is training going for both you and your friend?

 

[If U Had Wings]

Ugh. I am bummed about the whole MNSSHP thing. I'm going to that first party too!! So do I take a chance and go all dressed up at 4PM or just wait until 7PM and possibly waste 3 hours I could have in the park? I don't think we are going with hoppers so unless I go to MK that day then I won't have a ticket.

I feel like I have a million things left to do as well, I'm starting to freak out a bit!

I can't remember, do you guys have an ADR that night?

I checked at lunch to see what was still available at the MK resorts that night for dinner. Really nowhere that I was interested in. Kona, Ohana, WCC and Park Fare were all full. I don't want to do a signature that night so it leaves me with The Wave, or the Grand Floridan Cafe. Neither of which I'm really enthused about. I did a check of the other resorts and Boma is still available. I might get my BFF to make an ADR there just in case, and once we know we can cancel one of them. If we do Boma though I am definitely using cab service.

Where is your list for your things still to do?? We don't think of you as Lady Listy for nothing!

I don't buy it! They USED to do this, but back then they would close the park at 6 PM and clear everyone out first. I don't think they are going to want to deal with the logistics of letting 30,000 people into the park at the same time as they are trying to clear out 30,000 people. So, unless the park closing times change to 6 PM...don't expect this one to come true. I don't buy it!

I hope so. They could still keep people from going in though before hand. I don't know what they would gain by doing that.

I think I am with you, I would just buy the two day park passes. There is enough stuff in each park to easily fill a whole day...I would save that $20 and spend it somewhere else. (On the other hand...Does UNI let you ADD the Park-to-park option later like Disney does? You could simply wait until you get there and decide to add it.)

I haven't been to Universal since 1997 and my friend has never been. I think we will be plenty busy at each park were we won't miss the hopper. Besides by that point in the week we'll probably be exhausted and not have the energy to park hop.

OK, Maybe I missed this detail reading your PTR - why are you going back to Beach Club? I thought Uni was at the end of your trip. I realize ME is free, but if you have to pay to get back to Beach Club, why not just pay to go to the airport?

Oops. that should have said Hard Rock to the airport.

I spend $100 on a 1 Terabyte hard drive. I back up all my pictures on my computer / a CD / and the back-up hard drive. Same with Videos. (I also have my entire CD collection on there now.) Then I wipe the memory card. I would agree with your brother on this one. I would not use a memory card as a back-up, not so much because of the cost of new memory cards, but because they are just about the easiest form of media to lose or damage (OK, may CDs are easier to damage).

My home computer is a lap top, so I store only the current year of photos on it. Everything else gets put on my external hard drive. I don't necessarily want to get another external hard drive so I just keep the memory cards. He thinks I should burn everything to CDs but I'm a bit lazy. I normally only go through about one or two 8 gb cards a year so it's not really that expensive.

I'm hoping this is just a rumor for my sake as well, LOL.

Lets all keep our fingers crossed!

 

[If U Had Wings]

I'm with Skier Pete on this one....I do the same as he does. I clear off my memory card every month and back-up with an exteral drive.

My brother would be much happier with the two of you than me. I think he's given up arguing with me about it, though he did say he was going to buy me a stack of CDs to back up my stuff with.

What I do is order the card at least a month or so before the trip but I don't put all my points on it at first. I hold back whatever the minimum amount of points it is to call and add on to the card so that way I can transfer ALL the points that remain on that last billing cycle right before my vacation. Does that make sense??? It's horribly written!

That's a good idea. I want to use my card to get my Universal Tickets, and possibly the bathing suit too. After that I should be good to go. I think I'm going to try your method to be sure I don't miss out on any points.

How is training going for both you and your friend?

Not too bad. I'm getting in the miles,even though I'm awfully slow. She was in town last week, but unfortunately we weren't able to get together to do our long run.

 

[MRYPPNS]

I think the mileage would be more important than the speed. Being at Disney is sure to put a bit of spring in your step as you race!

 

[Flossbolna]

I am no expert at all, but from what I was told, CD is not a good medium to store your pictures on! They lose data supposedly.

I think if you want proper backup, you ought to get a second external hard drive. I have no idea how good data keeps on memory cards as compared to CD/DVD. But it seems that the best way to make sure your data does not dissappear slowly is a hard drive.

I was actually some time ago in a meeting where someone from the government archives told us how they archive electronic data and they say it is really difficult to archive properly. They like printed material much better: paper keeps pretty well if you suck all acid out of it (there are machines for that) and microfiche is the best! But these guys talk about archiving things for the next 1000 years and longer - we do have archives here that have documents from the 10th century, so it was done before. I think you aren't interested in keeping your pictures for another 1000 years.

 

[skier_pete]

I am no expert at all, but from what I was told, CD is not a good medium to store your pictures on! They lose data supposedly.

This is true - CDs often have read failures...the memory cards are better in the that respect. Which is why I recommended the external hard drive as a secondary back-up. I actually store my external hard drive at work, so even if a fire burns down our house, I have that 2nd back-up elsewhere.

 

[moparop]

Man, I hope the party advice is not true. I know a lot of people who would be up a creek if it were. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. When is the first MNSSHP happening? It's not that far away right?

Glad to hear you are getting those miles in! I know it's been a major challenge but you are doing it and I am seriously proud!!

 

[If U Had Wings]

I think the mileage would be more important than the speed. Being at Disney is sure to put a bit of spring in your step as you race!

I hope so! I'm just so slow.

I am no expert at all, but from what I was told, CD is not a good medium to store your pictures on! They lose data supposedly.

I think if you want proper backup, you ought to get a second external hard drive. I have no idea how good data keeps on memory cards as compared to CD/DVD. But it seems that the best way to make sure your data does not dissappear slowly is a hard drive.

I was actually some time ago in a meeting where someone from the government archives told us how they archive electronic data and they say it is really difficult to archive properly. They like printed material much better: paper keeps pretty well if you suck all acid out of it (there are machines for that) and microfiche is the best! But these guys talk about archiving things for the next 1000 years and longer - we do have archives here that have documents from the 10th century, so it was done before. I think you aren't interested in keeping your pictures for another 1000 years.

The lawyers I work for are going to be in great shape then. They love paper!

This is true - CDs often have read failures...the memory cards are better in the that respect. Which is why I recommended the external hard drive as a secondary back-up. I actually store my external hard drive at work, so even if a fire burns down our house, I have that 2nd back-up elsewhere.

I do keep copies of my favorite pics on my parents external hard drive, so that's kind of like back up. I should just put a complete set of my pictures on their computer.

Man, I hope the party advice is not true. I know a lot of people who would be up a creek if it were. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. When is the first MNSSHP happening? It's not that far away right?

Glad to hear you are getting those miles in! I know it's been a major challenge but you are doing it and I am seriously proud!!

I'm going to keep my fingers crossed. I can imagine how many people made ADRs thinking they'd get in early. I just don't want a repeat of what happened to me at the Christmas party. I love MNSSHP too much.

 

[All7OfUs]

HI Crissy,

This could possibly be the last time I "see" you before my TR starts, unless you pop over to my PTR. I'll be off the grid for a while now as we move. Just came to say howdy, and we'll talk soon.

 

[TarzansKat]

Bummer about the new start time on the MNSSHP. I'll be interested to find out if that's true.

You have quite the to do list. I always feel better once I write it all out though, at least you've got a plan!

 

[If U Had Wings]

HI Crissy,

This could possibly be the last time I "see" you before my TR starts, unless you pop over to my PTR. I'll be off the grid for a while now as we move. Just came to say howdy, and we'll talk soon.

Hope everything goes well doing your move! Your going to be in Disney in no time.

Bummer about the new start time on the MNSSHP. I'll be interested to find out if that's true.

You have quite the to do list. I always feel better once I write it all out though, at least you've got a plan!

This weekend I want to go to the store to take care of all the toiletries, the haircut and to find out how much Costco and AAA are selling Universal tickets for. I am plan free this weekend so I should have lots of time to get stuff done.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed about the party. I can see a real mess if they do it that way. I had my friend make an ADR for about 4:45 at Boma so we have a back up for now. I won't mind eating there, but really wanted to be at the party early this year so we don't end up with a repeat of the Christmas party debacle.