A “Solo” trip and a “Family” trip collide with a side of Danish!

[psupple]

Hi, my name is Pam and I am writing my FIRST trip report since being a member of the DIS since 2004! Actually, I invited my fellow travelers to join me in each writing from their own points of view. I hope you find our trip report enjoyable and a little different. I plan to cover my whole trip (from 8/19-8/23), which will include both some solo days and some group days.

Trip Dates: August 19-Aug 23 (solo), August 20-27 (family) and August 20-24 ("a side of Danish")

Our Eclectic Group:

Me – I am 40 y/old, married for 18 years, no human kids (by choice) but a furry kid, a 12 y/old dog. I am an Annual Passholder, a TIW card holder and have been to WDW 20+ times since my parents invited me and DH to visit the World as adults in 2001. Visiting Mickey is my de-stressing time, which I thoroughly enjoy each and every time I go (this will make 5x in 2011).

Most of my trips now are either solo, with Mom or with friends. DH doesn’t have the passion for Disney that I do, but he is just fine with me visiting whenever I please (thank you, DH, for being so understanding!!).

Anna – my friend from work.

She and her DD, Victoria, visited WDW two years ago for a week, and I just happened to be visiting at the same time (what a coincidence!!!) Anna recently remarried and is now 5 months pregnant with her first son! And she thought it was HOT in FL in August 2 years ago!!

Victoria – Anna’s daughter.

Victoria is 12 and is really excited to be returning to Disney. Although, she might be looking forward to swimming in the resort pools almost as much LOL! Victoria and I planned a girls day/night on Sunday so her Mom and Steven could enjoy a romantic evening together. Until, "a side of Danish" threw a wrench into their plans!!

Steven – Anna’s DH. Steven is a WDW virgin, although he has visited DL. And, he’s graciously agreed to let me and "a side of Danish" tag along on his family vacation. What a saint!!

Since I don't have a picture of Steven, I'll share one of my photos of Anna, Victoria and I from our last trip:

And, finally... A SIDE OF DANISH! Anna H. – Anna and Anna H. met in college in Russia. Anna H. lives in Denmark (get it now?). Even though college was a number of years ago, they still manage to see each other more often than one would expect. This will be the third year in a row they have met while Anna H. has been visiting the states for work.

She was a last minute addition to our group, and I’m super excited to have two WDW newbies with me. Again, I don't have a picture of Anna H., so here's Anna, Victoria and I in the hotair balloon at DTD:

.[/COLOR]

Continued in next post...

 

[psupple]

So Anna, Steven and Victoria planned a weeklong trip to WDW right before Victoria has to go back to school. Knowing the WDW fanatic that I am, Anna asked if I could plan my next trip around their dates. I told her no, ‘cause I couldn’t wait until August to visit WDW! Seriously, I’ve already visited the Mouse 4x this year (3x solo, 1x w/Mom, aunt and cousin to celebrate Mom’s 60th Birthday).

Here is a pic from that trip... we had such a great time!!

How could I say no to an invitation to WDW?!

As I mentioned earlier, Anna, Victoria and I will be collaborating on this trip report, as we thought it would be interesting to see our vacation from three different points of view. We will all post in different colors to keep it easy to distinguish who is writing.

Since I'm writing first, I’ll fill you in on the tentative plans of my “Solo” trip, at least the outline. My trip is from August 19-23. I will fly out of PVD at 1:45 on Friday afternoon, which gets me to MCO at 4:30. I am staying offsite at a timeshare (my fav) and will have a car for the entire trip. If the stars are aligned properly, I will be checked into my room, unpacked and heading to the GF for a visit with my favorite bartender at Mizner’s Lounge by 6:30.

I don't know who the guys are, but that's her in the middle~

My plans for Friday are pretty typical for me when traveling solo… a trip around the monorail loop for drinks and some eats with a stop at MK for the Main St. Electrical Parade, Magic Memories and You and Wishes. It’s a great way to start off the trip, IMHO!!

I have all day Saturday to myself (this is when Anna & co. are traveling). No definite plans, although I do have an ADR at Tutto Italia at 7:15. Love me some EPCOT!! This is my favorite dish (that they took off the menu ):

All 5 of us have ADR’s at Biergarten for lunch on Sunday. Anna, Victoria and I ate their last time and had a blast. I had Anna move the reservation closer to show time, as that is the best part of eating there. Plus, Victoria loves to polka!!

I hope you decide to join in on our eclectic adventure!!!

 

[psupple]

bump...

 

[psupple]

So, Anna and Victoria are ready to update our PTR. Stay tuned!!!

 

[Annoush]

This is Anna writing. I am new to the website and the forum so it took me a while to navigate here. I am excited to share the trip with Pam, my friend Anna, my husband Steven and my daughter, Victoria. The first time I took Victoria in 2006 it was just the two of us the whole week and we could have used some company.
By time we get to WDW, I will be in my seventh month of pregnancy, rather large and ungraceful. I noticed during my trip to NYC this weekend that my feet were getting tired and sore very quickly to carry all that extra weight so I am bracing myself for Florida heat and all the walking required throughout the parks. My doctor recommended a hat (I bought one on Broadway), comfortable shoes (Crocs sandals), lots of breaks and water.

We will be flying from Worcester to Sanford airport directly (and cheaply) on August 20th, renting a car and picking up my friend, Anna H., the same day in Orlando airport. She will be flying from her conference in San Antonio, Texas. We are all staying in Sheraton Vistana Resort at someone's time share condo. That someone donated their timeshare to "Wish Come True" charitable auction and I bid on it and won. That was in November before our baby plans came to fruition. It will be a new experience as we have big plans to visit all parks of Disney and Universal during this trip.

Now that I have Steven to accompany Victoria on rides, I can watch them from the sidelines. Some of them nauseated me even before pregnancy. I bought several light summer maternity dresses and a maternity swimsuit (a vision of its own). I have a mister with a fan from Disney that I bought in 2006 and I intend to use it the whole time.

 

[psupple]

Thanks, Anna! I'm getting so excited for our trip and we'll be sure to keep you as cool and comfortable as we can!!

 

[cam&phoebsmom]

Checking in!

My pre-trip (in my siggy) will also have a cast of characters checking in. Our 1st day at WDW we will be dining at the Biergarten as well (we love that place) with 16 people-half of which I have not met.
Hopefully the night will end with instead of


I totally envy your multiple trips in one year. What a dream!

 

[Sappermont]

Sounds like a lot of fun. Count me in!!!

 

[disneylovin24]

 

[psupple]

Checking in!

My pre-trip (in my siggy) will also have a cast of characters checking in. Our 1st day at WDW we will be dining at the Biergarten as well (we love that place) with 16 people-half of which I have not met.
Hopefully the night will end with instead of


I totally envy your multiple trips in one year. What a dream!

Thanks for joining, cam&phoebsmom!! I'll check our your PTR this afternoon~

 

[psupple]

Sounds like a lot of fun. Count me in!!!

I'm glad you're joining us Sappermont and disneylovin24!! I'm more excited about writing now that I have an audience LOL!!

 

[psupple]

I have less than 5 days of work left before I leave for Disney

Is anyone there now or maybe just got back? How hot has it been? I'm assuming it's been humid and will plan my wardrobe accordingly. I usually wear shorts and tanks but I'm thinking lightweight, flowy dresses instead. I'm carrying on so I can't take too much, but I don't want to be miserable!

I guess that is what all the AC rides, restaurants and bars are for

Thinking I may make this a "LIVE" report, posting updates daily with some new pics, etc. The resort I'm staying at finally has free Wi-Fi, so I can send you some Disney magic throughout my trip. I'll have to see what interesting charaters I can meet at the U.K. Pub!! Can you blame me, it is air conditioned

 

[psupple]

So, the original plan for Sunday was for Victoria and I to stay together for the evening until breakfast on Monday so Anna and Steven could enjoy a romantic dinner at the Flying Fish.

Being the generous person Anna is, and realizing how big their condo is and how much extra room they will have, she extended an offer to some of her friends to join them in Orlando. Well, one of them bit! Anna H. just happened to be traveling in the states (she lives in Denmark as I mentioned before) for work the week prior and happily joined our group!

So, romantic plans out the window... now it's an adults only dinner at FF for 3! It'll be nice for Anna and Anna H. to catch up and for Anna H. to meet Steven. Victoria will keep our plans; she will stay at my condo for the night and we'll be meeting up for breakfast at 9am at Kona Cafe. Looking forward to The Samoan~

I looked as some other reservations but since it's just me for most of the trip, it's pretty easy for me to find places to eat, especially those with a bar. I actually like not being committed to a restaurant/time, but I definitely have my favorites that I like to pick from. Those include HOB, Wolfgang Puck Express and Kouzzina for breakfast, WP Cafe, Raglan Road, Portobella, Tutto Italia (I do have a ressie there), Tokyo Dining, UK Pub, ESPN, FF, Yak & Yeti, Cali Grill, Sushi Bar at the Poly. I never worry about finding a spot for a good meal.

 

[cam&phoebsmom]

Not sure if you are definite n going to the HOB, but I know it is usually a restaurant tht participates in restaurant.com.

I think right now is when they have their 80% off sale so yu can get the $25 gift certificate for $2. I am not sure what the minimum spending there is but it may be worth it to check it out.

 

[psupple]

Not sure if you are definite n going to the HOB, but I know it is usually a restaurant tht participates in restaurant.com.

I think right now is when they have their 80% off sale so yu can get the $25 gift certificate for $2. I am not sure what the minimum spending there is but it may be worth it to check it out.

cam&phoebsmom, thanks, that is actually what got me eating there LOL! I used to stop in for a drink. The rest.com GC is $25 off $35 or $50 off $100. I have two $25's in my purse ready to take with me! I hope others take advantage of the offer... it's definitely worth it!!

 

[psupple]

On my way to the airport... I'll try and do some updates while I'm there. Bye!!

 

[psupple]

So, trip was good but way too hot! I have to stop myself from visiting in July and August. It was a fun time, though, meeting up with Anna and co. and spending a day with Victoria, I just wish it was in November!!

Didn't get much done in terms of rides - Soarin', Spaceship Earth, Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion (I think that's it LOL). Did a lot of shopping (DTD and outlet) and eating. A quick rundown of the restaurants I visited and what I ate:

Friday:
Raglan Road - scallop puff pastry app and mushroom soup
Mizner's Lounge - Drinks

Saturday - MY FAVORITE "EATING" DAY!!
Kouzzina - breakfast, Turkey Sweet Potato Hash
Captain's Grille - lunch, Roast Beef Sandwich w/fries (A GREAT FIND!)
Tutto Italia - dinner, Cannelloni

Sunday:
Sunshine Seasons - breakfast, Panini egg sandwich
Biergarten - lunch and the show w/Anna and company
Portobello - dinner w/Victoria, Arancini balls, pasta and pizza
Ghiradelli's - ice cream (way too big, and it was just a cone!)

Monday:
Kona Cafe - breakfast, Samoan
House of Blues - lunch, Mushroom pasta w/gouda cheese (YUM!)
Flying Fish - dinner, Cheese Plate and Pinot Grigio wine flight
ESPN - late night snack, french fries w/dipping sauces

Tuesday:
Raglan Road - lunch, Fish & Chips

I ended up taking a voluntary bump from my flight home. Southwest compensated me $300 plus $110 (the cost of my ticket)... so, F&W Fest, here I come!!

I'm hoping for a safe flight home for Anna, Victoria and Steven. They are supposed to fly from Sanford to Worcester Saturday afternoon; hopefully Hurricane Irene won't ruin their return trip!

 

[Annoush]

It's been a couple of busy weeks but I wanted to share the story of our trip. I agree with Pam - Florida in August is way too hot. The week we were there, there were no usual showers in the afternoon. The heat, blazing sun and humidity were relentless.
Aug. 20 - we took a very convenient, direct and cheap flight from Worcester, MA to Sanford, FL, rented a car (Dodge Charger) from Hertz. AAA promotion gave the best rate (under $300 for the week).
We stopped to grab lunch at Mel's family diner in Sanford which was full of colorful characters. The waitress made us laugh.
I forgot how many toll booths are in Florida. Every few miles we would have to pull over and give someone a buck. It seems that they took our toll money to build and staff more booths. One of those stops was unstaffed through. There were two lanes: exact change or SunPass. We had neither and were at a loss. We just had to go through with a warning screech from the booth. I called Hertz and they told me that all their cars are equipped with SunPass which gets automatically activated. They will charge me $2.50 for every day of usage. That was a relief as I thought I was bound for a $100 fine.
We picked up my friend Anna H. in Orlando airport and headed to our Sheraton Vistana Resort. That place is like a little town: many buildings, seven pools, food courts, stores…we didn’t spend much time on the property though. We loved our condo: master bedroom had a Jacuzzi which Victoria and I happily used several times. The other room had two full size beds which Victoria and Anna shared. We were glad to have a kitchen (had several meals in the condo) and a large living room.
Aug. 21 – First stop – Epcot: Spaceship Earth, Innovation building, Kim Possible sign up and off to the countries. We ran into Pam by the UK Pavilion. We made our way to Germany for lunch at Biergarten right around 1pm for the start of the show. It was a welcome break from the heat. After lunch our company split and Victoria and Pam went off to do the girly things and Steven, Anna H and I slowly moved through the rest of the countries towards the exit. Boat rides in Norway and Mexico were used as breaks.
In the afternoon we went to Shepler’s store and bought ourselves cowboy hats to protect ourselves from the blazing sun.
Aug. 22 – We met back with Pam and Victoria at Cona Café for breakfast. Their French press coffee was one of the highlights of Steven’s vacation Magic Kingdom visit included Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Haunter Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and it’s a Small world. At that point Pam left to do more grown-up things and I was slightly jealous that she had the freedom to do whatever she wanted. Traveling with a kid, a book-loving husband and a Danish friend is somewhat limited in Disney as one ends up balancing the needs of everyone else in the company, not necessarily their own. Being 6.5 months pregnant all I wanted was AC and a nap. Anna H, Victoria and I came back that night to witness the Electrical Parade and Victoria snuck in a couple of more Splash Mountain rides.
Aug. 23 – Before Anna H. left for Denmark we wanted her to experience Harry Potter Park in Universal so Islands of Adventure were our destination on Tuesday. We tried to be there for the opening but parking and walking to the park took a while so, by time we got to the ride, it had a 1.5 hour wait. Victoria and Anna H. entered the line without knowing much of the ride. Almost two hours later we met them at the exit. Victoria said it was very scary and I wouldn’t like it as I don’t like horror movies. Anna H. was holding on but mentioned it was not worth the entire wait in line. We took them to Hard Rock Café to recuperate. After lunch Steven went on a search of a cigar bar that he spotted on the way in and we dragged behind Victoria to the Pop-Eye raft ride. She got soaked and came out very happy. Soon after, we met up with happy Steven who had a cigar and a pint of beer by himself.
Aug. 24 – That was the only morning we spent on property at the resort and splashed in the pool for a while. Around 2pm we took Anna H. back to the airport and wished her a happy journey to Denmark with stories and presents for her husband and her two daughters. We spent the afternoon in Hollywood Studios where the highlight of my vacation happened when I was picked to participate in the Indiana Jones show as an extra. I saw that show about 3 times before and always wanted to get in. Either it was my screaming or my cowboy hat that caught the eye of the assistant director but I got to see the show from the inside while looking at the audience. Steven and Victoria enjoyed the Star Wars ride and we all went on the Big Movie ride together. We were in Sci-Fi Theatre for lunch. One restaurant that we enjoyed for dinner a few times was “Sweet Tomatoes” which has a huge salad bar, soup bar and bakery. There was enough for everyone to eat and it was only $10 per person.
Aug. 25 – Victoria decided to stay in the condo and veg in front of the TV all day while Steven and I took a ride to Cape Canaveral to visit Kennedy Space Center. There was a Star Trek exhibit and a Star Trek show going on there which entertained me while Steven was reading about every rocket displayed in the rocket garden. One side effect of pregnancy is clumsiness and I tripped and fell right in the middle of the plaza and skinned my knees. With extra 20 pounds on me, my poor knee was cut badly. First aid nurse treated my right away and a security person took my statement.
Aug. 26 – Another breakfast at Cona Café with the best coffee on Disney property. Another trip to Magic Kingdom (Victoria forfeited Animal Kingdom to go on Splash Mountain again). Between the three of us, we got her fast passes for Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain to ride them to her heart’s content and ride she did. In the meantime, Steven and I went on the Pirates of the Caribbean and sat in the shade of the gift store waiting for the girl to be done. The final ride on her must-do list was the Speedway which she did alone because both Steven and I have reached the Disney saturation point.
Aug. 27 – The morning before the airport was spent in Downtown Disney where Victoria wanted to get herself something in the gift store. She had very hard time deciding and at the end she bought a present for her father and for her unborn brother instead. The timing of our flight worked out that we flew around hurricane Irene and arrived in Worcester several hours before she did.

 

[psupple]

Anna, thanks for filling in the blanks for all I missed. Victoria and I had a blast during our "girlie time" despite the heat. She was determined to find an outfit for her brother, so I took her to DTD, World of Disney, as it would probably have the best selection.

Our dinner at Portobello was very good. We enjoyed our arancini (rice balls w/mozzarela), pasta and pizza. As if we weren't full enough, we attempted to devour a waffle cone each at Ghiradelli... and ended up throwing away about half of each one. Eyes too big for our stomachs.

Looking forward to my next trip