A Whole New WDWorld: NEW 8/9, Crystal Palace!
- Thread starter oOJulieOo
- Start date
oOJulieOo
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2010
- Messages
- 444
Joining the fun, and looking forward to reliving the Small World meet with you.
Hi!
I just wish I had been on time for that meet!
joining in
Thanks for joining me!
Hi!
Hi! Thanks for joining me over here!
I'm excited to share my adventures with you!
I'm here too Julie
sorry we never actually got to meet in person before you left for your new home but happy you are settled and have started the TR can't wait to hear all about it
Julie (2)
PS the link in your siggie is just a single post view and doesn't access your thread...
Hi Julie!
It is a bummer that we didn't get to meet. I will be back in Chicago a few times a year, though, so maybe one of those times!
Thanks for telling me about the link. I had a feeling I did something wrong with that!
Hello! I am here!
I came over from Jackie's TR. What a gorgeous daughter!! So sweet!! I'm excited to hear about your trip, but also your move - WOW that must have been pretty overwhelming to move that distance!
Can't wait to hear all about your adventures!!
Katie
Hi Katie!
Thanks for joining me over here!
The move had absolutely been overwhelming at times. The culture shock is still going strong. But over all, it has been amazing so far!
Hi Jen! Thanks for joining me!
oOJulieOo
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2010
- Messages
- 444
Hi Kara!
We have done a lot of great things so far. And we have a trip to Italy planned for this weekend!
Claire was very clingy and sensitive for the first couple weeks we were here. It was definitely a huge adjustment for her. Now, though, after being here for about a month, she has adjusted quite well. I think she's young enough that the language isn't a big deal for her. We are fortunate to live near a ton of parks. And the beach is about a 10 minute walk. So she has been doing lots of fun stuff. More than in Chicago for sure!
oOJulieOo
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2010
- Messages
- 444
oOJulieOo
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2010
- Messages
- 444
Lets rewind to the afternoon of February 27, 2011. After several months of planning and more weeks of packing than Id like to admit, we had finally arrived at Disney Eve.
Over the past several weeks, I had been gathering the clothes and toiletries and toys and, well, everything, that I wanted to take with us to Florida. I did not put anything in the suitcases yet, though, because of a horrifying experience I had just 3 weeks prior when packing to go on our annual ski trip. You see, when I packed for the ski trip (several weeks in advance, of course), I put the things into the suitcase as I gathered them. Then, on the morning we were to leave for Utah, as I was jamming as many bibs and onesies into the suitcase as possible, I saw something scurry around in the suitcase. I screamed, grabbed Claire, my loyal packing (or unpacking as I pack) assistant, and ran into the bedroom where DH was still asleep. My scream had awoken him, but my shouting about a furry creature in my suitcase got him out of bed. He went in the spare bedroom, kicked the suitcase, and out ran a furry little mouse. Im glad DH doesnt read my trip reports, because Im going to tell you that my 33-year-old husband screamed when he saw that mouse run out of that suitcase. Well, maybe he didnt scream, but he definitely yelled. Apparently, when I brought the suitcase up from the crawlspace in the basement, I brought a mouse with it. But not the kind of mouse that you and I love. Oh no. No lovable, adorable Mickey Mouse here. Just a plain old brown, scary mouse. In my suitcase. All over my clothes and Claires clothes.
Out came all of the clothes. Into the washing machine they went. The suitcase was then wiped down with lysol wipes and then sprayed with disinfectant and set out to dry. I rushed over to Home Depot to buy about 35 mouse traps and gave them to DH to set up. With the knowlege that a mouse was in the house, I was glad we werent going to be there for a week. Off to Utah we went for a wonderful, mouse-free ski trip. And then home we came, to a mouse in the humane mouse trap in the very same room where we had met.
Now, back to Disney Eve. Because I prefer to see mice at my vacation destination, rather than bring them with me, I chose to leave everything on the bed and then put it into the suitcase the day before we were to leave. As I was doing this, DH came home from work and casually told me that he would not be able to take Claire, my mom, and me to the airport the next morning because he had a meeting he had to attend. Um, WHAT?!? Our ride to the airport just bailed on us?! The evening before we depart?! I quickly made some phone calls. A cab wasnt going to work because we would have to have a carseat for Claire. I didnt want to have a carseat with us on the trip, so whoever took us to the airport had to take her seat home with them. I called my dad. He had a prior commitment and was unable to take us. We were leaving on a Monday, so most of my friends would be working and therefore were unable to take us. I called my friend, Dave, grasping at straws, and he said he was able to take us! He had taken the day off of work because he was leaving for Las Vegas later that same day, so he said he would come pick us up!
Problem solved, I finished my packing, zipped the suitcase up as tight as I could, and went over my list one more time. We had dinner, put Claire to bed, and I tried to just relax with DH before I would be gone for a week. Oh, but it was very hard to relax. I hadnt been to Disney World in a year and a half and I was indescribably excited! I probably checked the packing list 16 more times before I finally decided to call it a night. Unlike every other Disney Eve, I was actually able to sleep this time! Claire woke up once during the night and after a quick bottle, she was back to bed. Her schedule got really messed up when we went on the ski trip, and unfortunately, she still had not recovered in the two weeks since we had returned. I hoped this didnt mean bad things for the Disney vacation...
My alarm rang at 5:00 a.m. I showered and got myself ready while DH loaded the car. Then, I got Claire out of her bed, put her in her car seat, and gave her a bottle. She would get dressed and eat breakfast at my parents house. I knew for sure that my mom wouldnt be ready to go at this early hour. DH drove us to my parents house, unloaded the car, kissed us good-bye and headed to his meeting.
I fed Claire her breakfast and got her changed into her clothes while my mom finished her last minute packing. Five minutes after Dave was to arrive, I received a text message from him telling me that the doors on his mini-van were frozen shut and he was trying to de-ice them! He said he would be at my parents house ASAP. Twenty minutes later, Dave arrived. The doors? Still frozen shut! We waited a few minutes for the van to warm up a little more and then we tried again. And again. And then we tried again. Finally, they opened. Thank goodness! We packed up the van and we were on our way.
About 25 minutes into the one hour drive to the airport, I realized I had forgotten my phone charger. It was too late to turn around, so I asked Dave to stop at a Walgreens. Thankfully, they had an iPhone charger. I purchased it and hopped back in the van and hoped that the charger was the last of my bad luck for the morning...
Next up: Would our bad luck continue through the flight? Stay tuned to find out!
Over the past several weeks, I had been gathering the clothes and toiletries and toys and, well, everything, that I wanted to take with us to Florida. I did not put anything in the suitcases yet, though, because of a horrifying experience I had just 3 weeks prior when packing to go on our annual ski trip. You see, when I packed for the ski trip (several weeks in advance, of course), I put the things into the suitcase as I gathered them. Then, on the morning we were to leave for Utah, as I was jamming as many bibs and onesies into the suitcase as possible, I saw something scurry around in the suitcase. I screamed, grabbed Claire, my loyal packing (or unpacking as I pack) assistant, and ran into the bedroom where DH was still asleep. My scream had awoken him, but my shouting about a furry creature in my suitcase got him out of bed. He went in the spare bedroom, kicked the suitcase, and out ran a furry little mouse. Im glad DH doesnt read my trip reports, because Im going to tell you that my 33-year-old husband screamed when he saw that mouse run out of that suitcase. Well, maybe he didnt scream, but he definitely yelled. Apparently, when I brought the suitcase up from the crawlspace in the basement, I brought a mouse with it. But not the kind of mouse that you and I love. Oh no. No lovable, adorable Mickey Mouse here. Just a plain old brown, scary mouse. In my suitcase. All over my clothes and Claires clothes.
Out came all of the clothes. Into the washing machine they went. The suitcase was then wiped down with lysol wipes and then sprayed with disinfectant and set out to dry. I rushed over to Home Depot to buy about 35 mouse traps and gave them to DH to set up. With the knowlege that a mouse was in the house, I was glad we werent going to be there for a week. Off to Utah we went for a wonderful, mouse-free ski trip. And then home we came, to a mouse in the humane mouse trap in the very same room where we had met.
Now, back to Disney Eve. Because I prefer to see mice at my vacation destination, rather than bring them with me, I chose to leave everything on the bed and then put it into the suitcase the day before we were to leave. As I was doing this, DH came home from work and casually told me that he would not be able to take Claire, my mom, and me to the airport the next morning because he had a meeting he had to attend. Um, WHAT?!? Our ride to the airport just bailed on us?! The evening before we depart?! I quickly made some phone calls. A cab wasnt going to work because we would have to have a carseat for Claire. I didnt want to have a carseat with us on the trip, so whoever took us to the airport had to take her seat home with them. I called my dad. He had a prior commitment and was unable to take us. We were leaving on a Monday, so most of my friends would be working and therefore were unable to take us. I called my friend, Dave, grasping at straws, and he said he was able to take us! He had taken the day off of work because he was leaving for Las Vegas later that same day, so he said he would come pick us up!
Problem solved, I finished my packing, zipped the suitcase up as tight as I could, and went over my list one more time. We had dinner, put Claire to bed, and I tried to just relax with DH before I would be gone for a week. Oh, but it was very hard to relax. I hadnt been to Disney World in a year and a half and I was indescribably excited! I probably checked the packing list 16 more times before I finally decided to call it a night. Unlike every other Disney Eve, I was actually able to sleep this time! Claire woke up once during the night and after a quick bottle, she was back to bed. Her schedule got really messed up when we went on the ski trip, and unfortunately, she still had not recovered in the two weeks since we had returned. I hoped this didnt mean bad things for the Disney vacation...
My alarm rang at 5:00 a.m. I showered and got myself ready while DH loaded the car. Then, I got Claire out of her bed, put her in her car seat, and gave her a bottle. She would get dressed and eat breakfast at my parents house. I knew for sure that my mom wouldnt be ready to go at this early hour. DH drove us to my parents house, unloaded the car, kissed us good-bye and headed to his meeting.
I fed Claire her breakfast and got her changed into her clothes while my mom finished her last minute packing. Five minutes after Dave was to arrive, I received a text message from him telling me that the doors on his mini-van were frozen shut and he was trying to de-ice them! He said he would be at my parents house ASAP. Twenty minutes later, Dave arrived. The doors? Still frozen shut! We waited a few minutes for the van to warm up a little more and then we tried again. And again. And then we tried again. Finally, they opened. Thank goodness! We packed up the van and we were on our way.
About 25 minutes into the one hour drive to the airport, I realized I had forgotten my phone charger. It was too late to turn around, so I asked Dave to stop at a Walgreens. Thankfully, they had an iPhone charger. I purchased it and hopped back in the van and hoped that the charger was the last of my bad luck for the morning...
Next up: Would our bad luck continue through the flight? Stay tuned to find out!
Lifelong_Dreamer
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2007
- Messages
- 15,138
What a start to the trip!
Aren't you glad for friends like Dave?!?!? 
I haven't thought about frozen doors in a few months, but reading about it took me back to several of my school mornings this past winter. Brrrrr! I had to get Drew to come out and climb through the back hatch and force the driver's door open one morning.
You're on your way, anyway. There might be more bad luck stories coming for the trip down, but hopefully once you arrived at MCO, the trip was full of magic from there on out!
I haven't thought about frozen doors in a few months, but reading about it took me back to several of my school mornings this past winter. Brrrrr! I had to get Drew to come out and climb through the back hatch and force the driver's door open one morning.
You're on your way, anyway.
There might be more bad luck stories coming for the trip down, but hopefully once you arrived at MCO, the trip was full of magic from there on out! 
momof2TNboys
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2009
- Messages
- 597
Great start to the report. Frozen doors are not good.
Hope the rest of the trip to WDW gets better!
Hope the rest of the trip to WDW gets better!
pooh'smate
Stuck in the Middle
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2005
- Messages
- 4,579
Joining in. I lurked on your ptr but never commented so now I letting you know. 
Happy Elf
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2006
- Messages
- 1,475
First, ewww for the mouse. We store our suitcases in the garage, so I will check them out before bringing them in.
Frozen doors, yuck! Dealt with that a few times this past winter!
Phone charger...writing that on the packing list now, along with charger for the DS. Thanks for helping me think of these things!
Hoping that was the end of bad luck for the trip!
Frozen doors, yuck! Dealt with that a few times this past winter!
Phone charger...writing that on the packing list now, along with charger for the DS. Thanks for helping me think of these things!
Hoping that was the end of bad luck for the trip!
Lady Lallie
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2008
- Messages
- 18,540
What a stressful departure, but it seems as though you handled it very well. Oh my goodness, I think I would have lost it at the van doors being frozen. 
PirateKate
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 16, 2010
- Messages
- 2,326
Frozen doors, that's weird. Is that common up north? Sounds unpleasant.
Forgetting the phone charger, that's common everywhere. I'm sure the iPhone charger would be one of the easier ones to find.
Can't wait to see how Claire likes Disney. I bet she'll love it.
Forgetting the phone charger, that's common everywhere. I'm sure the iPhone charger would be one of the easier ones to find.
Can't wait to see how Claire likes Disney. I bet she'll love it.
SoonerGirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2006
- Messages
- 4,850
Hi! I came over from Jackie's TR, hope you don't mind a new reader
Your DD is absolutely adorable!
Your DD is absolutely adorable!
Native NYer
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
- Messages
- 7,967
Joining in!
Can't wait to read about all of your adventures.
Can't wait to read about all of your adventures.
ksl5f123
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2009
- Messages
- 1,299
I'm late, but I'm here! I am so excited that you have started.
Claire looks so cute bundled up and ready to go. I love that she has her Mickey!
How stressful to have to find a ride the night before your trip! I would panic. I haven't thought about frozen doors for a while now, but I do remember how cold and snowy this February was.
I sure hope your flight was uneventful and you got to relax!
Claire looks so cute bundled up and ready to go. I love that she has her Mickey!
How stressful to have to find a ride the night before your trip! I would panic. I haven't thought about frozen doors for a while now, but I do remember how cold and snowy this February was.
I sure hope your flight was uneventful and you got to relax!
Charleston Princess
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2008
- Messages
- 21,444
Ugh, I hate, hate, hate mice and would have freaked completely!!! I am shuddering just reading about the entire episode!
What a stressful way to start your trip -- hope things calmed down as you headed to the airport. We have a mini-van, and it is not uncommon for the doors to ice during the winter. It can be very annoying when you are running late for work/school.
What a stressful way to start your trip -- hope things calmed down as you headed to the airport.
We have a mini-van, and it is not uncommon for the doors to ice during the winter. It can be very annoying when you are running late for work/school.
DisMomAmy
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2007
- Messages
- 7,994
We definitely get those frozen mini-van doors up here in NH! 
Sorry about the mouse incident! Yuck! Definitely not the best way to start a trip - I'm glad you didn't find any mice in your luggage this time around.
I hope the bad luck was behind you!
Sorry about the mouse incident! Yuck! Definitely not the best way to start a trip - I'm glad you didn't find any mice in your luggage this time around.
I hope the bad luck was behind you!
Me, too!
When the first ones appeared in the fall at school, I went and bought an arsenal of products to get rid of them. I had the little round black traps and the sticky pads everywhere that I thought a mouse would get and a kid couldn't reach. I bet the maintenance people thought I was crazy when they pulled out all of my furniture to buff the floors this summer and saw all of that stuff!
I made it clear to the little critters - I do not tolerate mice!
Except Disney mice, of course.
-
New Loungefly Disney Halloween Collection + 1 Scented Item!
-
Is Jack Skellington's New Look at Mickey's Halloween Party Worth the Wait?
-
Why Universal's Helios Grand Hotel Is Worth the Hype
-
Setting Sail with Disney Cruise Line: Your Ultimate Guide to Port Canaveral
-
New Peach Sundae: The Tropical Hideaway, Disneyland
-
New Passholder Merch Revealed for EPCOT's 2025 Food & Wine Festival
-
Muppet-Themed Medals Unveiled for 2025 runDisney Virtual 12Ks of Christmas
Receive up to $1,000 in Onboard Credit and a Gift Basket!
That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE
That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE
