All our ghosts have been dying to meet you Pre-Trip: Update & costume tweaks 9/20

[klacey1]

I knew Epcot would be my boyfriend's favorite park before his first trip. With F&W going on, that's the park at its best!

 

[blabbermouth]

I'm now sure how I've missed this PTR until now, but I'm subbing!

Too much to say, hmm... I will just comment on your last update. Epcot, yay! I totally forgot to write about club cool in my PTR, oops! I want to see Ellen's Universe of Energy too this time But I won't mind skipping Innoventions.

I really like Tangierine Cafe, so I hope you like Marrakesh too!

 

[abbybeth]

Commando touring aside , it looks like fun! I also love the Dale picture.

I'm not as nuts as that paragraph seemed - it'll be more along the lines of that'll be a morning where we'll have a good chunk of time to accomplish things in FW, so we'll get done what we can!

The Dale picture is one of my abosolute faves - and he had something in his suit that he would press to make a 'kissy' sound - SO CUTE!

I knew Epcot would be my boyfriend's favorite park before his first trip. With F&W going on, that's the park at its best!

Indeed! Ryan hasn't been to Disney since he was in high school, so it'll all seem pretty new to him. I'm so excited to see how he reacts to everything and really hope he falls in love with the place like I have.

I'm now sure how I've missed this PTR until now, but I'm subbing!

Too much to say, hmm... I will just comment on your last update. Epcot, yay! I totally forgot to write about club cool in my PTR, oops! I want to see Ellen's Universe of Energy too this time But I won't mind skipping Innoventions.

I really like Tangierine Cafe, so I hope you like Marrakesh too!

Hi ! I'm glad you found me - we're really only just now starting to pick up steam, so you haven't missed much!

Ellen's Universe of Energy isn't a mind-blowing attraction by any means, but it's air conditioned, cheesy and I think that Ellen is always funny. It's a good time overall!

I am looking forward to Marrakesh - I'm learning to be more adventurous with my food choices and they have a lot of their menu that sounds really yummy and different. I tend to be a creature of habit, so I'm glad that we're trying some new places on this trip.

 

[abbybeth]

Well ladies and gentlemen, our plot has taken a bit of a twist.

Free Dining was released to the general public today. YAY!

Port Orleans French Quarter was excluded from the promotion

On top of that, our original check in date was one day before the promo kicked in.


Le sigh


We will now be checking in to Port Orleans Riverside on Saturday, September 28 and then checking in to Port Orleans Riverside on Sunday, September 29. Since there weren't any standard rooms left for the FD promo, we will also get the fun of changing rooms.

The things we'll do for free food, right?!


I feel guilty that I'm bummed out about our resort - I mean, it's a vacation to WDW and I know I'm lucky just to go. I waited 24 years for my first trip! But I am so in love with POFQ and was so attached to staying there. I feel like anything else will be a let down (other than maybe a deluxe!) I know I'll get over it, and people have wonderful things to say about POR around the boards. It's attached to POFQ so I know that we can just walk over there to at least get beignets and it will still have the water taxi and so on and so forth.

On the bright side, we have FREE DINING!

Have any of you stayed at Riverside? If it wasn't a great experience, please don't tell me!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Congrats on the Free Dining!! The phone lines were jammed today, weren't they? I haven't stayed at either "Ports" so don't have any feedback for you other than I'm pretty certain that you'll still have a blast! As you said, it's still Disney!

 

[klacey1]

Honestly, I love, love, love POR! I'm definitely going to miss it when we stay at WL next month. The food court is the best and the grounds are beautiful. Ask me any questions you have!!

 

[blabbermouth]

Aww, that is kind of disappointing! I am also much more drawn to FQ than Riverside too, so I get it. I'd do the same thing for free dining though, so I think it's worth it!

 

[abbybeth]

Congrats on the Free Dining!! The phone lines were jammed today, weren't they? I haven't stayed at either "Ports" so don't have any feedback for you other than I'm pretty certain that you'll still have a blast! As you said, it's still Disney!

as they say ... even the worst day in Disney is probably better than the best day anywhere else!

In all seriousness though, it'll still be great. The grounds look beautiful and we'll have a fantastic, relaxing trip. My TA was on hold for a couple hours at least and from what it sounds like the main phone lines were even more packed. I just had to anxiously keep checking my email for updates from her!

Honestly, I love, love, love POR! I'm definitely going to miss it when we stay at WL next month. The food court is the best and the grounds are beautiful. Ask me any questions you have!!

That really does help reassure me. I'm so used to the small size of POFQ and really quick bus service. I know that the POs share, but in my experience the buses would stop at POFQ first and if they filled, we didn't stop at Riverside. It seems like the resort is much bigger - is it inconvenient to get to the dining area and bus stops? I've put in a request for mansions because those look more appealing to me, but I don't know where we'll end up.

I am glad that they still have the water taxi and can walk over to FQ for beignets and Scat Cats at least. But I'm going to miss the fountains and the wrought iron and the ambient music...

Aww, that is kind of disappointing! I am also much more drawn to FQ than Riverside too, so I get it. I'd do the same thing for free dining though, so I think it's worth it!

It definitely is worth it and I think once I get over the initial shock/disappointment I'll be more ok with it. I am admittedly a creature of habit and when I find something I love, I stick with it. But it'll still be great - I'll be in my favorite place in the world with my favorite person in the world and we'll be eating all the delicious foods for free!

 

[abbybeth]

I finally bought our tickets for MNSSHP this morning!

I also did something that I'm not particularly proud of. All of the phone numbers that I should have called were busy. Busy to the point of "all circuits are busy, please try your call again later" - clearly there is still a lot of spillover from yesterdays crowd clamoring for free dining. I needed to do it by phone because paying by Disney Gift Card wasn't an option online, so I called the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and played dumb.

I know it wasn't exactly a cardinal sin, buuuuttt, still, I feel guilty. The CM was lovely, got me transferred over to an even more lovely ticketing CM who was so sweet and enthusiastic! We chatted quite a bit about F&W and MNSSHP and how she's counting down the days until F&W starts too! I paid for my tickets, and they'll be mailed out - yay Mickey Mail!

Also super exciting is that I didn't pay for the tickets out of my budget! I use a site that allows you to accumulate rewards for shopping and doing surveys, so I had a $100 GC from there and paid for the rest on my Disney Rewards card from points I've been accumulating with my Visa. What's better than MNSSHP tickets? Free MNSSHP tickets!

And we're back to being bouncy and excited and I think I'm over the resort switch. Onwards and forwards. I ordered the rest of the fabric I need for my costume yesterday and will hopefully get to work on that before too long. I still need to order my accessories, which I should get a move on as well since I'll have to modify them heavily once they arrive and I seem to have a bad habit of not allowing myself enough time to complete things....

 

[blabbermouth]

I just like to say that I work better under pressure

Excited to see your costume, I hope it's good because you're certainly building up the suspense!

I wish I could get MNSSHP tickets for free! I used my credit card points towards paying for the trip. Should have saved them and used them for the party instead. Much easier to justify $60 pp that way.

 

[abbybeth]

I just like to say that I work better under pressure

Excited to see your costume, I hope it's good because you're certainly building up the suspense!

I wish I could get MNSSHP tickets for free! I used my credit card points towards paying for the trip. Should have saved them and used them for the party instead. Much easier to justify $60 pp that way.

I do respond pretty well to pressure myself! It is hard finding time. I work full time, plus an almost 2 hour round trip commute. I'm also taking dance classes, teaching dance classes and work out at a CrossFit gym. In addition to fitting in time with the boyfriend and have a social life. I also have a small CrossFit related business on the side too, so orders for that trump projects for fun and projects for others (even if they're fun!) trump projects for me. I quilt in my 'free time' and have 7 baby quilts to make between now and February. Our costumes WILL get done and be worth it, but I've got to figure out when I'll be able to block off enough chunks of time to get at them. Ry's will be less involved than mine, thankfully, but I really do need to get going!

Hopefully our costumes will live up to the hype I'm building. Otherwise at least 5 of you will be drastically disappointed!

Even without the free part - MNSSHP is so worth it. This will be my third party and I love every minute of it!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

I'm really looking forward to your costumes and based on the pictures of your previous work I'm sure it's going to be good!

In my book, if the project gets done before the deadline it's not procrastinating. Even if I end up pulling an all nighter!

 

[klacey1]

Haha I consider calling the BBB savvy! I never would have thought of that! I'm glad you're getting excited about POR! We rarely had bus problems-- I think we waited more than 20 minutes only once. Our mansion, Acadian House, was on the outskirts of property and the main building was only a 8 minute, easy walk.

 

[khertz]

Followed you over from my PTR and got all caught up!! It looks like your plans are really coming together nicely, except for the whole changing resorts thing. But I'm sure you will end up loving POR. And like you said, you will be in Disney World, so it will all be okay!

That picture with Dale in your last update is so cute! I look forward to seeing the rest of your plans together.

 

[Alysa]

Okay, first off. How have you never met the mouse?!?!
Second, love the photo of you with Chip. And your "cute as can be" parents!
Third, can't wait to see the adorable outfits!
Fourth, Hurrah, free dining!
Fifth, you will LOVE POR - we have stayed there and at POFQ, and the difference is POFQ is more beautiful but POR is more fun. There are bunnies everywhere, it's like being in a Disney movie. And you can always take a lovely long, romantic walk and visit if you want to but you will be having so much fun that I doubt you'll even want to. AND Now you have POFQ to look forward to for another trip. You have to try them all to see which one you like best you know!
Sixth, still can't wait to see the surprise costumes! You know I love Halloween!

 

[abbybeth]

I'm really looking forward to your costumes and based on the pictures of your previous work I'm sure it's going to be good!

In my book, if the project gets done before the deadline it's not procrastinating. Even if I end up pulling an all nighter!

You make a good point sir! Finished on time is finished on time .... as long as the threads are clipped and it makes it in the suitcase, we can call it good!

Haha I consider calling the BBB savvy! I never would have thought of that! I'm glad you're getting excited about POR! We rarely had bus problems-- I think we waited more than 20 minutes only once. Our mansion, Acadian House, was on the outskirts of property and the main building was only a 8 minute, easy walk.

I wasn't sure what kind of reaction I might get on the boards for pulling that one. It accomplished what needed to be done, but I did feel a bit sneaky. POR really does look gorgeous and it's good for me to have some change!

Followed you over from my PTR and got all caught up!! It looks like your plans are really coming together nicely, except for the whole changing resorts thing. But I'm sure you will end up loving POR. And like you said, you will be in Disney World, so it will all be okay!

That picture with Dale in your last update is so cute! I look forward to seeing the rest of your plans together.

Thanks! Glad to have you here I think I just needed a little time to get over the "but this wasn't what I planned" disappointment. I'm back to being excited and I know it's going to be great!

Okay, first off. How have you never met the mouse?!?!
Second, love the photo of you with Chip. And your "cute as can be" parents!
Third, can't wait to see the adorable outfits!
Fourth, Hurrah, free dining!
Fifth, you will LOVE POR - we have stayed there and at POFQ, and the difference is POFQ is more beautiful but POR is more fun. There are bunnies everywhere, it's like being in a Disney movie. And you can always take a lovely long, romantic walk and visit if you want to but you will be having so much fun that I doubt you'll even want to. AND Now you have POFQ to look forward to for another trip. You have to try them all to see which one you like best you know!
Sixth, still can't wait to see the surprise costumes! You know I love Halloween!

Glad to hear more positive feedback for POR. It's definitely helping put me at ease! We will have to go to POFQ for beignets at least!

I'm getting antsy to get started on the costumes, but have two quilts that really should be finished before I dive in. One is for a baby shower on 9/7, so that will definitely need to get done and the other is a graduation gift for a 2013 grad, so we're already behind schedule. It's taking a lot longer than I ancticipated

 

[abbybeth]

So I dropped off the boards a bit a few weeks ago - between dance, work and crazy busy weekends, there just wasn't time for DISing.

We've been BUSY!

A few weeks ago we headed up to Traverse City (northern Michigan) to attend a wedding. Naturally, I decided I didn't like anything I had to wear and made a skirt the night before. The skirt is now one of my absolute favorite pieces of clothing (it has POCKETS!) and I'm dying to wear it again.



The weather was gorgeous, the ceremony & reception were outside on the bay so we were treated to fabulous scenery



The weekend after that we headed over to my hometown, Port Huron, for the festivities of the annual Port Huron to Mackinac Island sailboat race. This year there were about 225 sailboats of different sizes and classes in for the race. Saturday morning we went to the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, which is held dockside, and watched the boats begin to make their way out to the start line.

An area pipe band always comes to pipe the boats out as well



We were then lucky enough to go out on a boat to watch the various classes go off at the start line out in the lake - thanks to my awesome parents!

Our ride:




I took over 100 pictures, so I won't include all of them, but will post some. As it's time for each class of boats to go, they start circling the start line. There's a lot of strategy - you want to be underway and moving towards the start once the cannon goes, but if you mis-time it and cross the line ahead of the cannon, you have to circle back around and re-cross which would put you behind. There's a lot of jockeying for position!













The last class of boats were the largest - this one's name was Il Monstro, but we promptly renamed it the Death Star. The other sailboat in the picture wasn't racing in it's class, but should give you some scale





My parents!


We also saw several freightors coming and going while we were out on the lake



and the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse



and the Huron Lightship. The Huron was the last functioning lightship to work the Great Lakes. She is now permanently docked and serves as a museum. Fun Fact: my high school senior class group picture was taken on the deck of the Huron!



All that sailing made us hungry, so we stopped for one of my favorite snacks: poutine!



Fries. Gravy. Cheese. DELICIOUS!

The Budweiser Clydesdales were also in town for the festivities:



The weekend wrapped up on Sunday with a baby shower for one of my high school best friends -she's expecting a little girl this fall!



so, of course, she got a quilt!



That makes 1 of 7 baby quilts that I need to get made and gifted between now and February.

I competed at an area highland games on Saturday of this weekend and Ryan went out to Wisconsin to do a Warrior Dash race with his buddies. Needless to say, we've been busy!

We're at 53 days out now - so it's getting close!!! Ryan's birthday is Wednesday of this week, so we'll be celebrating that (hmmm....perhaps he'll be getting things that he can take on the Disney trip! )

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Gorgeous pictures of the sail boats! Laughed about the Death Star comment because the first words that popped into my head were Star Destroyer.

Seriously, you whipped up a skirt the night before?!? That's just awesome. As a guy who has no sewing skills whatsoever (yes, home ec classes have severely failed me), I am very envious of your creativity.

 

[abbybeth]

Gorgeous pictures of the sail boats! Laughed about the Death Star comment because the first words that popped into my head were Star Destroyer.

Seriously, you whipped up a skirt the night before?!? That's just awesome. As a guy who has no sewing skills whatsoever (yes, home ec classes have severely failed me), I am very envious of your creativity.

My Dad & I kept humming Darth Vader's march .... we thought we were hilarious. Even in the largest class, that boat was noticibly larger!

I took sewing classes for several summers while growing up. It was kind of my mom's compromise to how much of a tomboy I was. If I was going to spend all summer playing basketball and going to basketball camp, I was at least going to learn basic sewing skills! And now that it's one of my main hobbies, I'm really glad that she did! I'll try to find a good picture, but I also wore the top I had on the day of the sailboat race. I found sailboat fabric, so I decided I needed a sailboat top!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

My Dad & I kept humming Darth Vader's march .... we thought we were hilarious. Even in the largest class, that boat was noticibly larger!

Love it. I would have been doing the same thing too!