Bags, Busses, and Booze - A Where has all the Rum gone Girls 2013 F&W TR

[annmarieda]

What more could three ladies with no kids or men around want? Bags? Busses? While it may not be our favorite thing, it definitely filled some time. Booze? As the title goes on to suggest.... this trip did take place during Epcot's International Food and Wine Festival, so So why then did we have to wonder where all the rum went? Well, Ashley (lilpixiebabe101) and I hope you will join us and find out just where all the rum went.

This will be a joint TR and we will do our best to not get ahead of each other so as not to confused any of you, our poor readers. Confusing us (or specifically me) may just happen no matter what we do.

Up Next: Introductions

 

[annmarieda]

Introductions
Ashely and Ginger
Ann
9/27
Ann
Ashley
9/28 Part 1
Ann
Ashley
9/28 Part 2
Ann
9/29 Part 1
Ann
9/29 Part 2
Ann
9/29 Part 3
Ann
9/30 Part 1
Ann
Ashley
9/30 Part 2
Ann
10/1
Ann
10/2 Part 1
Ann
10/2 Part 2
Ann
10/3 Part 1
Ann
10/3 Part 2
Ann
10/4 Part 1
Ann
10/4 Part 2
Ann
10/4 Part 3
Ann
10/5 Part 1
Ann
10/5 Part 2
Ann
10/5 Part 3
Ann
10/6 Part 1
Ann
10/6 Part 2
Ann
10/6 Part 3
Ann
10/7 - Final Day
Ann
Final Thoughts
Ann

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Yay! Stayed up past my bedtime to post on this! Hmmm... I'll need to look for that rum after work tomorrow!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

So I guess I'll start the reintroduction while I watch this show that Ann has gotten me addicted too. Anyone ever heard of a little show called Unco Upon a time. I started Season 1 Episode 1 after we got back..... so in 13 days I'm in Season 2 Episode 18. Lmao!


So I am Ashley.

I am an almost 25 year old mommy to a little princess named Alexa who will be 5 in less than 2 months. I've been with my wonderful fiance Buddy for right at a decade. I'm amazed everyday that I haven't killed him and that he still puts up with me! I'm a massage therapist. (Currently waiting for a call back on a job interview I did with ExxonMobil.) I generally overwork myself and multi-task just a little too much! I'm told I'm an old soul. I love nothing better to read, or cross-stitch, or crochet, etc. This was WDW trip 29 for me. My favorite character is Tinkerbell.

And this is Ginger. She'll kill me if she ever sees that I posted pictures.

Won't say how old she is, but she's counting down the years till retirement from Exxon. She's been one more trips than I have. About 7-8 more. She's a head honcho in the Inspections group out at the plant. They pay her the big bucks cause she's good at what she does. Her hobbies include going out dancing, shopping, and catching up on her youth she missed being with my dad. Her favorite character is of course the Wicked Queen!

 

[annmarieda]

And then there is me

My name is Ann and I am mother to 4. (2 girls and 2 boys ages 23, 20, 18 in 11 days and 8) I have been married to my high school sweetheart (Steve)for 24 years. While I have not been to WDW as many times total as Ginger or Ashley, once I realized that WDW was my favorite over DLR (in 2008) I have gone quite a few times. Luckily, I was encouraged by another dismember back in 2011 to consider doing a RunDisney event. That got me into running and after my first RD event in 2012, I became hooked on them. This created a dilemma. Now I would "have to" go to WDW more often than perhaps one should go. (especially if they didn't want to go into debt doing so) So this year, after I got my wonderful dh to start running and sign up for his first RD event... we bought into DVC through a resale contract and are now proud DVC members.

I work so that I can pay for our trips. The company I work for is a division of a larger company that has its fingers in many types of media. What I do has to do with advertising and promotions at a store level. To put it simple... I drive around all day going from store to store within my territory. I am considered a vendor. I wish it was more glamorous, but since I didn't go to work until I was in my late 30's I guess I took what I could. The pay isn't horrid and while the benefits are almost non existent they could be worse. I am lucky that my dh has a "real" job that affords me to just have a job to cover my play money. His job... much more glamorous. He works for a company that sends rockets into space.

 

[dizneeat]

I'm in!

Now going back to read.

 

[KatMark]

I'm here...be back soon to read.


***Great intros; looking forward to hearing all about it.

 

[annmarieda]

I'm in!

Now going back to read.

I'm here...be back soon to read.


***Great intros; looking forward to hearing all about it.

I am so glad you are both here!!!

 

[lovethattink]

I'm here. Will be back to read.

 

[annmarieda]

Ashley requested that I start here. I guess it sets the tone and gets us started.

This was to be my first trip to WDW without any family members. It was a girls only trip. This idea of this trip came about through a group of us who traveled to WDW way back in 2011. For all of us, our 2011 trip were all about our families. We cross checked dates and some were able to meet up and spend time with each other. This helped to cement our friendship and we all hoped to make a trip with just us at some point. Slowly things happened and it dwindled down to just a few of us who would be going. Planning can be a challenge when there are so many great minds trying to concoct a plan. And for this reason, I didn't necessarily "get into" my normal planning mode.

That normal mode would have me with a count down calendar. It would have me with an itinerary book ready to go. It would also have me with a good idea of what I would be packing (although truthfully, this is never the easiest aspect of my pretrip activities)

So I completed as much work as I could in the days before my flight and left EVERYTHING else to the night before. At least I had my laundry done which gave me options. Maybe options wasn't such a good idea.

I had one checked bag I would be bringing as well as one carry-on and one personal bag.

As I started to pack my checked case... I realized I had a problem. It was nearly full and I didn't even have any clothing it in yet. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of "essential" items. I mean, a girl needs shoes right? Add in that I needed all my running gear. Well, I just felt very overwhelmed by how little space I was leaving myself for clothing.

As I sat back and looked at the case almost in a completely defeated manner, Steve decided he would help. He took everything out and started to go through it. There was much discussion of "do you need this" and "I really think you can live with out that". In the end he got to the same point and didn't know what to do either.

During points in this struggle, Ashley would text and ask how it was going. She knew that I was overwhelmed. She helped to calm me. I got Steve to leave me alone (since he only added to my frustration by telling me I couldn't bring everything) and I began packing. Seriously and strategically placing what I could in each of the pieces of luggage I was brining.

Soon it was all in each bag. Steve walked in and told me I would never be able to zip the cases. With minimal effort I was able to zip them just fine. He then told me they would split open during the flight. He urged me to take some of it out. I didn't listen to him. I knew I had not had to "force" them closed and felt pretty good about how I had everything packed. I did have Steve weigh the one that would be checked and while it was maybe closer than I would have liked, it was under the limit.

I can't tell you how long this process took. I know it was approaching a late enough hour that I worried about getting up the next morning. I bet Ashley will know. She is young after all and has a much better memory than I (who is older) have. I suspect this will be a theme in this report. Ashley will remember where I have NO clue.

 

[annmarieda]

I'm here. Will be back to read.

So glad you are here!

 

[KatMark]

I always find packing stressful, and I don't have to worry about running clothes, etc.

I'm so glad you were finally able to get it all straight and be set to go.

 

[dizneeat]

You just had me laughing here, as we usually lay everything out the evening before we travel and I ALWAYS think that it will NOT fit!!!
Somehow it always does.

But glad you get everything in and are under the weight limit! Time to start travelling.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Oh no pressure on my memory there huh Ann?

But I do think I text you around like 1:30-2am my time (hey I'm an insomniac who was going to Disney the next day), so 11:30-12pm your time. You told me you had gotten them closed, but couldn't find the purple lights. It amazes me that you had so much problems this trip when normally you have zoe's med supplies and hangers at least added in there somewhere!

 

[annmarieda]

I always find packing stressful, and I don't have to worry about running clothes, etc.

I'm so glad you were finally able to get it all straight and be set to go.

I admittedly go pretty late when trying to pack... but at least I have an idea of what I am packing. I set things aside. This was just pulling everything together at the last minute.

You just had me laughing here, as we usually lay everything out the evening before we travel and I ALWAYS think that it will NOT fit!!!
Somehow it always does.

But glad you get everything in and are under the weight limit! Time to start travelling.

I am glad it fit... it was just a tad more stressful. Maybe because it was just me going? Maybe because Steve was sure it was not going to work.

Oh no pressure on my memory there huh Ann?

But I do think I text you around like 1:30-2am my time (hey I'm an insomniac who was going to Disney the next day), so 11:30-12pm your time. You told me you had gotten them closed, but couldn't find the purple lights. It amazes me that you had so much problems this trip when normally you have zoe's med supplies and hangers at least added in there somewhere!

Normally, there is the added carry-on that much of that goes into. I think it was the lack of one extra bag that put it all in question. Yet, I did get it to work. Now, the way back..that took some doing too.

12 midnight sounds about right. That did cut down on how much sleep I was able to get, but it was in theory doable.

 

[Woth2982]

Hi Ann! I am here! It was so great meeting you this trip! I have yet to upload photos from my camera but once I do I will send you our pics!

 

[annmarieda]

Hi Ann! I am here! It was so great meeting you this trip! I have yet to upload photos from my camera but once I do I will send you our pics!

I am so glad you are here!!! It was nice not just meeting you but spending some time with you. I am glad you were available for me like that... it was SO nice of you!!!

And yes please!!! Once you get pics uploaded let me know. I have just one of us and you can definitely tell it is the end of the party cause lets just say I am not as "put together" as I should be.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Lmao! Not as put together! Was that before or after the wig finally got pulled off?!?

 

[Woth2982]

I am so glad you are here!!! It was nice not just meeting you but spending some time with you. I am glad you were available for me like that... it was SO nice of you!!!

And yes please!!! Once you get pics uploaded let me know. I have just one of us and you can definitely tell it is the end of the party cause lets just say I am not as "put together" as I should be.

Oh any time! I had a blast hanging out with you! Too bad it couldn't have been more time! Not sure if mine are any better. I think both time we got pix it was at the very end of the night lol!

 

[annmarieda]

Lmao! Not as put together! Was that before or after the wig finally got pulled off?!?

Oh any time! I had a blast hanging out with you! Too bad it couldn't have been more time! Not sure if mine are any better. I think both time we got pix it was at the very end of the night lol!

Well, even if it isn't better it will still be good to see. At least in yours I am not wearing a flaming red wig, right?