Escaping the New England winter! Feb 2011 (Completed!)

[Tink9721]

I leave tomorrow!

I'm all done packing, we printed the boarding passes this morning, and we're all ready to go I'm not bringing my laptop, so I won't be able to check in while I'm gone but I'll check in when I get home Monday night.

And now I'm gonna go get ready for bed. Our flight leaves in 9 hours

 

[CanadianWDWfan]

SAFE TRAVELS!

I wish you a very magical trip....sunny skies and fun times at the DIS meet!

I'm so jealous that in just a short while you will be boarding a plane and in no time be walking around WDW!

Have a fabulous time!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Hey you! I was just on MeMom's report and had heard about "Tink" also being at the World while many of us other DISers are there and I finally figured out you are Tink! I haven't read your PTR (yet), but, if you are going to be at the Great Big Small World Meet, I'll see you there!!!!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Oh man! I just read your dates - you won't be at the Small World meet! Bummer! Well, I hope you have a WONDERFUL and MAGICAL trip, I'll be reading along on your TR.

 

[Cat0727]

Yayy! Have a wonderful, magical trip!

 

[Megablocks]

Christine just landed in Orlando a little while ago! They're waiting for ME now. She wrote to me on Facebook this morning (not knowing if I was awake so not wanting to text me), that they had been sitting on the plane for an hour and a half because their plane had a fuel leak and the maintenance people hadn't shown up yet. Ever since my flight got canceled last year due to snow that didn't end up happening, I've been SO nervous for people flying so when I had the notification on my phone that Christine had posted on my wall my first thought was "oh no." But, it got fixed and they ended up making it there not much later than they were originally supposed to -- they left two hours late but only landed an hour late, so they're still going to have a whole afternoon/evening in the World!

If I can figure out how to post pictures from my phone (I upgraded to an iPhone 4 right after Christmas and I'm still a little lost ) I will post any pictures that I get from Christine!

 

[photographymom517]

Hey Christine!!! Sorry I missed your send off, but I'm here now & will definitely follow along with your TR once you get back!

According to your schedule, you are at Kona right now!!!!

Have a great trip!!!!

And Meghan, thanks for updating all of us about Christine's trip so far!

 

[disneykiwi]

Have come over from Memom's threads. Looking forward to reading about your trip.

 

[Tink9721]

I'm back! We had an amazing trip! The weather was absolutely beautiful. We didn't see a drop of rain the whole time. I took tons of pictures We got pretty much everything done that we wanted to do and got to meet MeMom and Jill (BrooklynnsMommy). They were so nice and it was a lot of fun! I have school tomorrow, so I'm going to bed soon. I'll get started on the TR later this week!

Thanks for doing the updates Meg

SAFE TRAVELS!

I wish you a very magical trip....sunny skies and fun times at the DIS meet!

I'm so jealous that in just a short while you will be boarding a plane and in no time be walking around WDW!

Have a fabulous time!

Well we definitely got the sunny skies and the fun DIS meet

Hey you! I was just on MeMom's report and had heard about "Tink" also being at the World while many of us other DISers are there and I finally figured out you are Tink! I haven't read your PTR (yet), but, if you are going to be at the Great Big Small World Meet, I'll see you there!!!!

Oh man! I just read your dates - you won't be at the Small World meet! Bummer! Well, I hope you have a WONDERFUL and MAGICAL trip, I'll be reading along on your TR.

Welcome!

I wish I could be at the Small World meet! I hope you guys have a great time tomorrow!

Yayy! Have a wonderful, magical trip!

I definitely did

Hey Christine!!! Sorry I missed your send off, but I'm here now & will definitely follow along with your TR once you get back!

According to your schedule, you are at Kona right now!!!!

Have a great trip!!!!

And Meghan, thanks for updating all of us about Christine's trip so far!

Hey! Welcome to my second TR attempt! This one will actually get done

Have come over from Memom's threads. Looking forward to reading about your trip.

Hi! Welcome!

 

[photographymom517]

I'm like 95% sure we're going next year, though. I know my parents both miss it so I'm really, really hoping that we can start planning a trip when they're back from Scotland and need something else to plan!

I probably won't be going for a while after this year, so next year, it'll be me living vicariously through you when you go

First of all,
Welcome Back!!!!

I was just thinking that maybe we should start some type of "No Disney Trip to Plan" support group!

I will be right along with you next year, Christine! After this year's trip, I doubt we'll be going back for a few years. My husband has been talking ALOT about going "other places"

While I definitely want to visit places I've never been before, I will miss Disney soooo much! We also want to go on a cruise (after Luke is potty trained) & I'm 100% set on a Disney cruise, but I really don't think he is. People keep telling him there are other cruiselines that offer all-inclusive packages & that they are cheaper than Disney. I wish they'd quit telling him things

Next year, we can "see" Disney through Meghan's trip...and after that, we can all start our support group!

 

[Cat0727]

Welcome back! Can't wait to hear about it!

 

[Megablocks]

I will be right along with you next year, Christine! After this year's trip, I doubt we'll be going back for a few years. My husband has been talking ALOT about going "other places"

Charles (my boyfriend) has never been to Disney and I am dying for him to go b/c I really think he'd enjoy it. But, since he's never been there, he always tells me that I should consider suggesting other getaways for myself and my family. Ummm, NO. When we were talking about our honeymoon once (still a while away, we're not even engaged yet!), he asked me where I would want to go. I, of course, said Disney, and he basically laughed at me and said that no one goes to Disney for honeymoons. I told him they did and to ask Katie. I'm sure he never did ask b/c not only is she also a Disney fanatic, she'd probably also back me up 100%. I think it was when I told him that it's called a Disneymoon, that he literally facepalmed. I am bound and determined to get him to Disney World one day, even if it's not going to be our honeymoon destination!

Next year, we can "see" Disney through Meghan's trip...and after that, we can all start our support group!

I love it! I'm living vicariously through everyone else's trips and planning...I need that support group ASAP!

 

[CanadianWDWfan]

Tink9721 Hugs for returning to the real world.....not fun.



I'm sympathetic to all that don't have a trip planned this year...it's so hard.

I went a few years in between trips in the past so I feel for you.

It really helped to live through others trips here on the DIS...

Megablocks a Disneymoon would be awesome!
I hope you can convince him to go for it!

 

[Tink9721]

First of all,
Welcome Back!!!!

I was just thinking that maybe we should start some type of "No Disney Trip to Plan" support group!

I will be right along with you next year, Christine! After this year's trip, I doubt we'll be going back for a few years. My husband has been talking ALOT about going "other places"

While I definitely want to visit places I've never been before, I will miss Disney soooo much! We also want to go on a cruise (after Luke is potty trained) & I'm 100% set on a Disney cruise, but I really don't think he is. People keep telling him there are other cruiselines that offer all-inclusive packages & that they are cheaper than Disney. I wish they'd quit telling him things

Next year, we can "see" Disney through Meghan's trip...and after that, we can all start our support group!

I'll definitely need that support group I want to see other places, but I'd still rather go to Disney! I want to make it out to Disneyland at some point too.

Welcome back! Can't wait to hear about it!

Thank you!

Tink9721 Hugs for returning to the real world.....not fun.



I'm sympathetic to all that don't have a trip planned this year...it's so hard.

I went a few years in between trips in the past so I feel for you.

It really helped to live through others trips here on the DIS...

Megablocks a Disneymoon would be awesome!
I hope you can convince him to go for it!

I really do hate returning to the real world!

I've been really lucky to get to go every year for 7 years straight, but I've gotten adjusted to it so it'll be hard when I can't do that!

 

[Tink9721]

Well, my first few days back in the real world weren't too painful. It wasn't much fun going to school every morning instead of a Disney park I'm about to start uploading my pictures to photobucket and as soon as I do that I'll start the TR!

 

[Tink9721]

Time to start this report!

Wednesday, Feb 23

My alarm went off at 4:15 AM that morning. I'm not a morning person at all, so I was a little grumpy when I woke up, but it took about 30 seconds for me to realize why my alarm was going off and then I was like this My mom was already up and in the shower. I had gotten everything ready to go the night before, except for a couple of last minute things that had to go in my suitcase. After that was done, I put the luggage strap on and my stuff was all ready to go. Little side rant: We had about 4 luggage straps at one point but have been reduced to one since the airport people keep breaking them I wouldn't have even bothered using it except for the fact that I was afraid my suitcase would pop open because they also broke one of the 3 locks

Anyway, we fed the cats and the dog, I loaded the suitcases into the car, and we were ready to go! I always hate leaving our pets, but this time they didn't have to go to the kennel because we had a family friend pet sitting.

Last year when I was loading the suitcases into the car, it was snowing REALLY hard. This time, not a single flake We left a little after 5:00 and had a nice easy ride to the airport. We got there at about 5:30 and parked in the garage. One time we had to park in the lot and get a shuttle to the airport. I was SO glad we found a spot in the garage! We left our winter coats in the car so we wouldn't have to carry them around all day. I was so happy to leave those behind! We were flying Southwest so we had already printed our boarding passes. We checked our bags, and then got through security pretty fast. I have no idea why I was so excited about this, but I got my license in October and I hadn't been to the airport since then so I was all excited about having an ID to show them at security

We got breakfast at Dunkin Donuts and then went to wait at our gate. There was a really pretty sunrise going on behind me.

We boarded our plane at 7:00, started pulling out of the gate shortly before 7:30...and here's where the drama starts

We just kind of sat there for a minute, not moving out onto the runway, and my mom said "Uh-oh." I didn't think there was anything wrong, but then the pilot came on and said that our plane had a fuel leak caused by the cold weather. My mom proceeded to start cracking up because of the angry/sad/disbelieveing look on my face I said something like "If there are no weather problems, there has to be a problem with something else..." I decided I wasn't going to panic yet, so I just sat there for a little bit, listening to my MP3 player, trying to relax...I soon realized that relaxing wouldn't be possible. It seems like every time I fly I get the most annoying people around me. There was a little girl behind me kicking my seat, and the brattiest little boy in front of me. This kid drove everyone crazy the entire flight. I love kids, but I just couldn't deal with this one or his mom. His mom brought a portable DVD player for him, but for some reason didn't bring headphones. They were watching Toy Story 3 REALLY loudly. I could hear it with my MP3 player volume up twice as high as it usually is He also kept opening the shade on the window and SLAMMING it. Over and over and over again.

Between that kid, the really hot plane, the headache I had developed at this point, and the delay, I was losing my mind. I got so fidgety and really wanted to get off the plane...and I still had a 3 hour flight ahead of me We sat there for an HOUR waiting for the maintenance crew to get there. It's a small airport, so apparently we don't have enough maintenance people. At 9:30, two hours late, we finally got cleared for takeoff! Then it was time for the little boy in front of me to put his seatbelt on. He didn't like that. At all. He started screaming at the top of his lungs. His mom pulled out the famous threat: "If you don't stop, we're not going to Disney World!" It didn't work. Screaming child or not, I was happy to finally be in the air.

I took some pictures from the sky.

Bye bye Rhode Island!

I tried to sleep during the flight but every time I dozed off the little boy slammed his window shade My mom, who was sitting to my right, has this habit of leaning to the left when she falls asleep while sitting up, so she was bumping against me every 30 seconds for pretty much the whole flight. Needless to say, I was so so so happy when we landed

The first signs of Florida!

We're here!

I had never been so happy to get off a plane. I had been on that plane for almost 5 hours!

But all of that frustration was forgotten when I saw the first Magical Express sign

Continued in next post!

 

[Tink9721]

I had packed a pair of shorts and a lighter t-shirt in my carryon and I changed into them in the airport bathroom. I was too excited to wait until we got to WL We stopped for a minute so my mom could call my grandma and let her know we landed, then we got on the fake monorail!

When we got down to the ME...there was a HUGE crowd Last year there were like 7 other people waiting for the MK resort area bus. This time we didn't even make it on the first bus. But we were one of the first people on the second one so we got a good seat We left pretty quickly after we got on the bus. Usually it takes a while, so I was really happy!

Finally on the way!

Palm trees!

First signs of Disney!

YAY!!!!!!!

I always love seeing that first monorail!

At some point I could see Spaceship Earth in the distance. I had never seen it before on the ME because I was always distracted by the video, but our driver pointed it out.

First we made stops at the Poly and the Grand Floridian

And then...

Home sweet home

We were welcomed home by the CM when we checked in, and then she told us we had a room on the 5th floor! We've always been on the first or second floor on the other side of the building so we were REALLY excited! I have no idea how that happened because this was the same level room(Woods View) that we had last year. She also said it had a Magic Kingdom view, but that was kind of a stretch. We could see the top of the Contemporary and a little bit of the Astro Orbiter, but it was all hidden by a bunch of trees. But that was definitely good enough for me

To the right, we could see the water through the trees. We could see the boats coming back and forth from MK.

I had packed my little park bag inside my carryon, so I put my camera, wallet, and cell phone in there and I was ready to go to MK!

But first...I was absolutely starving and we were planning to eat at Casey's when we got to MK but I really wanted a Mickey rice crispy treat. Sorry, it's a terrible picture!

Yummy!

Then it was really time to go to MK! We could've taken the boat, but sometimes it can take a while and I was too excited to wait A bus pulled up right when we got to the bus stop.

It was somewhere around 2:30 at this point and we had eaten breakfast at 6:30 so it was definitely time for lunch!

I love Casey's! I had the corn dog nuggets and my mom had the hot dog.

I'm gonna stop here for now. I'll do more this week! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

 

[Megablocks]

Thanks for texting me that you started!! I was so excited to leave work and get on the DIS!

That's so weird that there was a huge line at ME. I don't think we've ever seen lines. We're also generally the first or only people in line. Sometimes it feels like we have posters warning others of our upcoming presence.

Ahhh the corn dog nuggets! I had those for the first time last year. I'm pretty sure it was when my dad, my sister, and I were at MK one night b/c I can distinctly remember it was just the three of us, and I kept on offering the cup to Kailyn and she kept on actually taking them! It was the same night that they convinced me to go on Stitch's Great Escape and I nearly had a heart attack. Still never had a hot dog from there...and, to be honest, last year was the first time I had ever tried Caseys. I'm such a bad DISer.

Kailyn just turned 18 a couple weeks ago and she went to get her Mass ID since she's going to Disney in April with friends and is going to need the ID to show at the airport since she'll be 18. I think that's the rule. She got it for that and so she can finally get the tattoo she's been wanting since she was like fourteen. She doesn't really seem to have any interest in her license, but Mike and I are bad role models. We were way past 16 when we got ours.

Also if you wanna update the title to show that you updated, go to your first post. I believe it's edit --> advanced options --> then you can go to the title and add on to it. Just an fyi in case you wanna do that!

 

[Tink9721]

Thanks for texting me that you started!! I was so excited to leave work and get on the DIS!

That's so weird that there was a huge line at ME. I don't think we've ever seen lines. We're also generally the first or only people in line. Sometimes it feels like we have posters warning others of our upcoming presence.

Ahhh the corn dog nuggets! I had those for the first time last year. I'm pretty sure it was when my dad, my sister, and I were at MK one night b/c I can distinctly remember it was just the three of us, and I kept on offering the cup to Kailyn and she kept on actually taking them! It was the same night that they convinced me to go on Stitch's Great Escape and I nearly had a heart attack. Still never had a hot dog from there...and, to be honest, last year was the first time I had ever tried Caseys. I'm such a bad DISer.

Kailyn just turned 18 a couple weeks ago and she went to get her Mass ID since she's going to Disney in April with friends and is going to need the ID to show at the airport since she'll be 18. I think that's the rule. She got it for that and so she can finally get the tattoo she's been wanting since she was like fourteen. She doesn't really seem to have any interest in her license, but Mike and I are bad role models. We were way past 16 when we got ours.

Also if you wanna update the title to show that you updated, go to your first post. I believe it's edit --> advanced options --> then you can go to the title and add on to it. Just an fyi in case you wanna do that!

We never see lines at ME either. Maybe noon is a popular arrival time?

Ugh. I did Stitch once and never went back. I always laugh when I see people in line for it I love Stitch but the poor little guy got stuck with a bad attraction

I stumbled upon Casey's once and now we eat there all the time. I've never had a hot dog there. I can't stop ordering the corn dog nuggets! Besides, no hot dog will ever beat Fenway Franks for me

I didn't even have to show mine since I'm not 18. I just wanted to because I could I didn't get my permit until I was a week away from 17. Most of my friends already had their license

Thank you! I totally forgot about doing that!

 

[Megablocks]

Ugh. I did Stitch once and never went back. I always laugh when I see people in line for it I love Stitch but the poor little guy got stuck with a bad attraction

I will never, ever, ever do that attraction ever again. I HATED the harness and being restrained like that. That alone freaks me out a LOT (I'm only okay with it on rides), but combined with the dark and the loud noises, I almost had a complete meltdown. It was awful. At least I can say that I tried it!