First PTR/TR - Alone Again, Happily (pg 2)

[sewmess]

Title Explainer: I started a TR about the multigenerational trip we took last year & I completely flaked. Got to the introductions and complete - and I mean completely -forgot about it. So this PTR is hopefully to redeem some of the face I lost on that one. (EDIT:the original title for the TR was "Redemption on the Disboard)

I'll start, I suppose, with introductions. It shouldn't take long - there's only DH and myself on this trip (thank the Lord!) Last trip there were 6 of us and one was a fussy seasoned citizen on her first WDW visit. She did have a good time because she mentions the trip often with glowing words.

ANYWAY:

There will be me: sewmess aka RAT aka sewer-rat (right NEBO?)
I'm in my late thirties and will be in my even later thirties after this trip. My birthday is smack-dab in the middle of the trip. As usual (more on that later)

And there will be DH: aka CAT. He was born and lived the first 9 years of his life in Orange County CA. Yes, he did spend a lot of time at DL, often because he was horribly spoiled. (his favorite story is about the time he was signed out of school to go to DL for his birthday TWICE!) After a long circuitous journey he wound up in AL. Once he was old enough to pay for his vacations himself, he started taking himself (and sometimes his batchelor herd) to WDW. He's been, like, 20 times.

My first trip to WDW was in 1990, shortly after Disney/MGM Studios opened. (So if I slip and call DHS MGM, you'll know why) I went with a school trip: 3 days at WDW (1 day per park) and 3 days on a cruise to the Bahamas - before Disney went into the business for themselves. We stayed off property and the highlight of the trip for me was being able to get a "real" Paddington Bear, after growing up reading his stories.

I didn't go back to WDW until after I was married. DH, I and another couple went as a kind of 6 month anniversary trip in April 2005 and stayed at Pop Century.

The next year we went back with my sister for her 1st WDW visit, which was also a 50 birthday celebration. My Sis & BIL stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter, but DH & I (broke younger syblings) stayed at All Star Movies. Which worked out well: we didn't have to spend every single minute with each other & could vent to our respective spouses about our sister. (not really; we had other things to vent about)

2008 started our yearly visits, all because we got a Disney Visa and went on the "Herding Cats Trip" in April. This was with DH's sister and family, including my MIL & FIL. Worst trip I've ever had, although a bad day at Disney is better than a good day at work. (Am I right, people?) We actually went home with money left over! We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside in the Alligator Bayou. DH was less than impressed, but I still think that was just the other stuff on the trip coloring his view.

Well, Disney tempted us later that year with a great offer of Free Food with our Disney Visa. We got an upgrade with our All Star Movies reservation and froze various body parts off (not really, but it did get down to 20 one of the nights)

September 2009 it was just DH and I and we LOVED it. We stayed at Caribbean Beach for the first time and (miracles of miracles) DH actually relaxed.

We liked it so much we went the next year, same time frame. With the same results.

When my Sister and I decided that it was high time my mom (age 77 at the time) made her first trip to WDW, we chose CBR again. (yes, Mom is the fussy seasoned citizen referred to earlier. She can be. . .particular. And stubborn. There were probably some cast members that needed a medal for dealing with her.) We went in October, partially to let FL cool a bit, so Mom didn't have the heat to contend with and partially because it fit Sister's schedule better.

Each year we say we'll wait two years before going back, but each year, there we are, signing up to go in the fall, with free food. Each year I dread the payments, but each year somehow we make it work.

Well, this went on a bit longer than I intended. Thank's for reading and hopefully I'll have more to say soon.

Buh-Bye

 

[sewmess]

Okay - for now this is reserved for updates, because I really appreciate them & hopefully my narrative will be so enthralling you'll want to skip over the replies and get on to the meat of the story.


And then go back and check the replies

 

[sewmess]

Okay, so our trip is slated to begin, technically, right after work 9/20. SIL lives on the way to FL, so we always stop over for the night and then straight on in the morning (second star to the right optional)

So...

9/20-7:00pm, pick up dinner and DH and eat in car on road to SIL's house

9/21 - leave SIL's no later than 8:00am, wind our way through AL backroads to I10, turn left and then on to Orlando!! (well, with a right turn in there, headed south otherwise we'd end up in the Atlantic Ocean.)

9/21 - arrive in Orlando, hopefully (it's never been a problem thus far) at our favorite one night hotel on International Drive, find dinner, verify check in for the next morning and probably watch some ESPN, if I know DH.

9/22 - Check out, re-pack overnight stuff, find our way to CBR, check in (leave luggage maybe) and then hop on the bus to Magic Kingdom! Maybe get there in time for rope drop! (DH likes to sleep in, except at Disney)
ADR: Tony's Town Square for an early dinner

9/23 - EPCOT day with ADR for lunch at Restaurant Marrakesh. This will be new to us.

9/24 - Disney Hollywood Studios (or MGM because we're old and stuck in our ways) ADR: Sci-Fi Dine-In mid afternoon (what would you call that...Dunch?) It's an oldie but a goodie and our second choice because we couldn't get in in Mama Melrose.

9/25 - Animal Kingdom, a "short day" with an early dinner ADR at Yak and Yeti. Remind me sometime to tell you about the last time we went with Cranky Seasoned Citizen and California Girl.
We'll head back to CBR to get a little down time and probably change because we're headed to MNSSHP that evening. Yeah!! (I'm a fan of the more obscure characters that you get to see at the party & Halloween may be my favorite holiday)

9/26 - Birthday Tradition: Breakfast ADR at Crystal Palace - actually any celebration: last year it was our anniversary, but usually it's my birthday. One year closer to the big four-oh. The rest of the day is pick up: what ever we missed, or want to do again, or have the hankering for.

9/27 - Typhoon Lagoon (weather permitting) and Downtown Disney. ADR at Ragland Road for another late lunch/early dinner.

9/28 - Last day Another Pick up day starting with a breakfast ADR at The Wave at the Contemporary. All I have to say is "Sweet Potato Pancakes"

9/29 - drive straight home and collapse in the house, missing our sweet T, who we'll have to pick up Monday from the boarders.

That's the quick and messy version of the plan. It's subject to change at anytime (I've already adjusted an ADR or two from when I made them) but the rough structure will remain intact.

 

[sewmess]

So for it looks like I'm just journalling here, but that's okay by me.

Made the final payment (2 days before the deadline) and now Its REAL!!
We will be in Disney for 6 days in September and all the mess at work will be worth it!!

I'm also getting in the mood by making a custom outfit for a co-worker's little girl. Their first trip to WDW is about a week before I go. When I offered to make a little set for the 3 year old, my co-worker nearly did a happy dance at her desk. She, self proclaimedly, is not crafty, and her daughter had asked her, while looking at pictures of her cousin's trip to WDW, "Do I get special Mickey Mouse clothes when we go see Mickey Mouse?"

Talk about serendipity!

Anyway - I'm at work and should be updating a manual so I'll keep this short.

WOOOT - paid up and ready to go to WDW!!

 

[sewmess]

Nothing really exciting to report: The countdown is at 1 month, 6 days (to Disney; 1 month 4.5 days to blessed vacation) and we're probably taking my car, rather than DH's Rondo.

The Rondo has been to Disney 2 times. If you don't know what a Kia Rondo is: think Itty-Bitty Mini Van with SUV doors. Or overgrown station wagon. Either way, it fits all our luggage and waters and stuff with room to spare for goodies to take home.

However, the air in the Rondo went out LAST August and DH - procrastonator extrodinare - still hasn't gotten it fixed. And we have a big hairy dog who has shared his dogginess with the Rondo - even cleaned it still smells a bit like T. (T's the dog's name, BTW: just T)

And I had to get a new car. My darling 2003 Kia Spectra, which had held me in good stead for almost 10 years decided that 2012 was the year it was going to break everything at once. Well, not everything: it had a mystery oil leak, a bent rim, and needed new tires when the the radiator developed a crack.

I just went ahead and got a "new" car. DH had been bugging me to get one for a year or so and this pushed me over the edge.

I got a "new" 2008 Pontiac (miss that brand ) G5, in red, with a sunroof. Dh said that if he had gotten it, it would be a midlife crisis car.

But the air works, so it looks like the Pontiac it is. DH has yet to drive it & he's the driver (not that I don't drive on long trips, he just likes to have something to do on the drive. He's not a control freak. Really. ) He keeps talking about a test drive, to get used to it. Hasn't happened yet.

 

[shalom]

(T's the dog's name, BTW: just T)

Not named after Mr. T, I don't suppose?

He keeps talking about a test drive, to get used to it. Hasn't happened yet.

I hear ya on the "Mr. Procrastinator" bit. My hubby does usually get the car worked on before we go, but within a couple of days of when we go, meaning the trip is the shakedown cruise on whatever work was done. With occasionally interesting results.

Congrats on the new car! Although a sun roof is not what I would want on a trip to Florida. But since you're living in Alabama, I'm hoping you have more sun appreciation than I do.

 

[sewmess]

Not named after Mr. T, I don't suppose?

LOL - not really, He's black with a white T on his chest. It was very pronounced when he was a puppy & the people we got him from were not super creative, so they just called him T and it stuck.

I hear ya on the "Mr. Procrastinator" bit. My hubby does usually get the car worked on before we go, but within a couple of days of when we go, meaning the trip is the shakedown cruise on whatever work was done. With occasionally interesting results.

Congrats on the new car! Although a sun roof is not what I would want on a trip to Florida. But since you're living in Alabama, I'm hoping you have more sun appreciation than I do.

DH has good intentions, but he's a "why do today what you can put off until tomorrow" kind a guy, so we've had a few long-distance surprises too.

Being in Alabama means I get to use the sunroof as late as October and as early as March! May - August, however. . .AC all the Way I do suspect, though, that when we hit I10, the sunroof will be closed and the AC on.

Thanks for Reading!

 

[nebo]

Hey there Lady Rat, I still find that the best trips are the ones I take with just my lovely wife, hope this one works out for you, I think it will and you will love it just the two of you.

 

[sewmess]

Hey there Lady Rat, I still find that the best trips are the ones I take with just my lovely wife, hope this one works out for you, I think it will and you will love it just the two of you.

Hi Nebo!

I always prefer our trips to be just him and me, and after the past couple of big trips, I think he's coming around too. And CBR is a huge influence on him relaxing: he like to just laze at a beach - not go into the water or anything, but lazy around.

 

[sewmess]

So - today is officially one month from Disney, making it 29ish days to vacation. And boy Howdy - am I needing one!

Actual preparation for our trip is, at this point, mininmal. Dh did let me know he's taking the Tuesday before we leave off to help a buddy with something & "maybe get the car serviced?" I think I may get the oil changed, etc a little before that, just for my peace of mind.

I'm working on a Disney outfit I asked to make for a co-worker's little girl. She's going to Disney World for the Very First Time in just a couple of weeks! So far I'm winging a pattern, but I think I'm going to stop by a couple of stores on the way home this evening and see if I can pick up a pattern. I don't sew for kids much, so I think I may need a guideline.

I also want to make myself a new bag. I've been visiting the DISboutique thread and got introduced to DMGeurts and her Perfect Park Bags. I'm not hugely into the quilted type bags, but I do need a new cross-body bag for the parks and she got me inspired.

So I've been making a mental list of all the things I'll need in a bag for the parks:

• Sunscreen
• Key to the world card
• safe key
• bandaids
• water bottle
• pen
• paper
• cash

so, I'll need a bag big enough for my sunscreen or water bottle, an easy access pocket for my ticket, at least one secure interior pocket for the safe key and cash, a pen pocket, and pockets for the bandaids and paper.

I've got some ideas, but have yet to actually start building anything.

Got to get L's first Disney Trip outfit first.

ONE MONTH!!!!

 

[starann]

Joining in....1 month and 1 year for me!!! LOL!

Are you making a bag? Make sure you post picts of it!!!

 

[sewmess]

Joining in....1 month and 1 year for me!!! LOL!

Are you making a bag? Make sure you post picts of it!!!

Welcome!

If I ever get started on it I will. Dh isn't the only procrastonator in the family.

Speaking of DH, while he was getting ready to spoil the dog wtih some bacon this morning, he asked, "Are we in the countdown phase yet? - I mean, counting down the things we have to get dome for the trip?" It's nice to know that he's there with me occassionally.

I have tomorrow off and plan on working like a crazy seamstress on the little girl's first Disney Trip outfit AND start the bag. If I can resist the siren song of the Joanne's, that is. I definately have to get the outfit done this week, they're leaving for WDW a week from Friday.

 

[DMGeurts]

OK - I've been meaning to get here for a while now...

I love your plans so far! You are trying many restaurants that we have never tried before...

LOVE MNSSHP!!!! I am dying to go back to WDW in the fall - maybe next year?

And CP is one of our very tippy-top favorite ADRs, especially before the park opens.

Can you repost your bag? It didn't show up when you posted it in my PTR - and I am dying to see it!

You should be totally excited by now - only 2 more weeks!

D~

 

[sewmess]

OK - I've been meaning to get here for a while now...

I love your plans so far! You are trying many restaurants that we have never tried before...

LOVE MNSSHP!!!! I am dying to go back to WDW in the fall - maybe next year?

And CP is one of our very tippy-top favorite ADRs, especially before the park opens.

Can you repost your bag? It didn't show up when you posted it in my PTR - and I am dying to see it!

You should be totally excited by now - only 2 more weeks!

D~

Nice to see you here. Yeah, I had some issues with the pictures. I'll be posting them here - and they're over on the disboutique thread.

 

[sewmess]

Actually, it's one week 6 days until we actually arrive in Orlando.

I've been busy the past week with Labor Day Activities at work and getting a little outfit and other goodies ready for that first time 3yo.

This is what I made her:

Just your basic t-shirt with a mickey head applique and a skort (skirt over shorts for my female wardrobe challenged readers)

I also did this for her:

It's an upcycled T-Shirt: a little craft interfacing, ribbon and two fat quarters of cotten for the lining and VIOLA! tote.

They should be at WDW today! They're staying at All Star Music and I'm really excited for them.

I would be more excited for me, but I've come down with something. I stayed in bed all day yesterday and, while I'm at work today, I'm not 100%.
DH says I pushed myself last week and when I finally relaxed, my body realised it was sick. He's probably right. He usually is.

One thing he may not be right on is which car we're taking. He's still waffling between the Rondo and the Pontiac. Rondo still has no air, but he's more comfortable driving it. My car is "weird" but he has been driving it. The plan is to get his car serviced and then decide.

I'd like to get a little crafting done for me before we go. I realised yesterday while trying to use my Kindle Fire while in bed that I need a stand and I have a pattern to use. I also have a couple of shirts for myself I'd like to get done and the bag.

Well, I actually have two whole days off this week (management schedules can be a bear) so I might get something done this week.

We'll see.

 

[sewmess]

I just checked out the new Villains collection...I want, like, 95% of it.

Just in case you hadn't noticed, I like Disney Villians. I'm not a princess girl, I'm not a Pooh girl, and I'm sure as shootin' not a Tink girl (yes, I know she was one of Walt's favorite, just proving that he was male. I have a long, deep seated disgust of the little one dimensional fairy, from my early days reading Barrie's Peter Pan. I'm no huge Wendy fan either. If you want my opinion - and hey, it's my PTR so you're going to get it - the only female character in Peter Pan worth her salt is Tiger Lily. Tough, Strong, Silent and not a flipping dingbat! I'll get off the soapbox now.) But I love me some villains!

Maleficent is close to my heart as a classic cold as ice b-word, but I have warmed up to more recent villains such as Dr Facilier! I was really happy when at last year's MNSSHP the stage show was changed to give him a larger role. And I can't wait to see it again this year!

I still have some of the original Villains line stuff: two mugs, some note cards and stationary. Somewhere in my stash (hidden in my sewing mess - er room) I have a Maleficent Pen and Letter Opener set as well. I've got some excellent hand crafted t-shirts with the wicked fairy and about four or five versions of her in dragon form. Including an awesome action figure set of the dragon and Phillip and the Dragon roars. Sorry - went all fangirl on you for a minute.

I really hope they have some of this stuff at the parks.

Where I will be in one week and one day.

And OMG - I have so much to do!! Laundry, pack, pick up last minute items, make sure DH gets the in-laws &/or friend to stop by the house and make sure it's still there, make a bag, resize the shirt I want to wear one day to MK, make a Mickey Bat shirt, finish a skirt and ...who knows what else.

And what do I plan to do tomorrow on my day off?

Go to JoAnnes and Hancock Fabrics with my 20% off coupons.

 

[sewmess]

My bag that I want to take is in 9 pieces and I may need to add at least one more.

We've barely started packing.

And my seperation anxiety is kicking in.

Yes, I'm almost 40 and have seperation anxiety. It goes back to when I was 3 months old, so goes to show you what happens when you're an infant is important. Our family had a fire and were "homeless" (Dad was a PCUSA Minister, so we weren't really homeless, just dispossesed for a few months) when I was 3 months old. Because of that I had to stay with parishners while Mom and Dad took care of the necessary business. So, I have some seperation anxiety. When I was in elementary school it was really bad. It only pops up when I'm about to travel. Because I also have an extremely active imagination, my mind always goes to the worst.

The plus side is that I'm also a pretty superstitious person, so when I imagine the worst thing possible, I'm actually a little calmer. If I'm stressing about it, it won't happen. Experience has taught me that. Whatever I'm NOT worried about will be what happens, so now I worry about everything so nothing happens. Easy. A little extra stress possibly, but better than the stress of actually going through the horrible experience.

And, once I'm far enough away to know that no matter what I do, I can't effect whatever happens anyway, I let it go. Usually around Montgomery.

Still worry about the dog while I'm away. Silly really, since we board him at the vet and if anything were to happen, well, he's at the vet's already.


We have, however, started packing. DH has, anyway - all his shorts are in the luggage ready to go, but I'll probably have to repack. His idea of packing is throw it into the bag and squeeze as much in as possible as he zips. And then ask me to iron it when we get there.

And he's decided on which car we will take. It shall be. . .(Drumroll)...the Pontiac. Great, one more thing for me to worry about. (not so much: it's my car and I'm more comfortable in it than he is. )

 

[sewmess]

I'd like to say that the filking titles are all done, but I'd probably be lying.

Home we are. The dog has mostly gotten over his seperation anxiety - he's sleeping on his pillow now, instead of following us around the house at every little move. We haven't started on the laundry and I think I actually still need to journal the last couple of days in my trip book, but it's back to the real world and work tomorrow. Blah.

Here are a few teasers for you, in no particular order:

The Backside of Splash Mountain
Just Say No to Beef Murray
The Magic Poncho Theory: Proved
Surrey Bikes: Better Out Than In
Izzazoo
"Now Your Feet Hurt Too."
Never Get Between the Man and the Maquette

It was a good trip, both relaxing and satisfying. And since our plans are no trips until 2014, we need it to last a while.

Let me regroup, see what has occured at work, and I will be back with our first installment: It's Raining, It's Pouring or The Umbrella Died (Okay, I got a little caught up in travel day 1...I promise, rain is coming & the umbrella is still dead)

 

[DMGeurts]

Oooh - Glad to have you home! Sorry your trip is over already!

I can't wait to hear all about it though... Oh and the backside of Splash has me very intrigued!

D~

 

[sewmess]

Thursday September 20: last of the daily grind and then on to Greenville. Not as exciting as WDW, but the first step.

DH got up early to take the dog to be boarded. We also use this time for him to get his annual and a much needed bath. The dog, not the hubby. He bathes every day.

After the boys leave, I finish up last minute details: got the hairbrush? check. Turn off and unplug iron, coffeemaker, etc? check. Get the one customised shirt I got finished in a bag to go? check. Phone charger in the bag of holding? check.

Ahhh, the Bag of Holding. I did a Disney craft swap a month or so ago and one of my goodies was a totebag with Mater on one side and Mickeys on the other side, along with my name. It's wonderful and huge. I had designated it my car bag and put in some crocheting, if the urge hit me, and my book, and my kindle, and the important check in documents, and so on. When DH brought his deoderant out that morning, he'd already put the medicine bag in the car, so it went into the bag of holding. I made sure my two little daily meds were in there and he found the camera charger and they went into the bag as well. Somewhere in there DH started calling it the Bag of Holding and it stuck.
Probably the third or fourth time he asked, "Do you have <insert necessary item here> packed?" and I answered: "It in the bag."
DH: "Which bag, the big bag?"
Me: "No. The other bag."
DH: "The Medicine Bag?"
Me: "No, MY bag."
DH: "The one you made?"
Me: "That's a purse. My Mater Bag."
DH: "The Bag of Holding. Right."

After making sure everything was ready to go I went out, locked the door, swore and headed back in. I couldn't remember where I'd left my sunglasses. Went through the house and didn't find them. Gave up and headed back out. Locked the door and found my sunglasses in my bag. The one I made - not the Bag of Holding.

Then came the hard part.
Work.
A full 8 hours of work.
Well, I did have a couple of things to finish up: scheduling, weekend stuff. so that took me a good hour, hour and a half. Then I had to wait. I couldn't leave early, just in case a fire broke out. Or the IMAX film broke. Or a visitor needed to complain about something I could never possibly fix. Like the parking deck.

Anyway...It finally hit 4:30, I came to the conclusion that the place was not going to blow up that day, so I hit the road.

Or more accurately Publix for the snacks for the road and water. That handled, I made my way through Birmingham rush hour to my sis's house.

DH & I live north of Birmingham and work in the city. Instead of wasting valuable time going back north only to head south again, we were going to leave the Rondo at my sister's. She lives about 10 blocks from DH's work, so it's a convenient starting place. And she has the room to keep an extra car.

I got there late enough that I figured that she and her DH had gone out because there was only one car. I have a key to the place, but I never can find it. (probably because, as I found out when we got to CBR, it was in the bottom of my purse.) So I started consolidating things into the cooler and realised we didn't have anything to keep said cooler cool. I forgot to get ice. And then I realised I forgot to get dinner. DH never eats enough during the day and it makes life much simpler when there is food waiting for him. And then I realised.. .I forgot gas. We had about a quarter tank, but I feel much better when we start out with a full tank. And then I realised I forgot Darth TomTom.
(We inherited a TomTom that the previous owners had programmed with Darth Vader's voice. We're both more than a little nerdy/geeky so that's cool)

About that time the door of the house opens and my sister comes out with her Bearded Dragon, Mr. Cocky-pants. That's not his real name, but I never remember it, Tazmin I think, something New Zealand-ie. We talk a little and then DH drives up.

Luckily DH had the map book in his car and I had remembered to double check the route on google maps before I left work. But we needed to get on the road and onto dinner before DH became Mr. Cranky-Pants.

Off we went, merrily on our way to Alabaster, south enough of Birmingham that we should be free of the craziest of the crazy drivers. Alabaster is a growing suburb of Birmingham. And therefore, parts of it are centrally planned. Which means. . .completely illogically laid out and you have to go three other directions before you can get where you're actually going. We like the other side of Alabaster better. Not that it's anymore logically laid out, but we have friends that live over there.

Anyway, we survived Alabaster and then headed to our next challenge. Montgomery. Over all, the drive wasn't bad, but the trip hadn't started out perfectly: no GPS, no ice, no gas, no dinner. And all that made us later than DH estimated, which sent him closer to turning into Mr. Cranky-Pants.
But, we made it to Greenville after the longest 35 miles in the world (between Montgomery and Greenville) and his sister had a bottle of wine for me and snacks for him.

We had evicted our nephew from his room...he's a big boy, 21, and he can handle it. So we finally hit the sack at about 11:00, to get a little sleep and prepare for the next leg of the trip.

Tune in Next time for: RAIN? Where? or The Unbrella Died