From China to Wine & Dine- A Nov 2013 'First' PTR (Trip Report Link)

[Tinker326]

**Note- All 'chapters' linked in 2nd post**

Wow, exciting title huh? Leaves you wondering with anticipation on what wonders this little thread will hold….. (ok, don’t wonder too hard.. it’s not THAT exciting)

So what’s the back story? Why the trip name? Well, this isn’t my first ‘trip’ like said PTR title would imply. Far from it. I have been many, many (MANY) times. Some would say- it’s an unhealthy obsession. Some just roll their eyes and mutter ‘Dis-Freak’ when I bring up anything to do with the mouse. Any way you look at it. I. Love. Disney. So much.that many, many, many of my dollars are spent here & it’s probably why I work- to feed my addiction. (Ok, not really- but sometimes it feels that way).

It’s such a way of life in our house that my kids get all brat like and often are found to be exclaiming “when exactly are we going again?” right around the 6 month mark. As if it’s due to them like food & shelter. Also, we are so 'Disnified" that we generally tend to start exclaiming things like ‘wow, $45 is a STEAL for t-shirt that say’s ‘DisneyWorld on it’- I must have it’ or ‘ $12 for a pin- that is so cheap. I must own it" Only at Disney can this occur. In real life, you are like. "What $1 for that piece of metal- I don't think so...."

Ok. But enough rambling. I finally bit the bullet to do a PTR because A) I lurk a lot and love reading trip reports. I feel I should come out of lurkdom and contribute. And B) This is a bigger than usual significant trip for us. So lucky you – all maybe 2 of you who might read it (and that might be like family members I send links to). Okay, and I'll throw in C) I desperatly need something to occupy my Dis Brain between now and November.

This trip is big because it’s the ‘first’ trip (and chance to corrupt her little brain into Disney thinking) of our newest little beauty all the way from China. More on her in the ‘who’s who”. This is HER BIG FIRST MAGICAL TRIP. (and hence, the China reference). AND…. It’s a first for me because I’m doing something I never done before- and that is a half marathon. Disney’s Wine & Dine to be exact. Yhea- I know. Crazy. I will make sure I convey properly all my suffering of training in this thread. Lucky You again.

Who are we though?

Me-Nicole-

Well, I’m me. Late 30’s Dis-Freak. I love everything about Disney. From planning the trip to going on it. I have gone over 20 times to the “World”, around 5 times to “the Land” and once to Disney Paris. Plus 2 Disney Cruises (Magic & Dream) with one in the works for June 2014 (Fantasy). I am highly sarcastic (as you will discover) with a dry sense of humor. I also love to read, digital scrapbook & all things British (actors, shows, movies, the country). Oh, and take pictures. There are almost zero pictures of me because I’m always behind the camera. And I’m ok with that. My favorite rides are Peter Pan, Spaceship Earth, ToT and the countries of EPCOT. My favorite characters are Tinkerbelle, Stitch and Donald (all characters with 'tude!) Oh, also as a P.S- I’m a horrible speller. So sorry.

The Hub

He’s this guy. Also late 30’s and does not quite share my obsession but will generally tolerate it for periods of time. He doesn’t go on every trip with us – maybe every ‘few’. Unless it’s a cruise - then he’s all over it because he loves cruises. This pic is from our 2012 Dream Cruise on Pirate Night. We are the type that don’t buy pirate gear- rather just try it on for pictures in the gift shop. Hence...this picture. He will be on this trip. His favorite rides are the thrill rides (all of them), PoC, he hates the countries of Epcot (or boring part of EPCOT as he declares) & his favorite character is Jack Sparrow.(and not for the same reason Johnny- ahem- I mean Jack is one of my favorite!!!) A must for him is always Tepan Edo- even tough we have Benihana's 5 miles away.. go figure!

Princess

Princess is almost 11. She was born a princess & remains a princess. She shares my deep love of Disney- especially those that relate to fairy tales, glitter, tiaras & princes that sweep you off your feet. She’s a dreamer. She not only loves the princesses, she sees herself as one. And I mean with the dress, gloves & please serve me my dinner in bed ‘tude. Her favorite characters are any princess. She’s not a thrill seeker & tends to enjoy the atmosphere of Disney vs. the thrill rides. This picture of her is from our 2012 Dream Cruise on Castaway Cay (notice the Mickey she drew in the sand). Her favorite rides are Small World, Peter Pan, Big Thunder and Spaceship Earth.


Stitch

Stitch is almost 8. Like her nickname- this girl is mischievous & full of spunk. Born that way and remains that way! Not at all into princesses - she prefers to wear the old clothes and get down and dirty. Exploring the world around her with every fiber of her being. I love her spirt and her spunk, but Stitch is Stitch and she creates her fair share of trouble where she goes. She also falls on the very high end of the functioning autism spectrum & sometimes has trouble regulating. One of my very favorite pictures from our Disney Cruise last summer- Stitch at Pirate night! Her favorite rides are Small World, PoC, Spaceship Earth & Nemo. Favorite characters are Chip & Dale.

Minnie

Minnie is the reason for this trip (or so I use it as the ‘excuse’ to go again). Minnie is our newest beauty. Home from China in August of 2012. She is 4 & like her nickname- about the sweetest little thing you will ever meet. Minnie had a tough start in life spending 4 years in an institution, but we knew she was in the right family when on family day, the first thing she ran to in the hotel room was 3 princesses. Two of her first 10 English words were “Princess & Minnie Mouse” (no joke!). This girl is a fighter to have gone through what she has & come out still smiling. We can’t wait to show her the ‘World’ – as in DisneyWorld! Without a doubt- her favorites are 'princesses' and "Minnie Mouse".

There are likely to be several other additions. One- ‘the cuz’ who I have somehow roped into training with me for the Wine & Dine. More on her later. And the second is ‘the mom’ I need to come up with a good Disney name for her should she decide to come.

So there you go. This is long enough. I’ll continue more later with another update on ‘plans so far’.

One last picture . Because let's face it- that's why people look at Trip Reports.

Our Family on Formal Night

 

[Tinker326]

Links to Posts-

Intro
Plans So Far
Say What Update 2/7/13
Chinese New Years Update 2/10/13
Let The Training Commence Update 2/18/13
A Little Bit of Training Update 3/3/2013
Officially Registered for the Wine & Dine 1/2 Update 3/12/13
Mini Arizona TR- Day 1- Phoenix or Bust Update 3/31/13
Mini Arizona TR- Day 2- Superstition in the Desert Update 4/3/13
Mini Arizona TR- Day 3 and 4- Wild in Arizona Update 4/11/13
Mini Arizona TR- Day 5- Fake Easter Update 4/17/13
Mini Arizona TR- Day 6- The Day I Added A Year Update 4/22/13
Let's Talk Food! Update 4/24/13
This, That & Running.. Update 5/2/13
ADRS Made, Itin Change & Scrap Pages Update 5/13/13
A Wicked Party Update 5/29/13
The First Few Days Update 7/2/13
Special Day & Other Life Updates Update 8/16/13
More Training Updates Update 9/9/13
COLOR RUN Update 9/15/2013
One Month Till Race Update 10/9/2013
12 Days Till Go Update 10/28/2013
I'M OUTTA HERE Update 11/8/2013

 

[happybelle]

Your family is beautiful. I will be reading.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I'm here! You can start the party now!

Sarcastic and more Disney obsessed than me?? (which I find hard to believe!) Top that off, you are a runner and training like me?!??!

I'm.TOTALLY.IN!!!

 

[Tinker326]

Your family is beautiful. I will be reading.

My first reader!!! Hi!!!

Thank you-

I'm here! You can start the party now!

Sarcastic and more Disney obsessed than me?? (which I find hard to believe!) Top that off, you are a runner and training like me?!??!

I'm.TOTALLY.IN!!!

We sarcastic/Disney obsessed people must stick together! Who else understands us?

 

[Victoriasmom98]

HI Nicole! I'm joining in with you! Minnie is soooo lucky to be home with her family now. What a perfect thing to do ---- Disney! And from what you say, she is going to love to meet the Princesses and Minnie! Can't wait to hear more!!! [/B]

 

[Tinker326]

Wow, I’ve already met my goal of two readers. And they aren’t even family!!!!

So now that you know who we are… let’s lay out what I’ve got so far……

Here’s the dates. November 9th-19th.

However, here’s the tricky sticky part… those dates are for me only. As this trip is kinda like two trips in one.

Let me explain- first part is the Wine & Dine Half which is the night of the 9th. I didn’t want to fly down & have Minnie’s first experience of Disney to be her mother freaking out over a half. And… let’s be honest.. possibly dying from it.

So instead, I concocted the brilliant plan to recruit an unsuspecting family member to run with me. And then have my husband fly the children down the following Tuesday to start our magical week.

That was a fun conversation in my house.
It went like this.

Me- “I’m going to run a half” “In Disney”
The Hub- “Why? You don’t run that far.”
Me- "Well I’m gonna. And here’s the best part..it’s gonna pre-date our trip & you’ll just meet me down there."
The Hub- “How you gonna run with three kids there?”
Me- "Well that’s the other thing…. You can just fly them down"
The Hub- “H#ll no”

The “H#ll no stayed in place until I offered up my mother’s company as an accompaniment on the plane. Mind you- this was BEFORE I asked my mother. But Minnie’s got Gram’s number & I’m pretty sure Gram ain’t missing that first trip (she went on both Princess & Stitch’s first trip as well!). So I think the hub may luck out.

So now that the kid/Hub part is all cleverly in place. It’s time to move to the unsuspecting other family member I’m gonna rope into my training. That would be “the Cuz”. That’s actually not a nickname because I actually do call her that. She’s my cousin. We are six weeks apart & she’s my best friend. The sister I never had. She's pretty much my willing accomplice in all stupid things I come up with…and so I figured this would be no different. I was correct . Nevermind she’s never run AT ALL- I had her at “lose weight” and “Disney”. She’s in. You should have heard HER conversation with HER husband..but that’s for another day.

I should add that she actually pulled one me that I blindly followed a few years ago. And that was walking in the 3 day, 60 miles- Komen Walk for Cure. She totally got injured the first day and left me alone to walk 60 miles. I never forgave her & this is my revenge. Hahahaha. Kidding- even alone- it was an amazing, humbling, powerful experience that I will never forget. If I can do 60 miles in 100 plus heat – I CAN DO THIS ½!!!!!

Here we are at the 3 day. The Cuz and The Dis-Freak (aka- me). She's sporting her new injury boot. I'm sporting heat rash.

And so this is where I stand:

Evening of Friday November 8th- Fly down after work. Rent car. Hotel near Disney but not ON Disney.

Saturday November 9th- Pick up race packets. Panic. Check in to Beach Club (splitting the cost!! BONUS!). Panic. Throw up. Run race at 10pm. Possibly die.

Sunday November 10th- After hours party at Epcot till 4am (if not dead). Drink around the world (it is WINE & Dine) celebrating our awesomeness of completing first ½. Stumble back to room. Sleep. Wake up. Dinner at Beaches and Cream. Spend afternoon/evening at Stormalong Bay- probably talking about how we are now ready for a full. Because..we’re just that awesome. Evening at Jellyrolls Because I’ve always wanted to go..and NO KIDS BABY!!!

Monday November 11th- Wake up early- check out Beach Club. Drive to Universal. Check in Royal Pacific. Day at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Drink lots and lots of Butterbeer. Dinner somewhere in City Walk.. but where?

The Hub, Princess & Stitch last June enjoying their butterbeer...

Tuesday November 12th- Check out of Universal. Drive Cuz to airport & say goodbye. Cry that all our months and months of hard work were successful (see how wistfully I’m dreaming here?!). Not sure where to spend the day till the children and hub fly in (later).

Tuesday November 12th- Tuesday November 19th- Minnie’s first magical vacation in Disland. I got NOTHING planned here. Just ideas.

Here’s my ideas….
Thinking Art of Animation Hotel- because it’s sleeps six..and viola- we’ll have six if Gram comes. Not sure about adding dining (hoping for a free dining code). I’ll save my food for another post.. as I’m totally waiting on Ms. Karen’s pictures/trip report for Be Our Guest!

Got lots to plan on the ‘family part’ as I’ve only focused on the ‘me’ part. But that’s what I got this trip report for!

And just because I can.. I'm woefully behind in my digi scrapbooking & still working on our 2009 trip. But I'll share to help 'the Disney spirit' of this thread.

I'm supposed to give credits for the kits used, but I'm sorry, I don't remember.. and so no offense to any designer that might read this thread (slim to none) but it wasn't on purpose. And I like your kit. Are we even?

 

[Tinker326]

HI Nicole! I'm joining in with you! Minnie is soooo lucky to be home with her family now. What a perfect thing to do ---- Disney! And from what you say, she is going to love to meet the Princesses and Minnie! Can't wait to hear more!!! [/B]

Holy cow- THREE READERS. It really is a party in here!

Hi Ann! I actually totally read your trip reports (I've commented a few times)- Love your tie-die shirts!!!

Thanks for coming along for the ride!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Uh-oh...I LOVE that digital scrapbook page! Ok, tell me all about it. Where do I start? What site do you use?!?! It's not like I'm going to Disneyworld TOMORROW, I have plenty of spare time!!!!!!

And no pressure on photos of BOG! Actually, I'm pretty excited about it b/c I haven't really seen ANY pictures. I'm guessing it's dark in there and people's pics are coming out blurry and dark so they don't post them??

Your plans sound FANTASTIC...hmmm....maybe I should do that with the Princess? Go down alone...great, now you have me thinking too. Dangerous stuff.

 

[Tinker326]

Uh-oh...I LOVE that digital scrapbook page! Ok, tell me all about it. Where do I start? What site do you use?!?! It's not like I'm going to Disneyworld TOMORROW, I have plenty of spare time!!!!!!
QUOTE]

For when you come back with all your fabulous pictures...

I do digital scrapbooking in Photoshop Elements..but you can also do it in regular photoshop (I remember you saying you have it for creating those journal pages, right?)-

I pretty much learned by playing around in it but you can google lots of techniques if you do 'digital scrapbook in elements'. Here's some basic steps:

1- Open Photoshop go to file, new, blank file
2- set as preset: custom, Width & length (you choose, I scrap in 12 inches by 12 inches), resolution is 300, RGB color & transparent.
3- This gives your 'canvas'
4- Have layers activated on right side, and project bin open on bottom for ease of use navigating.
5- Open any pictures and elements*(See below) into project bin.
6- Explore & create (layer order runs top to bottom if you think of it like paper. The first ones in the layer screen on right side are on the top of the page- I'm guessing you know this already if you created those journal pages)
7- When done ,go to layer effects and choose 'drop shadows' and click on 'soft'. This will give a 'shadow' to make it look more realistic and not 'flat'.
8- When done, go into layer on top & click flatten image.
9- Save as jpeg as high. Done.

For elements- oh there are SO MANY sites. There are freebies you can search out on google (just search free digital scrap kits), there are cheap kits galore. They bonus of this stuff is you can reuse, reuse & reuse!

My favorites are:
sweetshoppedesigns dot com
brittishdesigns dot com (MANY MANY Disney kits)
kellybelldesigns dot com (also MANY MANY Disney kits)

And here are lots of 'ideas' all related to Disney...
mousescrappers dot com
(if you go down the forums and look at digiscrap product links) you can see kits that relate to all your disney needs!

Have fun. I started & never looked back. I LOVE IT! And I can scrap happily from my laptop on the couch while watch TV!!!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

For when you come back with all your fabulous pictures...

I do digital scrapbooking in Photoshop Elements..but you can also do it in regular photoshop (I remember you saying you have it for creating those journal pages, right?)-

I pretty much learned by playing around in it but you can google lots of techniques if you do 'digital scrapbook in elements'. Here's some basic steps:

1- Open Photoshop go to file, new, blank file
2- set as preset: custom, Width & length (you choose, I scrap in 12 inches by 12 inches), resolution is 300, RGB color & transparent.
3- This gives your 'canvas'
4- Have layers activated on right side, and project bin open on bottom for ease of use navigating.
5- Open any pictures and elements*(See below) into project bin.
6- Explore & create (layer order runs top to bottom if you think of it like paper. The first ones in the layer screen on right side are on the top of the page- I'm guessing you know this already if you created those journal pages)
7- When done ,go to layer effects and choose 'drop shadows' and click on 'soft'. This will give a 'shadow' to make it look more realistic and not 'flat'.
8- When done, go into layer on top & click flatten image.
9- Save as jpeg as high. Done.

For elements- oh there are SO MANY sites. There are freebies you can search out on google (just search free digital scrap kits), there are cheap kits galore. They bonus of this stuff is you can reuse, reuse & reuse!

My favorites are:
sweetshoppedesigns dot com
brittishdesigns dot com (MANY MANY Disney kits)
kellybelldesigns dot com (also MANY MANY Disney kits)

And here are lots of 'ideas' all related to Disney...
mousescrappers dot com
(if you go down the forums and look at digiscrap product links) you can see kits that relate to all your disney needs!

Have fun. I started & never looked back. I LOVE IT! And I can scrap happily from my laptop on the couch while watch TV!!!

Fantastic! I cannot wait to look into this when I get back. I do have PS, but I don't like it really. I use Nikon Capture NX2 to edit my photos, so I'm more used to that than PS, but I can use PS if I have to.

Thanks for all the tips and sites! This should be fun!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Nicole, you do realize you've just created a monster, right?? Karen will be going crazy finding layouts now!! Me? I'm a paper scrapper myself. I have a nice desk with 2 file cabinets (the 2 drawer ones) set up in my living room. I have my cricut, too, which I love! Now, do you print out your pages after you're done and put them in a book?? If so, where are you able to print out 12 x 12's cause my printer cannot do that. I also go to many, many scrapping fundraisers. I'm with Karen on not really liking photoshop. It's ok, but merging the layers, etc just gets me all confused. I'm just now learning name fills with it.

I really don't like your plans on November 9th --- I think you will have to remove the possible dying part. But I do like the part of your hubby bringing the princesses down with your Mom. You are like me --- I volunteer my Mom before even asking her! Oopppps.

 

[Tinker326]

Nicole, you do realize you've just created a monster, right?? Karen will be going crazy finding layouts now!! Me? I'm a paper scrapper myself. I have a nice desk with 2 file cabinets (the 2 drawer ones) set up in my living room. I have my cricut, too, which I love! Now, do you print out your pages after you're done and put them in a book?? If so, where are you able to print out 12 x 12's cause my printer cannot do that. I also go to many, many scrapping fundraisers. I'm with Karen on not really liking photoshop. It's ok, but merging the layers, etc just gets me all confused. I'm just now learning name fills with it.

I really don't like your plans on November 9th --- I think you will have to remove the possible dying part. But I do like the part of your hubby bringing the princesses down with your Mom. You are like me --- I volunteer my Mom before even asking her! Oopppps.

I used to be a paperscrapper but I just couldn't finish layouts, had nowhere to store my stuff & my kids were into everything. That's why I eventually made the switch & now I can't go back!!! Photoshop can be confusing, I'd say it takes 'messing around time' in it to get comfortable. Also for me, I love to journal and I type about 100 times faster (and straighter) than handwriting it all out! Plus, it was so much cheaper for me (no tape & supplies I can re-use 100 times!!).

I do all my layouts (for a trip or for each calendar year) and save them. And then bind them into a book at blurb when done. My 2012 daily life book had about 140 layouts in it and the cost to bind in a hardcover book was around $150. It's about 1/4 of the size of a regular book (space to hold my books is an issue in my house as well)... and the cost, while it seems high- to me- is still much cheaper than buying papers, supplies, stickers, printing out photos.....

I get the 'crop' thing though- I do miss that. But what I'll do sometimes instead is have a 'girls night'- open up our laptops, scrap, watch movies & drink wine. Also, another bonus is the 2012 cruise we went on was with my sister-in-law & family. She digi-scraps too- we are splitting the scrapbook... and we can just 'share' our layouts with each other... it cuts out 1/2 my work!!! BONUS!!!

Also, I love my scrapbooks so much that even though I say they are 'for my kids' I won't want to part with them. This way I can take the layouts and duplicate them x3 and they get their own books.... easy peasy! I love that feature as well!

I will say, even though I love it, I do think that paper scrapping has a special quality to it that digital can't quite reproduce.

 

[happybelle]

Scrapping or Digital, at least you have the memories captured. That is wonderful.

 

[Tinker326]

Scrapping or Digital, at least you have the memories captured. That is wonderful.

Well, now..that is very true!

To relate to that, I think this trip I'm going to pre-purchase that Disney Photopass Plus..... for even more pictures!!!

 

[wiigirl]

Great TR!

 

[Tinker326]

Great TR!

Hi! And thank you!

 

[Tinker326]

Holy Guacamole.

Disney released their ½ Wine & Dine registration fees.

They really do hand us the cups of blue kool-aide and say ‘drink’ and we do….

$175 for early registration. Let me repeat that…

I AM PAYING 175 DOLLARS TO RUN 13.1 MILES.

I thought running 13.1 miles was payment enough (maybe throw in $50 for my Gatorade, shirt & medal) but Disney tells me otherwise.

Clearly my medal with be gold plated with diamonds and this race is the’ dee-luxe of Marathon races’

(picture off web)

Wait, I see no diamonds.

Well, it has cool dangly food- so that must be it.

So come March 12th. I will gulp down the kool-aide Disney told me drink…and register myself for the race.

Come Monday (or maybe Tuesday or Wednesday).. I’m starting training too!
A year ago I couldn’t run a block. By June I worked myself up to 4 miles. By end of August Minnie entered our world & we were all kinda thrown in a tailspin learning to balance 3 kids, 2 full time jobs & life……(and therapies & attachment issues & institution issues). I stopped running. And then my work busy season hit and is just wrapping up…

So no more excuses. None. Time to get to it. Again.

Unlike the excuse I'm using to write this post and not finish my deadline work that's due TOMORROW.

Eh. It'll get done . It always does. I work amazingly well under pressure.

Also- little bit excited... ..... because I'm also throwing a party this weekend! A Chinese New Year Party! Gonna be lots of fun decorations, food & Chinese cocktails. (<---- most important). I'll post pictures after it's done.

Now, let's just get this blizzard over with & move closer to sunshine & summer... (and November & the mouse).

Leaving you with another layout- because I can. This was from our Dream Cruise in June....

credits: Brittish Design on most of the papers & elements & alphas, Kellybell freebie on the word art.

Ok- back to work!

 

[Tinker326]

Happy Chinese New Year! It is the start of the Year of the Snake! Which is my year!!!

CNY is the biggest of the Chinese Holidays & since we are now a multi-cultural family we were gonna celebrate big!!

The girls dressed in their China silk, we decorated the house in red (color of luck) and gold (colored of royalty)- and had ourselves a party!!!

Red envelopes were passed out to the children and the children wrote their own good luck scrolls in Chinese characters.

Just sharing a few pictures even though they have nothing to do with Disney.

Princess, Stitch & Minnie in their Chinese silks.

Minnie with the traditional 'luck' sign (upside down) that is hung on doors.

Some decorations:

Snake Cupcakes

Table

Chocolate Covered Forturn Cookies

Entry Way

Making Scrolls

Minnie making hers

Princess

Stitch

Minnie

Me & the Cuz in Lucky Red

Princess with her nails done with Chinese Characters

So Happy New Year!!! May it bring you good luck & good fortune.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

love love love love love love!!!!!!!!!!!!! Looks like a fabulous day! Looks like you do parties like I do...and document with many photos! PERFECT!