"I brushed my teeth, and I don't have cooties." An August DFTW and Disneymoon TR

[amazingact21]

Oh gosh, your Disney portion of the trip is over!
I have to say, I'm really glad you guys are taking an anniversary trip in August. I've absolutely loved following along and reading about your wedding and honeymoon trip that I'll be very sad to see it end. I've read a lot of trip reports in the 8 years I've been on the boards, and yours has been one of my favorites.

That breakfast at Whispering Canyon sounds...memorable. Wow, so many noteworthy moments happened in one meal. That cupcake story makes me want to go there for someone's birthday. Hopefully poor Kim got a non-bitten cupcake eventually.

 

[Missy_Mouse]

I have to ask....I was just reading the Chronicle Herald, is that YOUR Nathan?

 

[missjackiemcg]

We definitely need to try Whispering Canyon Cafe again...we enjoyed our server, but she wasn't in character much for our meal. Other people seemed to have a more fun time! I was so jealous!

Sad your Disney days have come to an end for this trip (or have they?!) but excited to see how you enjoyed Daytona!

 

[MeghanEmily]

Okay talk about hyping the next adventure!!! I can't wait to hear all about it. Did you make a PTR post that I missed? Are you going to? (Please!)

I didn't yet, but I'm hoping to! I don't know if it'll be before I get this trip stuff finished, or if it'll be an interjection. But I want to do a quick flash post with our vague itinerary and some of the fun stuff we have planned! And hopefully also a couple of Dismeets!!

This is R's character avatar in MDE. We love him obviously!!!

love this! Mine is Judy Hopps

I mean... I'm glad he put two and two together but it's weird that it required such effort to do so! Was it good?

Haha yeah I was surprised that it's not just something they do, since they're mostly so good with allergies. But it was reasonably good They seemed to use a rice-based milk and ice cream, which I find tastes kind of watered down and overly sweet. I much prefer almond/cashew/or soy. (Side note: Beaches and Cream is awesome for having several delicious DF options!) But it was certainly nice to be included in whatever capacity they could.

Oh my gosh. That's amazing. I don't know how I would have reacted but they sound like they did it in a way that was so hilarious you almost couldn't be embarrassed!

They seemed to be having too much fun to be very embarrassed about it.

Yes, we got quite some looks as a group of adult women waiting to meet Pocahontas but it was so worth it! I love it when the CMs really connect with you like that.

Me too! I'm a big fan. I've had a couple of great meets with Merida, too. Totally worth it

First of all, I love the Country Bears and love when they're out meeting! But I'm unable to focus on Big Al based on the young lady in front of you

Making a mental note that you are *ALWAYS* in someone else's vacation photos...

Oh my gosh, I hadn't even noticed that when I posted it!!

It looks very nice! It's so funny how disney kind of affects my opinion on other hotel rooms. That looks like a disney moderate+

Right!? I feel the same way. We were paying Disney-value prices for a room that was about the level of a moderate for me, but also much more spacious.

How sweet and thoughtful of Theresa to buy your breakfast! I think Boma is wonderful, but it's always great to be reminded of the amazing customer service at AKL!

I couldn't agree more!

 

[MeghanEmily]

I have to say, I'm really glad you guys are taking an anniversary trip in August. I've absolutely loved following along and reading about your wedding and honeymoon trip that I'll be very sad to see it end. I've read a lot of trip reports in the 8 years I've been on the boards, and yours has been one of my favorites.

Thank you so much—that means a lot! I've been having fun writing it, and Nathan and I both like being able to re-live the trips when we go back and read the reports. I can't wait to share about our anniversary trip, and we haven't even done it yet!! I don't want to get ahead of myself or anything, but we've got a lot of things planned that I'm so excited about...it almost rivals our wedding trip but for the fact that it was a WEDDING trip, so that will always make it #1. One last hurrah before we start budgeting a little more carefully while I finish my degree...

That breakfast at Whispering Canyon sounds...memorable. Wow, so many noteworthy moments happened in one meal. That cupcake story makes me want to go there for someone's birthday. Hopefully poor Kim got a non-bitten cupcake eventually.

Oh my goodness, it was wild! I hope Kim finally got a treat she could actually eat...

I have to ask....I was just reading the Chronicle Herald, is that YOUR Nathan?

It is! We just left Sydney this morning. He's one of only a handful of people who are doing this professionally in Canada, so often people will come up to him and tell him that they got a painting like that from another artist the year before, and they don't want to believe him when he tells them that it was actually him! Someone this weekend said they got a painting from another artist in Halifax last year at the Busker's Festival, and they were flabbergasted when he said he lives in Halifax and that it was him! How neat that you saw the article! I hadn't seen it yet, so I just looked it up online.

We definitely need to try Whispering Canyon Cafe again...we enjoyed our server, but she wasn't in character much for our meal. Other people seemed to have a more fun time! I was so jealous!

It seems a little hit or miss. But it can definitely be a lot of fun!!

Sad your Disney days have come to an end for this trip (or have they?!) but excited to see how you enjoyed Daytona!

Hopefully I should have an answer to this up soon.

 

[paradesintherain]

we decided at the last minute to book another breakfast there for this day.

Great decision!

It was at the end of the meal, however, that Theresa gave us the biggest sprinkling of pixie dust of our trip...We got our bill, and this is what it said:

THAT IS SO SWEET! Did you cry? I might have

We chilled out at the resort some more, where I decided it was important to document the large array of toiletries we'd been given...

Haha I did the same thing after a couple days at AKL!

We were eating at the Brown Derby, and I wasn't getting sick!! With that thunderous clap from the heavens, my curse had been broken!! Hallelujah!

Praise! The curse is broken!

I love this show. I listen to the soundtrack when I'm trying to be productive around the house,

Best soundtrack! Even humming it makes me so happy. Have you been to Disneyland and seen their Fantasmic?

Blondie leaned down and took a massive bite right out of her cupcake! She played it up as if she was embarrassed, and then went to set it down on the table, turning it around and saying, "Here, Kim, I didn't bite this side." ...So then another server picked it up and took a big bite out of that side!!

Oh my goodness this sounds so hilarious!

The one time I ate there my brother was the center of attention, and it was hilarious.

"Here, Kim! Don't worry. I brushed my teeth, and I don't have cooties!"

Well worth the wait!

And maybe eat a cheeseburger cause that waistline isn't healthy

Now N is more of a skeptic than I am, and he likes to refer to this as the moment that I "broke" Ariel.

I believe you but I also like the idea of "breaking" a character

This is great!

He was quite surprised by some of the content in the show, having gone in totally blind.

That was me when I first watched as an adult. "All the guys that turn me on turn me down" made me collapse... and honestly, same girl!

Standing out to see the cavalcade, however, left us looking and feeling like drowned rats.

I've still never seen the Rainy Day Cavalcade

Once we piled back into the car, the post-Disney depression was hitting hard, for me, especially...

It's so hard to get in a car and drive home after Disney

Oh fake-out! More vacation for you!

 

[natebenma]

So sad at the final Disney day of a most epic and life-changing trip!

Ya had a great one, though!

Too funny reading about your experience at WCC- as you know, I just posted my review of a poor interaction with a waiter at one of the antic-themed restaurants.

I love the story behind your TR title- what a riot!

YAY on all of the classic attractions you enjoyed at MK that morning.

Great room at Daytona- as a major beach lover, I can't wait to hear about that part of your trip.

 

[missangelalexis]

WCC sounds like a fun restaurant! Love the reveal of the TR title!

Your interaction with Ariel sounds awesome! You will definitely need to invite her to the next wedding

Sounds like you hit up a lot of good rides on your last MK day!

I'm sure it was so sad saying goodbye to Disney and such an unforgettable trip!!

 

[MeghanEmily]

THAT IS SO SWEET! Did you cry? I might have

It was so lovely and unexpected! Next time I see someone celebrating a wedding or anniversary at a similar restaurant, maybe I'll have to try to plot with their server to buy their meal and pay it forward a bit I didn't cry, but I think because I was just so surprised! We were both so touched

Best soundtrack! Even humming it makes me so happy. Have you been to Disneyland and seen their Fantasmic?

Love! And no, I haven't, but I SO want to! I've heard such awesome things, and I know that if I love it at WDW, I'll love it at DLR even more. Hoping to get to Disneyland within the next five years, and sooner would be better.

And maybe eat a cheeseburger cause that waistline isn't healthy

Preach! Give that girl some goldfish crackers!! That said, I have a friend who eats everything and just can't seem to put on weight. Most people are envious of her, but all she wants is to have "curve."

That was me when I first watched as an adult. "All the guys that turn me on turn me down" made me collapse... and honestly, same girl!

It's so hard to get in a car and drive home after Disney

So hard.

So sad at the final Disney day of a most epic and life-changing trip!

Ya had a great one, though!

Too funny reading about your experience at WCC- as you know, I just posted my review of a poor interaction with a waiter at one of the antic-themed restaurants.

I love the story behind your TR title- what a riot!

YAY on all of the classic attractions you enjoyed at MK that morning.

Great room at Daytona- as a major beach lover, I can't wait to hear about that part of your trip.

Every last day of a Disney trip is sad, but this one was even worse than typical! It was a fun day though! So many great classic attractions, and then ending it on a nice relaxing note at Daytona. I'm afraid my reporting of our Daytona day might be a bit of a disappointment to someone who enjoys the beach though...you'll see why soon enough!

WCC sounds like a fun restaurant! Love the reveal of the TR title!

Your interaction with Ariel sounds awesome! You will definitely need to invite her to the next wedding

Sounds like you hit up a lot of good rides on your last MK day!

I'm sure it was so sad saying goodbye to Disney and such an unforgettable trip!!

We did have a lot of fun, both at WCC, and with Ariel! But it was definitely hard to say goodbye. Sometimes I get sad thinking about Disney trips being over before they've even begun!

 

[paradesintherain]

Preach! Give that girl some goldfish crackers!! That said, I have a friend who eats everything and just can't seem to put on weight. Most people are envious of her, but all she wants is to have "curve."

Very true! I don’t like to comment on weight one way or another but Ariel’s waist was not that small in the movie, just such weird animation!

 

[kastoney]

Here all along I thought N had to reassure you at some point on the honeymoon that he didn't have cooties, but it was Blondie. Isn't it always a blond

Seriously though, your WCC and Ariel stories are things Disney legends are made of. And all in one day!!!!

 

[disneyAndi14]

Fun last day even though it is always sad to leave Disney!

Wow on all the antics at WCC

I knew N was a true Disney fan, he sealed it with his love for CoP!

 

[mesgram]

What a fun last Disney day!! You two had such an awesome honeymoon. I hope your anniversary trip next month is just as much fun.

 

[amalone1013]

our last Disney day of the trip of a lifetime...

(...but really...was it though? *ahem! moving on!*)

But to N and me, he will now forever be known as Flash, short for Flash, Flash, Hundred Yard Dash. His resemblance to the DMV sloth was uncanny.

He's my favorite character in that movie

Now N is more of a skeptic than I am, and he likes to refer to this as the moment that I "broke" Ariel. Me, I'm still a little more of a believer than he is. So I just remember it as the moment that I made a genuine connection with a new mermaid friend. Say what you will, but I will never feel like I'm too old for character meets.

Ha! We had an awfully interesting conversation with Mary Poppins and Bert at the Christmas party.

Afterwards, I asked him what he thought. I still don't think he's fully processed what he saw that day. He was quite surprised by some of the content in the show, having gone in totally blind. But he understood how it was a Disney classic, and he came out with mostly appreciation for it, so I count it a win.

I was also surprised by some of the content the first time!

Unlike with Country Bears where he had mixed feelings, this N loved! It quickly became one of his favourite attractions. When we'd later do the Marceline to the Magic Kingdom tour in December, he'd be thrilled to learn more about its conception for the World's Fair, and to have some hidden Mickeys pointed out to him while riding it.

Love CoP. Last time I took a picture of Rover in each scene

We really need to do a tour...
*looks at September schedule*

We stayed at the Hampton Inn because I didn't really care how fancy the hotel there was as long as it was on the water. It did the job, and was very clean and inviting.

I get this! I wanted this for our last night in Canaveral after the cruise and we stayed at a La Quinta

 

[suse66]

As we were scanning our bands for our pictures, I heard a familiar voice again... and it was @suse66! We'd managed to run into her unexpectedly for the second time in a matter of just a few days! It was wonderful to get a chance to chat a bit more without the rain driving us apart and under cover. Susan told us about some of the hidden Mickeys she'd been finding on rides that morning, and this was when N learned that there are books dedicated to hidden-Mickey-finding, which has only fuelled his competitive urge to find them even more.

That was such a fun unexpected meet! Did N end up getting one of the Hidden Mickey books?

Then another first for N: Carousel of Progress. I told him that he needed to get in as many of the classics as possible before we left...and it didn't hurt in the hottest part of the day that they all had short wait times and were air conditioned!

See he definitely has good taste. CoP is my undisputed Disney favourite (even if my lovely DH doesn't quite get the appeal. He , on the other hand, LOVES the Country Bears!)

 

[MeghanEmily]

That was such a fun unexpected meet! Did N end up getting one of the Hidden Mickey books?

He hasn't yet, but I'm considering it for his birthday this fall. I think he's torn between wanting to read and learn more about more hidden Mickeys, but also not wanting to lose the challenge of spotting them without any help. He's stubborn like that!

 

[MeghanEmily]

Very true! I don’t like to comment on weight one way or another but Ariel’s waist was not that small in the movie, just such weird animation!

Agreed!! This is just to a whole different level of unhealthy unrealistic proportions!

Here all along I thought N had to reassure you at some point on the honeymoon that he didn't have cooties, but it was Blondie. Isn't it always a blond

Seriously though, your WCC and Ariel stories are things Disney legends are made of. And all in one day!!!!

I only feel like I can agree with that because I've occasionally artificially joined the blonde club!

It was a big day for memory-making!

Fun last day even though it is always sad to leave Disney!

Wow on all the antics at WCC

I knew N was a true Disney fan, he sealed it with his love for CoP!

Always so sad to leave, absolutely. But a great way to go out on a fun note! And yes, I didn't even have to persuade him about CoP, or lure him in with much of its history, etc., (though he also likes the history behind it!) He just loved it all on his own, and I was very proud.

What a fun last Disney day!! You two had such an awesome honeymoon. I hope your anniversary trip next month is just as much fun.

Thanks so much! I'm very excited for our anniversary trip—I think it has a lot of potential!

Love CoP. Last time I took a picture of Rover in each scene

We really need to do a tour...
*looks at September schedule*

You should try to squeeze one in! Especially if you'll have APs because there's usually a discount. I loved the Marceline tour. And when I did the UnDISCOVERED Future World tour on my solo trip, I also really enjoyed that more than I expected to.

 

[TLC371]

Hi Meghan!

I stumbled across your report while looking for August trip reports and I just binge read it the past few days. I loved reading about your trips, and seeing all the gorgeous pictures.

We usually go either in September or October - depending on when my mother in law has her timeshare. This year I am going in August (22nd-29th), so I wanted to read about other August trips to see what I am getting myself into! My mother passed away last year and it has been a really rough year for me dealing with the loss of my mom, so I decided to use some of the money I inherited to go visit my happy place. Thankfully my wonderful husband understands and is letting me go without him and instead go with our 8 year old son and two of my best friends. This will be my first time with the whole Disney experience, staying onsite and not venturing off property. I am so excited for this much needed trip!!

 

[MeghanEmily]

Hi Meghan!

I stumbled across your report while looking for August trip reports and I just binge read it the past few days. I loved reading about your trips, and seeing all the gorgeous pictures.

We usually go either in September or October - depending on when my mother in law has her timeshare. This year I am going in August (22nd-29th), so I wanted to read about other August trips to see what I am getting myself into! My mother passed away last year and it has been a really rough year for me dealing with the loss of my mom, so I decided to use some of the money I inherited to go visit my happy place. Thankfully my wonderful husband understands and is letting me go without him and instead go with our 8 year old son and two of my best friends. This will be my first time with the whole Disney experience, staying onsite and not venturing off property. I am so excited for this much needed trip!!

Thanks so much for reading and commenting! I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother, and I hope this upcoming trip is a wonderful experience for you, filled with fun times with your loved ones, and some continued healing for you in a very special place. Have an amazing time!

 

[MeghanEmily]

Daytona Beach Retreat
[Disney?] Day 14 - Part 1

It was the morning of our first non-Disney day, and I awoke feeling sad. It felt silly since I knew how fortunate I was to still be on vacation in a beautiful place with the person I loved...but somehow it was still incredibly sad not to be at Disney. I tried to shake it off and make the best of our beach day before we'd have to start making the drive home the following morning.

First thing after we got up, we left the hotel and stepped out almost directly onto the beach. We decided to go for a beach walk and take in our surroundings. It was cloudy at first, and...dare I say it...chilly! The temps would have been balmy for home, but it felt cold after the nearly two weeks we'd spent in Orlando. I couldn't deny, however, that the beach was a sight for sore eyes...

We went back to the hotel (pictured above, beachside) and enjoyed some included continental breakfast. Well...N enjoyed it. I nibbled at a rubbery boiled egg (#allergyprobs) and wished I was back in the land of Mickey waffles. Then we went up to the room to change into bathing suits, before returning to the beach. N enjoyed jumping around in the waves, but despite the clearing skies I was still finding it a bit too chilly, so I just took pictures and sat on the beach playing in the sand.

Before too long we both decided to go back to the hotel and change. I was still dragging my feet, and N sat me down for some real talk. I was sad, and I missed Disney. But we were at the beach for one day, and I figured I should be making the most of it. N saw my serious post-Disney blues and proposed another option: if we only had one more day left in Florida, why not make the short drive back and spend it here:

????

I fought him on it for a bit, but before too long I'd given in to the idea...after all, we had our APs burning holes in our pockets...and soon enough we were ON OUR WAY BACK TO DISNEY!! Eventually, we were pulling up here...

Hello, my beautiful Love!

It had felt so silly and wasteful to leave Daytona to go back to Disney, but all those negative emotions and anxieties melted away as soon as we arrived.

First, we lived with the land.

It didn't even really matter what we were doing. It just felt so good to be there.

Then we enjoyed kids' meals from Sunshine Seasons.

We rode Soarin', then the Seas with Nemo. While inside the Living Seas, we noticed a photopass photographer taking photos in front of the tank wall...

Then we created our futures and got moderate swiss cheese heads.

I pulled an extra FP for Test Track, which we planned to ride later that afternoon. I also snagged a fancy last-minute dinner reservation for us that night at Le Cellier, which is one of N's favourites. He thinks it feels like home, and he loves the steak.

Then we did some World Showcase-ing, going clockwise for a change of pace.

When we stopped in Italy, N finally got the chance to try the gelato. He ordered the Coppa Amicizia, which is Cookies and Cream, Strawberry, Fior Di Latte, Mango Sauce, Whipped Cream, Whole Raspberries. He said it was a definite win.

We also stopped in Japan...

...so I could "pick" this:

The silvery ones are apparently rare-ish? Either way, the lady opening my oyster was ENTHUSED! I love how excited they always are doing their job. I liked my pearl quite a lot. It now sits in a rose gold Cinderella-carriage-shaped pearl cage necklace that I purchased from Etsy.

While in the Japanese pavilion, we also did more shopping in Mitsukoshi....obviously. And N got some mochi, which he continued to call "bean balls" for the few days that followed, much to my feigned frustration. I found some gummy candy that I like, and N also bought one of those little sodas with the marble in the bottle which he'd been wanting to try.

We also stopped in Morocco and listened to the band play, which was quite enjoyable, and I only quietly lamented to N a couple of times about the sad loss of Mo'Rockin'.

Finally, we stopped in Canada to say goodbye to our well-loved wedding location.

We also said hello to a friend of mine who used to work in the gift shop there at the time doing the cultural representative program, then grabbed some maple popcorn to tide us over, and planned to return back there soon for dinner.

Before our dinner, we rode Test Track with our FPs. At one point we were almost rained out, and they shut the ride down briefly, but we waited a few minutes, and then things were up and running again.

We decided to design the world's most obnoxious vehicle...

Not the most efficient, but boy could that baby fly!....at about 64.9 mph, to be exact!

We made it back to Canada just in time to go here:

We both ordered the filet, though mine was prepared differently due to allergies and was served without the risotto. Both were cooked well and to our specifications. It was a lovely meal to close our trip.

(Side note: when we returned to le Cellier in December with my family, however, there was a new allergy chef there, and he went out of his way to make me gluten and dairy free risotto for my dish, and it was a miraculous experience. Chef Nathan, if you ever read this, you're a truly wonderful chef/human being! )

After dinner, as if we hadn't managed to squeeze enough unplanned Disney into this day already, we headed over to Disney Springs. We did a little browsing in the shops, and brought home some extra Erin McKenna's treats for the long drive home the next day. Then we couldn't put it off any longer, and we got on the road back to Daytona. We briefly visited the beach that night, and then went up to our room and went to sleep.

That last little taste of Disney ended up being exactly what I needed to bring closure to the end of an amazing trip. Finally, I was as ready as I'd ever be to return home.

Up next, we drive north...for a long time...then spend a couple of nights in the quaintest little beach town, before returning to reality. I'll try to get all of that wrapped up quickly in one more post, coming soon! ​