stackyallred
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2008
- Messages
- 757
Before we begin, please take a moment to cue up your favorite Disney song... you know the one I am talking about. The one that gives you that special, magical feeling and makes you feel like you are in your happy place. The one that can bring joy to your dark days and remind you that you dreams do come true if you just believe. Now, begin playing that song while you read. That way, no matter how boring or how exciting you find my report to be, it will seem that much more magical thanks to the sound track. I suppose this just became an interactive trip report, so thanks for participating. 
Disney likes to capitalize on the idea that memories last a lifetime, so I am telling myself that even though this trip report is 8 months late, it is ok since it centers around those said memories! Here is the problem with trip reports... You are so stinking excited to take your trip and then when you get back you are hit with 1. normal life and 2. Disney withdrawal.
The problem with Disney withdrawal is that you have to either feed it and possibly lose your job, relationships and sanity because you are constantly perusing disboards, easyWDW, trip photos, etc or you have to do what I did (and always have to do after a WDW trip): Quit cold turkey. I have learned that until I can really see another trip in the near future, I must STAY AWAY from all things WDW related so that I can enjoy my life and not constantly wish I were somewhere else (notice I said constantly... as in I still wish I were at WDW during my avoid all things WDW efforts, just not every moment!). Now that we have another trip in the near future (10th anniversary woohoo!), I feel I can safely wade back into the Disney vacation waters!
I did start a pre-trip report last August and made a promise to not abandon it, and you can read it in my signature. The name of it is "My Dream Is A Meal A Chef Makes" and that is what inspired the name for this trip report, since my dream came true in a big way! The PTR goes into a lot more detail about my food allergy planning and some of our WDW history just in case you are suddenly super interested in us.
If you choose to skip over that, here is a brief run down of my fellow vacationers and a little back ground:
DH, 32 and me back on our 5th anniversary trip in 2008. He loves Disney World as much as me and we have been vacationing here almost every year since our honeymoon in 2003. He loves to keep up to date on all Disney news and is 100% a kid at heart. I'm the planner, the obsessor, the mom, wife, daughter. I love to plan our trips but once we are in the room and settled, I pretty much just like to go with the flow. We like our schedule but arent slaves to it (other than sticking with our ADRs).
DS, almost 3 at the time of the trip. He is truly our son... he knows every word to the songs on the Four Parks, One World Disney Parks CD and talks about Disney World daily. This was his 3rd trip since he was 11 months old.
Mom/MeMee (age omitted to protect me, her daughter
). Mom had not really had any good WDW experiences prior to this trip due to not having things like disboards and having to endure severe heat and crowds. But she will gladly follow her grandson anywhere (as would my dad if he didnt have to work) so she was excited to join us. She was also about to fall in love with Disney World, she just didnt know it yet (she just needed to go with me and DH to show her the ropes! 
). This was her and DS when he was about 5 months old.
This was my first trip in 9 years of WDW vacations with my newly diagnosed food allergies and intolerances. 6 months before our trip I was blind sighted with the discovery of over 40 foods that were suddenly off limits. I had been suffering for years with undiagnosed health problems and had no idea that I was daily eating foods that were making me terribly ill in a variety of ways. So, I had a massive diet overhaul (as did DH and DS since I do all the cooking) and was nervous yet excited about this new adventure of eating allergy free. Because of the nature of my diet, I had not eaten one meal that I had not personally prepared in my home in the 6 months since my allergy diagnosis. I was committed to healing my body through eating correctly so I was very strict. It was quite a walk out of my comfort zone to get on a plane and plan to let someone else (lots of someone elses!) cook for me for 12 days! But let me tell you, IT. WAS. AMAZING!!! I will be not only be giving a regular trip report but also an allergy dining report with pictures and descriptions of where and what I ate (to the best of my memory). I was given so many helpful hints and lots of great guidance by other Dissers so maybe I can repay a little of that back.
Here is a picture of us all at about 5:15 AM on September 10 ready to head out for the airport. Ill report more soon!
Disney likes to capitalize on the idea that memories last a lifetime, so I am telling myself that even though this trip report is 8 months late, it is ok since it centers around those said memories! Here is the problem with trip reports... You are so stinking excited to take your trip and then when you get back you are hit with 1. normal life and 2. Disney withdrawal.
The problem with Disney withdrawal is that you have to either feed it and possibly lose your job, relationships and sanity because you are constantly perusing disboards, easyWDW, trip photos, etc or you have to do what I did (and always have to do after a WDW trip): Quit cold turkey. I have learned that until I can really see another trip in the near future, I must STAY AWAY from all things WDW related so that I can enjoy my life and not constantly wish I were somewhere else (notice I said constantly... as in I still wish I were at WDW during my avoid all things WDW efforts, just not every moment!). Now that we have another trip in the near future (10th anniversary woohoo!), I feel I can safely wade back into the Disney vacation waters! I did start a pre-trip report last August and made a promise to not abandon it, and you can read it in my signature. The name of it is "My Dream Is A Meal A Chef Makes" and that is what inspired the name for this trip report, since my dream came true in a big way! The PTR goes into a lot more detail about my food allergy planning and some of our WDW history just in case you are suddenly super interested in us.
If you choose to skip over that, here is a brief run down of my fellow vacationers and a little back ground:
DH, 32 and me back on our 5th anniversary trip in 2008. He loves Disney World as much as me and we have been vacationing here almost every year since our honeymoon in 2003. He loves to keep up to date on all Disney news and is 100% a kid at heart. I'm the planner, the obsessor, the mom, wife, daughter. I love to plan our trips but once we are in the room and settled, I pretty much just like to go with the flow. We like our schedule but arent slaves to it (other than sticking with our ADRs).
DS, almost 3 at the time of the trip. He is truly our son... he knows every word to the songs on the Four Parks, One World Disney Parks CD and talks about Disney World daily. This was his 3rd trip since he was 11 months old.
Mom/MeMee (age omitted to protect me, her daughter
). Mom had not really had any good WDW experiences prior to this trip due to not having things like disboards and having to endure severe heat and crowds. But she will gladly follow her grandson anywhere (as would my dad if he didnt have to work) so she was excited to join us. She was also about to fall in love with Disney World, she just didnt know it yet (she just needed to go with me and DH to show her the ropes! ). This was her and DS when he was about 5 months old.
This was my first trip in 9 years of WDW vacations with my newly diagnosed food allergies and intolerances. 6 months before our trip I was blind sighted with the discovery of over 40 foods that were suddenly off limits. I had been suffering for years with undiagnosed health problems and had no idea that I was daily eating foods that were making me terribly ill in a variety of ways. So, I had a massive diet overhaul (as did DH and DS since I do all the cooking) and was nervous yet excited about this new adventure of eating allergy free. Because of the nature of my diet, I had not eaten one meal that I had not personally prepared in my home in the 6 months since my allergy diagnosis. I was committed to healing my body through eating correctly so I was very strict. It was quite a walk out of my comfort zone to get on a plane and plan to let someone else (lots of someone elses!) cook for me for 12 days! But let me tell you, IT. WAS. AMAZING!!! I will be not only be giving a regular trip report but also an allergy dining report with pictures and descriptions of where and what I ate (to the best of my memory). I was given so many helpful hints and lots of great guidance by other Dissers so maybe I can repay a little of that back.
Here is a picture of us all at about 5:15 AM on September 10 ready to head out for the airport. Ill report more soon!
He is just slightly outgoing and was just a bit excited! I always think about how the poor business travelers who travel to and from Orlando probably get tired of traveling with all the super excited kids (and adults, who am I kidding???) who are coming to Disney World. Anyway, while we waited for the OK to disembark, DS was charming all of the other passengers who were asking him questions about what we were going to do when we got to Disney World. This was such a cool part of this trip- seeing him be excited because he KNEW what was coming since he was old enough to remember the trip we took the year before! 
I always love it when I hear, Sit back, relax and let us do the driving for the first time. Isnt it funny what little things make you excited? DS was once again loving getting to have a little freedom on the bus. It was a little chilly on the bus so he was rocking out his Mickey Ears jacket that my mom bought him back at home.
). I had really done my research about this place and I felt pretty confident that I was going to be pretty safe in theory, but the only true test was to try some stuff out. Both my mom and I avoid processed sugar at all costs (she had just recently reversed her diabetes through diet and is very disciplined in avoiding carbs) so we were thrilled that all of their stuff is sweetened with agave which is a lower glycemic sweetener. Sure, I wouldnt say it is healthy but it is a better alternative. We both asked lots of questions and decided to order some brownie bites and some chocolate chip cookies. Now it was the moment of truth. I knew these next bites were going to decide if I got many desserts on this trip or not since many of the TS chefs I spoke with said they only could give me fruit as dessert... and the verdict was... PERFECTION!!! I think I may have shed a tear and I probably got waaaaay more excited about a dessert than anyone ever should but I was in Disney and I just ate a yummy, chocolately, allergy-free treat! For DH and I, Disney had always been partly about enjoying the food, at least when it didnt make me sick (thats the problem with undiagnosed allergies- you eat whatever you want but it is always a risk: Will this make me miserable???). There was a little glimmer of hope in my heart that maybe Disney could once again be about the food for me, just in a new way (spoiler alert: THE GLIMMER WAS RIGHT, but more on that later). I had intended to take pics of my Babycakes items but I was too busy scarfing them down. My mom loved hers but had much more restraint and just ate about 1/4 of her cookie. She was one determined lady when it came to sticking to her usual eating habits! 
I hadnt had any bread since before I gave up gluten 9 months before the trip. the chef said it was ENER-G brand and that he had called around to get it for me. I was tired (it was almost 11 PM and I had been up since 4 AM Florida time) but I couldve danced a little dance. I thanked the chef and no joke INHALED that dinner. From this point on, I did take lots of food pics but I was too excited or something because I forgot again. My mom said she had never seen me eat so fast and it had been years since she saw me eat so much at one sitting. I was one happy and full girl! We headed back to our room and were in bed by about midnight. 
