My First Ever PTR...Me, Myself, and I

[nycbutterfly0923]

Hello all! and welcome to my first Pre-Trip Report! Well, my first any kind of report ever. I have been a pretty much silent lurker here at the Dis since about June of this year. A question here, a question there, but mostly silent. I LOVE to read all the trip reports, and decided that it was about time I share my own. So here it is.

A little about me.

My name is Dawn. I just turned 35 years old. I have always loved all things Disney. I have been to WDW twice in my life. Christmas of 1996, with my DM, DF, and DB. This was a trip of a lifetime for me, being that it was my first ever trip to WDW. DB and I had been begging our DM and DF, for years to go to WDW, but the funds were never there. Finally though we were able to go. I loved every minute of it!

My second trip was just this year in July. It came about under some sad circumstances. My DM passed away about 8 years ago. So it has really just been, me, my DF, and DB. But I do have more "family". I have lived with my best friend for the last 11 years. (Don't ask, it's very complicated.) His family has become my family. I love them more than anything. And this past January, he and his family were such a rock for me when we discovered my DF had an abdominal aortic aneurysm. This led to them finding out that he needed a quadruple bypass before the could fix the aneurysm. That surgery went fine, but sadly after they fixed the aneurysm, his body just couldn't handle all the surgeries he had been through, and he passed away in March.

Like I said before, my best friend and his family stood by me and held me up through this whole ordeal. I decided I wanted to do something special for them. At first I was looking into taking his DM and 2 of his DSIL's on a Gaither Homecoming Cruise. When I figured out how much that cruise and airfare would cost for 4 people, I suddenly thought to myself, "Myself, you could take DM, DF, both DSIL's and DBIL's and 3 DNeices, ages 15, 13, and 7, to WDW and save money!" (FYI, if I ever refer to all these people again through this report, this is how I will probably refer to them, it's just easier. His family is my family after all.)

So I started researching, and started talking to each member of his family I wanted to go. (I will say this, your probably wondering why I wasn't including my best friend in this, it's because he is not a crowd kind of person, no way was he going to WDW in the middle of the summer.) I really wanted the niece's to go, but the hurdle would be their father, one of the DBIL's. He is the type of person who is happy at home, and pretty much just home. Not the traveling type. Best friend gave him the head's up on what I was wanting to do, unbeknownest to me, so when I told him I wanted to take his family to WDW, he was like, this is not something I would really ever want to do, but I know my girl's would love it, so yes, we would love to go. (I will also add in here that my best friend thought I was nuts for taking his family anywhere in public. ).


While the trip had it's ups and downs, we all had a great time. For everyone but 3 of us, this was their first ever real vacation. All of them it was their first ever WDW vacation.

So, I am sure you are wondering, what does all of this have to do with this PTR? Well, I had to give a little background. See, after we got home, I had the Disney Blues. Bad. There were so many things that I wanted to do, that I didn't get to do, and it was all my fault. I wanted to make sure everyone had a good time, and got to do the things that they wanted. That was more important to me, than me getting to do the things I wanted to do. And that was okay with me.

Pretty much since we got back, I have been itching to go back. My favorite coworker finally just told me, go back! What's stopping you? Well, I started thinking about this, and figured out she was right. What was stopping me? Nobody could afford to go with me. Thinking to myself once again, "Myself, you are a big girl. There is absolutely no reason you can't go to WDW by yourself. Think of all the things you can do by yourself. All the things you wanted to do on the last trip and then some!

So two weeks ago I did it. I booked my trip. I will again be heading to The Happiest Place on Earth Jan. 6-12. 2013. According to my phone, just 61 days til my fabulous Me, Myself, and I trip. I cannot wait!

Up next...more of my plans......

 

[nycbutterfly0923]

So, I was going to try to post some pictures along with my post, but apparently I have to have posted 10 times before I can post pictures. I told you I was a lurker, I have only 4 posts to my name. Guess I need to fix that.

 

[wiigirl]

Can't wait to see you pictures!

 

[nycbutterfly0923]

Thanks wiigirl for posting! I have my first friend at the Dis boards! I promise as soon as I can I will post a couple pics from my last trip. I love pictures, and I took close to 4,000 while we were at WDW. I actually think I took more there than I did when I went to Ireland back in April, lol.

So, I have been working on my itinerary. At first I wasn't going to make an itinerary cause hey, this is a me, myself, and I trip. I can do what I want, when I want. Then again, one of the fun parts of a WDW vacation is the planing! It keeps you busy inbetween booking the trip, and leaving for the trip.

So here is my tentative itinerary.

Dates: Jan. 6-Jan. 12, 2013.
My home away from home in WDW: All Stars Music Resort.
Tickets: 6 Day Park Hoppers.
Transportation: Flying from Arkansas to MCO, then taking the ME to resort. I will be using Disney transportation while I am there.

This is my first time to ever stay on the WDW property. I would have liked to last time, but with 10 people, that would have been pretty expensive, so we rented a vacation home.

Sunday, Jan. 6- Flight leaves at 6:00 a.m. Yes, that's early, but I am an early bird so it won't bother me too much. I am thinking about spending the night in a hotel near the airport the night before because I live an hour away, and I don't think my best friend would want to get up at 2:00 a.m to take me to the airport.

My flight is due to get into MCO at 11:30 a.m. I am hoping to be to the resort by 1:30 p.m. If my room is ready, I may settle in and take a little nap, but if it isn't ready, or I am too excited to sleep (which I figure that will be the case) I am going to head over to MK.

Monday, Jan. 7- This will be my DHS day. I am not a big fan of this park, but there were some things I wanted to do here back in July that I didn't get to do. I made an ADR for 50's Prime Time Cafe. My first time to ever make an ADR. It was very exciting. I don't figure I will stay all day there, so I may head back to the ASM and chill for awhile, then over to Epcot to watch Illuminations and get a salted caramel from that caramel store in Germany (I don't remember the name of the store, but I sure do remember that caramel. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.)

Tuesday, Jan. 8- This will be my AK Day. I am a zoo lover. So last trip, this was the park I was looking forward to the most, especially since when we went back in 1996, they were in the process of building AK. We got to watch a video about the park and everything. I wanted to go so bad. So I was pleased with it last trip. I truly don't think that I will stay here the whole day. It's a big park, but it's easy to see everything you want to see pretty quick. That evening I have an ADR at Raglan Road Pub Irish Pub and Resturaunt at DTD. I figure I will eat and then shop til I drop.

Okay, my computer is acting wonky so I am going to post now before I lose anything.

 

[shalom]

There were so many things that I wanted to do, that I didn't get to do, and it was all my fault. I wanted to make sure everyone had a good time, and got to do the things that they wanted. That was more important to me, than me getting to do the things I wanted to do. And that was okay with me.

That's how I felt about our first two trips to Orlando -- I knew we wouldn't be doing the parks because everyone else wanted to do other stuff, and I was fine with it, but, boy, this time (January 2013), I am totally going to do what I want to do. So I am "cruelly" forcing my kids to go to WDW this next time, instead of SeaWorld.

Personally, I plan my whole day and then abandon the plan around noon anyhow, often as not. But you get a lot done that way; the early morning hours are the crucial ones, right? But I totally agree that the planning part is fun, whether you end up following the plan or not.

 

[nycbutterfly0923]

Shalom- I hope you have a fabulous trip! Sounds to me like you deserve this trip. I hope your kids will truly discover the Disney magic. I truly believe there is something for everyone at WDW. Last trip we went to Sea World, and while I enjoyed it, I would rather have been at Disney. I hope you get lot's of pixie dust while you are there!

 

[nycbutterfly0923]

Ok, so now that my computer is back to normal I will continue my itinerary.

Wed. Jan. 9- I haven't exactly figured this day out yet. I may start out at MK and end at EP, or vice versa. I don't have any ADR's for this day, so it's a very flexible day. I also might use this day to check out some of the other hotels. That is something I have never done before.

Thurs. Jan. 10- This is EP day. My goal here is to visit every country and get a magnet or keychain from each. This was a goal I had last time, and our EP day ended up being a washout. DMIL didn't feel good, so she, DFIL, and DSIL and DBIL took her back to the house. Other DSIL and DNieces, and I stayed, but it started raining like crazy. we ended up spending almost two hours taking cover at the American Pavilion. By the time the rain calmed down, the girls were ready to just meet Mulan and go. So we did. Not before we ate that yummy caramel in Germany though. I may eat 10 of those. I also have and ADR for lunch at the Rose and Crown Pub.

Fri. Jan. 11- MK day. To me the best way to end a magical vacation is spending the last day at MK. This is my favorite of all the parks, and I am very excited that the new Fantasyland will be open. I hope that I might be able to get in to Be Our Guest for dinner, but there are no reservations open, so we will see about that when I get there. I do have a goal to meet while I am at MK that I didn't get to do last time, and that is get my picture taken with Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, and The Tremaine sisters.

Sat. Jan.12- This is my have to leave and go home day. My flight doesn't leave until the afternoon, so I plan on just hanging out at the resort until it's time to meet the ME.

As I type this I am just 57 days away. I know that they will fly by quickly. I work in retail, and with the holidays approaching, work will be busy, and my best friend and I are trying to buy a house, So I will have plenty to keep my busy until Jan. 6 arrives.

 

[nycbutterfly0923]

Yea! I hit 10 posts! So let's see if I can post some pics. I hope I do this right.

This is me, Dawn, with my pals Mickey and Minnie.

This is all of us. I'm the one with the Princess Aurora crown on. I saw someone with one of these at the beginning of our trip, and I had to have one. Sleeping Beauty is my favorite!

Ok, I'm going to post to see if this worked.

 

[shalom]

My goal here is to visit every country and get a magnet or keychain from each.

That's a great idea! I should look more for magnets at WDW; not sure why I haven't. I think I always head for the pins or go looking for mugs, and by the time I start thinking magnets, hubby's moving on and the kids drag me out.

Beautiful pic of you with Minnie and Mickey.

 

[nycbutterfly0923]

Hello all! Just 47 days until I leave for my trip! I am getting excited! I got my Mickey Mail the other day. I am a little nervous about my ME luggage tags. We are trying to buy a house, and there is a good chance we will have moved by the time they mail those. I am planing on giving them our new address, and I will have our mail forwarded to the new house, but it still makes me nervous.

So I am going to upload a few pictures that had pixie dust moments for us from my last trip.

We met Belle at Epcot....

Then we met her at Magic Kingdom. She was the same one! While we were waiting in line, one of the kids made the comment that she looked like the same Belle we met at Epcot. We were like, nah, it's a different one. When it was our turn, the first of the girls went up to her, and Belle was like "Hello! Didn't we meet the other day? It's good to see you all again! Where is your Beast?" We were all just tickled. She asked about our Beast because one of the BIL's with us when we met her at Epcot. This was a great moment for us.

This was a pixie dust moment for me. It was our last day and we were watching the parade. When the princess float came up, Sleeping Beauty and Prince Phillip took notice of my crown, and were very pleased. She pointed to it, and then to her's and Prince Phillip nodded to me. It was pretty cool in my book.

Youngest niece's must do was meet Tinkerbell. And finally after making the poor thing wait all week, she finally got to meet her. I was not there for this one, but SIL said that Tinkerbell was wonderful and spent a long time with them.

YN had taken her sister's autograph books along with her, and when she handed them to Tink, Tink asked her if she thought this was a library!

This wasn't a pixie dust moment, but it's a moment that makes me giggle every time I look at the picture. Youngest niece and middle niece really enjoyed those dole whips! I think out of the like 5,000 picture we all took, this is my favorite.

 

[nycbutterfly0923]

Yea!!!! I am just 35 days out until my fabulous trip! I am getting more and more excited. I am ready to go now!

So I made a big decision Friday night. After reading some posts about All Star Music looking like it is fully booked, I decided to change resorts. The rumor is that a lot of cheerleading and sports groups tend to hit Disney in Jan. and Feb. And that they tend to stay at the All Star resorts. Now, being a teenager once, and knowing I have gone on a few band trips myself, I know how they can act. Especially on trips like this. Now I know that I could run into this problem anywhere I stay, and it could not be a problem at all, but I decided to go ahead and change my resort.

I am now going to be staying at.....Pop Century! In the end, this turned out to be good. I had been going back and forth between Pop and All Star Music in the begining, but All Star won out because it was cheaper. When I called though, it didn't cost that much more to change, so I did it. I think this was a good choice.

So that's my update. Everyone have a Magical Day!