My Year of Disney BEGINS: a little Running, a little Drinking: PTR **1/12-W&D-Day 8**

[huggybuff]

ALERT!

I got my booking at Saratoga Springs! Woo hoo! I know it's not a really coveted resort but I think it looks pretty and I like the proximity to Disney Springs. I ended up getting a lower rate than the fall passholder rate, which was a joke. And don't get me started on how the sausage was made today. I'll just say it was a cluster and I was livid at points. But I ended up getting about 27% off rack rate. At this point, I'll take it. So, goodbye Caribbean Beach and hello Saratoga Springs. Oh, this is for my November Wine and Dine trip, BTW.

 

[huggybuff]

So this morning I'm taken with the Pandora line of Disney charms and the idea of commemorating my Year of Disney (tm) by adding charms to represent different aspects of my trip. Like I need another money-sucker, but they're so darn purdy!

 

[SarahDisney]

So this morning I'm taken with the Pandora line of Disney charms and the idea of commemorating my Year of Disney (tm) by adding charms to represent different aspects of my trip. Like I need another money-sucker, but they're so darn purdy!

I started doing something like that last year (the day they came out, actually) ... I buy one charm for each trip. I think it's a really nice idea and you get something pretty at the end to help you remember the trip!

 

[huggybuff]

I started doing something like that last year (the day they came out, actually) ... I buy one charm for each trip. I think it's a really nice idea and you get something pretty at the end to help you remember the trip!

Very cool. Which charms do you have so far? Today I ordered the '2015', Peace Love and Mickey, and the runDisney charms. Plus the bracelet.

 

[SarahDisney]

Very cool. Which charms do you have so far? Today I ordered the '2015', Peace Love and Mickey, and the runDisney charms. Plus the bracelet.

Great choices!
So far I just have the Mickey Swirls and 2015. I will probably get runDisney on my next trip, unless they release a 2016 one that I like better. And I have the bracelet.

 

[huggybuff]

Great choices!
So far I just have the Mickey Swirls and 2015. I will probably get runDisney on my next trip, unless they release a 2016 one that I like better. And I have the bracelet.

I was looking seriously at the Mickey Swirls! I wonder if they will have a charm specifically for Food and Wine. The only food-related charm I saw on the Disney site was a Minnie Cupcake. Cute, but not my first choice. I'll have to see what they have at Uptown Jewelers at MK.

 

[LizardQueen8]

Thank god I have a tiny, tiny wrist and thus almost never wear bracelets because I refuse to get sucked into those beautiful things. I HAVE LEARNED MY LESSON WITH THE FUNKOS THEY ARE TAKING OVER MY HOUSE.

 

[huggybuff]

Thank god I have a tiny, tiny wrist and thus almost never wear bracelets because I refuse to get sucked into those beautiful things. I HAVE LEARNED MY LESSON WITH THE FUNKOS THEY ARE TAKING OVER MY HOUSE.

Would you believe I had to Google Funko? I did know what it was once I saw it though.

 

[huggybuff]

OH YEAH, the main news of the day...I registered for the Tinker Bell weekend 5K! I had already registered for the Pixie Dust Challenge during the AP registration, but that eeevil 5K tempted me today and I went for it. So that's 3 early race mornings in a row.

 

[huggybuff]

Wednesday 6/24



Our last day at DLR started with me at DCA and the fam at DL. Turns out they'd done everything at DCA that they wanted to do the previous night - when I was flat on my back in the hotel room. I made it again in time for rope drop and got to the hear the DCA spiel this time. I decided to head to Hollywood Land and get on Tower of Terror straight away. It was a quick line and I was headed into another dimension before I knew it. When did this ride get so wild? My sister and I both thought our rides were much more intense than on previous trips. I had a thought on the way out, of grabbing a fast pass to come back again in short order, but I'd had enough ToT for one morning. I wasn't in a rush so I stopped at the Cozy Cones and got a Red's Apple Freeze. Much sweeter than I remembered it and not in a good way.

Red's Apple Freeze



Next I meandered over to Radiator Springs Racers and got in the single rider line. I couldn't have waited more than 5 minutes and I was flying through the Cadillac Mountain range. Afterwards I grabbed a fast pass for CA Screamin' and rode the Fun Wheel (non-swinging) while I waited for my time window. I could've done the single rider for Screamin', but I really feel awkward taking those elevators. Down. Up. Change elevators. Back down. It's weird. So I rode that one with fast pass after the Fun Wheel. It's such a fun ride. I can't wait to see how it compares to Rock N Roller Coaster. By that point it was time to head back to DL to meet the fam for some final rides and lunch before we got on the road back home. First I tried a Frozen Caramel Latte from Ghirardelli. Nice! Too bad I couldn't have strapped two of them to my feet! They desperately needed some ice - I had to let out the straps on my sandals they were getting so swollen.

With my feet in mind, I rode the train to New Orleans Square, met the fam and decided on lunch at the French Market. I got my staple of Red Beans and Rice. We went for one last turn on Splash Mountain and closed it out with a train ride around the park to Main Street.

El Finito


Then it was time for the kids to do their shopping. They each got to pick out one toy to take back home. BiL took the two oldest back to Tomorrowland for lightsabers while my sister and I took the youngest to find a bubble gun. I had been mercilessly assaulted by one during Paint the Night, so I was familiar. I also did some scarf shopping for the BFF who was nicely watching my brats at her house this whole time.

Brat #1, aka Elektra



I will gloss over the low points of the trip home...getting stuck at a wildfire on the freeway for an hour; the creepy waitress at Black Bear Diner who kept calling my BiL 'handsome'; coming to a standstill for over an hour for road construction with two hours left on the trip home...with a two year old crying non-stop. Gloss, gloss, gloss. Overall we had a nice time and the low points didn't overshadow the fun we had at DL.

Next up: Commando Trip!!!

 

[SarahDisney]

Sounds like you got a lot of good stuff done on the last day! And I'm totally with you on the swollen feet ... a day walking around DL (or WDW for that matter) makes my feet feel twice their normal size (well, maybe not twice, but still ...).

I can't wait to read about the commando trip!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Saratoga Springs is a nice resort especially since the walkway to DTD has opened! I know its not everyone's favorites but I've always enjoyed all my stays there.

 

[huggybuff]

So I may have had a slight breakdown and bought way too many training shirts from Raw Threads. Like the whole Star Wars series. OOOPSIE.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

So I may have had a slight breakdown and bought way too many training shirts from Raw Threads. Like the whole Star Wars series. OOOPSIE.

Those shirts are really cute! I've been trying to hold off from buying until I figure out if my custom Sparkle Skirt groups are going to be ready by then or not.

 

[huggybuff]

Those shirts are really cute! I've been trying to hold off from buying until I figure out if my custom Sparkle Skirt groups are going to be ready by then or not.

I have a dumb question. What's a Sparkle Skirt group? I'm familiar with the skirts, but what's a group?

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I have a dumb question. What's a Sparkle Skirt group? I'm familiar with the skirts, but what's a group?

There are some groups on Facebook that are coordinating with Sparkle Skirts to get a skirt made that isn't part of the normal skirts they sell. I'm in 1 really small group for a pink leopard print, one really large group for a black and white Hawaiian Skirt and then a Cherry Blossom one.

 

[huggybuff]

There are some groups on Facebook that are coordinating with Sparkle Skirts to get a skirt made that isn't part of the normal skirts they sell. I'm in 1 really small group for a pink leopard print, one really large group for a black and white Hawaiian Skirt and then a Cherry Blossom one.

I see. Those sound really pretty! I hope you get them in time for the races.

 

[DMGeurts]

Hi there! Stopping by to say hi and introduce myself...

I'll admit - your title caught my eye.

I also have 3 trips coming up this year... All in WDW though - but our Nov trips overlap by a few days.

I am VERY new to running... As in, I just started in the last 2 months... but enjoying it immensely. It is a dream of mine to some day to a RunDisney event. We'll see... I am still working my body up to doing a 5k - almost there. The way I look at it - 2016 is full, so I have until 2017 opens to decide.

I loved hearing about your DL trip - it sounds like you had fun. And for the Premier AP... How cool. I just ordered my regular AP a few weeks ago - my first one ever - and I was thrilled about that - so to have a PAP - that must be just awesome! Congrats! I hope you get tons of use out of it - it sounds like you will.

Anyways... I just wanted to stop by and say hello... And let you know I am here and trying to follow along.

D~

 

[huggybuff]

@DMGeurts !!! I'm SO excited to have you along for the ride!

Congrats on taking up running! 2017 isn't far way at all, yet far enough away that you'll be prepared for just about any runDisney event out there. You can totally do it! Is there a particular event that's calling out to you? I'm still in the 'working the body up to doing...' stage as well. Looking forward to the day when I can just go rattle off a 10 miler like it's nothing. Yesterday I had a good hour-long run and yet today I struggled with 25 minutes. *sigh* Like I just read the other day: the bad runs make you appreciate the good runs.

I just checked out your blog...holy cow. What a transformation! Amazing! Now I know you can complete anything you set your mind to. My highest (that I actually saw on a scale) was 239. I'm down 22lbs from that so far. My scale hasn't been too kind the last couple of weeks but I can't let that deter me. I feel things changing inside and my scale did say that I'm down 7% in body fat. Not quite sure that's accurate, but I'll take it.

I can't lie...a Premier Pass IS awesome!

 

[huggybuff]

My pretties have arrived!

Enchanted 10K shirt


GSC shirt



PANDORA


So far it's runDisney, American flag Mickey, 2015 and Peace, Love and Mickey. I also like that the clasp has the castle engraved on it, although it's not turned the right way in the picture.

Tomorrow is a running rest day. I think the body needs it as I've run 6 days in a row this week/last week. Sleeping in? What is this sleeping in that will occur tomorrow morning? That's ok. I'll definitely make up for it on Friday with my 3AM wake up call to make ADRs for my Princess trip in February.