The Comando & The Newbie: Lots of Pics! Completed!

[thumperbelle3]

Trip Report starts on page 3 post #39!
Think of a wonderful thought. Any happy little thought?...page 3 #40
It's our problem free philosophy... page 3 #41
Be our guest! Be our guest! Put our service to the test!...page 3 #45
Anything your heart desires...page 4 #47
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee...page 40 #50
Good Morning, Good Morning! To you...page 4 #52
It's Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!...page 4 #53
Zip-A-Dee-Do-Da! Zip-A-Dee-Yay!...page 4 #56
There is just one moon and one golden sun...page 4 #60
Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me...page5 #61
Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight...page 5 #63
Everybody neat and pretty?...page 5 #67
That door is opening once again...page 5 #68
I'm so rumbly in my tumbly...page 5 #71
I'm late! I'm late!...page 5 #72
I'm just a little black rain cloud...page 5 #73
Look for the bear necessities the simple bear necessities...page 6 #78
Pink Elephants on Parade...page 6 #80
Domo Arigato!...page 6 #83
Willkommen to Germany!...page 6 #86
I've got no strings to hold me down...page 6 #87
There is more to see than can ever be seen...page 7 #92
Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!...page 7 #95
Just around the river bend...page 7 #99
Now it's time to say good-bye to all our company...page 7 #102
Final Thoughts...page 7 #103

Ok, so I've been lurking here for quite awhile. I have read so many wonderful trip reports and felt compelled to start my own. This feeling to write started when I was reading a pre-trippie and I felt so excited for the OP and their family as their trip got closer and closer, I felt so excited for them and said to myself "self, you are going to stop lurking and write your own trippie!"

So here it is. It all started in mid March. I was supposed to go back to school to start my degree in Radiography in May, but I didn't get into the program like I had hoped. I missed it by 26 people. So where can I spend all the money I've been saving for school....hmmmm. Then it hit me. Vacation. Not just any va-ca. Walt Disney World!!! Me and DBF.

Me (29) Graduated from college 6 years ago but am planning to go back to school for Radiography next year. I have been to Disney 7 times in my life and love it to death. I am a huge planner and have frequent Disney dreams at night about planning said trip. I love food and read cookbooks for fun. I guess you could call me a foodie!

DBF (Mark, 29) He graduated from college 6 years ago also and is currently finishing up his Nursing degree. Never been to Disney. But he's the youngest of 11 children and his family just never made it down to the World. He loves that I plan everything and I try not to talk his ear off about Disney too much. It's hard! He's my best friend and I can't wait to see his face when he looks at the castle for the first time!

I wanted it to be a surprise for him since he's never been there. Alas I can not keep a secret from him for long! He was on board for it though. I told him that it is not just a place for the kiddies, even though we are both kids at heart. The trip is scheduled for Sept 9 - 14th. A lot of factors came into planning this trip. A few bumps in the road. And at one point I wondered if we are going to make it to WDW at all.

 

[thumperbelle3]

Ok so once we decided we are going to Disney I started planning. This is my first Disney trip without my family, not that I didn't try and get them to come! My Dad did all the planning in the past so all this was very new to me. ADR's what???

I started bugeting how much resort we could afford and how long we'd be staying. Also I wanted to drive down from MI. What!!! Drive!!! That was DBF's reaction. I don't mind the drive because every time I went with my family we always drove. It became part of the vacation.

Well fate (or junk mail) stepped in and DBF got a postcard in the mail about free airline tickets. Ok it's a scam right? Almost. All we had to do was sit through a 90 min. sales pitch for a Vacation Club. "This isn't a sales pitch. This is reality." Really...they said that. Sort of like a time share except you can travel all over the world instead of just one destination. Sounded too good to be true so we said "No thank you. Just give us our free airfare please!" (this becomes an issue later on)

Cool so we don't have to drive there! That means no car. Ok well Disney has buses and such. I however have never used WDW transportation. I kind of like to be in control of things and waiting for a bus while I know other people are building a line in front of me at the ropes will make me anxious. Well Vacation Club Pushy Sales Pitch Reality People also gave us a rental car voucher! Yeah I have control again!

Transportation. Check!
Now we have to decide where to stay and what parks to do!

 

[addictedtothemouse]

My first trip I used the Disney transportation and my second trip I drove. Definitely drive.

 

[thumperbelle3]

I have never been to FL in the summer time. Every one tells me it's miserable. But I love the heat! I rarely wear shorts in summer here in MI. Temps in the 70's are on the cool side for me. DBF on the other hand doesn't like heat to much. I plan to buy a misting fan for us to use!

I really wanted to visit WDW in Sept. With DBF finishing nursing school we weren't sure that could happen. He can't miss even one class!!! Well like me he also didn't make the cut to get into the program and will have to wait another semester. September it is!

Then while lurking on this fab site I discovered Free Dining!! What? Disney is going to pay for my meals? It's FREE?? I jumped all over that. This trip is shaping up to be the cheapest Disney vacation ever. So 6 days/5 nights at POP Century with Free Dining.

Originally I planed 1 day at MK and 1 day at EPCOT. Mark's never been so he wont know what he's missing at the other parks. But then I was like, "Mark really likes rollercoasters. We have to do RNR. And he'll probably like TOT too. Oh Expedition Everest!! I haven't ridden that yet and I love Dinosaur!" Ok DHS and AK are in too. The Comando in me came back out. I hope DBF can handle it! I promise to relax and take our time. So that's why I choose POP as our resort. I wanted a mod but we will hardly be in our room, so why spend the extra $ right?

Now where do we eat? My first call to WDW-DINE

 

[thumperbelle3]

My first trip I used the Disney transportation and my second trip I drove. Definitely drive.

A couple people I work with used Disney transportation on their trips. One was during Spring Break and the other last month. Both busy times of the year, but both people said they didn't have a problem. I however am not the luckiest person so I'm glad we have a car.
Thanks for reading! I also see it was your first post! We are both DIS newbies!

 

[thumperbelle3]

I plan on posting lots of pictures when we get back. Because hey, I love me a trippie with pics! I spent some time on the photography board and I think I got some good ideas for pictures. My DBF loves photography and I hope he takes some good ones! Here is a picture of us a couple of weeks ago at a baseball game.

Yikes! Sorry its so big! I'm still learning I'll have to fix that.

 

[thumperbelle3]

Ok ADR's. I knew we wanted to eat in the World Showcase in EPCOT. I really wanted to try Japan. We have a sushi place here at home that we both love. DBF really wanted to try the Biergarten. It looked fun so we put that on our list. I also know that we aren't going to do any character meals. DBF doesn't even know most of them anyway! We are going to do all CS at MK. I've only eaten at CRT at MK and that was 23 yrs ago! I feel comfortable with just CS since we only have 1 MK day. It will give us more flexibility. For DHS I went back and forth between 50's and Si-Fi. We decided Si-Fi would be more fun for just the 2 of us. I think 50's is more fun with a group. AK just CS because we are only staying until 2:30. Ok we have 3 TS credits left. I decided to pick Artist Point. I know there are a lot of bad reviews of this place out there. I love the Wilderness Lodge and really wanted DBF to see it because I know he will love the out west wilderness feel. I hope we have a great experience! I also want to do Raglan Road on our arrival day. I can't wait to try the bread pudding!!!

I had no idea how many popular resturants there are in the World! I feel like the ones we choose aren't very popular, but I'm too afraid to change anything this late in the game. Plus I don't want to feel rushed to get somewhere on time. The main point of this trip is to experience it with DBF. Food is just an afterthought. I hope we aren't disapointed!

So right now the schedule looks like this:
Tues (arrival day) Raglan Road lunch
Wed (MK day) CS
Thurs (DHS day) Si-Fi Drive-In linch 1:30pm
Fri (EPCOT day) Biergarten dinner 8:00pm
Sat (AK day) Artist Point dinner 6:10pm

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

Your trip sounds like it will be so much fun! I can't wait to hear how your DBF likes it!

I don't make too many ADRs when I go to WDW...I prefer to eat at counter service restaurants and spend more time in the parks!

 

[thumperbelle3]

So remember how I said we got free airfare? Well they sent us a form awhile back so we could pick out the dates we wanted. That was almost two months ago! I was starting to get a little anxious because we haven't heard anything and it is very hard to plan our arrival day if I don't know what time we are arriving! Well yesterday when I got to DBF's and there was a letter on the table from the airfare people. I got all excited and he said, "It's not good news." They can't get us tickets for the dates we want. I can't say I was surprised. Some things are just too good to be true. They will however send us $350 for consolation. I'll believe it when I see it. What a crock! Do not, I repeat, DO NOT ever waste 90 minutes of your life sitting through a time share presentation. We never will again.

Well I jumped on the computer right then and started searching for some cheap plane tickets. It only took us about 20 minutes and we booked two tickets roundtrip out of Detroit on Spirit Air. The cost $493.00. That's for both of us, with 1 checked bag and insurance. I hope we can fit everything in 1 checked bag and 2 carry-ons! I tend to overpack sometimes! And the best part...I know know we are to arrive in Orlando around 10:20am! That gives us almost a full first day!

 

[addictedtothemouse]

My mom and I went to Raglan Road on our last trip and oh the bread pudding . I was actually dreaming about it the other night

 

[thumperbelle3]

My mom and I went to Raglan Road on our last trip and oh the bread pudding . I was actually dreaming about it the other night

That's one of the reasons why I picked it!

 

[thumperbelle3]

I previously posted that we got a free rental car voucher. Well it wasn't really free we had to put a $75.00 refundable deposit down and pay all taxes and fees and gas! Beacuse of the whole airfare fiasco I made the decision to cancel and get our deposit back. I'm going to just have to tell myself, "this is vacation. Just relax and take your time. You don't need a car." Honestly we were going to use the buses on some days anyway. I really don't mind waiting for a bus at the end of a park day. It's the time it takes to get there that I wish could be faster.

DBF said "Are you sure?" I said "Yeah, beacuse Mickey will pick us up at the airport." DBF said "Really! Mickey will be there!" He was so excited all of a sudden and I had to tell him "No Mickey will not be there, but they do pick us up for free!" He's so cute!

Last Friday I went to Walmart and bought a brand new 1GB memory card for my camera. Until now the largest card I had was 128MB. Yikes! Get with the times girl. I also bought a misting fan. And guess what color it is...........LIME GREEN!

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

I previously posted that we got a free rental car voucher. Well it wasn't really free we had to put a $75.00 refundable deposit down and pay all taxes and fees and gas! Beacuse of the whole airfare fiasco I made the decision to cancel and get our deposit back. I'm going to just have to tell myself, "this is vacation. Just relax and take your time. You don't need a car." Honestly we were going to use the buses on some days anyway. I really don't mind waiting for a bus at the end of a park day. It's the time it takes to get there that I wish could be faster.

DBF said "Are you sure?" I said "Yeah, beacuse Mickey will pick us up at the airport." DBF said "Really! Mickey will be there!" He was so excited all of a sudden and I had to tell him "No Mickey will not be there, but they do pick us up for free!" He's so cute!

Last Friday I went to Walmart and bought a brand new 1GB memory card for my camera. Until now the largest card I had was 128MB. Yikes! Get with the times girl. I also bought a misting fan. And guess what color it is...........LIME GREEN!

When I've been to Disney and we've had a rental car, we haven't used it much at all. I definitely prefer to use the buses. I think you get dropped off a lot closer than you can park. And you don't get lost that way (oh wait, maybe I'm the only one that gets lost there).

I have a small memory card like that too. I don't know why I don't just bite the bullet and buy a new one!

 

[thumperbelle3]

Is it September yet!? No. Ok. Just heard that Midwest Airlines cancelled most of it's non-seasonal flights to Orlando. I hope that doesn't happen to Spirit! I know I will be worring until the night before we leave.

I have planned our first day at Disney. Here is what it is going to look like:
Arrive at 10:20am
Take Magical Express to resort
Check-in (hope the room is ready...doubt it...come on pixie dust!)
Head to Raglan Road for lunch
Play mini golf at Fantasia Gardens (never done this before)
Explore Port Orleans French Quarter and take boat back to DTD
Do some shopping
Loser of mini golf buys winner their choice at Ghiradelli's (I plan to win!)
Back to resort to swim/relax/drinky drinks

I kind of want to go with the flow on the first day since we will be hitting the parks hard for the next 4 days. But, we will be in Disney finally and it'll be hard not to try and see everything we can!

 

[thumperbelle3]

Well I'm getting to the point where I'm starting to think about packing. I want to bring some breakfast type foods with us so we can eat b-fast in the room each morning. I don't know if I should send a package down to arrive when we get to the resort, or just pack it in the suitcase. As I said before we are planning to only bring one suitcase for the both of us. I don't want to go over the weight limit. But then I look at the dining reviews (YUM!) and think I might want to eat in the food court! Decisions, decisions!

I think Mark is getting excited about our trip. He's a little preocupied right now. He closed of his new condo 2 weeks ago and he's been busy moving in and getting settled. And by that I mean he's spending $$$ like it's burning a hole in his pocket buying all kinds of new stuff for the place. Hello sweetie! We have a vacation to save for!

Sorry if this is boring to anyone reading! And if you are reading, THANK YOU!
I promise it will get better once I'm able to write the actual trip report!

P.S. Someone tell me the coffee isn't that bad down there!

 

[PrincessVal]

I'm in.

You sound like me and my DH. I'm the vet and he's always just along for the ride. We are actually leaving this Sunday for Disney! I decided to do my first trip report this time also. Good luck with the rest of your planning.

 

[amytheobald]

I'm in we'll be there at the same time! We will be at POR with three little one's in tow.

 

[nflder]

Sorry if this is boring to anyone reading! And if you are reading, THANK YOU!
I promise it will get better once I'm able to write the actual trip report!

P.S. Someone tell me the coffee isn't that bad down there!

Reading along - great so far. Two things - I love the coffee at the resorts and I also love the transportation. Call me weird! I wouldn't worry too much about bringing down breakfast food - you have your snack credits for pastries and the like in the food court. I think bringing stuff with you may be a bit of a hassle.

Have a great trip - and any day now is a good time to start packing.

 

[thumperbelle3]

I'm in.

You sound like me and my DH. I'm the vet and he's always just along for the ride. We are actually leaving this Sunday for Disney! I decided to do my first trip report this time also. Good luck with the rest of your planning.

Safe travels on Sunday and have a great trip!

 

[thumperbelle3]

I'm in we'll be there at the same time! We will be at POR with three little one's in tow.

I loved POR. My family went there when it was still called Dixie Landings. We liked staying in the "Bayou Dwellings" the best. Not sure what they call this area of the resort now. The only downside to this resort for some people (not me though) is you may end up with a room that's far from the food court. I like to walk so no worries here! Have a great time and lets pray for nice weather!