*The Laughing Place is Where I'm Bound! SEPT 2016 PTR* Final Update 9/10- New TR Link!!!!

[TheLittleKatie]

Hiya,
Yes you can book for other parks after you use two. It's a good strategy.
Now, get back to writing that awesome trip report. I want to know how it ends.

Thanks! I'll be doing that for sure.
Haha aww, will do!

 

[DisneyJo]

I'm so pleased you got everything you wanted

 

[kclark9830]

What a great PTR! I'll be there the same week (4-10). A mother/daughter trip is definitely a life goal for me. Except I'll be the mother. Ha! I love the idea of watching Disney movies each week, but since I have a 6 year old, Disney is usually on half the day anyway. But I'm so glad you posted about your athletic sandals. I had a random thought a while back that I wanted to get some for our trip, but I'd forgotten. Now I can look for some!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Yaaay you're one step closer!!!

This FP time change sucks for you guys... it's worked out great for me though!!! When it was midnight eastern - that was 5am UK time.. now that its 7am eastern, it's midday here! good thing you were getting up anyway!

Your fastpasses look fun, and pretty similar to mine. I've just been making one or two passes for Epcot because of the tiering - I only want Soarin/Test Track! Do you know if, when we've used the two prebooked ones, can we start making extras on the go in other parks? Every year I think I've got it down but they make so many changes!!

Love the look of the CD you bought, what a great find. I need something like that in my life. In fact, as I write this, you've inspired me to go look for one

Haha, lucky you for getting to do FPs midday!! Although I can't even imagine booking fast passes for 3 whole weeks, I would be so overwhelmed
As @Upup4fun said, I believe you can make FP extras in other parks! We're definitely going to utilize this method on the trip, we didn't even know about it last year when we went (although September crowds were also in our favor). Still sad about no more Wishes FP, that would have been a no brainer for us And yes, girl! Go get your CD! If it helps, I've seen the same CD and other Disney CDs all over Amazon.com

Yay I'm glad you got all the FPs you wanted! And making a breakfast reservation at the Grand Floridian Cafe sounds perfect!

The DL CD you got sounds so cool! You and your mom totally need to make a mother/daughter trip over there, you would love it

Thank you! It's funny, when the "tropical storm" was approaching before our last trip, we almost made a last-minute switch to Disneyland. I'm so glad that we didn't, but I would love to check it out one day!!

Hi!,
I really hope you love breakfast there it's really yummy. Your Fp+ looks great, but on your HS day I think you should get Fp for the Indy Stunt Show and make your mom volunteer to be an extra.

It looks delicious! And haha, we're sadly only doing a half-day at DHS so we're just hitting the big rides! But if it matters, my mom gently volunteered (forced) me to be a stunt extra for the Backlot Tour back in 2010

I'm so pleased you got everything you wanted

Thank you! Our trips are definitely coming up soon!

What a great PTR! I'll be there the same week (4-10). A mother/daughter trip is definitely a life goal for me. Except I'll be the mother. Ha! I love the idea of watching Disney movies each week, but since I have a 6 year old, Disney is usually on half the day anyway. But I'm so glad you posted about your athletic sandals. I had a random thought a while back that I wanted to get some for our trip, but I'd forgotten. Now I can look for some!

Thank you and That's so fun, I'll definitely keep an eye out for you around the parks!! Mother-daughter trips are a blast, I wish we would have thought to do one even sooner when I was little. And good athletic sandals are an absolute must for Disney, let me know which one you choose Heading over to your PTR now!!

 

[jodi90]

Congrats on getting all your fastpasses!! They all look great

 

[Mollydolly334]

Congrats on getting all your fastpasses!! They all look great

Thank you! Hope you got all the FPs you wanted as well

 

[Mollydolly334]

Memories of Disney Trips Past

Hello readers! I decided to do something a bit different on my PTR for the next few updates. The other day, I was reading a DIS thread called "Pictures of Things No Longer Seen at WDW" (link is: http://www.disboards.com/threads/pictures-of-things-no-longer-seen-at-wdw.3382698/). I was having so much fun looking through all of the vintage Disney pictures that I decided to go through some of my old photo albums from trips past. As you can tell from my signature, I have been to Disney World 6 times previously. I thought it would be cool to share some photos and memories from those previous trips and see if you guys remember the same things I did! So, without further ado, Molly's Disney World History!

Trip #1- October 20-27, 2000

Sadly, this was the only trip that I couldn't find any photos for We finished our basement awhile back and a few photo albums must have been sucked into a black hole down there (you all know what I'm talking about )
I was 6 years old and had just started 1st grade, and my sister, Haley was in 4th grade. We stayed at Dixie Landings (which is now POR for those who don't know) in a standard room. We were in the Mansions at Parterre Place. My mom says that she remembers the rooms being very small, even for a family of four. I also remember the grounds being huge and doing a lot of walking, but loving the giant "wheel" at Boatwright's! Here are some other tidbits that I remember from that trip:

1. This trip was the first time I had ever ridden on an airplane. I was so excited that I was allowed to chew gum and blow bubbles
2. The very first ride we rode on was "Snow White's Scary Adventures." I was a chicken at age 6, and this totally spooked me. I remember thinking "If this is what Disney World is like, I want to go home!"
3. Later that day, we all went on Alien Encounter. Haley was traumatized, but I still insisted that Snow White's Scary Adventures was the scariest ride of the day
4. We spent A LOT of time at this quiet pool. My sister and I were swimming machines! We also did a day at Sea World on this trip.

4. The night we flew in, we ate at Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD and I ordered a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich. Apparently I turned to my mom and exclaimed, "This is confusing to swallow!"
5. I fell asleep in my food at dinner every. single. night. My mom remembers having to wash ketchup out of my hair in the restaurant sinks. Hey, Disney is tiring for a 6 year old!
6. We met SO many characters that trip. I was in awe of the princesses and all of the characters and actually preferred meet n greets to rides.
7. My parents bought me a pink Princess bucket hat at Epcot and I wore that thing until it practically ripped apart. I loved that hat!
8. One day, we took the ferry over to POFQ to ride the lizard slide (I think the main feature pool at Dixie Landings wasn't open). We spent hours on the slide and loved it. It was definitely my most vivid memory of the trip! Funny how you remember the most random things as a child?

Trip #2- October 18-26, 2002

Overall, this trip was probably my favorite of the bunch. I'm not really sure why, but it just stands out to me as being a total blast. We stayed at the Polynesian Resort in a standard room in the Samoa longhouse. I was 8 years old and in 3rd grade, while Haley was in 6th grade. We stayed for 8 nights, which is the longest we have ever stayed in WDW to date. This trip holds my first crystal clear memories of Disney, and I sort of count it as my "real" first time going, since I remember so much more and was overall just a different kid. I was a crybaby (my mom called it "easily aggravated") at age 6 and had some sensory overload issues at WDW. But, as an 8 year old they all mysteriously vanished, probably just because I had matured a bit. I went on every single ride I could and loved RnRc and ToT the most!

Haley and I outside of Pirates of the Caribbean

Some of my best memories:

1. Riding up front in the Monorail almost every single time (ask nicely and you shall receive sadly, you can't do this anymore).
2. Eating at Fulton's Crab House the first night and accidentally dropping a plate. It shattered to the ground and I was so embarrassed that I started crying. The waiter was so nice about it and ended up giving me a free dessert.
3. Watching Lizzie McGuire in our room at the Poly and ordering room service at midnight after a day in the parks. I thought that it was literally the coolest thing ever that our parents let us do that. I even remember the episode we watched (for all you Lizzie McGuire fans out there). It was "First Kiss."
4. We did a day at Universal Studios this trip. I remember loving the Jaws ride and laughing at my sister when she cried on it (like I said, I did a complete 180 between 2000-2002).
5. After eating dinner at Concourse Steakhouse in the Contemporary (that doesn't even exist anymore), I got a caricature done in the lobby.

The artist drew Spongebob because that was my favorite TV show back then, and he drew a lizard too. Earlier that day, we were at Blizzard Beach and I had caught a lizard by it's tail. I was so proud of myself that I must have been telling the artist about it while he was drawing me
6. Watching Flights of Wonder at Animal Kingdom and being chosen to go up on stage! I had to do math and see if I could figure out an equation faster than a parrot. They asked me questions like "what is 7-3" or "What is 1+3", with the last number always being 3 and the answer always being 4. The trick was, the parent automatically said "4" every time it heard "3," so I looked silly because a parrot was beating me at math! One of the questions they asked me was "What is 12/3", and I exclaimed, "I haven't learned division yet!!" It was so much fun and I was so tickled that they had picked me.

Haley and me with Tigger at Animal Kingdom

7. Running around the beach at the Poly, playing tag with Haley and eating Mickey bars. The life
8. On our last full park day, we went to Epcot and saw Honey I Shrunk the Audience 3D. Although the show was funny, it was the preshow that really stuck with me. It was a picture montage sponsored by Kodak to the music "True Colors." I'm not sure what it was about it, but even at 8 years old, I was so touched by this video. Maybe it's my sensitive nature, but I teared up while watching it in the audience and still tear up when I hear it to this day. At this moment, I was sitting in the theatre and thinking "Disney World is my favorite place on Earth." This video, in my opinion, is what Disney is all about. Imagination. Inspiration. Creativity. Uniqueness. If you have a chance, please watch it. I've included the link below

Stay Tuned for Next Update: Disney Trips 2005 and 2010!!
​

 

[TheLittleKatie]

Loved this post!

3. Later that day, we all went on Alien Encounter. Haley was traumatized, but I still insisted that Snow White's Scary Adventures was the scariest ride of the day

This was the most horrifying creation ever. IT DID NOT BELONG IN MAGIC KINGDOM.

4. The night we flew in, we ate at Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD and I ordered a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich.

Nutritious No one really has PB&J as a combo here in the UK, but I have been hooked on it since my first trip to Disney when I was 4.. I remember eating it ALL the time, and I still do. Everyone here thinks I'm crazy

Apparently I turned to my mom and exclaimed, "This is confusing to swallow!"

This tickled me

2. Eating at Fulton's Crab House the first night and accidentally dropping a plate. It shattered to the ground and I was so embarrassed that I started crying. The waiter was so nice about it and ended up giving me a free dessert.

Smash a plate = free dessert... I must try that

4. We did a day at Universal Studios this trip. I remember loving the Jaws ride and laughing at my sister when she cried on it (like I said, I did a complete 180 between 2000-2002).

This ride legit gave me a lifelong phobia of sharks.. No exaggeration. I wouldn't get in the bath when I was little and I'm still terrified at the sight of them

8. On our last full park day, we went to Epcot and saw Honey I Shrunk the Audience 3D.

I LOVED Honey I Shrunk The Audience!!!!

 

[Upup4fun]

I was floored by Honey I Shrunk the Audience. Loved it. RIP.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

We stayed at Dixie Landings (which is now POR for those who don't know) in a standard room. We were in the Mansions at Parterre Place. My mom says that she remembers the rooms being very small, even for a family of four. I also remember the grounds being huge and doing a lot of walking, but loving the giant "wheel" at Boatwright's!

My family and I stayed there last time, in Oak Manor (princess room). It was a really nice resort but I did find it to be a lot of walking, even though our room was fairly close to the bridge to the main building. I did find the room a little small, but we kind of expected that because our trip before was in a family suite at AoA, so I guess we were prepared for it.

Later that day, we all went on Alien Encounter. Haley was traumatized, but I still insisted that Snow White's Scary Adventures was the scariest ride of the day

I agree with @TheLittleKatie Alien Encounter was terrifying and did not belong in MK! I only went on it once, and I was in my early 20's, so I was not really scared myself, but I was thinking the entire time how awful this ride was for kids and what the heck was it doing in Magic Kingdom!?

We spent A LOT of time at this quiet pool. My sister and I were swimming machines!

I spent a fair bit of time there myself with youngest DD. She loved diving down to get the acorns form the bottom of the pool. I like the pool photo. The room we stayed in is on the second floor, almost directly in the centre of that photo. (yes, Canadian spelling of centre )

Watching Lizzie McGuire in our room at the Poly and ordering room service at midnight after a day in the parks. I thought that it was literally the coolest thing ever that our parents let us do that.

I'm glad you mentioned this. It makes me hope that my daughters will have some kind of happy memory like this. I remember on the last night of our 2014 trip we had finished with the parks late afternoon to pack up for the trip home the next morning. We got through packing earlier then we expected and were just sitting in the hotel room around 9:30 at night feeling depressed about leaving, not sure what to do. Normally at home 9:30 is getting ready for bed time, but we were still on vacation, so my wife jumped up and said "let's go to Downtown Disney!", so off we went and had a great last night.

 

[missangelalexis]

Loved reading your memories from past trips- and seeing pictures! Can't wait to read about more past trips

 

[Mollydolly334]

This was the most horrifying creation ever. IT DID NOT BELONG IN MAGIC KINGDOM.

HAHA I know! My parents said that when we were about to get in line, they saw 3 teenage girls run out of the attraction crying. Somehow, they still thought that it would still be okay to take their 6 and 9 year old on it??

Nutritious No one really has PB&J as a combo here in the UK, but I have been hooked on it since my first trip to Disney when I was 4.. I remember eating it ALL the time, and I still do. Everyone here thinks I'm crazy

PB and J was a staple in my diet as a child. Literally, almost everyday I would have an "Uncrustable" in my lunch (those were the things at the Poly CL that you loved!). I've actually heard that PB isn't that huge in Europe, which is tragic since I practically live on it even now!

This ride legit gave me a lifelong phobia of sharks.. No exaggeration. I wouldn't get in the bath when I was little and I'm still terrified at the sight of them

Awww, poor little Katie! For some reason, sharks never bothered me. Clowns? That's a different story.....The slide alone is what's been keeping me from staying at BWI.

I LOVED Honey I Shrunk The Audience!!!!

GIRL me too! My mom and I refused to see Captain EO last trip out of protest

I was floored by Honey I Shrunk the Audience. Loved it. RIP.

Glad you loved it Maybe I'm a sap, but music/picture montages always hit me in the feels!!

My family and I stayed there last time, in Oak Manor (princess room). It was a really nice resort but I did find it to be a lot of walking, even though our room was fairly close to the bridge to the main building. I did find the room a little small, but we kind of expected that because our trip before was in a family suite at AoA, so I guess we were prepared for it.

Yeah, I think that my parents were just expecting the room to be bigger since since it was in the "middle" category of prices? Not sure! Of course, next trip at the Poly the rooms felt huge! This past year at CBR, the room size was perfect since it was just my mom and me.

I agree with @TheLittleKatie Alien Encounter was terrifying and did not belong in MK! I only went on it once, and I was in my early 20's, so I was not really scared myself, but I was thinking the entire time how awful this ride was for kids and what the heck was it doing in Magic Kingdom!?

I know, I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did! Honestly, I don't think it scared me as much because of my smaller size. I was teeny tiny even for a 6 year old, so I was too short to feel the alien "grabbing" at my legs, and when he "breathed down your neck," it ended up just going right over my head

I'm glad you mentioned this. It makes me hope that my daughters will have some kind of happy memory like this. I remember on the last night of our 2014 trip we had finished with the parks late afternoon to pack up for the trip home the next morning. We got through packing earlier then we expected and were just sitting in the hotel room around 9:30 at night feeling depressed about leaving, not sure what to do. Normally at home 9:30 is getting ready for bed time, but we were still on vacation, so my wife jumped up and said "let's go to Downtown Disney!", so off we went and had a great last night.

That's so fun Sometimes the little, spontaneous things are what kids remember the most. We ate pretty healthy at home, but I remember that on vacation, nothing was off limits. If you wanted dessert before dinner, you could have it! It was so cool to do something that wasn't the norm at home and you also see a new, funner side to your parents too

Loved reading your memories from past trips- and seeing pictures! Can't wait to read about more past trips

Thanks for your enthusiasm!!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Memories of Disney Trips Past: Part 2!!!

Hello Disfriends! Get ready for Part 2 of my “Memories of Disney Trips Past!” Last post, I talked about my family trips in 2000 and 2002. Now, I’m onto my vacations in 2005 and 2010. Let’s get started!

Trip #3- May 25-31st, 2005

This trip was for my mom’s work. Every year, she has a conference over Memorial Day weekend in a different city (this past May was San Antonio). It was in Disney World this year, and I was ecstatic. Since her meetings were held over at the Swan/Dolphin, we decided to stay at the Beach Club in order to be close to her work and able to explore the Boardwalk area. We had no great interest in staying at the Swan or Dolphin, since we like to feel like we are in the middle of the “Disney Bubble” and have immersive theming. So, we did 6 nights in a standard room at the Beach Club. I was just ending my 5th grade year and was 10 years old, while Haley turned 14 on this trip. Be prepared for some entertaining photos. Haley and I were both smack dab in the middle of our “awkward phases” in 2005, so, get ready for some braces, messy hair, and interesting clothing choices!

Haley, me and my dad at Typhoon Lagoon.

Some of my most vivid memories of this trip are:

1. Counting down the days religiously until the trip. We had booked this way back in January, and I had a countdown hanging up in my room. Since I had such a great time on our October 2002 trip, I was SO excited to go back. This was where my Disney obsession fully started! I would always watch the TV specials on the Travel Channel and I went on the Disney website almost every day to look at the pictures/videos. I’m pretty sure I set out my plane clothes and had my carry-on packed a month in advance!

Haley and I in line for Philharmagic

2. I had some health issues on this trip. Prior to the trip (pretty much all of the second half of 5th grade), I had some major stomach pain. I would spend at least 3 hours a week in the nurse’s office at school. I had some tests done at the doctor’s, and it turned out that I did have some inflammation. Because of this, I was barely ever hungry and would only eat certain things. Leading up to the trip, I had lost 8 pounds in 2 months, leaving me at about 53 pounds at almost 11 years old. Basically, I survived on milkshakes, soup and bread the whole trip. But, nothing to fear, I started a new medication after our vacation that made the inflammation disappear and my appetite go back to normal!

3. Almost every afternoon break was spent at Stormalong Bay. That pool was so awesome to me! The sand bottom was my favorite part. One day at the pool, I met a friend and played with her for a bit. I remember that she told me her name was “Aurora BriarRose,” and I was very suspicious

Lovin’ life at Stormalong Bay

4. This trip, we met up with my dad’s cousin Sue and her family who lived in the Orlando area. They picked us up from the BC one night and we drove to their house, where we swam, had dinner and ate cake for Haley’s birthday. I remember hanging out with Sue’s son and his girlfriend and them telling me that many of their college friends worked as face characters in the parks. I thought that was so cool!

Haley and I with a Storm Trooper at Hollywood Studios on her 14th birthday

5. This vacation was the first time I had ever ridden Soarin’, and I was sufficiently obsessed with it. At least 2 nights after we got back to the BC from a park, I convinced my parents to let Haley and I walk to Epcot to ride Soarin’ again before the park closed!

6. Our Animal Kingdom day was so hot this trip (as it usually is at AK). We bought a refillable mug with a cheetah on it (we still have it to this day) and must have drank 5 refills worth in a few hours. I remember waiting in line at Kali River Rapids for 80 minutes, only to get the dry seat on the ride! All I wanted was to cool down!

My mom, Haley, and I at Rafiki’s Planet Watch

7. My mom and Haley did a day at Universal Studios IOA. Mom asked me if I wanted to come along or do another day at Magic Kingdom with my dad. Which one do you think I picked? That’s a no-brainer for me!

Trip #4- April 4-11, 2010

This trip came about in a bit of a different way! We usually go to Mexico over spring break, but decided not to this year since Haley was off in college. Well, naturally, I still wanted to do something over spring break, so I asked my parents about Disney World. We hadn’t had gone in 5 years, and I was itching to go back! Plus, my best friend Leah had never been to Disney World before and we had been talking about how fun it would be to go together. At first, my parents said no, but then my Grandma called and said that she had timeshare points to use up and asked if we wanted to use them for free. Well, how could we say no to that?? So, my parents fished around and found a condo unit in Kissimmee to stay at for the week, so all we would have to pay for were tickets, flights, and food. Thus, the trip was on! Leah and I were so incredibly excited for this. We started counting down at 100 days, then every 10 days Leah would post on my Facebook how many days we had left. Then, during the last 10 days, she posted every day! We must have been so annoying We stayed for 7 nights in a one-bedroom condo at Mystic Dunes resort, which was just about 10 minutes outside of WDW. I was 15 years old, Leah was 16, and we were both in 10th grade.

Since I remember this trip a bit more than the earlier ones, I will do this one in a mini-TR style, briefly recapping every day we were there! Here are the first 3 days!

Day 1: Our flight left at about 2:30 PM, so I spent the morning finishing up packing and doing some homework. My teachers had assigned SO much homework over spring break this year. Along with other assignments, I had to read the book Ender’s Game and do a 10-page question packet on it for English! So, I made sure to get all of my other subjects done so that I only had to worry about English for the trip. We picked Leah up at about 12:00 and headed to the airport! During the flight, we listened to music and talked. I remember that we were in the very last row of seats! When we arrived in Orlando, we waited for about 45 minutes for our rental car. Once we got our car, we ate at TGI Friday’s and drove to Mystic Dunes to explore and head to bed!

So excited to be at Disney!

Day 2: We spent most of the day by the pool at Mystic Dunes. We took a break in the middle of the day to do some grocery shopping for the condo and get some ice cream in town. After swimming and laying by the pool all day, we showered, got ready, and headed to the Boardwalk for dinner! We played games at the Boardwalk and my dad won me a stuffed penguin! It's sitting on my dresser as I speak We had pina coladas at the Ale and Compass Lounge at the Yacht Club before dinner (mine and Leah’s were alcohol-free, of course). Then, we ate dinner at Big River Grille and watched Illuminations from the Boardwalk before heading back to the condo.

Leah and I in front of the Swolphin!

Day 3: Magic Kingdom day! We woke up at about 7 AM, drove to the TTC, and monorailed over to the Magic Kingdom! Lines were crazy this day because it was spring break, and it was also blazing hot. I remember waiting in line for BTMRR and feeling like I was going to melt. At noon, we decided that we should pick up some Space Mountain FPs before we ate lunch. Guess what the return time was??? MIDNIGHT! That’s how busy the park was! We had lunch at Columbia Harbor House and rode some more rides until my dad left at 5:00.

Family picture before my dad headed back to the condo (just missing Haley)! See how bright it was???

Then, it was just my mom, Leah and I! We had dinner at the Tomorrowland Terrace, where we ran into some of our friends from back home! Then, since it was so crowded, we ended up watching Wishes from the PeopleMover and just looped around about 4 times to see the whole show.

Leah and I in front of the Haunted Mansion

One mishap did happen this day. By the time our Space Mountain FPs were eligible (12-1 AM), we were all tired and cranky from being at the park since 8:30 AM. But, we had waited all day to ride Space Mountain so we stuck it out and rode. The ride was great, and as we were walking out, Leah was raving about how fun it was. All of a sudden, she reached into her pocket and screamed, “MY PHONE’S GONE!” You would have thought she lost her left arm. She started inconsolably crying and this poor ride operator kept telling her to stay behind the yellow line, but she kept crossing it to look in the ride vehicle. Since we were all wiped out from being in the park for 14 hours, I was less than sympathetic, saying “I don’t care about your frickin’ phone! I wanna go back to the hotel!” Of course, this turns into a mini-argument, until the awesome CM finds the phone and the crisis is averted! Completely delirious from the long day and the roller coaster of emotions that had just happened, we stumbled back into our car and drove home. Oh, and don’t worry. After a hug and a long night’s sleep, all was well with Leah and I again! It's one of my favorite Disney stories. My mom, Leah, and I crack up whenever one of us brings it up. And every trip, I make sure to take a picture of my foot crossing that dang yellow line and send it to her


Coming Soon: Memories of Disney Trips Past Part 3: 2010 Cont. and 2013!​

 

[missangelalexis]

Aww you guys don't look awkward, ya'll were so cute!! The 2005 trip sounds like it was great. I love your story about going to ride Soarin after getting back to the hotel

The 2010 trip already sounds so fun (minus the phone incident )! How great it must have been to go with a friend!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Aww you guys don't look awkward, ya'll were so cute!! The 2005 trip sounds like it was great. I love your story about going to ride Soarin after getting back to the hotel

The 2010 trip already sounds so fun (minus the phone incident )! How great it must have been to go with a friend!

Haha, why thank you I still love Soarin'! I'm a bit nervous to see the new version, I hope I like it as much as I did the first version! It was such a great time going with my best friend in 2010. Leah is basically like a second sister, so we could bicker like siblings but then talk about boys/friends/school like BFFS. Truly the best of both worlds

 

[kclark9830]

Memories of Disney Trips Past: Part 2!!!

Hello Disfriends! Get ready for Part 2 of my “Memories of Disney Trips Past!” Last post, I talked about my family trips in 2000 and 2002. Now, I’m onto my vacations in 2005 and 2010. Let’s get started!

Trip #3- May 25-31st, 2005

This trip was for my mom’s work. Every year, she has a conference over Memorial Day weekend in a different city (this past May was San Antonio). It was in Disney World this year, and I was ecstatic. Since her meetings were held over at the Swan/Dolphin, we decided to stay at the Beach Club in order to be close to her work and able to explore the Boardwalk area. We had no great interest in staying at the Swan or Dolphin, since we like to feel like we are in the middle of the “Disney Bubble” and have immersive theming. So, we did 6 nights in a standard room at the Beach Club. I was just ending my 5th grade year and was 10 years old, while Haley turned 14 on this trip. Be prepared for some entertaining photos. Haley and I were both smack dab in the middle of our “awkward phases” in 2005, so, get ready for some braces, messy hair, and interesting clothing choices!

Haley, me and my dad at Typhoon Lagoon.

Some of my most vivid memories of this trip are:

1. Counting down the days religiously until the trip. We had booked this way back in January, and I had a countdown hanging up in my room. Since I had such a great time on our October 2002 trip, I was SO excited to go back. This was where my Disney obsession fully started! I would always watch the TV specials on the Travel Channel and I went on the Disney website almost every day to look at the pictures/videos. I’m pretty sure I set out my plane clothes and had my carry-on packed a month in advance!

Haley and I in line for Philharmagic

2. I had some health issues on this trip. Prior to the trip (pretty much all of the second half of 5th grade), I had some major stomach pain. I would spend at least 3 hours a week in the nurse’s office at school. I had some tests done at the doctor’s, and it turned out that I did have some inflammation. Because of this, I was barely ever hungry and would only eat certain things. Leading up to the trip, I had lost 8 pounds in 2 months, leaving me at about 53 pounds at almost 11 years old. Basically, I survived on milkshakes, soup and bread the whole trip. But, nothing to fear, I started a new medication after our vacation that made the inflammation disappear and my appetite go back to normal!

3. Almost every afternoon break was spent at Stormalong Bay. That pool was so awesome to me! The sand bottom was my favorite part. One day at the pool, I met a friend and played with her for a bit. I remember that she told me her name was “Aurora BriarRose,” and I was very suspicious

Lovin’ life at Stormalong Bay

4. This trip, we met up with my dad’s cousin Sue and her family who lived in the Orlando area. They picked us up from the BC one night and we drove to their house, where we swam, had dinner and ate cake for Haley’s birthday. I remember hanging out with Sue’s son and his girlfriend and them telling me that many of their college friends worked as face characters in the parks. I thought that was so cool!

Haley and I with a Storm Trooper at Hollywood Studios on her 14th birthday

5. This vacation was the first time I had ever ridden Soarin’, and I was sufficiently obsessed with it. At least 2 nights after we got back to the BC from a park, I convinced my parents to let Haley and I walk to Epcot to ride Soarin’ again before the park closed!

6. Our Animal Kingdom day was so hot this trip (as it usually is at AK). We bought a refillable mug with a cheetah on it (we still have it to this day) and must have drank 5 refills worth in a few hours. I remember waiting in line at Kali River Rapids for 80 minutes, only to get the dry seat on the ride! All I wanted was to cool down!

My mom, Haley, and I at Rafiki’s Planet Watch

7. My mom and Haley did a day at Universal Studios IOA. Mom asked me if I wanted to come along or do another day at Magic Kingdom with my dad. Which one do you think I picked? That’s a no-brainer for me!

Trip #4- April 4-11, 2010

This trip came about in a bit of a different way! We usually go to Mexico over spring break, but decided not to this year since Haley was off in college. Well, naturally, I still wanted to do something over spring break, so I asked my parents about Disney World. We hadn’t had gone in 5 years, and I was itching to go back! Plus, my best friend Leah had never been to Disney World before and we had been talking about how fun it would be to go together. At first, my parents said no, but then my Grandma called and said that she had timeshare points to use up and asked if we wanted to use them for free. Well, how could we say no to that?? So, my parents fished around and found a condo unit in Kissimmee to stay at for the week, so all we would have to pay for were tickets, flights, and food. Thus, the trip was on! Leah and I were so incredibly excited for this. We started counting down at 100 days, then every 10 days Leah would post on my Facebook how many days we had left. Then, during the last 10 days, she posted every day! We must have been so annoying We stayed for 7 nights in a one-bedroom condo at Mystic Dunes resort, which was just about 10 minutes outside of WDW. I was 15 years old, Leah was 16, and we were both in 10th grade.

Since I remember this trip a bit more than the earlier ones, I will do this one in a mini-TR style, briefly recapping every day we were there! Here are the first 3 days!

Day 1: Our flight left at about 2:30 PM, so I spent the morning finishing up packing and doing some homework. My teachers had assigned SO much homework over spring break this year. Along with other assignments, I had to read the book Ender’s Game and do a 10-page question packet on it for English! So, I made sure to get all of my other subjects done so that I only had to worry about English for the trip. We picked Leah up at about 12:00 and headed to the airport! During the flight, we listened to music and talked. I remember that we were in the very last row of seats! When we arrived in Orlando, we waited for about 45 minutes for our rental car. Once we got our car, we ate at TGI Friday’s and drove to Mystic Dunes to explore and head to bed!

So excited to be at Disney!

Day 2: We spent most of the day by the pool at Mystic Dunes. We took a break in the middle of the day to do some grocery shopping for the condo and get some ice cream in town. After swimming and laying by the pool all day, we showered, got ready, and headed to the Boardwalk for dinner! We played games at the Boardwalk and my dad won me a stuffed penguin! It's sitting on my dresser as I speak We had pina coladas at the Ale and Compass Lounge at the Yacht Club before dinner (mine and Leah’s were alcohol-free, of course). Then, we ate dinner at Big River Grille and watched Illuminations from the Boardwalk before heading back to the condo.

Leah and I in front of the Swolphin!

Day 3: Magic Kingdom day! We woke up at about 7 AM, drove to the TTC, and monorailed over to the Magic Kingdom! Lines were crazy this day because it was spring break, and it was also blazing hot. I remember waiting in line for BTMRR and feeling like I was going to melt. At noon, we decided that we should pick up some Space Mountain FPs before we ate lunch. Guess what the return time was??? MIDNIGHT! That’s how busy the park was! We had lunch at Columbia Harbor House and rode some more rides until my dad left at 5:00.

Family picture before my dad headed back to the condo (just missing Haley)! See how bright it was???

Then, it was just my mom, Leah and I! We had dinner at the Tomorrowland Terrace, where we ran into some of our friends from back home! Then, since it was so crowded, we ended up watching Wishes from the PeopleMover and just looped around about 4 times to see the whole show.

Leah and I in front of the Haunted Mansion

One mishap did happen this day. By the time our Space Mountain FPs were eligible (12-1 AM), we were all tired and cranky from being at the park since 8:30 AM. But, we had waited all day to ride Space Mountain so we stuck it out and rode. The ride was great, and as we were walking out, Leah was raving about how fun it was. All of a sudden, she reached into her pocket and screamed, “MY PHONE’S GONE!” You would have thought she lost her left arm. She started inconsolably crying and this poor ride operator kept telling her to stay behind the yellow line, but she kept crossing it to look in the ride vehicle. Since we were all wiped out from being in the park for 14 hours, I was less than sympathetic, saying “I don’t care about your frickin’ phone! I wanna go back to the hotel!” Of course, this turns into a mini-argument, until the awesome CM finds the phone and the crisis is averted! Completely delirious from the long day and the roller coaster of emotions that had just happened, we stumbled back into our car and drove home. Oh, and don’t worry. After a hug and a long night’s sleep, all was well with Leah and I again! It's one of my favorite Disney stories. My mom, Leah, and I crack up whenever one of us brings it up. And every trip, I make sure to take a picture of my foot crossing that dang yellow line and send it to her


Coming Soon: Memories of Disney Trips Past Part 3: 2010 Cont. and 2013!​

I love this idea of memories of past trips! I've thought about doing a mini TR for our first trip back in 2011, but I eventually decided not to. Maybe I should rethink that!

 

[chasingthtdream08]

Hi @Mollydolly334 ! Following along, getting some great ideas to incorporate into my PTR....to pass the time. Hope you don't mind!

Fellow Wisconsinte here....but we already established that in my PTR!

 

[Mollydolly334]

I love this idea of memories of past trips! I've thought about doing a mini TR for our first trip back in 2011, but I eventually decided not to. Maybe I should rethink that!

Thank you! You definitely should, I'd love to hear about it

Hi @Mollydolly334 ! Following along, getting some great ideas to incorporate into my PTR....to pass the time. Hope you don't mind!

Fellow Wisconsinte here....but we already established that in my PTR!

Absolutely not, I'd love it if you used my ideas! And yay Wisconsinites!!

 

[Upup4fun]

Wow! This is really inspiring me to track down my old disney photos! These blast from the past posts are so fun.

 

[Mollydolly334]

Wow! This is really inspiring me to track down my old disney photos! These blast from the past posts are so fun.

Thank you so much! I'd love to see your old Disney pics!