DisneyJo
Missing my tags!
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2006
- Messages
- 20,224
As with all my trip reports it starts with a long journey. I won't bore you with all the details but I left my house at about 8am and finally landed at MCO at 8pm (3pm EST) this was 30 minutes ahead of schedule thanks to a rare tail wind 
I was soon through immigration and was amazed when my suitcase was one of the first off, this meant I arrived at the Magical Express desk at the time I was actually meant to land, bonus!
Sorry, back track a bit, I haven't even told you who is on this trip and why! Well it was me Jo, just me, yep I was going solo, well for the flight from England anyway
I'm a member of the Disney World Moms Panel and I have made the most fantastic friends with the other panellists and we had decided to have a huge reunion. All of the 2009 panel and some of the 2008 Moms were meeting to take part in the Expedition Everest 5K Challenge, note how I said "take part" rather than run 
I also managed to persuade my sister, who has recently moved to New York, to join me there too. So although I was on a solo trip the only time I was on my own was on the flight
So as I arrived at the ME desk early I tried to remember the list that Diane L from the panel had made with everyone's arrival times on, I had originally thought I would be too late to see anyone but those extra 30 minutes meant I could stalk a panellist! After chatting with the lady at the ME podium for a while and even giving her my card I spotted Whitney. I waved like a mad thing but it took her ages to see me, she was with her wonderful husband and we posed for a photo before going our separate ways. Me to Animal Kingdom Lodge and Whitney to POFQ, we weren't sad as we knew we' be seeing lots of each other soon. I was so pleased to spot someone so quickly!
Luck was really on my side today because as soon as I boarded the ME coach we were off. AKL was the second stop and I was soon in the check-in line which was only about 4 deep. When the next guests were called imagine my delight when it was Kay and Joanne from the panel, there was lots of screaming and hugging and the people around us must have wondered what an earth was going on, we were also talking ten to the dozen, it was hilarious and so fantastic. Kay was also a sweetie and had pressies for me, she really spoils all of us on the panel and this time had a wooden Halloween egg, party hat and a T-Shirt for me
It really was like meeting old friends and no-one would believe that the first and only time we'd met was over 9 months ago at training. (TR in my signature if you're interested)
I was quickly checked in and found out we'd been upgraded to a savannah view, I was so chuffed but knew my daughters would be gutted. I have 2 girls aged 11 and 13 and although they understood that I had to go to WDW without them, OK they actually said I could only go if I bought them back lots of American candy, I knew that they'd have loved the view from the room! The room was gorgeous and the view really cool!
The original plan was to rest a little but instead I headed straight to the pool to meet some more Moms. On the way I bumped into Margaret, again lots of hugging, screaming and talking occurred and we found Joanne and Kay by the pool with Cathy and her husband. We're all chatting away when we hear this booming voice shouting "are there any Disney Moms here? I've heard there are Disney Moms around here!" Everyone started looking and we're all in hysterics as this was Disney CM Gary/Jerry who has become a big Moms Panel friend after we'd met at training. We all chatted for a while before going back inside where we met another Mom Tanya and after chatting briefly I went for a drink and some nibbles with Joanne and Kay where we put the world to rights
Me, Margaret, Kay, Cathy & Joanne
Next up will my sister ever arrive?
I'd just like to thank all of my Moms Panel BFF's as I didn't seem to take many photos so I pinched some of theirs, thanks!
24th September part 2
25th September - GKTW & WWS Tour
25th September MNSSHP
EE5K Race part 1
Finally The Race
Sunday September 27th
Final chapter!
I was soon through immigration and was amazed when my suitcase was one of the first off, this meant I arrived at the Magical Express desk at the time I was actually meant to land, bonus!Sorry, back track a bit, I haven't even told you who is on this trip and why! Well it was me Jo, just me, yep I was going solo, well for the flight from England anyway
I'm a member of the Disney World Moms Panel and I have made the most fantastic friends with the other panellists and we had decided to have a huge reunion. All of the 2009 panel and some of the 2008 Moms were meeting to take part in the Expedition Everest 5K Challenge, note how I said "take part" rather than run I also managed to persuade my sister, who has recently moved to New York, to join me there too. So although I was on a solo trip the only time I was on my own was on the flight So as I arrived at the ME desk early I tried to remember the list that Diane L from the panel had made with everyone's arrival times on, I had originally thought I would be too late to see anyone but those extra 30 minutes meant I could stalk a panellist! After chatting with the lady at the ME podium for a while and even giving her my card I spotted Whitney. I waved like a mad thing but it took her ages to see me, she was with her wonderful husband and we posed for a photo before going our separate ways. Me to Animal Kingdom Lodge and Whitney to POFQ, we weren't sad as we knew we' be seeing lots of each other soon. I was so pleased to spot someone so quickly!
Luck was really on my side today because as soon as I boarded the ME coach we were off. AKL was the second stop and I was soon in the check-in line which was only about 4 deep. When the next guests were called imagine my delight when it was Kay and Joanne from the panel, there was lots of screaming and hugging and the people around us must have wondered what an earth was going on, we were also talking ten to the dozen, it was hilarious and so fantastic. Kay was also a sweetie and had pressies for me, she really spoils all of us on the panel and this time had a wooden Halloween egg, party hat and a T-Shirt for me
It really was like meeting old friends and no-one would believe that the first and only time we'd met was over 9 months ago at training. (TR in my signature if you're interested)I was quickly checked in and found out we'd been upgraded to a savannah view, I was so chuffed but knew my daughters would be gutted. I have 2 girls aged 11 and 13 and although they understood that I had to go to WDW without them, OK they actually said I could only go if I bought them back lots of American candy, I knew that they'd have loved the view from the room! The room was gorgeous and the view really cool!
The original plan was to rest a little but instead I headed straight to the pool to meet some more Moms. On the way I bumped into Margaret, again lots of hugging, screaming and talking occurred and we found Joanne and Kay by the pool with Cathy and her husband. We're all chatting away when we hear this booming voice shouting "are there any Disney Moms here? I've heard there are Disney Moms around here!" Everyone started looking and we're all in hysterics as this was Disney CM Gary/Jerry who has become a big Moms Panel friend after we'd met at training. We all chatted for a while before going back inside where we met another Mom Tanya and after chatting briefly I went for a drink and some nibbles with Joanne and Kay where we put the world to rights
Me, Margaret, Kay, Cathy & Joanne
Next up will my sister ever arrive?
I'd just like to thank all of my Moms Panel BFF's as I didn't seem to take many photos so I pinched some of theirs, thanks!
24th September part 2
25th September - GKTW & WWS Tour
25th September MNSSHP
EE5K Race part 1
Finally The Race
Sunday September 27th
Final chapter!
(EDITED to say I'm second!!!!!!)
So glad you are writing another trip report!
sorry Janet Margaret beat you 
I feel like I'm on a cliffhanger.
