This is your 24th Anniversary? But you're so young!~A 5/12 TR!*PTR link pg 49, 9/14!*

[smile4stamps]

How awesome was it you were able to time it right to get back for Soarin'!! I am not liking the be back within an hour thing! I am used to HOARDING my FP's!!

I have the same Winnie the Pooh shirt you were wearing!!

I'm sorry Brandon wasn't feeling well after the sushi. Sounds like he felt better pretty quickly though and was able to eat some more!

Fantastic ending to your first day! I can't wait to watch Illuminations!

 

[KatMark]

Jen, I'm sorry...but I have to agree with Brandon on this one -- I don't like Stacy either (probably why the only time I turn the TV on at Disney is to catch the weather channel).

I'm so glad you got to watch your Illuminations (I don't think we've sat and watched it since our best friends went with us for our 25th anniversary four years ago). Your pictures were great.

And I love all the flower pictures--especially Pooh, etc.

 

[teekathepony]

Oh dear, I'm afraid I'm with Brandon re: Stacey. I can't stand her either
I DO love all the flower and garden festival decor! Some day I'd like to get there to see it all in person.
Glad your Soarin' FP times worked out!
What a wonderful evening, apart from Brandon not feeling well. My #1 favourite thing is the opening lines of IllumiNations, I just adore that part!

 

[amazingact21]

Perfect ending! Your whole arrival day sounds absolutely wonderful; I couldn't imagine a better start to a Disney trip.


Ahhh, so I just have to say, the comment about the Soarin' intro video with Patrick going, "Oh, yeah, these little beauties" is my favorite part. I burst out laughing every single time I watched it, and other people around me thought I was nuts, but I didn't care. The very last time I rode Soarin' I wanted to take a picture of that part, as well, but I knew it'd look crazy.


I'm glad you were able to watch IllumiNations on your first night...isn't it awesome when you get to experience your favorites right away? And DTD after Epcot...sounds fantastic!

 

[ALFranklin]

I'm pretty new to DISboards and I am really enjoying your TR (and have enjoyed your others). The Beach Club sounds so amazing! I feel the same way you do about Epcot and it would be so wonderful to just have it in your back yard, so to speak. My husband and I are going for our 1st anniversary in Sept. and we're staying at POP. It is inexpensive, but one day I hope to stay at the Beach Club or The Contemporary. I'm looking forward to more of your TR!

 

[Shannon84]

I love the Winnie the Pooh character topiaries!!

Too bad Brandon wasn't smiling in the picture, but its still really cute and what a cool border!! That is so fun!! Ps I have in between bangs trying to grow them out right now, what a pain!

I cannot wait to ride Soarin'!! I love that ride so much. I think I am beginning to love EPCOT more each visit

Poor Brandon feeling sick during Illuminations, Im glad you still got to enjoy it!

 

[Nermel9]

Sounds like your 1st day was just about perfect!

It was a pretty good first day! We didn't do many attractions, but we ate a lot, and that's always fun! And ending the day with Illuminations is always perfect!

YAY STACEY! I love your Vera Bradley!

I LOVE that part of the pre-show! The guy looks so happy to be wearing his Mickey ears and Patrick's just like... dude, let it go. And the guy's like, yeah... okay. I laugh every time!

I always get super stuffed when I eat sushi, so I don't know how Brandon did it! Wow! Hahah. Oh. But then he felt sick. I get it Brandon, I get it.

I just really wish I was watching IllumiNations right now. Why are we not there though? Lame.

It sounds like yall had a great first day!!!!

I just watched the Must Do's on Youtube last night...I couldn't get through the whole thing, I wanted to cry, it's just not right watching that outside of Disney World!

Thanks, I love that pattern, I want to get more purses in that pattern! I had so many people compliment me on it in Disney too!

I laugh during that pre-show every time too, and I always feel like such a dork, because I know what's coming, and yet, it's still funny to me!

Yeah, I'm not sure what Brandon was thinking getting sushi, but he insisted and then paid the price! I was glad he felt better quickly, he always overdoes it in Disney and then feels awful!

At least you're going to Disney soon, I still have to wait like, half a year before I'm back! You will be watching Illuminations and Stacey and Wishes before you know it!

Sounds like a great ending to your day (minus Brandon's illness). Love how beautiful Epcot is at night and the F&G stuff looks cool. I wish I was watching Illuminations right now. And then getting some Earl of Sandwich. Great way to end the night.

It was a great day! Isn't Epcot amazing! I love it there at night, right when the sun goes down, it makes everything glow and look even more beautiful than usual! I might have to watch Illuminations on Youtube later, since we're all talking about it so much!

ahahahaha LOVE Stacey!!!!!

Sounds like your ending to your first day was perfect ( apart from Brandon feeling sick there for a few)

I bet it was nice to watch Illiminations by yourself and just get totally wrapped up in the music and all

Can't wait to see how day two and DHS went!!!!!

Isn't Stacey the best? I didn't really get her at first, but now, she's like, a Disney icon! If they ever replaced her, I don't know what I'd do, it would be so depressing!

It was nice watching Illuminations alone for a little while, but I was glad Brandon made it back and got to see the last few minutes! He needs to start pacing himself at Disney from now on!

 

[Nermel9]

Yay for a great first day at Disney!!! I'm sorry that Brandon started feeling sick after his second dinner, but it sounds like he was feeling better soon enough! You got some beautiful Illuminations shots!

It was such a great day! Arrival days are always fun!

Haha, yeah, Brandon loves to overdo it with the eating and drinking in Disney, then he wonders why he doesn't feel good at the end of the night!

Thanks! A few of them were taken with my phone, so I wasn't sure they would look good, but they came out ok! I can't wait to get a real camera someday and get really amazing Illuminations pictures!

Oh my god, that evening in Epcot is what I imagine heaven will be like. Your pictures are amazing! I especially love the one of the fountain and the first one from Illuminations. The way you described how you feel when the torches are lit and the pre music is playing, I can totally relate. I feel the exact same way. There's nothing better than being in that exact moment. I almost want to cry thinking about it!

Thanks! I love being in Epcot at night, just wandering around the World Showcase, listening to that music! I wanted to cry while I was writing that update, I was thinking about being there and how happy I was and it made me so upset! I want to go back right now! I miss Disney SO much!

AWESOME evening at EPCOT update! I love Illuminations as well, but seem to be one of the few in my family that share that love. We watched it on our March trip one time though, but I don't know if we'll see it for our next trip in November.

And YES we are doing a non-Disney trip NEXT WEEK! Since we are doing the Disney cruise and the parks in November, we decided to do a non-Disney trip next week. The original plan was to try to do Star Wars Weekend at Hollywood Studios, but it changed to doing other parks instead so now it's Legoland, Busch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld! We may eat at some Disney restaurants and play some Disney minigolf though!

Thanks, it was a pretty great night! Aww, I'm sorry your family doesn't really like Illuminations, that's crazy to me! Maybe if they see it more they will learn to appreciate it!

Oooh, your non Disney trip sounds fun! I really want to go to Busch Gardens sometime, the roller coasters there look crazy! I kind of want to go there a little more than Universal! Have a great time!!

Thankyou for posting your trip reports. I just started reading them yesterday. What caught my eye, was the 24th anniversary in your title. My husband and I are celebrating our 23rd at Disney this year. Once I started reading though I was hooked. You are a good writer and I am looking forward to reading more!

Aww, thank you, I'm glad you like my TR's! Wow, celebrating 23 years in Disney is going to be awesome, congratulations!

 

[Nermel9]

How awesome was it you were able to time it right to get back for Soarin'!! I am not liking the be back within an hour thing! I am used to HOARDING my FP's!!

I have the same Winnie the Pooh shirt you were wearing!!

I'm sorry Brandon wasn't feeling well after the sushi. Sounds like he felt better pretty quickly though and was able to eat some more!

Fantastic ending to your first day! I can't wait to watch Illuminations!

That was pure luck, getting those Soarin' FP's to work out like that! It's weird, we always went back to use our FP's during the designated time up until last year, then we started going late and collecting a few throughout the day...then they change the stupid policy!

I love that shirt, it's so cute!

Yep, Brandon always eats way too much in Disney and then feels terrible at the end of the night! Luckily, it's never anything that lasts too long, and we can keep going!

Illuminations is the best! I can't wait to see it again in November!

Jen, I'm sorry...but I have to agree with Brandon on this one -- I don't like Stacy either (probably why the only time I turn the TV on at Disney is to catch the weather channel).

I'm so glad you got to watch your Illuminations (I don't think we've sat and watched it since our best friends went with us for our 25th anniversary four years ago). Your pictures were great.

And I love all the flower pictures--especially Pooh, etc.

Aww, no Stacey for you? I can understand that, I didn't really like her at first either when I first saw her in 2008, but then by our 2nd trip together in 2009, I loved her! She's just so excited about Disney, you get caught up in it, it's just become such a part of a Disney vacation to me!

You should give Illuminations another try, it's so great!

Thanks, the topiaries were really beautiful this year!

Oh dear, I'm afraid I'm with Brandon re: Stacey. I can't stand her either
I DO love all the flower and garden festival decor! Some day I'd like to get there to see it all in person.
Glad your Soarin' FP times worked out!
What a wonderful evening, apart from Brandon not feeling well. My #1 favourite thing is the opening lines of IllumiNations, I just adore that part!

Another NON Stacey fan? Ohhh, you guys are killing me!

I hope you can see the Flower and Garden festival someday! It's a beautiful time to go, but I'd still prefer Food and Wine over Flowers and Gardens!

I love everything about Illuminations! It makes me cry every single time I see it, it's just so good!!

Perfect ending! Your whole arrival day sounds absolutely wonderful; I couldn't imagine a better start to a Disney trip.

Ahhh, so I just have to say, the comment about the Soarin' intro video with Patrick going, "Oh, yeah, these little beauties" is my favorite part. I burst out laughing every single time I watched it, and other people around me thought I was nuts, but I didn't care. The very last time I rode Soarin' I wanted to take a picture of that part, as well, but I knew it'd look crazy.

I'm glad you were able to watch IllumiNations on your first night...isn't it awesome when you get to experience your favorites right away? And DTD after Epcot...sounds fantastic!

It was a great arrival day, I'm so glad we were able to do so much, yet not go to totally crazy and tire ourselves out too much!

Haha, I laugh at the Soarin' video every time too, don't worry! The part with the Mickey ears and the part where he says "Nice Work, pal"...OMG I love it!

I love seeing Illuminations multiple times on a trip, so starting off with it was fantastic, AND I knew I'd see it again in a few days, which made it so much better!

 

[Nermel9]

I'm pretty new to DISboards and I am really enjoying your TR (and have enjoyed your others). The Beach Club sounds so amazing! I feel the same way you do about Epcot and it would be so wonderful to just have it in your back yard, so to speak. My husband and I are going for our 1st anniversary in Sept. and we're staying at POP. It is inexpensive, but one day I hope to stay at the Beach Club or The Contemporary. I'm looking forward to more of your TR!

Welcome to the DIS and to my TR, thanks for reading!

The Beach Club is beautiful, and if you like Epcot, it is awesome being able to walk there in 5 minutes!

That's awesome that you are going for your first anniversary! I love Pop, we stayed there in December and it was so much fun! I would never be able to stay at the Beach Club if it wasn't for the AP discount I got! I love the deluxes, but sometimes they're not always the best choice, so it's nice to have such great options at every level! I can't wait to try the Art of Animation resort, it looks so cute!

I love the Winnie the Pooh character topiaries!!

Too bad Brandon wasn't smiling in the picture, but its still really cute and what a cool border!! That is so fun!! Ps I have in between bangs trying to grow them out right now, what a pain!

I cannot wait to ride Soarin'!! I love that ride so much. I think I am beginning to love EPCOT more each visit

Poor Brandon feeling sick during Illuminations, Im glad you still got to enjoy it!

Aren't they cute? It was so hard getting a picture of them, people kept standing in the way!

Haha, yeah, I'm used to Brandon not smiling in pictures, I don't really know why he does that! I love the new borders they have, it's too bad most of our PP pics are awful!

I can't wait to ride Soarin' again either! I'm glad you love Epcot more and more, it's my favorite park, I could live there if they'd let me!

I'm so happy we ended the day with Illuminations, it was perfect!

 

[407-W-DISNEY]

So glad you had a perfect day!
Glad Brandon was able to make it thru the night!

Bangs - UGH! can't STAND growing them out

pk, watching the Sox again and now the Tigers have gone up 3 -2, I am soooo superstitious! I think I will have to stop Dis'ing while I'm watching the game!! LOL

I LOVE Salty!!

 

[MEK]

I love your low light pictures. They are all turning out really well and, yes, that picture reminds me of the pre Illuminations music and the hustle/bustle to find the perfect spot.

You DID have a near perfect first day!!!!!

Brandon feels about Stacy how I feel when Denny is constantly watching The Factor or some similar show. I tolerate it for awhile and then say, "PLLLLEEEEEAAAAASSSSEE change that".

 

[ALFranklin]

I can't wait to try the Art of Animation resort, it looks so cute!

It looks SUPER cute. We tried to get a room there, but all that was left for our vacation days were villas. Ah well. Maybe next time.

 

[wakica]

Oh no, so sorry that the sushi didn't sit so well It sounds like it was quite a full day and a good day

 

[DisneyDreamerMN]

Hey! I am back! Is it bad that I am already in Disney depression mode? Just sad to know that this morning I was eating breakfast at POP and am now thinking about what to make for dinner at home. We were only in DW for 4 days but it went super fast. It was also hot, too hot and DH said we can't go back in May again. I don't blame him because it was not only hot, but very busy so it felt like we didn't get to do much.

Sorry that Brandon got sick. Maybe too much seafood for one night. I love the topiaries! Going to the Flower and Garden Festival in April is my fav (not to hot)!

 

[Nermel9]

So glad you had a perfect day!
Glad Brandon was able to make it thru the night!

Bangs - UGH! can't STAND growing them out

pk, watching the Sox again and now the Tigers have gone up 3 -2, I am soooo superstitious! I think I will have to stop Dis'ing while I'm watching the game!! LOL

I LOVE Salty!!

Thanks, me too!

I just got my hair cut a few weeks before that trip, and my hairdresser just did not chop my bangs short enough...and now they are really long, so I'm just trying to grow them out for the summer and then I guess I'll cut them short again in the Fall when I can start straightening my hair again. No point now, since I'll be wearing it up all summer!

Haha, I have things I can't do when the Sox are playing either! I hope Salty is on the All Star team this year, he deserves it! It's funny, I couldn't stand him last year and now he's one of my favorites!

I love your low light pictures. They are all turning out really well and, yes, that picture reminds me of the pre Illuminations music and the hustle/bustle to find the perfect spot.

You DID have a near perfect first day!!!!!

Brandon feels about Stacy how I feel when Denny is constantly watching The Factor or some similar show. I tolerate it for awhile and then say, "PLLLLEEEEEAAAAASSSSEE change that".

Thanks! I don't know what I was doing differently on this trip, but I noticed a lot of the low light pics turned out pretty good! I did pay close attention to how I was taking pictures this time, I tried to get things really centered and if I didn't like a certain setting I would change it, but I still have no idea what I was actually doing!

It was a pretty great day! Any day in Disney is a great day, though!

Haha, yeah, I have those shows with Brandon too, it's probably the one good thing about him working at night, I don't have to fight with him over what we watch on TV!

It looks SUPER cute. We tried to get a room there, but all that was left for our vacation days were villas. Ah well. Maybe next time.

Oh, that's too bad! If you really want to stay at AoA, you could probably keep checking and something might open up! People cancel all the time!

Oh no, so sorry that the sushi didn't sit so well It sounds like it was quite a full day and a good day

Haha, that's ok, it was a short lived illness! It was a great day, we didn't do much in terms of attractions, but we still got a lot done!

Hey! I am back! Is it bad that I am already in Disney depression mode? Just sad to know that this morning I was eating breakfast at POP and am now thinking about what to make for dinner at home. We were only in DW for 4 days but it went super fast. It was also hot, too hot and DH said we can't go back in May again. I don't blame him because it was not only hot, but very busy so it felt like we didn't get to do much.

Sorry that Brandon got sick. Maybe too much seafood for one night. I love the topiaries! Going to the Flower and Garden Festival in April is my fav (not to hot)!

Yay, welcome back! Haha, no, I was in Disney depression mode as soon as I got back in May too! It just wasn't a long enough trip! I don't know how I'm going to make it through the next 5 months! I don't think we'll be going back in May anytime soon either, if we ever do an anniversary trip again, we might try the end of April instead!

Thanks...I think Brandon had a little too much of everything that night, he really likes to overdo it in Disney! He was ok after a little while though!

 

[therussells08]

Yay! Stacey time! We seriously need to get Brandon on board with the whole Stacey thing...he just doesn't know what he's missing!

Mmm..Disney popcorn! The weird thing about me is I actually really dislike popcorn, unless it's from Disney World or the movie theater at DTD! I'm so strange.

I'm sorry Brandon got sick, but it's nice that you got to immerse yourself in Illuminations! It's so beautiful!

I am so excited to stay at Beach Club! We have never had easy access to a park like that. The only deluxe we've ever stayed at is AKL, and while gorgeous, it doesn't provide the amazing transportation opportunities most of the other deluxes offer. My next goal is a monorail resort...John said we can stay at the Poly for our fifth anniversary!

Yum! Late night EoS! That sounds amazing. I love that place!

 

[Simba22]

Sorry, Jen! I fell a few updates behind!

How you are with butterflies is me with basically ANY other bug...especially spiders! Butterflies are pretty much the only bugs I'm NOT afraid of. But strangely enough...moths freak me the heck out! It's all totally irrational but nothing we can do about it!

Your first day sounds so amazing! I'm glad they let you switch your room so easily AND you ended up getting the room you really wanted which is awesome! The balcony alone is worth it, even if you only use it once!

Poor Brandon! I'm glad it didn't last long! We all know there is nothing worse than being sick in Disney!

 

[MHTeacher]

I'm back and trying to get caught up!

Sounds like a good first day at Epcot, except the part with Brandon getting sick!

I love the little bumblebees and the Donald that you added to your photopass pic!

 

[Nermel9]

Yay! Stacey time! We seriously need to get Brandon on board with the whole Stacey thing...he just doesn't know what he's missing!

Mmm..Disney popcorn! The weird thing about me is I actually really dislike popcorn, unless it's from Disney World or the movie theater at DTD! I'm so strange.

I'm sorry Brandon got sick, but it's nice that you got to immerse yourself in Illuminations! It's so beautiful!

I am so excited to stay at Beach Club! We have never had easy access to a park like that. The only deluxe we've ever stayed at is AKL, and while gorgeous, it doesn't provide the amazing transportation opportunities most of the other deluxes offer. My next goal is a monorail resort...John said we can stay at the Poly for our fifth anniversary!

Yum! Late night EoS! That sounds amazing. I love that place!

Nope, it's not going to happen, I've tried to get him to like Stacey and he just doesn't! As long as he lets me watch her, I don't care, I just need to see Stacey when I'm in my resort room!

I'm not a big popcorn fan either, but I love Disney popcorn! And movie popcorn! Any other time in life, though, I can take it or leave it!

I loved watching Illuminations alone for a little while! It was so nice to just listen and watch!

You are going to love the Beach Club! I kind of don't want to stay anywhere else but Epcot resorts now. And that's not really possible to do on every trip, but I suppose maybe every other trip will be ok? Oooh, the Poly will be awesome! I need to stay there, too! I almost got Brandon to agree to it for November, but then I told him how much more it would be and he said no way! Maybe I'll wait til our 5 year anniversary too!

Sorry, Jen! I fell a few updates behind!

How you are with butterflies is me with basically ANY other bug...especially spiders! Butterflies are pretty much the only bugs I'm NOT afraid of. But strangely enough...moths freak me the heck out! It's all totally irrational but nothing we can do about it!

Your first day sounds so amazing! I'm glad they let you switch your room so easily AND you ended up getting the room you really wanted which is awesome! The balcony alone is worth it, even if you only use it once!

Poor Brandon! I'm glad it didn't last long! We all know there is nothing worse than being sick in Disney!

That's ok, just glad you're still here!

Haha, ugh, I wouldn't mind butterflies if they just stayed away from me, but I feel like they are always flying right at me!

Our first day was great! Switching rooms was awesome, i'm glad it was so easy! I loved having the balcony, although I'm not going to lie, I didn't use it quite as much as I thought I would, however, that's because it was 10 million degrees when we were there!

Haha, Brandon was ok, he just overstuffed himself, as always!

I'm back and trying to get caught up!

Sounds like a good first day at Epcot, except the part with Brandon getting sick!

I love the little bumblebees and the Donald that you added to your photopass pic!

Yay, welcome back!

Our first day was great, I wish we did a few more attractions, but other than that, I have no complaints!

Isn't that border so cute? I love the Flower and Garden festival borders!