Two for One: Double Disney Birthdays! *Meg nonTR upd 9/23* // *Help out Katie! 10/22*

[Megablocks]

I unfortunately don't have any pictures or anything to say about the Harry Potter exhibit, because Charles and I didn't get to go yesterday due to his having a stomach bug, so we're making plans to go another day. He somehow dragged himself to the Bruins game, but we ended up leaving when there were 15 minutes left in the third period. It ended up being a good idea, because even though it started out well, the other team tied the game in the third period (after we left), so it went into overtime, and the Bruins ending up losing in a shootout. It was very, very different to be leaving a Bruins game and walking through the venue (TD Banknorth Garden, aka "the Garden," aka the "Gahden"), without there being wall-to-wall people. Being on the train and not having people pressing against me from all sides was also quite a treat. It almost made me want to leave all Bruins game early.

I was planning on updating my part of our PTR today, anyway, because today, my countdown is IN THE TEENS!

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I really can't believe that we are in the teens already. I still remember hitting double digits and doing a little dance. So I decided that in honor of teens, to post things that I really, really want to do/try/see on this trip (in no particular order, except for the first one. )

Toy Story Mania

This is definitely on the top of my list. I know that to have any hope of riding this without waiting for hours, we have to do a rope drop at DHS. I am totally willing to do this, and it's my dad's favorite park, so I know he'd be willing, too, especially if it meant going on RnRC and ToT with little to no wait, as well. That definitely appeals to me, too, because those are two of my favorite rides, and Kailyn loves them as well. My mom loves them but can't do ToT because the up and down makes her feel queasy, but RnRC is fine. I could spend a lot of time just looking around the ToT queue.

Starring Rolls Bakery

LL posted something on her and Jen's PTR from this, and I really want to try something from here. If we do a rope drop at DHS, I'm sure I could convince someone to split something with me.

Tonga toast

My mom also wants to try this, so we're going to share it. We'd end up going to Captain Cook's for it, rather than make an early morning ADR at Kona and have to pay more for tip and such.

Carousel of Progress

I have the 4 Parks, 1 World CD on my iPod, so I know "It's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow," but I've never been on this. Definitely want to see this!

Space Mountain

I haven't been on this since well before the rehab, so I'm dying to ride it again.

Astro Orbiter

I can't even remember the last time I went on this, but I know it was a while ago. I remember going on with my brother and begging him to not move us up and down too much. For some reason, whenever I think of this ride, I think of the sensation I had of being able to fall out easily. I want to try it again and see whether or not I was just being neurotic. I think I was also afraid of the height, which is strange, because heights don't bother me. Are you questioning my decision to try this again? Yeah, so am I.

Rope drop at MK

Last year, my mom, Kailyn, and I got to MK just a few minutes after the 9 AM opening. It was fantastic, but I really, really want to see the opening show, because from all the pictures I've seen, it's super cute.

Stay at MK until 2 AM for EMH

On Sunday the 14th, MK is open until 2 AM for EMH. I LOVE nighttime EMH, especially at MK. This is also the day that we're doing the KTTK tour, but we could go back to the room for power naps and be nice and energized for the EMH. We've stayed late at MK, but never made it that late. I really, really, really want to do this just to say I did, and because even though we're going to be there at a crowded time (President's day weekend), I don't think a ton of people would be there that late. It would also give us the chance to ride BTMRR at nighttime, which is SO much fun!

I still have several things on my to-do list, but it's mostly last-minute stuff. I do want to buy a case for my camera, because I want it protected when it's in my bag. At home, when I'm not using it, it stays in the box that it came in. I'm also debating an extra battery, just so I can put one in my camera, leave the other charging, and switch them out when we go back to the room and head back out.

I've also finally settled on what I'm wearing on the flight down. This took me longer than it probably should have. Last year, for some reason, I wore a t-shirt down, and in my carryon, I packed an extra t-shirt to change into...with long sleeves. I still don't know what I was thinking when I did that. I finally decided on wearing jeans, my long-sleeved Bruins t-shirt, a tank top underneath the t-shirt, and my Northface fleece. The fleece is very, very warm when worn over a hoodie or layers, which is what I normally do, but it's also lightweight and not bulky, which makes me think it would be perfect for cooler nights, or if we eat at Rose and Crown and sit outside on the patio, next to the water. It also has zipper pockets, which would work well for my cell phone and wallet, or just my cards, license and cash if I don't feel like carrying my wallet. My current wallet is a very cute Vera wristlet, but the clasp on it now has a tendency to not always stay shut, and because of that, has actually slid off my wrist a few times. I really, really want to buy another one, but this one means a lot to me because Charles got it for me for my birthday last year. I do have a regular Vera wallet that he also got me, so I might just switch over to that one. So many choices.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

It's basically about 4 kids who were hired by Disney World, and keep finding themselves in MK when they go to sleep. It's a lot more than that but I don't want to say too much and give it away. It was awesome, though! I loved reading it and knowing everything they were talking about in the park. I finished the first one yesterday and have moved on to the second one -- I haven't gotten far but I promised my friend I'd have it done by Saturday so I can lend it to her. I found them in the kid's section of Barnes and Noble for juvenile readers, like 9-12 -- I know the boys would be too young for it but your girls might like it.

Thank you!! I just called our library to place a hold on it.

 

[Tink9721]

Being on the train and not having people pressing against me from all sides was also quite a treat. It almost made me want to leave all Bruins game early.

YES! I took the T when we went to a Sox game last year and after the game it was sooo crowded! I love the T but not after a game I went to a Green Day concert at the Garden in July and the T wasn't bad at all after. It was actually worse on the way there than on the way back. There was enough room on the T for my dad and my cousin to attempt to do chin-ups on the hand rails

 

[Lady Lallie]

I can't....believe....that you have NEVER been on Carousel of Progress.

 

[Megablocks]

Thank you!! I just called our library to place a hold on it.

You're welcome! I hope you enjoy it!

YES! I took the T when we went to a Sox game last year and after the game it was sooo crowded! I love the T but not after a game I went to a Green Day concert at the Garden in July and the T wasn't bad at all after. It was actually worse on the way there than on the way back. There was enough room on the T for my dad and my cousin to attempt to do chin-ups on the hand rails

The chin-ups is totally something my dad and my brother would do. Well, my dad would start it and my brother would follow his lead.

I don't mind taking the T to Bruins games, because that's a straight shot from the station we park at, but I hate taking it to Sox games, mostly because I despite the green line. I especially hate how you need to keep an eye on the letter of each train and make sure it's going where you're going! It just confuses me to no end.

I can't....believe....that you have NEVER been on Carousel of Progress.

Neither can I. It will be remedied and I will have the pictures to prove it!

 

[Megablocks]

So, thanks to something I read in a thread over on the trip planning forum, I checked the Disney World park calendars, because I read that there were some changes in February. On Sunday the 14th, the nighttime EMH at MK were changed from 11 PM-2 AM to 12 AM-3 AM! I am still totally up for trying to stay until 3 am, because I think it would be amazing to experience, and I'm sure that the later it gets, the less crowded it is. We're going to be in MK on this day for the KTTK tour, and since it should go until about 1 or 2 PM, we are thinking of heading back to Pop afterwards to relax for the afternoon, and head back out for the nighttime EMH.

The nighttime EMH at AK on the day we arrive, the 10th, were changed from 5-8 PM to 6-9 PM. I still really want to try for this, because I love AK at night and I especially love EE at night. We did this last year and then went over to Epcot just to ride SSE.

We are all well aware that the extra hours and the changing of the hours mean that they're expecting crowds, but we're expecting it, too, and are okay with it. It happens when you can't get the time off at low crowd times.

I'm still having a hard time believing that we're already in the teens. I'm going to start counting down how many days of work I have left, because that's LESS than 19 days. It's just insane to me how quickly this is coming up.

 

[DisKate]

Ok, so following Meghan's lead I'm going to post the things that I am looking forward to for my trip (and a few pics from our Give-A-Day project)

My family really really likes food, so I'm looking forward to our meals
We are eating at several places that will be new to me this trip, Tutto, Le Cellier, WCC, and TONY'S (Lady & the Tramp is my favorite movie!)
On our October trip I also tried this amazing breakfast sandwich at Sunshine Seasons, so I'm on a mission to find that again....and Disney Popcorn!

Soarin'
I'm really excited to take my Mom on Soarin', I think she is going to love this ride!

Flower and Garden Festival
Last year we missed this by like 3 days...they were setting up as we were leaving, so I can't wait to see it fully up this trip...and Margarita's in Mexico

MK til 2am!
On our first full day there MK is open until 2am, which (like Meg) has me super excited to try and make it that late!

Splash and Carousel of Progress
I haven't ridden Splash since the last time I went to Disney with my Mom (about 17 years ago) and as far as I know I have never been on Carousel of Progress, so they are both on my list for March (assuming that I don't chicken out on Splash...)

Toy Story Midway Mania!
So last March Patrick and I managed to ride this like 7 times....and in October only once, so we are hoping for at least 3 times this trip

Fantasmic! and Wishes
These are two of my favorite things about Disney...I love love love both of these...Wishes almost gets me to cry every time (especially if its our last night) and Fantasmic! just makes me super happy...

And now, pictures of the blankets that Patrick and I made for Give-A-Day

Close-up of my favorite pattern:

And the pretty box that they are getting sent in:

I worked for most of yesterday and for about an hour today making a total of 9 newborn blankets, 6 double fleece and 3 single fleece. We only needed a total of 6. We registered my mom, Kris, Patrick's mom (Ann), his sister (Sloane), and ourselves. Ann, Sloane, Patrick, and I each have AP's, but we talked to Ann and we are most likely going to use the GAD passes to renew our AP's in October!!!! Which means another year of AP's and most likely either an August or October trip again!!!! I'm hoping for October so that we can do MNSSHP again...Halloween is my favorite holiday and I would love to be able to go to Disney again then!

 

[Megablocks]

The blankets are SO cute! I love them! I also love the "that's how I roll" pattern.

Splash Mountain...I don't think you will chicken out. It's so much fun and it's so cute, and the drop at the end is over in like a few seconds. We did Fantasmic! once or twice but we're not planning on it doing it again. I wouldn't be happy standing in a huge crowd to wait to see it, anyway. Wishes, on the other hand, I could happily see every night. And, I am SO excited for a really late night at MK! I'll sleep all afternoon if I have to.

 

[manntra]

Great lists for both of you! I am looking forward to your reports on the KTTK tour and F&G....I am thinking of adding the tour, just trying to figure out what day
Oh yes, you must have a treat from Starring Rolls...everything there is so good!
Those are some really cute blankets that you made Kate! The "that's how I roll" cracks me up! I keep looking for any opportunities around here for the program but the closest are a volunteer firefighter or EMS. I am all for clearing trails in the woods, volunteering at a center, etc...I just don't think I am too qualified to be an EMS for a day! I will keep looking though

Tracy

 

[DisKate]

Great lists for both of you! I am looking forward to your reports on the KTTK tour and F&G....I am thinking of adding the tour, just trying to figure out what day
Oh yes, you must have a treat from Starring Rolls...everything there is so good!
Those are some really cute blankets that you made Kate! The "that's how I roll" cracks me up! I keep looking for any opportunities around here for the program but the closest are a volunteer firefighter or EMS. I am all for clearing trails in the woods, volunteering at a center, etc...I just don't think I am too qualified to be an EMS for a day! I will keep looking though

Tracy

Thanks Tracy! The KTTK tour is awesome! We did it last March and had a blast. We had the same problem with no GAD opportunities being located in my home town. You should search by the zip code 48103 (I think, or whatever Ann Arbor, MI's zip is) that's where I am mailing our blankets to since there was nothing close to us. If you can't find the opportunity I can PM you the director's email and you could contact her to find out if you can still sign up and mail in blankets....

Katie

 

[manntra]

Thanks Tracy! The KTTK tour is awesome! We did it last March and had a blast. We had the same problem with no GAD opportunities being located in my home town. You should search by the zip code 48103 (I think, or whatever Ann Arbor, MI's zip is) that's where I am mailing our blankets to since there was nothing close to us. If you can't find the opportunity I can PM you the director's email and you could contact her to find out if you can still sign up and mail in blankets....

Katie

Thanks so much Katie...I will look into that or if not available, another one like that. Obviously where you and I are up here in the frozen tundra there isn't a lot you can do out side!
And oh yes...the margaritias in Mexico! I have plans to visit "the ditch!!"

Tracy

 

[DisKate]

Thanks so much Katie...I will look into that or if not available, another one like that. Obviously where you and I are up here in the frozen tundra there isn't a lot you can do out side!
And oh yes...the margaritias in Mexico! I have plans to visit "the ditch!!"

Tracy

Nope Though we have been thawing out here in Buffalo....there are lots of opportunities in Buffalo (where I live now) but my mom and sis (and Patrick's fam.) live in Wellsville...very very very close to PA and the only opportunities were 60 miles away...so I registered us for these mail in blankets instead

 

[Tink9721]

The chin-ups is totally something my dad and my brother would do. Well, my dad would start it and my brother would follow his lead.

I don't mind taking the T to Bruins games, because that's a straight shot from the station we park at, but I hate taking it to Sox games, mostly because I despite the green line. I especially hate how you need to keep an eye on the letter of each train and make sure it's going where you're going! It just confuses me to no end.

I think my cousin started it and then my dad did it. It was hilarious

The green line is horribly confusing! I always look on mbta.com to check the map before we leave so we don't waste time trying to figure out which letter we need. When we went to my first game last April we had a friend with us who knew which train to take, but when my mom and I went to a game by ourselves in September I told her I knew where we were going but she didn't believe me She was convinced we were getting off at the wrong stop. Then when we were walking down the street, we turned around a corner and saw the Monster. I was like "So Mom, who doesn't know how to get to Fenway?"

 

[Megablocks]

I think my cousin started it and then my dad did it. It was hilarious

The green line is horribly confusing! I always look on mbta.com to check the map before we leave so we don't waste time trying to figure out which letter we need. When we went to my first game last April we had a friend with us who knew which train to take, but when my mom and I went to a game by ourselves in September I told her I knew where we were going but she didn't believe me She was convinced we were getting off at the wrong stop. Then when we were walking down the street, we turned around a corner and saw the Monster. I was like "So Mom, who doesn't know how to get to Fenway?"

That's awesome! I probably wouldn't know how to get to Fenway for a game if it wasn't for the floods of people going in that direction. I always want to stop and take a picture of the Monster from the street but I never have the chance. And I need to start checking the MBTA website before I take the green line anywhere, because I always just end up standing in the station and looking at the map. I always feel so clueless and want to say, "I'm from here, guys. I just don't do the green line."

 

[Lovemy3babes]

2am at Magic Kingdom would be a blast! I'm not sure my kiddos could keep up but their mom would still love it. Those are adorable blankets!

 

[Megablocks]

2am at Magic Kingdom would be a blast! I'm not sure my kiddos could keep up but their mom would still love it. Those are adorable blankets!

I hope you get to try it at some point! I'm not sure how many of us will really make it that late, but I'm sure going to try to stick it out.

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Our countdown is now at SIXTEEN DAYS.



I don't think I've quite registered that we are so close. A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking, "four weeks? I have so much to do!" Now, we're just over two weeks away and I'm not stressing. What's up with that? I also started counting down how many days of work I have left. I don't work Mondays or Tuesdays now because of class, so I only have TEN more days of work to get through!

A couple of weeks ago, Charles was cleaning and getting rid of clothes, and he gave me this really cute tank top. His cousin got it for him several years ago, when she went down to Disney World. Charles is now 6'5", so the shirt was way, way too small for him, and he thought it might fit me. I tried it on, and it fits perfectly! The only problem is that since it's a guy's shirt, the armpits go just a little bit lower than they should, but I tried it on with a tank top underneath, and that fixed that problem.

This is on the back.

I really like it. Charles knows of my Disney obsession, and I'm really glad that he gave the shirt to me instead of donating it. Funny thing -- a couple of nights ago, I was out with him, my brother Mike, and a couple other friends. Charles had his sketchbook and was doodling, and then started trying to draw Mickey Mouse. He asked, "does Mickey Mouse have suspenders?" I had to think for a second, and he said, "COME ON, DISNEY GIRL!"

I still need to buy a camera case for my beloved camera, because there's no way I'm sticking it in my back without SOME kind of protection. I'm also debating buying an extra battery, because my one and only issue with my camera is that its battery seems to take forever to charge. I was planning on charging it overnight and when we come back to the room for downtime, but if it's not fully charged when we go back out again, it's going to drive me mental. If I had an extra battery, I could take the one that charged overnight, leave the other charging in the room, and then switch them out when we came back for downtime and then headed back out. I'm having a hard time deciding whether or not I should buy another. Any thoughts?

I decided last year to start buying pins, but cautiously. I know how addicting they can be. Last year, I was pretty good. I decided that I wanted one from each park, one from Pop Century, and one from each of my favorite rides. I ended up with three -- one from Soarin', one from Haunted Mansion, and one that has Sorcerer Mickey in front of each big thing from the parks (the castle, the Tree of Life, SSE, and the hat.) That had all four parks in one pin, so instead of one pin from each park, I cheated and got that. I don't have a picture of that or the Soarin' one, but this is the HM one. It is definitely my favorite out of all the HM pins I saw.

I definitely want to buy a Pop Century pin next. I'd also like pins from ToT, SSE, Splash, BTMRR, PotC, and EE. I think I got them all. I'm definitely NOT going to buy all of those, but I'm going to keep an eye out and buy whichever ones I really love. If I don't find a pin I want, oh well, there's always next time.

I've also started to stress a little bit over the possibility of snow on the day we leave. The weather is SO unpredictable, and we haven't gotten anywhere near what we got last year, snow-wise, but I'm still going to worry about it until the time to leave gets nearer and I can check the forecast knowing it's going to be somewhat accurate.

Have a good day, everyone!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Katie, great blankets! That's the volunteer project we are signed up for and are planning on making them next weekend!!!

Megan, can't believe how close you are! Beware the power of the pins!

 

[Tink9721]

Our countdown is now at SIXTEEN DAYS.

Yay! My three week mark is tomorrow!

I've also started to stress a little bit over the possibility of snow on the day we leave. The weather is SO unpredictable, and we haven't gotten anywhere near what we got last year, snow-wise, but I'm still going to worry about it until the time to leave gets nearer and I can check the forecast knowing it's going to be somewhat accurate.

Me too!!! I'm always worried about that. I'll be worried about it until I wake up the day we leave, look outside, and see for myself that there's no snow

 

[DisKate]

Hi everyone! Just checking in before life gets crazy! I return to my internship tomorrow and classes start Wednesday, so after this week I will probably only really be on the boards on the weekends My schedule is super crazy this semester so by the time we go to Disney in 47 days I'm really going to need that break...then we come back and its time for midterms...yay me.

Yay for 16 days Meghan I have both of our countdowns running on my white board right now and when I was in the kitchen earlier I looked at it and thought that two weeks from Wednesday while I'm sitting in class you will be riding something fun! I think its almost time for us to post itineraries...I want to know where you are going to be!

 

[Megablocks]

Katie, great blankets! That's the volunteer project we are signed up for and are planning on making them next weekend!!!

Megan, can't believe how close you are! Beware the power of the pins!

I know! Tomorrow is the two week mark!

I try hard to resist the pins -- I try to make sure I really, really love it before I spend the money, but I see a LOT that I really love.

Yay! My three week mark is tomorrow!


Me too!!! I'm always worried about that. I'll be worried about it until I wake up the day we leave, look outside, and see for myself that there's no snow

Yay for three weeks! It's going to go by so quickly.

It has thawed out a lot here, but it's going to start getting cold again over the weekend, and I'm so paranoid it's going to stay freezing and snow right before we leave. This time next week, I'll be obsessively checking the weather.

Hi everyone! Just checking in before life gets crazy! I return to my internship tomorrow and classes start Wednesday, so after this week I will probably only really be on the boards on the weekends My schedule is super crazy this semester so by the time we go to Disney in 47 days I'm really going to need that break...then we come back and its time for midterms...yay me.

Yay for 16 days Meghan I have both of our countdowns running on my white board right now and when I was in the kitchen earlier I looked at it and thought that two weeks from Wednesday while I'm sitting in class you will be riding something fun! I think its almost time for us to post itineraries...I want to know where you are going to be!

Sorry you have such a crazy schedule this semester 47 days is going to go by pretty quickly. I love that you have both our countdowns on your whiteboard I need to do that.

Ummm...will you hate me if I say I don't have an itinerary? We decide day-by-day what we're going to do and usually discuss the night before what our destination will be -- we have hoppers so we take advantage and go everywhere. You know I'll be texting you daily and sending you pictures, though, so you will definitely know where I am!

I forgot to mention this in my other post -- we're not going to do Rose and Crown, because they changed the park closing from 8 to 9, and our ADR was for 6:45 so we could try to catch Illuminations. My mom tried to switch it to a later time or a different day but there was absolutely nothing. It's okay, though, we still have plenty of good eats. I am so excited for Disney food!