Hello friends! I am alive. And here to finally share a Princess Weekend race report. I can't believe it was already over two weeks ago. Lucky for you, since I waited so long I have probably forgotten a lot and will likely be less long-winded than usual, haha.
2023 Princess Weekend Race & Trip Report
Wednesday, February 22: Arrival Day
My arrival day was fairly uneventful. I worked all day, went home after work and scarfed down some food, then got to the airport. My flight was non-stop through SW, and I arrived in Orlando around 10 PM. I took a Lyft to my hotel (POR) which cost about $60-- same as MW and way too much. I wonder if it's because of the late night arrival. I was staying in a Royal Room at POR with my friend J and his boyfriend Z, but they wouldn't arrive until the next evening. I checked in and made my way to my room, unpacked and tried to settle in. It was pretty late by this point, and I had to wake up in a few short hours for yoga the next morning. Overall, an uneventful and easy travel day. Side note: the room was beautiful. I loved all of the thematic touches. POR is definitely more spread out than POFQ, but the Royal Rooms weren't too far from the main building-- just across the bridge. The resort itself is also just so pretty and peaceful.
(image description: my feet and suitcase against a beautiful flower mural on the floor of the Orlando airport)
Thursday, February 23: Yoga + Expo (+MK Surprise!)
After sleeping hardly at all (my watch did not even register any sleep), I woke up super early and got ready for yoga. This was my first time doing yoga at a race weekend. I am a certified yoga teacher, so I was very much looking forward to this. The event guide said that there would be one bus from each resort at 3:30 AM (?), and I got to the POR bus stop around 3:15 AM probably. That bus was on its way by 3:20 AM, so I am hoping that the one bus information was a lie or some people probably got screwed over. I really liked yoga, but the logistics of the morning are just a lot. We arrived at the TTC, where we had to stand in line to go through security. I was one of the first groups there and was thus very far in the front of the line, but my friend C arrived later so I opted to move back with her. Someone in line recognized me from Instagram which was kind of cool. Once we made it through security, we had to wait to get on the ferry. The whole situation was honestly quite stressful... it gave Black Friday vibes with people running to get in the front of the different waiting areas. After the ferry, we were at MK where we then waited again to be walked to Main Street in groups. It was just a lot of standing and waiting. And I feel like the running rush was not worth it-- there were plenty of spots once I got let in, even a few in the very front row. On Main Street, the mats were already set out with a strap for transporting them after, a towel, and water bottle. I had read reports from last year that the mats were poor quality, but these ones were thicker. They weren't really yoga mats... more like foam-type exercise mats. The mats were wet because of the dew, though, and I was glad I had brought my Crowned Athletics yoga towel to lay over it.
(image description: my yoga flat lay-- the Anna Crowned Athletics leggings/bra/headband/scrunchie)
While we waited for class to start, C & I walked around and took some pictures in front of the castle and at our mats and just sat and chatted. It was nice. The class itself was, in my opinion, mostly glorified stretching. It was led by two instructors (who I think are partners irl), and they both gave off very different energies. We did a little bit of vinyasa with a few sun salutations but mostly were down on the mat. There were also instructors scattered through Main Street. Something funny/annoying was that people (hi, I'm people) were wearing their Magic Band+ and inadvertently setting off the statues. So, my practice was frequently interrupted with the laughs of Goofy and the barks of Pluto lol. I also wish that they had chosen Disney music. There's a lo-fi Disney playlist (that is officially from Disney) on Spotify that would have been perfect and made the practice even more special. At the end, Cinderella came out on stage and they set off some fireworks which was cool (minus the Cinderella part-- she's my nemesis, but I guess it is her castle).
(image description: C and I posing in front of the castle. We are dressed as Elsa and Anna)
(image description: my perspective from my yoga mat. I probably shouldn't put this picture on the internet for free so you're welcome lol)
Afterward, C & I took some more pictures, including some cute ones laying down on Main Street. I'm not sure I would say that the sun had officially risen during sunrise yoga, but it was light out by the time we left. I can't remember how we got out... did we have to go back to the TTC or did they have busses at MK? I think the latter, but I don't remember.
(image description: me laying down on Main Street in front of the castle, smiling with my head in my hands)
My original plan had been to return to my hotel room to shower and then go straight to the expo because I had early entry with CrD, but C had a surprise for me-- she got us Tron previews through her friend who is a cast member (D)! So, I went back to shower and get ready. I also got some quick breakfast at the food court-- vegan Mickey waffles and potatoes. It was okay.
(also, hi, it's me again-- the person who is not supposed to be as long-winded during this trip report)
I decided to meet my friend at her hotel (ASM, which was about as far away from POR as you can get), where D would pick us up. This was also a surprise for our friend J, who C was rooming with, but the surprise was kept from her until we literally got into MK. (The surprise was ruined for me because C had to figure out how to get me to not go to the expo, lol). It was fun seeing J try to figure out what we were doing because she thought we were going to the Expo. We had to go to the TTC to check in with D and get our wristbands (v official). I'm sure everyone thinks this, but the TTC is not fun between parking, the tram, then the transport to MK, etc. It just takes forever. No complaints here, though-- I was happy to get a Tron preview! D was very kind to make this happen for us, especially since they don't even like roller coasters and were opting not to ride. Another nice thing about the preview was that it included entry into MK, with the assumption that you would just go and ride and leave (which we did).
Tron itself was awesome! There was hardly any wait. The queue was fun/pretty, and they used the same type of locker set up in the queue that Universal uses for the Velocicoaster. If I remember correctly, J and I got to sit in the front row. I went in with little expectations or prior knowledge, and overall thought the ride was really fun. I especially liked the bike type seats. I don't think I would wait a long time for it, mostly because it was relatively short, and I would like to ride it at night as well because I think the lighting would add to the experience. Overall, it was really fun, and I am so grateful I had the opportunity/experience!
(image description: C, J, and I posing with props outside of the Tron ride at MK. Do I know what we are holding in this picture? No. I do know that I'm pretty good at the Tron level in Kingdom Hearts.)
Afterward, we left and made our way back to the TTC. It was really, really hot outside. This will come up later. D drove us to the Expo and dropped us off. Since I have CrD, I was able to just go upstairs to the booths where I pick up bibs + shirts, etc. all at once. There was no one there except me. I checked my bibs and shirts this time after the MW snafu (they forgot to give me my 10K shirt and had me in the wrong corral for the 10K as well), and all was good. They had cookies and drinks, so I grabbed a few to give to my friends since I can't eat them. They let me skip the VQ and go straight into the Expo, which was a disaster and very stressful. The early entry CrD experience during MW was much, much better. I wanted the medal replica pins for the 5K, 10K, and half marathon, but unfortunately they were out of the half ones by the time I got there. I ordered an overpriced one on ebay though. I also picked up a magnet, a long-sleeve Moana shirt, the white Moana tank top, and the pink race weekend tank top. I like how that top had all of the races/distances on it since I did all of the races (it was my first completed Challenge+). I was disappointed with the PW ears. I didn't like the colors and the crown was off-center which was annoying to me. I wanted to check out using mobile check out, but I had absolutely no service in the expo hall (and anywhere at ESPN, I would realize) so I had to wait in the very, very long line. I was also stressed because I was going to meet up with my friend and was picking up a shirt for her as well but was having trouble contacting her due to the lack of service. Overall, it was a bad time but I survived and made it out of there. I took only one picture during the expo, which was with a Lumiere figure near the CrD check in area. I did not go to any of the other buildings or anything. Part of this was because of how hot it was and the fact that I had basically had no sleep which left me feeling pretty anxious and ready to go. But I also think I had some residual "trauma" (for lack of a better word) from MW, where I really soaked up the expo, took a lot of lovely pictures, etc. only to have it all ruined.
(image description: My single expo photo-- me posing with a 3D Lumiere. This was in the Club runDisney area)
I took the bus back but got off at POFQ so I could pick up some vegan beignets. I was so tired but this was a good decision. I ended up eating them there because the powdered sugar situation is better that way (pro tip).
(image description: An empty plate covered in powdered sugar with a crossed plastic fork and knife on top. Sources say that this plate once had three vegan beignets on it... but I can't confirm)
After I walked back to POR, which is a nice walk along the river. I don't really remember how I spent the rest of the day... but later that evening I did get sick and throw up (of course). I think it might have been heat exhaustion/dehydration/lack of sleep/I don't know. After being sick I felt better but I had a huge headache so I took medicine on an empty stomach which was a bad idea because then I got sick again. After the second time, though, I felt a lot better. At some point with this going on, my friend J and his boyfriend Z arrived so that was good fun. I tried to eat some pasta and breadsticks from the POR quick service but they were not very good. The breadsticks at AoA >>> anywhere else. I was too -meh- to do a flat lay so I did my signature instagram story flat lay that I started during MW, haha. And then it was time for bed.
(image description: A screenshot of my Garmin body battery, which was at 5 most of the day with my stress also very high. This was what it looked like the entire weekend)
(image description: Screenshot from my insta stories of my 5K flat lay. Any guesses on what my costume would be?)
Glad there was redemption this time!
but WHICH Jasmine
>>>>>>chips (case in point, there is no chips emoji that I could find!)
