Weird and Ninja’s Pre-Disneymoon [Completed!]

[irky416]

I love that you made your jackets hold hands! Too cute.

That store is definitely creepy. I would be weirded out by it, too.

I hope you find something to drink soon.

I prefer Dunkin Donuts to Krispy Kreme as well. Krispy Kreme is overpoweringly sweet.

 

[TokyoDina]

Your so funny Rachel!!! But I'm glad you guys made it there just fine! I love your Time Share it's so clean and home like! I love Olive Garden too!

 

[dellasgirl]

z

 

[SoonerGirl]

Wow! I thought I was the only one who didn't care for Krispy Kreme doughnuts! They are just too sweet for me.

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

ohhh that store is creepy!

The stuffed animals are so cute, I want one too!

Hope you get something to drink soon!

 

[RachelNinja]

You crack me up so much. What a trip to the grocery store, and yall didn't buy anything! That is certainly some strange grocery decor.

I'm sure other families would've just gone in and purchased whatever was needed, but that's not what my parents do! Haha, we had to wait until the next day when "our" market opened up!

The price for those pens is crazy!! Leave it to you to have an adventure at the grocery store!!

I wonder if it would even cost that much buying directly from Disney!!! Haha, and taking pics of mundane events makes them bearable!

Yikes!! That decor is creepy! It's like they're trying to channel It's a Small World but instead they look like those Chucky dolls.

I want that kitchen set!! I love to buy Disney things for my kitchen. I love that kitchen store at DTD but all of their stuff is so expensive!

Oh my goodness, I am so in love with Krisy Kreme donuts. We have a store that makes them fresh like ten minutes from our apartment. If i'm driving by and see that "Hot-N-Now" sign I almost crash my car trying to get into the parking lot.

Can't wait to read more! You need to drink something before you get dehydrated, girl!

I've seen way too many movies of dolls coming alive that I just didn't trust them at this store!

I bought stuff at the DTD kitchen store! Haha, not that much though, just a few things I had been looking forward to purchasing. You'll see it when I eventually get up to Tuesday, haha.

I think I should try Krispy Kreme one more time fresh just because when I did try it initially, I wasn't crazy about donuts. I think I might still like DD better because KK is sweeter, isn't it?

Rachel, I just adore your wacky updates!

What do you think about this guy? I love using the Smilies, but I always seem to choose the same ones. I guess I never go to the 2nd menu. When I saw this one, I thought you might have a funny comment to make. Do you think he's a little scary? I know some people have serious clown issues. I thought his pants were cute, though. I actually saw a Dis Thread dedicated to the clown pool @ BWI...some people won't even stay there b/c of it.

Haha, that clown looks like it changes moods when the sun goes down ...

I would NOT stay where that clown pool is! I cannot look at those pics! SO CREEPY! I don't know if it's the same resort or a nearby one, but I don't like the one with the dragon/serpent thing with like, King Triton or whoever on top either!

I think it's great Club Cool is free since nothing much is there days BF couldn't believe there was something free in Disney when we went to Club Cool lol.

The Nemo stuffed toy is so cute! He had a little tooth and everything haha.

Oooh I love Krispy Kreme. For some reason the stores that are located out of NYC have better & fresher tasting donuts. The hot glazed ones are the best

I remember watching an episode of Gilmore Girls where Rory's boyfriend brought her a box of donuts. I don't know if it was Krispy Kreme, but the fact that she started munching on them made me want to do that. Just have a big box of donuts and munch ...

I love that you made your jackets hold hands! Too cute.

That store is definitely creepy. I would be weirded out by it, too.

I hope you find something to drink soon.

I prefer Dunkin Donuts to Krispy Kreme as well. Krispy Kreme is overpoweringly sweet.

Yeah! I think that's why I didn't like KK. I mean, I want my sugar every once in a while but not to the point where it just only tastes like sugar. I'd like to try the Donut Factory in NYC and Randy's in Cali. It'd be fun to try more unique donuts that aren't chains!

Your so funny Rachel!!! But I'm glad you guys made it there just fine! I love your Time Share it's so clean and home like! I love Olive Garden too!

I loved that our timeshare, for the most part, has always been very clean! I don't think I could deal with dirtiness for an entire week. One night as a stop is one thing. But an entire week would be terrible!

Ahhh! Adventure grocery shopping(at least that is what we call it in our family)
I just LOVE to go to grocery stores-when i am on vacation-
and yes i know i am different-but it is all part and parcel of the vacation trip-exploring the 'great unknown'.
Hope you got to eat at least once at the Olive Garden

Grocery shopping on vacation is so much more different for us. There's a lot of wandering down the aisles to see what's available and what we might want to have. At home, it's just get in to buy what you need and then get out!

Wow! I thought I was the only one who didn't care for Krispy Kreme doughnuts! They are just too sweet for me.

I know! I feel like I'm doing something blasphemous by saying I don't like KK!

ohhh that store is creepy!

The stuffed animals are so cute, I want one too!

Hope you get something to drink soon!

Too bad stuffed animals just take up space! Haha, I wouldn't even be able to keep them on my bed because eventually, they'd all get kicked off anyway!

 

[RachelNinja]

Sunday, April 4: Chow Time!

The last installment was about going through the supermarket and buying absolutely nothing! It did get us all really hungry though since we saw all the food. It was time for dinner!

As we drove up to Olive Garden, I inwardly (haha, maybe a little bit outwardly too) groaned over the fact that there were people waiting outside too. I forgot exactly how long the wait was, but it wasn't long enough for my dad to go for the "order out and bring it back to the condo" idea. I love when we do things like that because I get to relax and eat.

Thankfully, there was a bench that freed up, so all 5 of us were able to sit. I took that opportunity jot some things down in my trip journal since I needed something to distract me from the hunger. Oh, and the thirst! I still had thirst!

Weird entertained himself by taking pictures of the ceiling. He was playing with the settings to see which one would work in that kind of lighting. Haha, I don't know about that stuff; I'm a "shoot in auto" kind of girl.

Here's a pic of my LGMH.

The other side had this on it. Sadly, no one saw it and came up to me. I spent some time searching for someone else with a LGMH too, but alas, it just didn't "work" for me! I was still proud to wear it though!

By the time we were seated, we were more than ready to get our chow on! Matt decided to be grouchy because he wanted mozzarella sticks and mom wouldn't let him get it. We don't quite understand getting mozz sticks just because it's cheese and it costs quite a bit at some restaurants. Plus, he's fine with frozen ones that are made in the toaster oven. But he decided to have a fit anyway.

Our server was quick and efficient so it wasn't too long before Weird (as well as my parents and Matt) had Zuppa Toscana in front of them.

I decided to go for the salad instead just because I wasn't in a mood for soup. I love the olives in it! When I was younger, I actually hated black olives and would only eat green ones. Now it has reversed.

I also love this part of the lettuce - the heart! Thankfully, Weird doesn't like olives or the hearts of lettuce (or other veggies that have the "heart") or mushrooms (not that there were mushrooms here). I get to eat it all!

For dinner I had Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo. I'm not that big of a fan of alfredo because it's heavy. Plus, with my gallbladder removed, I can't handle high fat all at once. But I love love love gorgonzola cheese (any kind of bleu cheese is delish!) and balsamic vinegar. I also knew I need protein for energy the next day. I really don't eat much of it at once; OG is the best for leftovers for me! Especially since Weird ordered his 2nd bowl of soup and it came at the same time the entrees came so I enjoyed the bowl instead!

Weird had Chicken Scampi. I went through a phase when I liked this. I tend to order one thing for a while and then I switch. Even though Weird has an OG very close to his house, he never goes, so this was a treat for him.

Random, but this picture was framed next to our table. Haha, it just seemed like an awkward photo, and we wondered who took it and how it was taken! We wondered if they were both told to hold their forks with their left hands to create a better shot or if they were actually both lefties. The expression on the girl amused us as well.

The food was good, and the company was even better! I was glad that our first dinner of the vacation (at least the Florida part) went very well! I was excited that we had arrived and that my DBF was with us!!! We wrapped up our leftovers (dad and Weird finished), and then it was back to the combi!

We wanted to walk around a bit and explore even though we know the place well. We just like walking off some of the dinner when we're on vacation.

The arcade was interesting because they had a little bowling alley in it. Then a girl decided to play, and we saw that the balls were very small and the pins weren't real pins (they were attached to something above that flipped them up when they were hit).

Arcades look like so much fun, but I hate putting money into machines just to get cheap plastic things or nothing at all!

This game interested me though! It pops popcorn, and you have to move th lever at the bottom to catch it in the bucket! I wanted to play it, but the price was at least 75 cents, I think. Um, I'll put that toward a Disney souvenir instead!

We also checked out the gym, but walking around Disney all day long is enough exercise for us! I guess neither of us got a pic of the gym, but here's one of us leaving it!

Next, Matt wanted to check out the basketball courts because there was a game going on. Mom, Weird, and I stayed in the car and watched some people play tennis. Weird practice nighttime shooting. I don't know what the technique is that made it seem as if no one was on court because they were moving. Basically, he holds the camera still for a long time with the button pushed down.

Not all the combis are ground level. They have these highriser things too. We stayed in one of these once when Matt was much much younger. It was fun because it was 3 bedrooms, so I got my own room for myself! And it was much bigger than the one Matt and I were sharing then. There was a bed, pullout sofa, TV, table with chairs, and separate bathroom! It was also separated from the rest of the rooms, so I felt like I had some privacy ... to nap, haha.

Back at the combi, Weird took another pic of the pineapple decorations. Dole Whip Float anyone?

I went around with the Lysol spraying down the bathroom and the handles from the doors. Haha, not a very attractive pic of me, but it's just to show you what I was doing! I got the germaphobic-ness from my mom, but I'm getting better about it. I just figure, what could it hurt to spray the Lysol?

Matt took the time to play some games on his PSP because well, what do you think he would do ... read a book?!? Crazy.

The last thing I did before I took a shower and called it a night was check out where they take the magic photos for PhotoPass. Just wait to see how many of the magic photos we actually get!

I had to write all of them down in my trip journal, so it took a bit of time.

Oh, and that's the last pic of me in glasses for the next 5 days! Haha, it's strange because I've been writing about Saturday and Sunday for so long (and I wrote previously that I travel with glasses because I hate waking up in the car with dry contacts stuck to my eyes), that I actually got used to seeing pics of me in glasses! The ones without glasses look a little strange now!

But anyway, finally done with Sunday! Momentous occasion! Woohoo! Oh, and I had plenty of water to drink during dinner.

 

[Brave teacher]

I had a feeling yall would be dining at the OG. I love the lettuce hearts as well. It's such a crunchy bite of salad. Love it!!!! I love that chicken scampi that Weird had. It's so yummy.

We like to explore the grounds when we get to our resort as well.

YAY for finishing Sunday! Looking forward to your park days now!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Mmm, Olive Garden. I always feel bad when they bring us the salad because we usually have half the bowl left.

Can't wait for more!

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Yay! I can't believe it's only been 2 days

I haven't been to Olive Garden in forever.... mmmmm.... now I'm hungry....

 

[Jennifer48]

its only been 2 days?! Man you filled us in on so much, I love it! Only you could get away with telling us about going to the grocery store and not purchasing anything!

I the OG and there is always a ridiculous wait at the ones around us and we never go.

Btw, your hair is so gorgeous. Is it naturally that straight or do you have to do extra work to it?

 

[Believeinfairytales]

Your trip to the grocery store got me laughing. I agree with the majority that only YOU could make a trip to the grocery store adventurous! Yay for Olive Garden! I love that place. I usually get the Lasagna Fritas (from the appetizer menu) along with salad (omg!) and breadsticks cloud9. Even though it's just the appetizer, I still can't eat it all! Okay, now I'm hungry after talking about all of this food.

As usual, great updates, and looking forward to hearing more.

 

[therussells08]

That Olive Garden looks delicious! I live about 5 minutes from one but I got food poisioning there twice in a row so our relationship had officially ended. Yay! I'm glad you got your water! Can't wait to read more!

 

[Cat0727]

I like Olive Garden only for their large glasses of ice water, breadsticks and unlimited salad

I'm with you regarding arcades- they aren't worth it to me. Plus, they just keep getting more and more expensive to play!

 

[RachelNinja]

I had a feeling yall would be dining at the OG. I love the lettuce hearts as well. It's such a crunchy bite of salad. Love it!!!! I love that chicken scampi that Weird had. It's so yummy.

We like to explore the grounds when we get to our resort as well.

YAY for finishing Sunday! Looking forward to your park days now!

It's also so easy to stab with the fork! The inside part also has a slight bitter taste to it that I like. Yummy!

Mmm, Olive Garden. I always feel bad when they bring us the salad because we usually have half the bowl left.

Can't wait for more!

Yeah, that's why mom and I always have leftovers! If we order soup or salad, we HAVE to finish it. We hate the waste! Haha, that's why I can only manage a few bites of my entree!

Yay! I can't believe it's only been 2 days

I haven't been to Olive Garden in forever.... mmmmm.... now I'm hungry....

Haha, I can't believe it either ... it's already June! I have a student who went to Florida (last Fri was her last day) and another leaving now (today was her last day). So jealous! Haha, but at least I get to still live through mine!

its only been 2 days?! Man you filled us in on so much, I love it! Only you could get away with telling us about going to the grocery store and not purchasing anything!

I the OG and there is always a ridiculous wait at the ones around us and we never go.

Btw, your hair is so gorgeous. Is it naturally that straight or do you have to do extra work to it?

Haha, I don't think I'll ever be a "And then we went to the grocery store, but we didn't buy anything" kind of TR writer. I dwell as you can already tell!

As for my hair, as long as I dry it with a brush (I use a paddle brush), it stays pretty straight. I used to have to straighten it when I was younger and it poufed, but now I'm okay with it. It's also really long, so it's easier to stay straight. I'm still wondering when I'm going to cut it! For many of the other vacation days, I braided it so that I wouldn't have to spend time drying it straight.

Your trip to the grocery store got me laughing. I agree with the majority that only YOU could make a trip to the grocery store adventurous! Yay for Olive Garden! I love that place. I usually get the Lasagna Fritas (from the appetizer menu) along with salad (omg!) and breadsticks cloud9. Even though it's just the appetizer, I still can't eat it all! Okay, now I'm hungry after talking about all of this food.

As usual, great updates, and looking forward to hearing more.

I think that's why Weird and I get along so well! We think even the little things like going to IKEA is an adventurous experience! We spent a good chunk of time there on Saturday looking at potential furniture.

Mmm, I always wanted to try the Lasagna Fritas!!! I should do that and order it as an entree!

That Olive Garden looks delicious! I live about 5 minutes from one but I got food poisioning there twice in a row so our relationship had officially ended. Yay! I'm glad you got your water! Can't wait to read more!

Boo to your getting food poisoning! That's so bad! What did you order?

I like Olive Garden only for their large glasses of ice water, breadsticks and unlimited salad

I'm with you regarding arcades- they aren't worth it to me. Plus, they just keep getting more and more expensive to play!

Their salad dressing is just so yummy! The right amount of tartness without being too tart.

I never even liked it when the arcade games cost a quarter! I would rather stick the quarter in a prize machine or something and get a smiley face sticker.

 

[Bridora]

WooHoo! All caught up! Your "combi" looks nice!

Olive Garden looks yummy! My DH doesn't like it, so we don't go there much.

Good idea about taking liquid hand soap with you...I think I'll do that next time. I don't like to take my rings off when I wash my hands and the bar soap always gets stuck to it and it takes forever to get it off. I should just take my rings off, but I'm afraid of losing one.

I'm glad you finally got something to drink too!

 

[klacey1]

We have an OG around here, too, but we never go because the wait is always horrendous. We waited 25 minutes once during the midweek at like 9-- their calamari and salad dressing is worth it, though! I haven't really found an entree I love, yet, but the apps + salad are so yummy.
Seems like you guys had the perfect relaxing evening before starting your Disney adventure!!

 

[TokyoDina]

I love OG! I always get the Capellini Pomodoro. It's one of the healthiest things on the menu and so tasty! I love Macaroni Grill more cause of the Rosemary Bread but the both have Capellini Pomodoro so I'm never sad I can't have it.


Wow I can't wait for your first day at the Parks! Weird really likes to take random pictures of you!! Haha at least your not staged like that poor couple in OG!

 

[RachelNinja]

WooHoo! All caught up! Your "combi" looks nice!

Olive Garden looks yummy! My DH doesn't like it, so we don't go there much.

Good idea about taking liquid hand soap with you...I think I'll do that next time. I don't like to take my rings off when I wash my hands and the bar soap always gets stuck to it and it takes forever to get it off. I should just take my rings off, but I'm afraid of losing one.

I'm glad you finally got something to drink too!

My family goes every once in a while here, but I never go along with them because it's far, and the food doesn't entice me much. It's just vacation when I really like it! I associate it with Florida because we've been eating at OG during most trips.

YES! I also hate bar soap stuck in my rings! I have a ring on my right hand that's made up of hearts, and the soap gets stuck in every little crevice.

We have an OG around here, too, but we never go because the wait is always horrendous. We waited 25 minutes once during the midweek at like 9-- their calamari and salad dressing is worth it, though! I haven't really found an entree I love, yet, but the apps + salad are so yummy.
Seems like you guys had the perfect relaxing evening before starting your Disney adventure!!

Calamari is one thing that I won't ever try from OG. I had calamari from a local Italian restaurant where I live the night I had to go to the hospital for severe chest, difficulty breathing, and high fever. I was just having a gallbladder attack (TOO much calamari and pizza too!), but at the time, it was so scary! I don't like eating calamari ever since that time even though I used to devour it all the time before!

I love OG! I always get the Capellini Pomodoro. It's one of the healthiest things on the menu and so tasty! I love Macaroni Grill more cause of the Rosemary Bread but the both have Capellini Pomodoro so I'm never sad I can't have it.

Wow I can't wait for your first day at the Parks! Weird really likes to take random pictures of you!! Haha at least your not staged like that poor couple in OG!

Mmm, I love Macaroni Grill too! So delicious! I just wish they had better prices or included soup and salad the way OG does.

You'll see plenty more random pics of me throughout the ENTIRE TR!

 

[RachelNinja]

Monday, April 5: Morning Hashbrown Starter

I eagerly woke up the next morning knowing that in just two hours, we'd be at our first Disney park: Epcot! Normally, we hit Magic Kingdom first. However, I checked the Touring Plans before we left, and it said that Epcot would be the least crowded and suggested that we avoid MK altogether! I knew that crowds were going to be high since it Easter vacation/Spring Break, so I tried finding any possible way to decrease crowd stress!

I scurried to the living room where Weird was sleeping on the pull-out bed, and I softly poked his cheek to wake him up. Hehe, I must say that it was fun being able to wake him up every morning! After the fact, he did tell me that on one day, he actually woke up before I got to him, but he pretended to still be sleeping so I could "wake" him up anyway!

As you learned earlier, we actually didn't have any food for breakfast. We all got ready and dressed and headed out to McDonald's for some 2 for $2 breakfast sandwiches. Initially, I thought dad was going to bring it back to the condo, but at the last minute, we decided to eat there instead.

It was a little crowded when we arrived, and we wondered if we would be able to get seats. Thankfully, by the time we got our food, we were able to snag a table that fit all 5 of us comfortably. From what I remember, I split a sandwich? Wow, waiting a long time to actually write the TR means I don't remember these details! Haha. In the past, I never had trouble remembering anything (for my first TR); I think that because Weird was with us, there was just a lot more to remember!

I do know, however, that Matt and I both got a hash brown! We are hash brown addicts. Haha, although we rarely get it! But when we can and we're allowed (usually on vacation), we jump at the chance! If you read my previous TR from 2008, you might remember the horrible breakfast we had at the Ramada Inn (the one I referenced when we drove through Florence, SC). The thing that made up for it was stopping by a McD's so Matt and I could each get hash browns!

As soon as we were done, we loaded back into the car to head to Epcot! I was so so so excited! Weird was obviously extra excited especially since he was able to take pictures of all the signs! He had his camera on that function to allow the person to take photos in quick succession, one after another (I asked Weird, he said "continuous shooting.") That's why he got 8 pictures of the WDW sign!

I, for once, was THRILLED to see the sign for DHS because I knew that Weird and I would be going there on our own later in the week! I hadn't been there since I was MUCH younger ... the time when I used to be willing to go on rides like Tower of Terror!

As I got older, I used to sit in the car nervous when we drove by this park because I knew it had ToT in it. Thankfully, I have a DBF who doesn't go for the thrill rides either, and even if he did, he would never pressure me to go on them.

Then Weird just about had a fit over the fact that we saw the Tronorail pass by!

Weird LOVES Tron (even the costumes on VMK!). Last summer, I went over his house, and I finally sat down to watch it with him. Um, I kind of wanted to nap through some of it. It just wasn't my kind of movie because I didn't understand a lot of it. There was a lot of pausing and, "Wait, what?" so Weird could explain it to me. I totally understand why he likes it though! But yes, I will be a good DGF and go with him to see Tron Legacy (I had to ask him for the name too because I forgot!).

Soon we approached the Epcot sign! Part of me wishes that they would change the sign to make it more interesting (the MK one is so magical!). But I know that if they did change it, I'd probably also be very upset that they didn't leave it as it is!

AND that's where I'm leaving you tonight. Tomorrow is the last day of school (half day), but it's emotionally draining despite not having to teach. There's the room that needs to be cleaned and rearranged. On top of that, it's the last time I'll be seeing the 8th grade in school (other than in the auditorium during graduation). Ahhh! My mind is on overload when the students' minds are in ... um, underload? Haha. Anyway, I'll have more time to write once school is done!