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

[RachelNinja]

For being so young, you are a very wise lady Rachel. We should all live our lives like this!

I saw how worn out you must be right now today in Jared's teacher. I go in every Thursday to help her with the folders that go home with the kids each week, and she is sooooo ready for this school year to end. The kids are bouncing off the walls anticipating summer and she has all these deadlines to meet as well as trying to deal with their craziness. We just have 3 days left, almost there!

Haha, I'm not "wise" all the time though. Other times I start poking Weird and asking when he's going to propose! He knows not to say anything though even if I keep begging for some hints! I know I'll appreciate the surprise. I think it's a lot of fun waiting though, and if I knew when it would happen, the fun would be gone!

Yeah, end of the year is fun for students, but it's a little stressful as a teacher. The other day one of my students asked why we're still doing work when there are only 2 weeks left of school. I replied, "There are 3 weeks left. And what exactly did you think we'd do for 3 weeks? Sit around?" I don't know why my kids think they're just getting free periods now! We're learning for at least the next 2 weeks and taking it easier during the last week, of course.

I just wanted to say hi! I've been reading your TR and catching up on the rest of them, and they are super fun! Congrats on picking up the ring! My DH bought the ring before he proposed too, and there was a span of a few months before it actually happened too! He didn't know that I knew he bought the ring.

Looking forward to reading more!

YAY! Thanks for reading! I loved reading your TR a while back; I don't know if I commented or if I read it when it was finished, but I just know that I did and really enjoyed it!

Hehe, how did you find out that your DH had the ring?

Can't wait to hear the engagement story!

I can't wait to tell it

Ohh ok, DUH! I don't think I've ever noticed it before, because I like reading the DIS wedding boards too, and the Knot! It's so much fun!

I'm thinking about ways to incorporate bits of Disney in our wedding without being TOO in your face about it. Everyone we know knows that we love Disney, so it's not going to be a surprise!

 

[RachelNinja]

Sunday, April 4: We've Finally Arrived!

The last installment had us driving in the sunny state of Florida, trying to remain patient since we were finally in the right state but still hours away! To kill some time, Weird and I continued taking pictures of things that interested us.

Weird was interested in this building because of the funny things on the outside. Haha, I think that's why he took this picture. To me, it looks a bit like an oversized robot! That and the pink round parts look like pig snouts!

He also got super excited over the first Disney sign that we saw! It's funny to see that the sign says that the deal ends May 21, and it's already past that date and we haven't even seen WDW in this TR yet!

As he was snapping photos of those things, I took a picture of something that interested me as well! Hehe. I <3 Weird.

The Casting building is another landmark that reassures me that we're getting closer to our destination!

Sea World is yet another one of those landmarks! I haven't been to Sea World since I was a little kid. I don't think it'd be worth the money for me because I don't like rollercoasters or sea animals!

Weird was super excited over seeing this sign. I told him that it wasn't as fun as seeing the purple Disney signs, but he was still pumped about it. It was great to have him there with us because it reminded me of all the little things! I've seen these signs so many times that I've taken them for granted. For Weird, it was such a thrill, and it helped me get the thrill back for these "little" things too!

And there's the sign for Kissimmee! I love staying at Disney's "neighbor."

This sign for Arabian Nights really got Weird excited as he was like, "It's a horse!" He has this thing for horses because of a cartoon he used to watch when he was younger called ... um, one sec, let me ask him ... Luno!

Before DIS, I never knew there was a town called Celebration. I used to think odd things about this sign, that it was inviting people to actuall go celebrate being in Florida or something ...

Now we were nearing our timeshare. The long strip of touristy stores is what signals that we're really so close! This mermaid is one of the creepy ones!

Every time we passed by this restaurant, we kept joking that we'd stop to eat at Passage to India. That's something we used to say when we were younger. When I came back home to Yelp it, I saw that it actually got some good reviews! Haha, maybe the joke's been on us all this time.

Another one of those creepy tourist stores! From what I remember, Matt used to be scared of them when he was much younger.

And yet another! I thought these were creepy when I was younger because the eyes lit up on at night!

This area has a lot of miniature golf places. Oh cool! There's a Cici's Pizza! Haha, I remember they had commercials of it up here in NY and then someone else mentioned it, maybe Irky in her TR? I just thought it was funny because we don't have any around here, so seeing one now in the picture is pretty cool! I didn't notice it beforehand.

This part was pretty hilarious! When my parents saw this Olive Garden, it really got them excited because normally we would have to drive fairly far to eat at Olive Garden. We have to do that here too and drive out to New Jersey, so it caused a huge commotion in our car when we saw there was one just a traffic light away from the entrance of Orange Lake Resort!

Then the excitement increased twofold when my mom saw that there was a Super Target across from our place as well! Haha, I have it on video with everyone going crazy about it (haha with some exaggeration as well). We were just so giddy and in such great moods!

I think Weird snapped this picture because it reminded him of the animals (Texas longhorn).

And here we are! We've FINALLY arrived!!! I love that the pic came out pretty good considering Weird snapped it quickly as my dad was turning!

AHHH, now we're even CLOSER to Disney! Haha, there's still a bunch of stuff to write about for this first night, but "tomorrow" is our first Disney park!

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Phew... just in time I really have to go potty

Those stores are creepy! I think they'd give me worse nightmares than being trapped in CoP by myself

So funny about the Olive Garden and Super Target... I bet you were all punchy from being in the car so long. I would have celebrated too. Plus all the bready and target-y goodness so close. I'm sure that will prove to be a definite bonus!

And I love the picture you snapped of Weird snapping a picture... I do that too.

P.S. Happy 3 weeks of school left.

 

[TokyoDina]

Your almost there! At least you had a fun few days getting down there. It took us 10 hours.....yeah it was crazy!

I was this -------------------------------------------- close to buying into the DVC. If only I had enough money at the time for a down payment.

 

[dellasgirl]

All Right--We are here-
Love the pics of all the different buildings.
We love to look and point--never thought to take a pic(or have we-i will have to check old photos)

The pic with weird looking out the window in search of his next 'target' is great--such concentration.

Looky we are under 30--finally

 

[therussells08]

Yay!! You made it!!

I have been trying to talk DH into buying to the DVC ever since I graduated college, and he's finally starting to crack. Seeing you guys enjoy your timeshare makes me want it even more!!

 

[Bridora]

Slap bracelets were the thing in my day. Do any of you guys remember those things? They came in every color and design!!!

Ahhh, slap bracelets, I had a couple of those before our school banned them!

Yes, my DD informed my DH this morning that the silly bandz weren't really as "in" anymore. He asked why they weren't wearing them much and that was her answer. She's in 4th grade. I thought they didn't wear them because they aren't allowed to trade them at school and maybe that took the fun out of it.

And Yay! for making it to Orange Lake!

Those buildings are pretty creepy, I agree!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Ugggg, those souvenir store fronts are creepy!

Yay! You're finally there

 

[Jennifer48]

Yay you made it!

They have Cici's commercials up here too in MA with none within driving distance.

 

[floridascgirl]

Yippee...we made it!!! :

 

[Cat0727]

You made ittt!!!

Your store & scenery pictures are so fun to look at! The touristy stores are so creepy Especially that mermaid one, good shot! I remember going into one of them for "shopping" during my senior trip in H.S.

 

[TokyoDina]

I love Olive Garden! It's my most favorite place! I applied for the Olive Garden Culinary Institute contest. Didn't win but it would have been cool if I did!

 

[klacey1]

I love those creepy souvenir shops!! We always used to stay in Orlando, because we'd always go to US, too, and I LOVED those shops as a kid! There's something so Florida about them to me, haha. Glad you're finally there!!!

 

[Believeinfairytales]

So glad you made it! The journey was fun getting there, but I'm ready for the good stuff!

 

[stacy347]

Whoohoo ~ we're there!

I was just as excited as your mom to have a Super Target close by! I actually work at Target and we don't have any of the Super stores here. We are always saying at work how we'd like to become a Super Target so I made sure I got a picture of it and I grabbed one of the store maps while we were shopping to take back to my girls at work. We are easily amused.

I had never gone into any of the creepy shops until this trip ~ there was one that really gave us the heebie jeebies once we got inside.

Can't wait to hear about the rest!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Woo hoo, you are finally there!

I love the Olive Garden. It's funny because we've eaten there several times when we've gone on vacations...so far I've eaten at OG's in Arizona, North Carolina, and the one in New York in Times Square (that was my bday dinner last year!). We've only eaten at the one here once.

 

[Amandapur]

I love the pictures of the crazy tourist shops! I remember passing by them all the time when we stayed in Kissimmee two years ago. I definitely remember the mermaid one and the wizard one.

 

[irky416]

Yay! You finally made it. I remember seeing that mermaid store when we went down a few years ago. It creeped me out too!

I think it was me who posted about CiCi's. I vaguely remember that!

PS. How's the ring?

 

[valeriemouse]

I'm totally new to your trip report and I've barely read anything yet, but, after reading your backgound I had to comment! I'm a 25 year old 6-8th Middle School teacher (social studies, and geography, and political science, and math lab . . . . jack of all trades ) from NY as well! I, like you, incorporate Disney whenever I can (studying Tourist Maps sound boring? Well we did touring plans of Magic Kingdom!)

Anyway, It's nice to know there are similar people out there that share a love for all things Disney!

Ok . . back to reading!

-Val

 

[floridascgirl]

Rachel, you haven't posted in awhile. I hope that everything is fine and you are just building the suspense. We finally made it to Florida and next up is...

Sending you a hug just in case you need it, though!