What's better than a honeymoon? TWO Honeymoons! 8/30 57 hours/13 months to go!

[HeatherBelle614]

Sending extra pixie dust to you!!! I hope everything turns out well!!

 

[Joyciemc]

Thank you all for your good thoughts! My knees are the same today, I'm hobbling around like I'm 90.
The Dr. She suspects Lyme Disease, but we won't know anything till blood tests come back.
*I just re read this, and laughed out loud that I wrote 'Dr. She' That is not my doctor's name, but it is hilarious.*


In good news, the shirts I ordered came in today. They fit! Though the green Mickey couture one is tight. I guess that's cause it is fancy. If my knees let me keep working out, I'll be happy to wear it.

Thanks again for all of your concern, it means a lot to me!

 

[Stefy]

Omigoodness I hope its not Lyme disease. What makes your Dr think its that? Hopefully the tests will come back negative and that its just you overworking yourself working out

Coolbeans about the t shirts, you must post pics

 

[oboedm]

it wasn't quite a butt load of money, more like just a lot of money!

Too funny. I think similarly. It isn't as much as it could be, sooo... okay! I'll spend that!

This isn't really an update, just a worry/vent post... feel free to skip it, I won't be offended

Under a month to go and I should be super excited about that... and I am. But now I might have a problem.
Starting on Thursday, my back was very very sore. I took some Advil, and felt great. Friday was the same. Yesterday, my back felt ok but my neck was so sore I couldn't turn my head. Today, I woke up to no pain at all in my back or neck. Yay! BUT, both my knees are swollen and I can hardly bend them. I can't kneel at all (which made working with animals all day very difficult!) and my mobility is gone.

At first I thought it was all because I hard started working out and was taking it pretty seriously. But this is way beyond muscle soreness. I have a Dr. appt tomorrow, but I am so nervous! If my knees don't shape up, I might be enjoying Disney from the view of a weelchair...

Eek! I hope that isn't the case and that they can figure out what is wrong. Keep us updated!

 

[Joyciemc]

Omigoodness I hope its not Lyme disease. What makes your Dr think its that? Hopefully the tests will come back negative and that its just you overworking yourself working out

Coolbeans about the t shirts, you must post pics

I had a tic bite a month ago or so, followed by the flu-like symptoms and then joint pain. Though I won't get the results of the blood test till next week. But, the good news is that I feel a lot better today!

Too funny. I think similarly. It isn't as much as it could be, sooo... okay! I'll spend that!

Eek! I hope that isn't the case and that they can figure out what is wrong. Keep us updated!

I hope so, too! Probably won't know anything till next week. But I can walk again, so I am happy!

 

[annmarieda]

crossing my fingers that your blood work comes back ok!!!

 

[klacey1]

Glad you are walking again!! If it is Lyme (fingers crossed it's not), I feel like there's no better place than Disney! Hubby can push you around in a wheelchair and you can get a GAC card-- just a minor set back!
Here's hoping everything will be fine, though, of course!!

 

[Stefy]

Glad you feel a better today, hopefully the blood tests come back ok

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

Here is some pixie dust for good blood test results.

 

[Joyciemc]

crossing my fingers that your blood work comes back ok!!!

I still haven't heard! But I feel so much better, I am not very worried

Glad you are walking again!! If it is Lyme (fingers crossed it's not), I feel like there's no better place than Disney! Hubby can push you around in a wheelchair and you can get a GAC card-- just a minor set back!
Here's hoping everything will be fine, though, of course!!

Haha, that is exactly what Ben and my boss were talking about when he came to pick me up from work (I couldn't even drive because of my knees!)

Glad you feel a better today, hopefully the blood tests come back ok

Thanks! Still feeling good, so looks like I'm ok!

Here is some pixie dust for good blood test results.

I just hope I get the results soon! I feel fine now, but I want to know why I hurt so badly last week!

Thanks once again for all of your well wishes! You are all so thoughtful- I feel completely myself again, so I am back on track for being 100% consumed by the upcoming trip. I'll be working on posting our daily plans soon!

Oooh, but I have to post about what I did today!

 

[Joyciemc]

Thanks to a couple of very good friends of ours, I was able to check off a major 'lifetime to-do list' item today: visit an abandoned amusement park.

You may be thinking, 'why they heck would you want to do that?'
I don't know when it started, but I've been interested in these parks for years. There are some great websites with fascinating pictures of parks that just closed and were left to rot.

I had no idea there was one only an hour from where I live. Our friends had driven by it last year, and the wooden roller coaster is visible from the road. This park has been closed for over 20 years. Fires have destroyed a lot of the buildings, but considering how long it's been, I could not believe how much was still there.

I brought my DSLR and managed to get a lot of pictures. Here are just some of them:

This is the Comet. Most of it is still standing, but the lift hill section has collapsed.
*DISCLAIMER: We never climbed on it or did anything stupid, but I did have a pretty good zoom lens to use so some of the pictures look pretty up close.

This was an old sign that says 'Speedway'

A structure that is still standing. Our guess was that it housed a carousel. Our friend went in and got some cool pictures, but I was chicken (or smart and sensible...)

This was the station for the train ride.

Looking through the train station.

This pizza stand was one of the only buildings still up. There were a lot of charred remains of other buildings nearby:

We're bushwhacking into kiddie land!

Another small building, right near the roller coaster.

The loading station for the coaster. The roof had collapsed, but it was creepily intact!

At this end, the lighting and decorative paint is still on the coaster!

I used the zoom to get this picture of the track.


I really can't believe they've just left this here. It's obvious from the fires and all the graffiti that it is a magnet for some not-so-well-meaning visitors.

It was an amazing experience... my mom just told me that we actually visited this park in 1984- just a couple of years before it closed!

 

[Stefy]

Wow those pictures are awesome and I totally get going to an abandoned theme park. Must have been a bit creepy at times though, being that you guys were the only ones there.

 

[annmarieda]

Those were awesome pictures. How weird that it all is just sitting there abandoned. I don't think there is anything thing remotely like that here. Not only would it be taken all down or refurbished into something else, but there would be no way to get to it for fear that someone could get hurt and then file a suit.

 

[Joyciemc]

Wow those pictures are awesome and I totally get going to an abandoned theme park. Must have been a bit creepy at times though, being that you guys were the only ones there.

It was spooky, just the 4 of us wandering around.

Those were awesome pictures. How weird that it all is just sitting there abandoned. I don't think there is anything thing remotely like that here. Not only would it be taken all down or refurbished into something else, but there would be no way to get to it for fear that someone could get hurt and then file a suit.

I really can't believe they've left it up for over 20 years. It seems a huge liability problem. There are homes right across the street- it's a residential neighborhood.

The fence surrounding it was very poorly maintained- entire sections were missing.

But it was such an interesting experience, I'm glad we got a chance to visit it!

 

[Joyciemc]

Health update: I don't have Lyme disease!!! Most likely my problems were due to a combination of anemia and low calcium. Vitamins and supplements for me! I continue to feel great, so I am hopeful that I'll be fine from here on out.

Now on with this pre-trip report!!

Now that it's only 24 days away, the trip feels more real than ever. I've started to mentally pack. That's when you look at clothes and think 'that's something I'll bring' but don't actually move it into a bag. It's not the most effective way of packing, but it's about as much as I ever do before a trip. I am a last minute packer all the way. It's because I know I won't be able to sleep the night before, so I may as well use that time to pack!

But even though I don't pack ahead of time, I do spend hours and hours thinking about the trip and planing things. Here's what I have for day 1:

Day 1: Thursday, 9/2
We'll be staying with Ben's parents the night before since they live closer to TF Green airport, which we are flying out of. Our dog Penny will spend the week at 'Camp Grandparents' and she'll have a grand ol' time!

Our flight lands in MCO at 9:55. We won't be checking bags (Ben's thing- I go along with it. Don't ask how I fit everything in a carry on. Most of it is because I am not a regular girl and don't bring a whole lot.) so because we can skip baggage claim, we should be able to get a cab to US and be checking into Portofino Bay at 11:30 or so.

After checking in, we'll head to US. But I'm sure we'll need to eat. I'm thinking of eating somewhere quick in US. We won't be too picky because we will be famished at this time. I don't have a touring plan for this park, we'll just try to hit as many of the things that we are looking forward to as we can. The things I'm most looking forward to are:
Mummy, ET, Simpsons, Men in Black, Ripe Ride Rockit
We'll have more time at this park, so it's ok if we don't get everything on day 1!

Once the park closes, we'll get dinner at City Walk. Maybe Margaritaville or Pastamore. If we are not zombies by this time, we might stop for a drink at the Thirsty Fish at Portofino. Probably we will be zombies, though and will head for sleepy time.

In 3 weeks and 2 days, that's what we'll be doing. YAY!

 

[Joyciemc]

I can't believe that I forgot to post my kitten update! I brought them back to the shelter, and all four of the boys have been adopted!!

Belle is still waiting for a home, but she's as sweet as ever and I am sure it won't take long.

 

[DisneyCrafter]

Your day one plans sound great! You will definitely sleep good that night! That's awesome that the kittens were adopted and even better that you don't have Lyme disease!! Woo!!

 

[Stefy]

Thank goodness it wasn't Lyme Disease and that its nothing too serious and that you just have to take supplements

Coolbeans on the kitties being adopted, Belle will be adopted in no time too

Day 1 sounds good, lots of great ride choices Lunch wise you will find plenty of places to find a quick bite. Just looked again at the dining options and there is a fried chicken place!!! Wish I had known that last year would so have been in there!

 

[tankgirl427]

Glad you are feeling better! We're almost at trip day! Although I'm like with BF right now. I dont' know if he deserves the trip.

 

[klacey1]

Thank God you don't have Lyme Disease!! So glad you're feeling better-- keep taking those vitamins!
Best quick eats in Universal-- Cinnabon if you're looking for something sweet, Monster's Cafe for a REALLY cool atmosphere and decent food (we really like the chicken there. The pizza is good, too).
Your must-do's are all of my favorites-- the themeing of ET rivals Disney's best. The line is amazing and most of it is indoors. The Mummy is incredible, also-- mostly indoor line as well. There's a portion of the line outside, but since you're going at a slow time (when we go, too), I bet you'll just be able to walk right inside.