Trip Report *COMPLETED* No Ring (delayed), No Rivers Light, & Donald Duck’s the President

As I stir my pasta noodles for dinner, a single tear slides down my cheek. DEPRESSION. It’s cold, it’s dark, and I am home…this unfamiliar place that is not my Disney World hotel room. (PLUS WHY AM I COOKING?!) This cold Philadelphia air chills me to the core, and when I woke up this morning I contemplated chucking my cell phone out the window. I knew my alarm was waking me up for work, not to catch a Disney bus. What is this life?! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY does it have to end?! The hardest part of planning, and changing your plans, and obsessing over your plans, and then finally living out your plans is the part at the end. The part where it’s all over, it’s all done, and going on a Disney website, or checking a restaurant menu is like pouring salt on an open wound.

As you can tell from my title, no I didn’t get my Disney World proposal and no I didn’t get to see Rivers of Light. Thought I would throw all the heartbreak right at you from the get go, so we can move on to happier memories. (This just means my boyfriend owes me a BIGGER diamond, and a trip back! Maybe when ROL opens?!)

I have just returned from the most fabulous trip to Disney, and I am already itching to go back. I am trying to convince someone, anyone (hello out there!) to book a weekend getaway… That’s the thing with Disney, they always leave you wanting more! Unless it’s it just something us Disney addicts feel, we are always eager for our next fix!

For those who don’t know me, I’m Nicole, and I love Disney World. I have loved Disney World for 11 years now. (This is how they start these meetings right?!)

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I was in the Disney bubble from November 4th to November 13th and it was not enough time. NOT ENOUGH TIME I TELL YOU!!! I stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and fell truly, madly, and deeply in love with this BEAUTIFUL riverside resort. My last two trips have been in July and August, and I think those trips (in the summer nonetheless) were MUCH less crowded. SO MANY PEOPLE! It was the end of a race weekend, the last week of food and wine, NJ teacher convention week, and election week. One word of advice, DO NOT EVER GO AT THIS TIME! (keep rereading the go at as goat LOL)

Let’s begin!



November 4th-

Our flight was not until 5:50 PM Friday night. I originally was planning to work in the morning, but it turned out I was able to take the whole day off. Of course I woke up super early with excitement, did all my last minute packing, and then stared at the clock for hours on end. Go figure!

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This text arrived and my anxiety immediately started kicking in. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN! Will we not have room? Will they downgrade us to a tent along the riverbank? Will I have to fight off alligators and zika mosquitoes while sleeping outside? My boyfriend tried to calm my fears, and decided we should get a move on it. Airport here we come!

SEPTA was on strike (public transportation buses, etc) so of course traffic was nightmare! I tried my hardest not to freak out and bite off all my nails before even reaching Orlando.

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After what seemed like forever, we made it! Hustled through security and straight for the bar!

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Round 1

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Round 2

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Round 3—oops?

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And our first food picture of the trip! Chicken tenders! My anxiety was so high all day that I forgot to eat, and I was feeling pretty tipsy. Food is always a good idea!

We paid our tab, and decided to wait by the gate for our magical plane to Orlando! TAKE ME HOME BABY!!!

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Ummm.. where is our plane?

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Come to find out our flight is delayed until 7 PM… I was too hyper and couldn’t sit still so off we went to check out the airport shops and burn off some energy.

We stumbled upon this wonderful sight, and couldn’t resist.

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So much for trying to stay hungry to use up those quick service meals tonight!

The time ticked by soooooooooooo slowly. We watched a woman scream at the American Airlines attendant because he was making her check her bag… SCREAM. She kept threatening him, saying she was going to call Disney and tell them he ruined her trip. There was a family standing beside us, and they told the father he had to go on a later flight because they oversold the plane, and even he didn’t go as ballistic as this woman. Getting to Disney is stressful people!

Soon I was admiring this stunning view. HAPPY PLACE HERE I COME!

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And we’re off!

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Our flight was quick and painless, and soon the announcement came on that we arrived in Orlando!! A little boy a few rows behind us screamed out “NOOOOOOOO, we went to the wrong place! We are supposed to be in Disney World!”

I showed my boyfriend what I pro I was at maneuvering through the Orlando airport, B side, you can’t hide from me! My Mickey turned green and all my anxiety from earlier in the day melted away. The familiar aroma of the Orlando airport, the big Mickey hands waving you home, the smiling cast member’s faces, it didn’t matter if I’d be sleeping in a river, I was here!

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Our magical express filled up quickly, and I didn’t even mind that we were one of the last stops. I soaked up that arrival feeling, the feeling that a full trip is ahead of you, that this really is the ultimate moment of beginning, that the possibilities are truly endless. Plus, it gave me more time to answer trivia questions! I think everyone on the bus thought I was psycho with the amount I got right!

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And off we drove into the night. Even though the sign wasn’t lit up due to construction, I still felt it. The transition to being “on property”. That butterflies fluttering in your stomach feeling, when you know you’ve truly been welcomed home.
 

Figgy1

Premium Member
Thank you so much! I agree, Prince Joe did do a pretty good job!

Thank you for your sweet, sweet compliment on my trip report. Sometimes when I am writing,I think so myself, "who the heck is going to read this and enjoy it?" Glad there are people out there who did! I love Disney soooooooo much. I am glad it comes through in my writing! :)

I need to really get on wedding planning... what to do when your rather be planning your next Disney trip! :p
Save yourself a ton of headaches! Do the cheapest escape wedding Disney has and just have a big party when you get home from your wedding/Disneymoon. Let Disney do the planning:D
 

38053WDW

Well-Known Member
Nov 6th

On our way to lunch, a woman asked if we could take a picture of her and her daughter. We obliged, and then asked if she could do the same! I love these shots, so thank you!!
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You can just about see RoL in the background :)
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Food was calling our name, and although I always say I am going to eat somewhere different, I always find myself at good ole Flame Tree BBQ. I am a creature of habit, what can I say!

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We each had the ribs, pulled pork and chicken combo. We also decided to use a snack credit for the French fries with pulled pork and cheese. As you can tell, we were STARVING.

And these Disney ice cubes seemed so different to me, I had to photograph our drinks. I’m probably just insane!

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Our view was to die for!
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I feel like Flame Tree always gets mixed reviews, but I still consider it to be my favorite QS on property. I love the food, the ambiance, the BBQ sauce. Lunch was mouth-wateringly good. Also, the French fries were a GREAT decision. DELICIOUS.

We ate until we could eat no more and I checked the Times Guide to see when Lion King show would be performing. I hadn’t been to the new theater, and after such a big meal, I needed to sit down!

On the way over, we got more Photopass pictures taken- this time with sunglasses on!

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I love the zebra frame! My college dorm room memories are flooding back,,

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Full, photographed, and extremely blissful, it was time for the best show there ever was.

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[/QUO

The part of taking pictures for others is a love/hate relationship with my wife. I can't stand to see families taking pictures with one person left out (especially Tree of Life / Castle) ... so I always stop and ask if I can take their picture as a family so when they get home they will have that one picture. I try my best to make it special (even if I have to lay on back to get the best shot! (Yes I've done that!) ... I once had this group of 4 girls form Japan, we understood "take picture?" and that was about it.. We ended up running into them throughout the park and I took many shots for them.. We laughed but then I thought of the great pictures they'd have when they get back to Japan to show friends .. That's my Disney side .. and my wife says "again?" ... I say "I'll be right back" ... and Yes, when I rough that corner on main street and see that Castle for the first time .. just chokes me up .....
 

prfctlyximprct

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
@prfctlyximprct I love love loveeeeddd your trip report! :happy: It may or may not have taken over my evenings on the sofa *stares at iPad for 3 hours ignoring boyfriend* :geek: I actually read it ages ago but forgot to write this!
You've set the bar pretty high & now I'm scared for mine!:facepalm:

Congrats on the engagement & I look forward to another TR :)

Thank you so much for your SUPER SWEET compliment! I am so happy you enjoyed reading them! Makes up for the month or so I IGNORED my boyfriend writing it LOL!

Thank you so much for the congrats! It's been two months and I still am in shock when I wake up! I hope I can get to Disney soon! I want to see Rivers of Light so badly!!! :(

And your trip report will be amazing!! :)
 

prfctlyximprct

Well-Known Member
Original Poster

How sweet are you! It's people like you that make me LOVE everyone in Disney. Sometimes that small act of kindness can really make someone's vacation! And look, so many people have photographic proof of their happiness thanks to you! I try to pay it forward whenever I see a couple struggling with photos, and I am so thankful for those like you! :) :) :)
 

c.j.hong

Member
First .... congratulations.

I discovered the WDWMagic website last year when researching and planning ADRs for a scheduled trip (January 2016). I have followed that thread daily since (http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/wdw-food-pictures-of-the-day-part-ii.634200/page-337), but was usually just a browser on the general website when looking for other things that piqued my interest.

I did stumble across your TR and I read it over a couple of days. Having never read a TR on WDWMagic or any other website, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, I am glad that I took the time to look it over. My family had just gotten back from another trip to WDW (January 2017) and had the post-Disney blues. The time, energy and effort you must have put into your TR along with so many accompanying photos provided a welcome chance to re-live some of the Magic.

So … just wanted to take the opportunity to tell you “job well done” on the TR.
 

prfctlyximprct

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
First .... congratulations.

I discovered the WDWMagic website last year when researching and planning ADRs for a scheduled trip (January 2016). I have followed that thread daily since (http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/wdw-food-pictures-of-the-day-part-ii.634200/page-337), but was usually just a browser on the general website when looking for other things that piqued my interest.

I did stumble across your TR and I read it over a couple of days. Having never read a TR on WDWMagic or any other website, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, I am glad that I took the time to look it over. My family had just gotten back from another trip to WDW (January 2017) and had the post-Disney blues. The time, energy and effort you must have put into your TR along with so many accompanying photos provided a welcome chance to re-live some of the Magic.

So … just wanted to take the opportunity to tell you “job well done” on the TR.

Ahhh! Thank you so much!!! I am so glad you stumbled upon it! I must admit, writing a trip report is no easy task! Especially for me because there just aren't enough words to describe the way I'm feeling when I'm at Disney. I felt like I rambled a lot so thank you for sticking through it!!

And I took a ton of food pics, so it was basically like the other thread, right?!? LOL

Thank you again so much for commenting! :) you have made my night!
 

prfctlyximprct

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
@prfctlyximprct I commented separately on your 2014 TR but just wanted to how much I LOVE your trip reports. We booked a cruise last week so I went back and re-read your 2014 report. We never even considered a cruise before reading that! Thanks so much for sharing with us and for spreading the Disney Magic! Hope you celebrating your engagement in style X

Thank you so much for your comments! I actually just saw your comment on my other trip report! What a small world!!! I can't wait for you to cruise!!! Glad I can share the magic :)
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Okay, I finally caught up. If you got spammed with about 100 likes in the last few days, it was me! Sorry! I loved the entire report, food and drink pictures, photopass photos, and of course your delayed proposal story. Congratulations!!
 

prfctlyximprct

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Okay, I finally caught up. If you got spammed with about 100 likes in the last few days, it was me! Sorry! I loved the entire report, food and drink pictures, photopass photos, and of course your delayed proposal story. Congratulations!!

Somehow missed this comment! Thank you so so much!!! I am glad you enjoyed! I write these things and my friends and family think I'm insane! LOL! Food and drink are my specialty lol.. thank you again for your comment :)
 

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