Trip Report Sometimes you have to spend money to save money!

Hi! My name is Amy, and I am a Disney addict!!

Let me first provide a little backstory for those of you who haven't read my June 2016 PTR. My family of 5 is scheduled to stay at CBR in June 2016, Disney recently released a new bounce back offer of free dining with arrival dates that happen to include the day we were scheduled to arrive! The offer is only good for one week in the spring, what are the odds that our arrival would actually fall into that week!?! With 2 of my 3 kids being "adults", we will be saving a ton of money with the free dining, so I had to book a quick trip for myself so I could take advantage of this offer!!
When: Sunday, September 6 - Tuesday, September 8
Where: Pop Century
Who: Just myself this time!!
Just a warning, after this first post, this TR will be very photo heavy, as I don't really have much to say, but I did manage to take almost 600 pictures!!

Sunday
My plane didn't leave Dayton until 2:40 pm, so I had a leisurely morning to pack and spend some time with the kids before leaving for my "work trip". Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the kids don't know about the June trip yet, so I couldn't exactly tell them I was going to WDW without them!
The flight itself was uneventful, but my seatmate was a real treat!! She got on the flight at the very last second and just flopped herself in her seat. She hit me and the lady in the aisle seat numerous times with her sea tbelt, she sang (and not well!) almost the whole 2 hours, and then she kept leaning into my seat so she could see out the window! I was never so happy to get off of a plane!!
I waited about 10 minutes for DME, and was quickly seeing this:

Unfortunately, those are raindrops on the windshield!
We stopped at AoA before finally arriving "home".

I got all checked in (I did online check in, but still had to stop at the desk because I needed to pick up my MagicBand and pay for my second night since I made the reservation 8 days prior!), and was told that I didn't get my requested 70's lake view room, but they were able to give me a lake view room in the 80's building.
A few pics on the way to the room:




So, remember that 80's lake view room I was getting? This is the view I had from my room:

Not exactly a lake view!! Oh well, it didn't really bother me, but it was loud at night!
At least I got a king room!

Love the artwork since The Little Mermaid is my favorite!
 

TheMouseFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The very first thing I did was search the welcome packet for the bounce back offer so I would have the correct code, and I very nearly had a full blown panic attack, as the offer in the packet was still the room discount one that didn't include any days in June! I got myself calmed down and placed the call. I spoke with Ancil, who was able to book me for the free dining offer. Phew! Crisis averted!! Before I left for the trip, Brian and I decided that we would add an extra day since we had to upgrade to the water parks and more tickets to be eligible for the free dining, and we would visit both of the water parks instead of just one!! So, booked from June 2 - June 11, 2016, it was time for me to relax and have some fun!
So, off to AoA for dinner. Some pics along the way:


I ordered the make your own pasta. I got fettucine noodles, chicken, alfredo sauce, garlic, and parmesan cheese. It was ok. Nothing to write home about, but it wasn't horrible! I really liked the garlic bread though!!


Then I hopped on a bus to MK. Unfortunately, it was raining hard enough that I had to pull out my umbrella!




Sadly, I wasn't visiting any parks this trip. Instead, I caught a monorail to Epcot.
 

TheMouseFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I apologize for the not so good pics, but between the rain and the movement, I had a difficult time getting clear ones!




My original plan was to head back to MK on the monorail, then head to the Contemporary to watch Wishes from the observation deck. I decided that if I was going to watch Wishes in the rain, it needed to be from MSUSA, and since that wasn't happening, I was going to just head back to Pop and call it a night! The positive side to this plan was that I was then able to get some clear pics!!



Then I caught the bus back to Pop and and listened to the Frozen fireworks from my room!

 

smk

Well-Known Member
So excited to tell you!! I saw my neurosurgeon on Tuesday and he said despite all the PT I have done over the last 6 weeks that my back remains the same (I knew it already) and that he would recommend spinal fusion surgery after another 6 weeks of PT to strengthen my core muscles. So I was so down leaving the office, close to tears and when we reached the elevator I did start crying. My husband, always close by, takes my hand and says "let's look at going to Disney for a MNSSHP"!
Well, then I cried even more! The elevator opened and I pulled down my sunglasses, we got in the car and right away started talking dates! That night I booked an off site hotel, can't remember the name again, but it had good reviews on Hotels.com. We have to be really smart with money so the off site place is perfect. We will have a car, we looked at airfare too, can get some good deals out of Indy but I am so shy of making the plans that permanent. As much as I think I can make it another six weeks, the last words of the surgeons mouth are still ringing in my ears....call if you want this done sooner and we will do it right away. So, driving, taking a ton of breaks to walk and snack we should be okay if we have to cancel. One party for sure and another if we can! No other parks, just MK! So excited! Then I come home to the surgery and a long winter of recovery....
 

TheMouseFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So excited to tell you!! I saw my neurosurgeon on Tuesday and he said despite all the PT I have done over the last 6 weeks that my back remains the same (I knew it already) and that he would recommend spinal fusion surgery after another 6 weeks of PT to strengthen my core muscles. So I was so down leaving the office, close to tears and when we reached the elevator I did start crying. My husband, always close by, takes my hand and says "let's look at going to Disney for a MNSSHP"!
Well, then I cried even more! The elevator opened and I pulled down my sunglasses, we got in the car and right away started talking dates! That night I booked an off site hotel, can't remember the name again, but it had good reviews on Hotels.com. We have to be really smart with money so the off site place is perfect. We will have a car, we looked at airfare too, can get some good deals out of Indy but I am so shy of making the plans that permanent. As much as I think I can make it another six weeks, the last words of the surgeons mouth are still ringing in my ears....call if you want this done sooner and we will do it right away. So, driving, taking a ton of breaks to walk and snack we should be okay if we have to cancel. One party for sure and another if we can! No other parks, just MK! So excited! Then I come home to the surgery and a long winter of recovery....
Sorry you have to have surgery, but yay for a WDW trip!! Can't wait to hear all about it when you get back!
 

lostpro9het

Well-Known Member
The very first thing I did was search the welcome packet for the bounce back offer so I would have the correct code, and I very nearly had a full blown panic attack, as the offer in the packet was still the room discount one that didn't include any days in June! I got myself calmed down and placed the call. I spoke with Ancil, who was able to book me for the free dining offer. Phew! Crisis averted!!

WOW! I think I got a pit in my stomach just living through you! That had to be a bit unnerving! So glad it worked out and the kids are still in the dark!
 

TheMouseFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
WOW! I think I got a pit in my stomach just living through you! That had to be a bit unnerving! So glad it worked out and the kids are still in the dark!
I definitely would have had a meltdown if I wasn't able to book the free dining!
Great idea to go to MK (even if you didn't get in ) and ride the monorail!
Thanks! I figured I should at least see as many parks as possible since I wouldn't be entering them!!
 

TheMouseFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It was too early for Disney Springs, so I decided to head to the Polynesian and check out the new lobby. It was really busy at MK!!

I spied the train leaving the station after the welcome show.

I decided to take a boat over since I had already been on the monorail!







 

TheMouseFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I love these chandeliers and pics on the ceiling of Tren-D!

Love, love, love this D&B bag, but I just couldn't get myself to spend $268 for it!

Murals on the construction walls around World of Disney:


Gotta love all of the details on the ceiling of WoD.

I can never walk past without taking a few pics of the Legos!





 

TheMouseFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I was good and only bought a few things at Pin Traders! Pins to put in the surprise box for the kids when we tell them about our trip, and a present for myself.


I made my way over to Cookes of Dublin for lunch. There was a narrow little passage way to get there. I wasn't even sure if I was going the right way!


I had the fish and chips. The fish was good, but the fries were just ok. The potatoes they were made with were a little too green for my liking.

Then over to The West Side.



 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom