Pre-Trip 2 Broke Guys (now with Table of Contents!)

Important note: First post edited 7/13/17 to make this odyssey easier to follow!

The reason is I started this pre-trip report over a year ago to help plan our most important trip ever (so far) our 10 year wedding anniversary trip.

However, we have AP's, and we took many short "side-trips" along the way. Rather than creating so many Trip Report threads and looking like a total egomaniac, I just added those mini-TR's into this same thread.

People have said it was hard to follow (I can see that.) Someone suggested putting a "table of contents" in the beginning. So that's what I'm doing. Then you can skip to the pages with the other trip reports, or just read the ones pertaining to "the big one" coming up in early September, 2017.

I will post that trip report separately when it finally happens, but will of course link to it here.

Speaking of linking here, here's a little background. This old post details our vow renewals a few years ago, for a very specific reason. If you haven't read my other trip reports or interacted with me very much on the boards, it kind of sets the stage for what's to come. Here's that link:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...orporate-disney-into-your-vow-renewal.903761/

What follows is the original first post (from 2/11/16) of this long, long thread. At the end of it, I'll put the table of contents to guide you through the rest of the thread.

I am sitting here in a hotel in Tampa, just an hour away from "home." And I'm thinking about it LOL. Oh, am I thinking about it.

When I'm "home home" - in Fort Lauderdale, I never have time to do more than some quick posts because I am always busy with work.

This is going to be a long-@ss pre-trip report.

Not necessarily this first post, but the report as a whole - by necessity, since the trip isn't until early September 2017. And I know I can use some help and advice in putting this all together - it's a very special trip - and have already begun organizing my thoughts based on discussions on this forum.

The basic premise is this: We are going to spend our 10-year wedding anniversary celebration at WDW, with the centerpiece of that trip to be the biggest dinner we can afford at Victoria & Albert's (hopefully the chef's table.) One of the things we enjoy most about Disney in our forties are the amazing meals at places like the Flying Fish Cafe and the Yachtsman's Steakhouse. I expect this meal will be at least as mind-blowing, but probably more.

The catch is - it costs a freaking fortune (at least to us.) I'm estimating something like $600 to $800 when all is said and done(?) And there is no way I could justify spending that much money on one meal.

Except...we have the Disney Chase Visa card, and have come to rely on this for our last several trips. This has opened doors to new experiences that we couldn't afford before. Instead of getting a 4-day ticket, we started getting AP's. Instead of staying off property, we started staying at Disney Moderates. And loved it!

And - we have a year off (sort of) to save up for this magical trip and important celebration. For the last several years, we've been getting the Florida Resident Weekday Select Annual Pass every other year, never two years in a row. I think it's good to go away and miss it for awhile, especially with all the work being done. Stay away for a year and come back to lots of little surprises. (Like those metal detectors! Ha!) They're fine. Anyway, that's the responsible side of me to say we shouldn't spend that much money every year. (We really shouldn't.)

But the advantage of that in this case is to amass Disney Chase Visa card points for months on end (sort of.) We used up all the rest of our points on our last short trip in January of 2016. But then at the end of the month, we earned more money. It's just sitting there...LOL.

Well, I made a deal with myself - if I can save up that $700 or $800 just in Chase points, then I can justify booking that meal at Victoria & Albert's. So that is the first goal. I know somebody will tell me when is the first day I can book it, and I will make a note on my phone so I don't forget LOL.

Based on January rewards being $146.50, I'm thinking this should be cake. (Mmm...cake...)

I'm not saving up for this September, but next September 2017. Total cake, right?!

Then we have to figure out where to stay. I'd like it to be our first Deluxe (possibly on the special floor with the extra goodies) and probably our first DVC rental. DVC Upside - real cost is less. Downside - can't pay for it with Disney Chase dollars LOL. That is funny, but it is a real consideration.

There's the obvious choice - to stay in the Grand Floridian to be where Victoria & Albert's is.

I don't know if that would be my favorite place in general.

I think my favorite place might be the Polynesian - I like the food & the vibe - and the walking into MK. I think that's a must on this trip - have to be able to walk to somewhere. That would include all of the Boardwalk area properties, which are fine with me as well.

Or AK with the Savannah view.

Then there's the corny and sentimental way - 10 years ago, our honeymoon was to Key West. They have a Key West DVC hotel. We love Olivia's. Somehow it doesn't seem big deal enough or have something special like a footpath to MK lol.

At the very least, a monorail resort, even if not walking distance, would be preferred.

Then we have to figure out whether or not to bring the dog or leave her home, drive or fly, diet for 6 months for the pictures LOL. Maybe this one and only trip would be worth memory maker?

I want to really blow it out - something we will never forget. Go for the upgrades. Pick the right tour or tours. So much to discuss!!

I will end each post in this saga like the parodied "2 Broke Girls" TV show, with the dollar amount of whatever they have left or have made at the end of the show, so you can see where they are in their goal.

So for example, tonight's would be:

$146.50

I'll add in any WDW Gift Cards I might buy or receive in the next year as part of what's saved up for that trip. My free BJ's trial period just expired, so I won't be getting any discounted GC's from them.

Now - the potential issue: there is no way we are not going to go to Disney in some way until September of 2017. We are toying with skipping our usual January or April trip in order to go full-on crazy in September.

But we are also toying with things like my dilemma as I sit here in this hotel with all this time to type. We're less than an hour away. I told this story in more detail at the end of my last trip report thread, so I'll just make it very short: Brian is working in Tampa from the end of January until the middle of February (over three weeks.) Yesterday I packed up our pup and drove up to visit, with our Valentine's Day gifts in tow (mostly specialty sugar-free chocolate dipped pretzels potato chips, oreos, plus peppermint bark, etc. We know we won't see each other for Valentine's Day, so basically tomorrow is it, unless I stay until Saturday morning.

Since no WDW trip was planned, I did not bring either my Tables In Wonderland card, or my Chase rewards gift card. But I called, and confirmed I could go to Guest Services and get another gift card (which of course can be loaded automatically.) There's a nice lunch reservation open. There's a spot for the pup at Best Friends Pet Care for 1/2 day care.

On the one hand - this would be something like a 45 minute to 1 hour drive for Brian from 12:30 to 1:30 to go to a special Disney lunch at 1:50, hang out for a bit, and then drive back 45 minutes to an hour to go to work by 4PM until 4AM. (I would have my own car, spend more money buying Disney records for my record store after lunch, go pick up the dog, and drive home to Fort Lauderdale.)

The other option is to drop the pup off at Petco in Tampa for a shampoo, and then hurry to whatever local restaurant is near that Petco, and meh.

Who would ever forget picking up and driving to WDW just for lunch for Valentine's Day (early) There's a fun story to remember when we're in our 60's LOL.

But it would already deplete our current total towards our V&A goal:

$146.50

OK, that was the first post of this whole thing. Now here comes the table of contents. Separate trip reports will be listed in bold. Regular stuff won't.

Posts 1-11 planning.
Posts 12-18: "The Blip Report" - a spur of the moment, one day drive over to the Yacht Club for Valentine's Day lunch at Captain's Grille (with dog.)
Posts 19-70 planning.
Posts 71-199 (page 4) pre-trip (back pain) & TR for 3-day quickie in September 2016 for Food & Wine (no dog, meeting Tuvalu, car trouble LOL) (skip it if you're only in for the anniversary trip!)
Posts 200-210 stuff. (starts bottom of page 10)
Posts 211-258-ish (begins page 11) "micro-trip" - had to go back up to get our car, might as well visit the Mouse!
Posts 258-ish to 276 planning.
Posts 277-283 (page 14) Pre-trip for almost Christmas at Saratoga Springs
Posts 284-331 planning, chit-chat, Thanksgiving
Posts 332-380 (page 17) That almost Christmas trip at Saratoga Springs
Posts 381-392 (Page 20) mostly chit-chat
Posts 393-561 (starts on page 20) (Several short trips back and forth since Brian had sporadic work in Orlando - all with dog!) Including Flower & Garden, Tiffins, more Tiffins, Valentine's Day again, RoL, and to confuse things, somwhere around #522 I'm at WDW but also planning the September 2017 trip (it was the 180 day mark for ADR's!)
Posts 562-569 chit chat
Posts 570-605 (page 29) - omg another quickie trip, Paddlefish
Posts 606-614 chit chat
Posts 615-657 (page 31) omg another trip - Wishes at Cali Grill (our last time seeing it)
Posts 658-694 chit chat, Record Store Day, Nashville
Posts 695- serious September planning!!

 

[sheriffwoody]

You may be ok. Night of Joy was held at ESPN this year, and looks like it will be again next year.

I work at a Baptist university, and we always send a couple of our enrollment counselors. Also, as a Baptist, I'm sorry so many of us suck. Promise, we're not all terrible.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

You may be ok. Night of Joy was held at ESPN this year, and looks like it will be again next year.

I work at a Baptist university, and we always send a couple of our enrollment counselors. Also, as a Baptist, I'm sorry so many of us suck. Promise, we're not all terrible.

I know!!

I am Christian (raised Catholic but not so much anymore, was an altar boy, etc.) and I consider my faith to be paramount in my life and to have gotten me through just about every big challenge (including and importantly, my own coming-out process.)

Everyone's journey is different and I respect and understand that.

I've just personally come across a handful of people at this event in particular with whom I'd probably prefer not to hang on my anniversary LOL. I can't remember exactly what the T-shirt I saw the last time said but it was one of those that *to me* was bizarre, i.e. a picture of Jesus with a phrase that in my mind completely contradicted Jesus, but is generally accepted in a segment of mainstream Christianity in the US today.

I'm sure it will all be fine. We always make things fine!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

omg omg omg!!

Speaking of making things fine:

Brian just called from work. (That never happens.) Will, the mechanic, just called him. They found a used part they trusted (with a 30 day warranty) they already installed it and did a wheel alignment, it's all done and ready, and the total is $1,118!!

I never thought I'd be so happy to get a bill for $1100 but that is so much significantly better than $2400!!

And makes me feel a lot better about going back to WDW when we pick it up!

To keep it sensible, it's going to be very short - but basically a repeat of last week except we'll leave on Tuesday instead of Wednesday, and not have to rush out so early on Tuesday. Maybe have a nice breakfast first or whatever (I'll talk myself into more as the week goes on LOL.)

So, Brian is working a little later this Sunday because there's a game. We probably won't get on the road until 9PM. (At least I know I can pedal over to Hertz to pick up the rental on Sunday so we can return it Monday and it will still only be a one-day rental.) We probably won't arrive until around 12:30AM, so no chance of Art Smith's on Sunday night. Just get there and go to sleep. I'll look for the same hotel unless there's a freak low deal available at POP or something. I'll have to drive the whole way again so Brian can sleep in the car.

But we will pick up the car as soon as they open on Monday morning (7:30AM) (ok, maybe we'll pick it up at 8AM) and then do everything we missed on this trip - MK (I know that's usually a no-no on a Monday but whatev) and maybe Art Smith's for dinner. I have to plan it all out. OMG I shouldn't have unpacked!! LOL.

This was really the best we could have hoped for, under the circumstances. Very relieved.

Who's going to be there Monday? LOL. And which bar(s) will we hit? (well, zero at MK obviously.)

(I threw the "cold feet" emoji into the middle of that just because I always have cold feet and just realized what that emoji was LOL.)

 

[BuddyThomas]

Ack! Our anniversary 2017 (the V&A one) coincides with the Night of Joy (which is not a night, it's two nights.) More crowded, and more likely to run into people wearing T-shirts letting us know they'd like us to roast for all eternity. (At least, that's what I remember from the last time they coincided several years ago.)

Maybe the 8th won't be so bad since it's the first night, and we'll be at a mega-dinner in the evening. We would be leaving on the 9th (can't go to parks on weekends anyway with our APs.)

I may have to invest in two "Groom" ears hats LOL.

Your anniversary coincides with Night of Joy!?!?! Wow, you really did p*ss off a gypsy didn't you?

But I agree, you'll probably be safe from that shenanigans tucked inside V&A.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Your anniversary coincides with Night of Joy!?!?! Wow, you really did p*ss off a gypsy didn't you?

But I agree, you'll probably be safe from that shenanigans tucked inside V&A.

LOL.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

OK it's booked. I'll call this one a micro-trip LOL. Driving up late Sunday night, same hotel just to keep everything easy and familiar (and half the price of POP.) Got a better deal on the car rental - $40 for a mid-size. We're comin' back! (Speaking of back, I'd love another shot if possible. Have a call in to the Doc.)

 

[Tony the Tigger]

OK updates:

Previous balance $399.95

August Chase Visa points: $77.97 (a little low, but OK.)

But wait - there's more! Bday presents from yesterday:
View attachment 158681

Sorry, a little blurry. Anyway, I guess Brian thinks I won't spend the plain Visa card at Disney. (Duh! Who am I?)

Now the downside which I think is going to work itself out: While Brian's back is getting better since surgery, mine has gotten worse. I had a pretty bad disc herniation back in 2005 that left me unable to get up off the floor for 2 months. Eventually an epidural and months of my own self-determined physical therapy routine took care of that without getting surgery (which every doctor who sees my MRI from 2005 says is pretty remarkable.)

The thing is, it's a fragile recovery, and I've learned over the years how to avoid aggravating it, and how to handle it if I accidentally aggravate it.

Around July 4th, I noticed a tingling "falling asleep" feeling in my right arm, and weakness in that arm when I tried to do presses at the gym. After a few weeks, I started going to real physical therapy, because this was a new thing and I didn't know how to fix it. I made mention of my back, especially so they knew not to do anything serious to my lower back or I could end up out of commission for a couple of weeks.

I love the physical therapy place, they also have chiropractors, etc., Brian has gone for years and they love him and every staff member kept asking me about him when I went the first time. An X-ray of my neck showed some abnormalities, and they started me on stretching exercises, neck adjustments, and a machine that stretches the vertebrae in your neck. This was very effective and that particular issue is 98% resolved. (yay!)

But there were some questionable moves which I think led to where I am now. Namely, one woman had me lay on my back, and she would take one of my legs and push it backwards with all her weight in order to stretch my hamstrings. Another was basically doing reverse leg lifts. They didn't so much "hurt" at the time, but I got a little concerned, and started getting pain from my lower back down my left leg. (Historically the pain has always been on my right side.) It got a little worse Saturday, a little worse Sunday...

Woke up Monday in a lot of pain. The worst pain was in the car driving to my primary care doctor. It was a "9" on a scale of 1 to 10.

Got a steroid shot, helped a little but not touching the worst part of the pain. Went back the next day and got a referral for an orthopedist and some not very strong but effective pain meds. Wasting no time, I saw the orthopedist yesterday. He gave me the oral steroid pack and a prescription for an MRI. MRI is scheduled for the Thursday before our Disney trip (they can only do it on Thursdays because I specially requested the open MRI (I am too claustrophobic to go into a tube) and my insurance has an odd requirement that an MD be on the premises for the MRI (which they only do on Thursdays.) But she said they get a lot of cancellations, so they may be able to call me in a week earlier (which would be one week from today. Probably not today because they have to do a lot of paperwork first with the insurance company.)

I'm hoping this will just settle down by then - I'm taking bunches of meds, stretching, etc. and mostly laying flat because it's my only chance at virtually no pain - laying down with either an ice pack or my heating pad. Standing up is painful, although gets less painful after I walk around a bit. Sitting is excruciating (as it was back in 2005.) But I am noticing a bit of improvement each day since Monday. I can function. I'm going in to the store today to work a short shift, and I can stand up most of the time. I did have to turn down Brian's "take me out to dinner for my bday" invite last night because I was afraid I couldn't sit all the way through the dinner.

Either way, whatever we determine from the MRI, I'm not getting an epidural or surgery before our trip LOL. But the two of us will be wobble-walking like Weebles around Epcot LOL!! "Does your back hurt?" "Yes." "Let's get a drink from Australia!" "Let's." (in lieu of meds LOL.)

If it's this bad a few days before we are scheduled to go (I don't think it will be but) we may have to push the trip back to November/December. Ack. I just realized how many attractions involve sitting.

Thinking positively, the new total:

$627.32

OK pretty sure this was the last post where I mentioned an amount before our recent trip, which means we started off with $627.32 including points and gift cards. We spent all the gift cards (although I still think there might be a $30 one hiding in the house or one of our cars somewhere...) and we spent some of the points that were on our redemption card, but none of the remaining points in our Chase Visa account.

I'm not going to go through a bunch of calculations on what we spent on what, but what was left was $300 and a few pennies still in the Chase Visa points account and $54.46 still on the redemption card, so about $355. Not terrible, especially since $150 of what we spent were the gift cards I got for my birthday last month which were specifically designated for that recent trip.

Adding in about $70ish from my September points (conveniently just earned today) the exact total points still in the Chase account = $371.86. Plus the $54.46 still on the card =

$426.32

But wait - there's more (again.) A couple of months ago (I think) I opened up a modest Disney Savings Account, and I've never added that amount in before. But since we're ultimately saving up for the Victoria & Alberts 10 year anniversary trip, shall we? Let's.

+ DSA currently at $169.28

Grand total = $595.60 (almost what we had before this trip LOL!) (thank you, creative accounting.)

Of course, we'll be spending again shortly (Monday!) But that's OK, still plenty of time to save up (and a few trips to derail saving up - no worries, Tuvalu! We'll get a lot of extra points around Christmas and in April.)

 

[bee]

(Vaccines, Buddy.)

Literally LOL-ing

I have enjoyed catching up on this TR! You make Flying Fish sound amazing but it seems kind of silly for two vegetarians to go to a restaurant that specializes in seafood/steak. I shall watch for these seasonal menu changes and see if they add a token veg entree in the near future. Gotta find your bartender and ask for pairings.

SO sorry to hear about your car woes. Once when M and I were 19 (how is this almost ten years ago?? How did we do Disney before drinking age??) we visited Orlando and got a flat tire on 528. This was before smart phones and we waited for AAA for about an hour before a kind stranger pulled over and changed to the donut. *Insert joke about bad lesbians who can't change a tire* At least in our case it was JUST a flat tire and I can't imagine the stress you were dealing with while still trying to have a great time on vacation! I was happy to read that the bill was half what you expected!

Re: Night of Joy: as someone who grew up in a fundamentalist Baptist family from Texas/north Florida and turned out to be a lesbian and had all the FUN experiences you can imagine that would entail...I would almost not even want to be NEAR Disney for Night of Joy. ALMOST. As @sheriffwoody mentioned you should be okay since the event has been moved to ESPN.

 

[ScarletBegonias]

So glad the car was less than anticipated!!!

can't wait to hear about the next trip!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

So glad the car was less than anticipated!!!

can't wait to hear about the next trip!

Me too! And I was able to get another shot of "make my back feel better juice" today from the Doc, just in time. Woo hoo!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

It's "can't sleep pre-Disney night!!" Brian's all packed (and snoring.) I started packing, but I have time tomorrow, he doesn't. He is leaving for work at 5:30AM, will get home about 8PM, and hopefully will sleep on the way up as I drive and listen to Disney podcasts (They really pass the time!)

P.S. cautionary tale for you guys: my two little days of being out in the hot sun and drinking around the world (and the bars) left me dehydrated. That was all it took! So be careful and drink lots of water when it's that hot out and you're out all day and have a cocktail or 8.

That dehydration aggravated a kidney stone situation I didn't know I had so there was a pretty painful and a bit scary episode yesterday afternoon. All better for now! (Ultrasound showed two more tiny ones and Rx should help them along more easily.) And no, this will not keep me from MK on Monday! But Buddy, please call off that gipsy!

 

[Gabe1]

It's "can't sleep pre-Disney night!!" Brian's all packed (and snoring.) I started packing, but I have time tomorrow, he doesn't. He is leaving for work at 5:30AM, will get home about 8PM, and hopefully will sleep on the way up as I drive and listen to Disney podcasts (They really pass the time!)

P.S. cautionary tale for you guys: my two little days of being out in the hot sun and drinking around the world (and the bars) left me dehydrated. That was all it took! So be careful and drink lots of water when it's that hot out and you're out all day and have a cocktail or 8.

That dehydration aggravated a kidney stone situation I didn't know I had so there was a pretty painful and a bit scary episode yesterday afternoon. All better for now! (Ultrasound showed two more tiny ones and Rx should help them along more easily.) And no, this will not keep me from MK on Monday! But Buddy, please call off that gipsy!

Awe. I'm sorry, both for the lack of sleep and dehydration. But the kidney stones well Yikes! Sadly the end of our trip it became warmer and I was drinking far more water than my to do list of Adult Beverages.

 

[mouse_luv]

I haven't gotten the chance to read this whole thread yet, but if you want a walking path to MK and want to rent DVC, BLT (Bay Lake Tower) at the Contemporary is what you want.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I haven't gotten the chance to read this whole thread yet, but if you want a walking path to MK and want to rent DVC, BLT (Bay Lake Tower) at the Contemporary is what you want.

I will check it out as one of our options – thank you!

 

[dclfan]

I love all of your calculations. I literally died because that is what I used to do to my parents when I was a teen. They used to call it my weasel deals. I would offer like $300 of my saved up cash in exchange for a trip to Disney and would make all of these promises like they wouldn't have to buy me Christmas presents that year and yada yada yada. I would literally show them expense charts. I was such a weirdo and kind of spoiled lol...

Can't wait to hear about you surprise trip. So technically your car breaking down was a present in disguise. ;-)

 

[Tuvalu]

Happy to hear about the cheaper car repair!
Have fun tomorrow.....and keep up the saving for V&A!!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

We are just about to get on the road - long day - I slept 2 hours last night LOL - have to read back, I think I did something similar last week.

Getting ready for my WDW podcast marathon

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Here!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

So (pretending there hasn't been a several day gap in posts) we made great time on the drive up Sunday night, despite leaving late. We were both exhausted, but rather than leave as soon as Brian got home (around 9:30PM?) we decided to rest up, watch a TV show (Once Upon A Time - ha!) and calm Kylie's nerves before we left. So the three of us chilled, and then I took Miss Kylie for a walk just to run down her energy and make for a good night's sleep while Brian finished loading the rental car. (I picked it up earlier in the afternoon.)

As an excuse for a puppy pic, she had just gotten her shots at Banfield on Friday since we weren't sure if Trysch the puppysitter would be available on the exact dates we needed to go (in which case we'd have to take her up to Best Friends Pet Care, and one of her shots had just expired.) Banfield veterinarians are located inside PetSmart stores, so this is Kylie picking out a bone after getting poked, stuff shot up her nose, and (gasp!) her temperature taken.

She ended up getting a nice, big knuckle.

The drive up was uneventful - Brian slept, I listened to 2 BOG podcasts and then some talk radio, and we made great time - 3 hours from door to door, 11:10PM to 2:10AM.

Now I know I've been heavy with the praise on the Crown Club Inn, and for good reason. But, arriving this late, this was the first time they ever put us in "building number two." (shudder.) We had always been in building number one.

It's not an enormous difference, but building number 2 is definitely older (which makes it look/seem less clean) and a little neglected (none of the usual resort guidebooks in the room, completely different set of TV channels, just generally a bit of a lesser experience.) In fact, the first thing we did was turn the TV on. We were greeted with a "Phillips" logo. I tried to change channels, etc., but nothing happened. Then the screen went dark. Checked the connections, seemed fine. Called the front desk and was told they had no other rooms and no maintenance people, but they would send the security guy up in case he knew how to fix it.

I was starting to get annoyed and writing the review in my head LOL. I cannot go to sleep without my TV. I was going to call down to at least reserve a better room for the next day, when Brian figured out if you wait about 20 seconds for the Phillips logo to fade to black screen, THEN you can change the channel. That's when the security guy knocked on the door and I got to tell him, "It's OK, we figured it out," feeling slightly stupid and watching him scowl and mentally call me stupid as I closed the door.

Cue my brilliant packing of some Whole Foods chicken soup (knowing everything would be closed when we arrived) and off to bed. On the drive up, I made Brian fully aware of the importance of rope drop. Would we wake up in time? (It was already almost 3AM) Could I push Brian after working a 16 hour day and jumping into a 3 hour car ride? (Hey - he slept for 2.5 hours of that car ride! Plus remember that whole resting and TV thing back home?)

Keeping in mind we still had to pick up his car about 20 miles away, and return the rental by 1PM - hmmm...so really we could make rope drop, do MK for a bit and then go do the car switcheroo...

I figured we'd have to wake up by 6:30AM for it to be possible. I knew Brian wouldn't wake up on his own at that hour. As per my typical philosophy, I did not set an alarm, and figured if it was meant to happen, it would happen.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

It didn't happen.

I actually did wake up right at 6:30 AM without an alarm, but with some kind of pretty bad headache that felt like I had several glasses of wine the night before – but I didn't. I didn't know if it was from this new kidney medication I have been taking for a day and a half or? And I didn't know how long it would last.

But wait… What's that – nothing. Nothing? Nothing! As in no snoring. Where was Brian? Abducted in the middle of the night? Nope. Right there in bed. Which can only mean one thing: he was not asleep.

Rope drop? We were both awake. It was now about 6:45 AM. I still felt like crap, and while Brian was conscious, he was not exactly raring to go. I decided to run down for breakfast and bring it back to the room. I asked him if he wanted anything, and of course he said no. I persisted, but he still said no. I brought him back a bagel and sausage to make a sandwich, and of course he ate it. (Marriage.)

By this time I had already booked a peter pan fast pass for 11:45 AM, and sent a private message to @Tuvalu the guru with questions about rope drop which I should have asked along time ago. LOL. I had no idea if she would read it so early or respond right away. She did! And basically told me it was too late LOL. But now I know the guidelines for next time.

I asked Brian about lunch preferences and as usual he leaves it up to me. I don't always hate that LOL. So, having read a few things lately, and pretty sure we had never eaten there before, I booked this:

I should've cropped that LOL. Anyway, there was something about a pork sandwich that sounded really good. And I genuinely appreciate whenever we get to do something at Disney that we have never done before.