Dreams Do Come True in New Orleans WDW 2.2012 Relocation Prep

enchanted_belle · Apr 5, 2012

derelicte19 said:
Jess just convinced me to join Studios Central team too so we're teammates now!! Woot woot!! I haven't run in like 3 weeks Yikes!! Now that the weather is getting better I'm going to start running outside. The treadmill running just bores me!

Fashionista007 said:
Yay another runner for Team Studios Central!! I cannot wait to start training. I'm planning to run the path from DHS to the Boardwalk :sohappy:

PartOfYourWorld said:
Darn straight I convinced you!!! Actually more like forced it upon you :lol:

oh boy.... wdwmagic girls are taking over TSC? :lol: I can't wait to run with you girls (and to finally see you again Shel!!). :sohappy:

WDW_Princess24 · Apr 6, 2012

Congratulations on the new house :sohappy: how exciting for both of you!!

BrittanyRose428 · Apr 7, 2012

Congrats on the new house! I'm so excited for you :sohappy: I can't wait to hear about what its like living that close to WDW.

Fashionista007 · Apr 14, 2012

PartOfYourWorld said:
Even though I commented over at your blog first I'll comment here too!!!

Can't wait to hear all about your trip down!!!! I hope you and Jason (and the kitties) have a safe trip!!!!!

Can't wait to see you guys in September as well!

Looks like a lot of people are planning on relocating! Definitely plan on it sometime in the future. :sohappy:

Thanks Jess

I will definitely post all about our journey and our first few days!! I cannot wait for the ToT 10mi, I want that awesome medal :sohappy:

enchanted_belle said:
oh boy.... wdwmagic girls are taking over TSC? :lol: I can't wait to run with you girls (and to finally see you again Shel!!). :sohappy:

Yes we are taking over TSC aren't we?? I think we're going to have a really great team and I can't wait to see everyone!

WDW_Princess24 said:
Congratulations on the new house :sohappy: how exciting for both of you!!

Basketcase463 said:
Congrats on the new house! I'm so excited for you :sohappy: I can't wait to hear about what its like living that close to WDW.

Thank you both so much!! We are so happy and I am gearing up to post an update on our journey. Our first week has been really hectic but in a good way

Fashionista007 · Apr 28, 2012

This is Gonna be a Good Life!!

Greetings from sunny Orlando, FL! I cannot believe it has been over 2 weeks since we packed up our house and drove nearly 1,000 miles from Baltimore to Orlando! This is the story of our journey, my husband Jason and I, along with our 2 kittens Merlin and Mim.

In the final days before we left, we emptied our entire house! We donated many items, sold some, and threw away some. These are some of the items we attempted to donate (not the boxes, those came with us).

We were able to donate my awesome 80's white wicker bedroom set but they wouldn't take the couch

This explains why we were able to get rid of all of our furniture! It was so old and nasty that AMVETS wouldn't even take it!! We loaded up our porch with all of our stuff and AMVETS came to pick it up the next day! Easy peasy (except of course for the couch).

On Tuesday, our UPack ReloCube arrived right on schedule and even a bit earlier than I expected! The ReloCube is a moving POD (Google it) that they drop off at your home. You fill it up with whatever you want (except chemicals such as flammable gas) and they pick it up and deliver it to your new home. This was our choice because we have a small car and couldn't tow a trailer and we didn't want to drive a big moving truck 1,000 miles down the East Coast.

Wow looking back at this picture, I do not miss the chain link fence or power lines in front of our old house!!!

We weren't sure at first if the ReloCube would be big enough but it ended up being just fine and fit everything that we needed! The dimensions are__6’3"D x 7’W x 8’4"H.

Fashionista007 · Apr 28, 2012

The men in Jason's family were kind enough to help us take loads of trash to the dump and fill up the pod. They had everything done in just over an hour!! Mim ran and hid in one of our suitcases, she was totally freaked out

Merlin wasn't sure what was going on and watched the day's activities from the upstairs window in quiet wonder.

The pod was filled to the brim with 2 mattresses and box springs, our TV, TV Stand, game consoles, monitors, games, books, kitchen necessities, clothes, etc. It really couldn't get more perfect!

We called to make an appointment for UPack to pick up the ReloCube on Wednesday. They picked it up right on time, I was so happy that everything had gone so well so far!!

Finally, on Thursday, it was moving day!! I can't even begin to tell you how I felt that day. Excited, scared, sad, anxious...basically every emotion you could feel I felt that day. It has been my dream to move to Florida for a very long time now and I wasn't sure if it would ever happen. You know that feeling when you leave WDW and you think you just don't want to leave? It dawned on me that I would never have that feeling again, is that a good thing? I was afraid that I would lose some of the magic that I felt when I walked into any Disney park. But, many locals have told me that you begin to enjoy it in a different and more leisurely way. I was certainly looking forward to finding out!

As we packed up our house I felt so happy because our new house is WAY bigger for only $100 more per month. Case in point...this was literally our only closet in the old house!

And the lovely wooden board covering a giant hole in the wall where plumbing work was done...

We did have a very nice back porch that sadly did not get used often enough. We also had a big yard in the back where our landlord had a giant garden. But, we hardly went outside! That will certainly change in Florida because the weather is so nice all the time

Then it was time to pack up the car!! We have a 2009 2 door Chevy Cobalt. We packed it to the brim and it was not big enough to hold all our stuff. We had to leave behind some things and ended up throwing the rest away. Oh well, it was worth it!!

Bye bye house!

Fashionista007 · Apr 28, 2012

We were on our way! The kittens were safe and secure in a large carrier in the back seat...for now!

We left around 8PM Thursday night. We did not stop anywhere to sleep, we drove straight from Baltimore to Orlando - a 941 mile journey down I-95! Our quest had begun (queue Hyrule theme from The Legend of Zelda)!!

We had made the decision to give the kittens tranquilizers only if they needed them. We wanted to see how they did first. MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!!! We should have just tranqued them before we left. About an hour down the road in the DC area, Merlin freaked out and pooped in the carrier. Mim freaked out too and I was picturing cleaning off of both of them at the next rest stop. Unfortunately the next rest stop was pretty far away so we had to deal with the smell for what seemed like a LONG time. But, luckily I am a planner and I was prepared for this. I had extra towels and baby wipes at the ready. But how were we going to do this in such a cramped car?? We moved some stuff from the back into the front so I could climb in the back and open the carrier, making sure all doors and windows were closed so the kittens didn't escape. It all worked out fine, we threw away the poopie blanket and I cleaned the inside with baby wipes (it was everywhere btw...ugh). Thankfully, Mim didn't even step in it. Not sure how she did that. Once I verified that she was clean we let her roam the car while I cleaned Merlin. Oh, Merlin. He had smashed in his paws, in between his toes, and all over his feet. It was pretty gross. But, we got it all cleaned up and I went into the bathroom to sanitize myself

After that we gave them the tranquilizers. It worked pretty well for Merlin but Mim only slept for about an hour before she was freaking out again. We stopped at another rest stop and decided to let her out of the carrier because the vet said it was ok. She calmed down after that and slept in the area between the back window and the seats. I sat in the back for the rest of the trip and pet her to keep her calm and that worked well. But, since I was so busy taking care of the kittens I didn't take any pictures until we got to Florida.

I think we stopped at 3 rest stops. One stop in North Carolina was a truck stop called Love's and I do not suggest anyone stop there. It was totally shady. At 1:30AM McDonald's was packed! I guess it was packed with teenagers because it was spring break. I gravitated towards a cop standing nearby while I waited for my food

We filled up the gas tank twice for a total of maybe $80. I love my car, she's so fuel efficient!!

Around 6:30AM, Jason needed a break from driving. So I downed some 5 hour energy (an awesome present from the neighbors and friends we left in Baltimore) and took over while Jason slept in the back with the kittens. I had slept for maybe 1 hour. I forgot that I really have a hard time sleeping in cars.

As Jason slept, I listened to music from WDW. Everyone was asleep when we crossed into Florida

The sight of the Welcome to Florida sign gave me the second wind that I so desperately needed. Jason woke up just before we stopped off at the highly anticipated Florida Welcome Center!

We took a longer rest here and let the kittens out to eat, drink, and use the small litter box we had brought with us. They were very curious as to what was going on!

Fashionista007 · Apr 28, 2012

Finally we were on our way again! We put the kittens back in the carrier and I sat up front while Jason drove. I think I drove maybe 3 hours? Jason drove the rest of the way, bless his heart! Once we hit I-4, I updated the property manager on our ETA because he was going to meet us at the house to give us the keys and do a walkthrough. We hit a lot of traffic on I-4 during lunch time on Friday which delayed us for almost 1 hour. This was the only traffic we hit the entire trip and it just HAD to be when we were 30 minutes away from our new house!

We got really giddy (and I cried) when we started seeing signs for Walt Disney World!

This billboard made me burst into tears! I realized that now I would have the chance to live a lifetime of Disney memories!! I couldn't wait to go home, stupid traffic!

Fashionista007 · Apr 28, 2012

Finally, we turned into our new neighborhood!! I just LOVE this little rock waterfall at the entrance and all the palm trees

It was SUCH an incredibly beautiful Florida day!

We had made it. Safe and sound with 2 kittens, it was a rather uneventful trip and I was glad for that. In total, it took us a little over 16 hours. We had finally arrived at our dream home!

Our house is still rather empty right now so I haven't taken many interior photos yet. We bought a new bedroom set and office furniture but we still need a kitchen table, sofa, coffee table, etc. Right now we have an air mattress in our living room and some folding chairs, it's pretty ghetto!! Stay tuned for more photos of the new house plus stories from our first few weeks as Florida residents in Part 2 of this series.

I am truly blessed to have these experiences and I really do appreciate all the good things in life because I have been way down on my luck in the past. This is most definitely gonna be a good life!

bethymouse · Apr 28, 2012

Congratulations!

The pictures are so nice! I love the house, especially the pool/spa.

Your cats are very cute!

Your wedding picture in the telephone booth is unique and special!

Congratulations on your new journey in life! Many more MAGICAL memories to come...

Disneyfalcon · Apr 28, 2012

Oh my word, is everyone moving to Florida? I need to move to Florida!!

Great report! I'm so glad you're there already!

And I loved loved that Tower of Terror picture!! :sohappy:

diddy_mouse · Apr 28, 2012

I can't remember if I commented already on your blog (probably not since I can't remember! :lol

but very glad to hear you're all settled. And I'm so jealous of that pool!!

Loved the pictures of the WDW signage as you drove to your house. I would have been all kinds of emotional too driving past that knowing it's just a hop, skip, and a jump away from where I live. Can't wait to read about your Disney adventures as a Florida resident!

BrittanyRose428 · Apr 29, 2012

So excited for you! + I agree ^ seeing the signs for WDW on the way home must have been awesome.

LeCellier.Lover · Apr 29, 2012

O.M.G. THIS IS SOO EXCIITING! :sohappy: First of all I just want to say congratulations! It sounds like you and your husband have been through a lot together and it just makes your story that much more magical because it has so much meaning. You guys deserve this and I couldn't be happier for you two! Can't wait to get an update on how the house looks and how you guys and your kittens are doing!

I understand what you mean though when you said you're afraid of losing that "magical feeling". That's what I always wondered too because I was looking at colleges in Florida and I wondered if I would've lost that magical feeling being so close to the parks. I highly doubt that will happen though I think that this was the best decision for you two, making a huge move like this will make you guys a stronger couple and I'm sure it will be a very fun ride! CONGRATS AGAIN!

Fashionista007 · May 7, 2012

bethymouse said:
The pictures are so nice! I love the house, especially the pool/spa.
Your cats are very cute!
Your wedding picture in the telephone booth is unique and special!
Congratulations on your new journey in life! Many more MAGICAL memories to come...

Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed reading about our adventure! It certainly has been a fun journey so far :sohappy:

Disneyfalcon said:
Oh my word, is everyone moving to Florida? I need to move to Florida!!

Great report! I'm so glad you're there already!

And I loved loved that Tower of Terror picture!! :sohappy:

I know so many people have been moving to FL lately! I have tons of new friends down here, it's so awesome! It's also fun to meet people while they're down here on vacation!!

diddy_mouse said:
I can't remember if I commented already on your blog (probably not since I can't remember! :lol but very glad to hear you're all settled. And I'm so jealous of that pool!!

Loved the pictures of the WDW signage as you drove to your house. I would have been all kinds of emotional too driving past that knowing it's just a hop, skip, and a jump away from where I live. Can't wait to read about your Disney adventures as a Florida resident!

Thanks Erin! I love our pool, it's been in the 90's lately and I've taken to afternoon dips

We love it here, people are SO nice!! I can't stress enough how different it is from Baltimore and I feel much safer!

Fashionista007 · May 7, 2012

Basketcase463 said:
So excited for you! + I agree ^ seeing the signs for WDW on the way home must have been awesome.

Thank you! Not only was seeing the WDW signs cool on the way to the house but I see them everywhere I go too!! I actually popped over to EPCOT tonight to pick up a last minute Mother's Day gift for my Mom. It's SO cool to be able to do that!!

LeCellier.Lover said:
O.M.G. THIS IS SOO EXCIITING! :sohappy: First of all I just want to say congratulations! It sounds like you and your husband have been through a lot together and it just makes your story that much more magical because it has so much meaning. You guys deserve this and I couldn't be happier for you two! Can't wait to get an update on how the house looks and how you guys and your kittens are doing!
I understand what you mean though when you said you're afraid of losing that "magical feeling". That's what I always wondered too because I was looking at colleges in Florida and I wondered if I would've lost that magical feeling being so close to the parks. I highly doubt that will happen though I think that this was the best decision for you two, making a huge move like this will make you guys a stronger couple and I'm sure it will be a very fun ride! CONGRATS AGAIN!

Thank you so much! We're doing really well and the kittens love the new house. They have been a key part of our pest control

I haven't lost the magical feeling yet so far so good!! The only bummer is being on a strict budget while in the parks. We're so used to spending money on food which we are now not trying to do...but that hasn't worked out too well yet! I'm also finding it impossible to lose weight right now. I thought the taco salad at Pecos Bill's was healthy :animwink:

LeafsFanNL · May 8, 2012

So very happy for you. DW and I have been talking about becoming snow birds in 11 years when I retire.

Kristia · May 8, 2012

Wow! What an exciting trip report! Good luck with your new house and your new life :sohappy: I don't envy you having to travel with cats! They are not good traveling companions. I have 2 cats that mess in their crates just going to the vet 20 minutes away! The other 2 cry the whole time. Not fun! I could not even imagine having to take them on that kind of roadtrip. I much prefer my dogs as traveling companions :lol:

LeCellier.Lover · May 9, 2012

Fashionista007 said:
Thank you so much! We're doing really well and the kittens love the new house. They have been a key part of our pest control I haven't lost the magical feeling yet so far so good!! The only bummer is being on a strict budget while in the parks. We're so used to spending money on food which we are now not trying to do...but that hasn't worked out too well yet! I'm also finding it impossible to lose weight right now. I thought the taco salad at Pecos Bill's was healthy :animwink:

Yay I'm glad you're all doing well!

That's good that you haven't lost the magical feeling (I'm sure you never will!:animwink

Yeah that does kind of stink but ultimately it wil pay off I'm sure. OMG! Those taco salads are AMAZING! :slurp: That's so cool that now you guys can just be like "Hey, let's go to Magic Kingdom for dinner!" Have you guys spent a lot of time in the parks?

Fashionista007 · May 11, 2012

LeafsFanNL said:
So very happy for you. DW and I have been talking about becoming snow birds in 11 years when I retire.

Thank you! Ah yes, snow birds...we live in a vacation home development and we get new neighbors all the time. Many of them appear to be retirees and it looks like a pretty good life to me!

Kristia said:
Wow! What an exciting trip report! Good luck with your new house and your new life :sohappy: I don't envy you having to travel with cats! They are not good traveling companions. I have 2 cats that mess in their crates just going to the vet 20 minutes away! The other 2 cry the whole time. Not fun! I could not even imagine having to take them on that kind of roadtrip. I much prefer my dogs as traveling companions :lol:

Thank you we are very happy with our new life :sohappy: Our cats are doing really well and we're happy to have them because they have scared away all the lizards and bugs! We found bugs for awhile at first but now they know better

LeCellier.Lover said:
Yay I'm glad you're all doing well!
That's good that you haven't lost the magical feeling (I'm sure you never will!:animwink Yeah that does kind of stink but ultimately it wil pay off I'm sure. OMG! Those taco salads are AMAZING! :slurp: That's so cool that now you guys can just be like "Hey, let's go to Magic Kingdom for dinner!" Have you guys spent a lot of time in the parks?

I definitely feel now that I won't ever lose that magical feeling. I have a new magical feeling every time a CM asks me where I'm from and I get to say Florida!

We have spent a good amount of time in the parks but it isn't daily. I have a very demanding job and I usually work an average of 60hrs/wk. We have gone to the parks each week but only 2-3 times. Last week we only went once for about an hour so I could go meet Ashley Eckstein (from Star Wars: The Clone Wars) at DHS. My favorite night was when I had a horrible week at work and it was uber stressful. I decided to treat myself and make an ADR for that night. We ended up getting an ADR at 50's Prime Time cafe and it was of course awesome! It really helped my stress level a lot to be able to do that. We also popped over to POFQ one night for dinner. Mmmm Po Boy's!! It's so fantastic to be just 20 minutes away from the magic. I also love that the local Target and Wal-Mart are "Disneyfied", they have much more Disney merch than the stores I was used to in Baltimore. I can also hear Wishes on clear nights from inside my house. That has brought a smile to my face many nights when I was up still working at 10PM! :sohappy:

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