Trip Report Finally back home. That is my WDW home.

Magical greetings, my fellow Disney freaks!
Some of you will have followed my countdown and now the counting down is about to become a reality.
Where else does anyone understand our passion for all things Disney other than here on this site?
My friends are starting to understand that Disney is part of my life. I don't know what's happening most of the time in the real world but in the Disney world I know what's happening daily!
I am going to attempt live (well daily reports) throughout our stay using Disney wi fi either at the end or beginning of the day - well that's the plan but if it gets too much I may need to pick up on my return but I will let you know.

I am a PA for work so I do need to be organised but I feel a bit over planned for this trip in terms of fast pass etc. I just hope it hasn't affected queue times too much in the parks but will feed back my thought. At the moment I have embraced it. Whilst it was in use last year the old fast pass ticket machines were still there.

I will be in Disney every one of our vacation days. In some cases hours rather than days. So we will see who makes it through to the end with me!
I have lived through others trip reports and thought I would return the favour to those feeling the Disney blues. - welcome aboard.
I hope I can inspire some of you (lurkers) to join to comment like Nicole @prfctlyximprct did to me! I got so into her report that most of my friends know about her and Chris asked when she was coming to stay! (And she's just got back from another trip) so especially for you Nicole I hope this helps you with those Disney blues.

 

[coachwnh]

Up early and ready to roll. Hope that rain stops soon. Have a great day today!

 

[SharonD]

Very much enjoying your report. I am impressed - 250 nights at POR! That's loyalty, and so nice that management recognized you as a great customer.

 

[TB4244]

Yup it's chucking it down out there, it was raining last night too but I sat drinking in the muddy rivers bar until late so it didn't bother me too much.
Congrats on finishing the 5k last year. That's awesome!

 

[LisaBelle]

So excited to read that you are not a runner and were able to run the Jingle Jungle 5k! I am not a runner either, but after reading a bunch of trip reports that included runDisney events I decided that I wanted to do one. I will turn 50 in 2016 and my sister suggested that we do a sister's only trip to Disney for my 50th birthday! Yes, please! Then I decided we should add a 5k to the mix. My sister runs short distances and thought the 5k would be perfect. With a bit of effort I can make the times walking only but plan to train so that I can do some running. Our tentative plan is to run the Princess 5k in February 2016! We are really excited and wish our trip was this February! I loved your Snow White running outfit & your husband was Mickey! So awesome!
Still loving your report! You'd never know this was your first TR. You are doing a fabulous job. Looking forward to more!

 

[prfctlyximprct]

You are trip reporting like a pro!! I love that you went on Oarin'!!! And you wore a tiara! Can we meet up and go to disney together sometime? I think we'd act like d friends and have an awesome time You look like you are having the most amazing time.. Disney truly brings out the best.. And I find myself smiling at all your photos..I want to do a run disney event so badly.. You have inspired me. Loving your report

 

[Longers]

Up early and ready to roll. Hope that rain stops soon. Have a great day today!

Thanks coach glad to have you still with me

Very much enjoying your report. I am impressed - 250 nights at POR! That's loyalty, and so nice that management recognized you as a great customer.

Glad you are following along, and our 250 day gift brought a tear to my eye. It's the little things that get me!

Yup it's chucking it down out there, it was raining last night too but I sat drinking in the muddy rivers bar until late so it didn't bother me too much.
Congrats on finishing the 5k last year. That's awesome!

Thanks - glad you are still having fun and thanks for the photo

So excited to read that you are not a runner and were able to run the Jingle Jungle 5k! I am not a runner either, but after reading a bunch of trip reports that included runDisney events I decided that I wanted to do one. I will turn 50 in 2016 and my sister suggested that we do a sister's only trip to Disney for my 50th birthday! Yes, please! Then I decided we should add a 5k to the mix. My sister runs short distances and thought the 5k would be perfect. With a bit of effort I can make the times walking only but plan to train so that I can do some running. Our tentative plan is to run the Princess 5k in February 2016! We are really excited and wish our trip was this February! I loved your Snow White running outfit & your husband was Mickey! So awesome!
Still loving your report! You'd never know this was your first TR. You are doing a fabulous job. Looking forward to more!

Ah thank you for your kind words.
I am glad you are still with me. At least it hasn't got too boring yet. Quodos to all those before me who have done trip reports - it takes some time and maybe trying to do it daily was not the best way to break myself in but I am still with it at the moment and hope to see it through to the end.

Hope you have signed up for that 5k you won't regret it and it definitely gives you something to aim for. And definitely dress up you won't be out of place and won't get the chance again to dress up in a Disney park.
The atmosphere alone helps you through. My husband told us all he wasnt dressing up and to be honest totally by accident resembled something close to Mickey. I have tried every single trip to get him to wear Mickey ears and last year it finally happened for this race. You'll have to let me know if you do sign up.

You are trip reporting like a pro!! I love that you went on Oarin'!!! And you wore a tiara! Can we meet up and go to disney together sometime? I think we'd act like d friends and have an awesome time You look like you are having the most amazing time.. Disney truly brings out the best.. And I find myself smiling at all your photos..I want to do a run disney event so badly.. You have inspired me. Loving your report

YES, YES, YES - I am there, let's do this. I have a tear in my eye thinking about the fun we can have
Chris is just rolling his eyes- he knows for sure I would be there and he will be getting pushed to one side ha ha.

I am truly touched you are still following along. I haven't shared as many photos as I think I would if I did this report from home as I am having to try to download to the ipad each night so I am only doing snippets. Trust me that's good news as after all these years going to Disney I can still easily go home with over 1000 photos each time.

And after your tough mudder a Disney run would be a piece of cake to you. You should do it!

 

[DisSplash]

I am loving your trip report and your unabashed Disney enthusiasm!! I am impressed with your goal to spend a whole year at a Disney resort (POR), and rooting for your success in achieving a milestone that most of us can only dream about. Perhaps when you make your goal, Disney will let you stay in the castle suite! Can you imagine how awesome that would be?!

I can't wait to hear what you all were up to today. Usually on the rainy days, we hit MK - not too much walking in between the raindrops and indoor attractions. In fact, you never have to leave Pirates (your fave) if you don't want to! We did that ride 8X in a row during a rainstorm and had a blast!.

Have some more fun for all of us sitting on our bums in our houses and desperately wishing we could join you!

 

[disneypearl]

We are going to be staying at POR for the first time in January. It's only for a couple nights before continuing on at Pop Century. Really looking forward to staying there, even it is for a couple nights. I plan on enjoying it.

Hope the rain has stopped for you! We had to buy a poncho & umbrella last time I was there. At least I got a nice umbrella that I wasn't expecting.

 

[smk]

following and loving...

 

[Longers]

Sunday 9th November cont ......
Good news it stopped raining. To be honest by 8am it was wet but not raining, Was rain in the air but not really enough to worry about and by early morning it was all but gone.

We decided to head off to the Golden Corral for breakfast.
You can't beat a good buffet and I just LOVE the bacon in the US.
I am sure when Americans come to the UK they must be really disappointed with the bacon it must seem really undercooked.
We filled our bellies and then hit the dessert section. And here came my dessert for today.
Marshmallow coveed with chocolate from the chocolate fountain - gee wiz chocolate fountain for breakfast I had died and gone to heaven. I added that to some chocolate ice cream. Sorry only remembered the photo when I had nearly finished but let me tell you it was certainly a way to start a day when you're on holiday.

 

[Longers]

I am loving your trip report and your unabashed Disney enthusiasm!! I am impressed with your goal to spend a whole year at a Disney resort (POR), and rooting for your success in achieving a milestone that most of us can only dream about. Perhaps when you make your goal, Disney will let you stay in the castle suite! Can you imagine how awesome that would be?!

I can't wait to hear what you all were up to today. Usually on the rainy days, we hit MK - not too much walking in between the raindrops and indoor attractions. In fact, you never have to leave Pirates (your fave) if you don't want to! We did that ride 8X in a row during a rainstorm and had a blast!.

Have some more fun for all of us sitting on our bums in our houses and desperately wishing we could join you!

OMG a stay in the castle would be an absolute dream come true. I don't think I would sleep though either on the night or the run up to it and i know I would drive my friends nuts (even more so than normal!)

Your comment made me laugh about sitting on bums and wishing you could be here. Most of the time that's me living through others reports. And I intend to keep soaking it all up!
Thanks for following along

We are going to be staying at POR for the first time in January. It's only for a couple nights before continuing on at Pop Century. Really looking forward to staying there, even it is for a couple nights. I plan on enjoying it.

It's such a beautiful resort after hectic days in the parks it's actually quite tranquil (apart from the food court at peak times - you will love it!

Hope the rain has stopped for you! We had to buy a poncho & umbrella last time I was there. At least I got a nice umbrella that I wasn't expecting.

The rain did stop thanks.
Love that comment - it could be straight out of my quote book "if I forget anything I can always buy it!)

following and loving...

Glad to have you onboard.

 

[Longers]

After breakfast we decided to go to the Orlando Premium outlet to do some shopping. It was in the plans anyway it just moved due to the weather.
I still can't work out how some things are so much more expensive back home - even cheaper than our duty free!
I am a fairly quick shopper so we were back home (POR obviously) by early afternoon.
We popped down to the food court for a drink and took a leisurely stroll around our home.
Wow it's beautiful

Here are some pictures (Only the first one was taken today but these are of the resort and include some of my favourites) - I have a photo album on my IPad with just pictures of the resort - well I did tell you I loved this resort.

But don't tell too many people as there MUST always be a room for me every November!

And the one final one of a snake we once saw whilst walking between block 27 of alligator bayou.

This part of the resort if known to us both now as "snake alley"
We have never seen our friend again but always look out - just in case

 

[TB4244]

Woah snakes in a resort! This is why we asked for a room that isn't on the ground floor. I saw a little snake at blizzard beach but nothing like that...

 

[Longers]

Our final stop today was Epcot - and we had a fast pass for Spaceship earth.
As I have said previously this was our first ride in Disney - it has changed but it still has a special place in our hearts.

Here's our pictures from the future - my future needs to be working in Disney so I can be immersed in it every single day of my life.... Ummm actually make that just going to Disney every day - no work.

We got on Soarin again with another fast pass and also went to visit Ellen.
This is another ride we do once every year.
It's funny how parts of that show turn up in our every day lives to help the Disney blues. We are often saying "coolly hot, hotly cool" - and "what is rain"
It's funny how those little things help you through.

We've also taken a walk around the World showcase lagoon.

School boy error tonight though.
They moved illuminations to 10pm instead of the usual 9pm so we just watched the world go by until it started.

I love illuminations and we always see it more than once every year.
I would watch it every night and never ever get bored of it. Sorry not great photos we've never managed to get decent shots of this show, but I have so many memories that's all that counts really.

And then after another 8 hours in the park it was time to say goodnight to Epcot.
Spaceship earth looked lovely on the way out

I woke early this morning and it's now 11.45pm so I need some sleep.

Tomorrow Hollywood Studios.
Goodnight.

 

[Longers]

Woah snakes in a resort! This is why we asked for a room that isn't on the ground floor. I saw a little snake at blizzard beach but nothing like that...

It did freak me out a bit As I never expected it in a Disney resort. Maybe he just got missed on a morning search?We went to Animal Kingdom the day we saw it and I did make a few enquiries. Apparently a good guy so nothing to worry about. But "snake alley" will always be there!
We watch the paths way more closely after dark now though.

Go look for him when you take your stroll around the resort. Hope you are still having fun

 

[Longers]

Monday 10th November
Good morning.

Wow I love Mondays in Disney, no work for me today - it's such a tough life sometimes.

It's just gone 7am and I woke today at 6.30am wooo hoo - a lie in!
It's funny how I would never be up early at home but in Disney you have that spring in your step to just soak everything up and not waste time sleeping.

We're off to Hollywood Studios so more updates later.

 

[Gabe1]

Enjoying your trip report. I share your love of POR. We stayed at the FQ then PO and the following year in 92 we were there for the Grand Opening of POR/Dixie Landings. We would stay in the fall for 2 weeks or so annually like you guys so you have made me ponder how many days over the decades we have stayed at the resort, it has to be up there too. I look at your photo's of your and know exactly where your are standing except for that tree with the snake. We always looked for the wild turtles.

Have fun today!

 

[LisaBelle]

Still enjoying your report. Count me in on the chocolate fountain for breakfast! I will definitely tag you in on the pre- trip and trip reports when my sister and I run our Princess 5k race. We will be going in 2016 so I think registration will be this summer. Looking forward to more.

 

[epcotisbest]

Following along and very much enjoying your TR. Did not care for the dead photo, but loving everything else. My wife does the Princess half marathon every Feb., and she was Snow White last year. She made her own costume, but it did not turn out anywhere as nice as yours. She makes it so parts can be removed as they get annoying along the route, but no worries, she is still fully dressed underneath!
I admire your dedication to POR, but one of our favorite parts of going to WDW is staying at different resorts, both on and offsite. Over the past few years our only repeat has been Wilderness Lodge, which we love and is probably our favorite. Just went to AKL-Kidani for a week, back in Sept. And it may be our least favorite so far, but still enjoyed it and glad we stayed there once, but won't be picking it again. The savanna view was great, but the novelty of the animals outside your balcony wore off after a few days, and when they are not there, then it is just a view of a pasture.
Anyway, have a wonderful trip. Very kind of you to be patient during the golf outing. I try to do the same when SWMBO wants to go shopping, and we do visit multiple outlets while there.
Oh, I found a place where I can buy HP sauce anytime I want it.

 

[38053WDW]

Wednesday 5th November
Travel day and the day I had been waiting for since Nov last year!
We woke up at 7am and quickly showered and headed to the airport. We parked the car and were on our way to the terminal.
We did some duty free shopping, got some food and then realised that our gate was due to close at 11am and it was 5 to! There was no way I was missing this flight.
My stomach was going over as we literally did the best to get to the gate before it closed. I didn't even want to contemplate the thought of not getting on that plane.
Now let me put things into perspective here, myself and my husband are early for everything - but Virgin Atlantic seem to have decided to change things as this came up on all the boards only 20 mins after they put the gate number up. This is probably to ensure they can leave on time. Good news anyway as we approached the gate there was a long queue which probably took over 30 mins to get through anyway. So panic over we were on the flight and on our way. Do. Look a wee bit freaked out!?

View attachment 72647

We arrived at Orlando 5 mins early, the queue through customs was long. But good news for us as we had travelled to Vegas already this year we were able to use some new machines at the airport that did the finger print things etc then you just go to a customs official to get your passport stamped. Luggage collected, car sorted and we are on our way home.

Through the famous sign (sorry no pictures) as it was dark, but the pixie dust still fell. I always say as you first arrive in Disney and go under the sign your worries, age, cares and inhibitions are all lifted and pixie dust falls to make you a kid again, happy, carefree and excited for the adventures and memories to come.
Just a few minutes later we were home POR.
Now the holiday really starts.
View attachment 72646

pixie dust actually falls? If not .. what a neat idea,....