First trip as adults and we're hooked! A Dec 2011 TR

Hey Everyone! This is my first trip report, so hopefully i'll be able to get the photo posting right. I really enjoy reading everyone elses TRs, so I'm hoping mine can help someone pass the time until their next trip home!! Here goes...


Who: Me (26, graduate student) and Austin (25, teacher)

When: December 17-23
Where: Pop Century
How? By car…. Over 15 hours of car..


Both of us have been to Disney as kids (Austin three times, and me once) but neither of us had ever stayed onsite! Plus, it had been over 10 years since the last time we went. First trip as adults!! Needless to say, we were VERY excited about this trip!

I’m the type of person who feels like they need to know as much as possible about anything they do! So when we started planning this trip back in May, of course I started reading these wonderful boards and learning lots and lots and lots about Disney! Thanks to everyone :wave:

Planning: We were bound to our dates by our school schedules, but we also LOVE Christmas, so we were excited to visit at that time of year. We also are planning on moving to Philadelphia during 2012, so we wanted to try to go to Disney once before the big move.

I have LOVED spending hours and hours researching, reading the forums, reading trip reports, and planning out our magical vacation. There are so many decisions, so many choices!!

I really wanted to upgrade to a moderate or deluxe, but we honestly just couldn’t afford it! I’m so glad we didn’t this time though, because we were in our room so rarely!! I do, however, look forward to trying many other resorts in the future!!

We chose Pop Century from the other values mainly because of it having it’s own bus. I also just thought it looked cool ☺
We chose not to get park hopper passes, just to save money. Worked out well for us on this trip!

We also got free quick service dining, and I’m so glad we did! Almost every time we sat down to eat, my husband said “Thank you so much for doing research and getting us free dining! I love not having to worry about spending money!” I know the pros and cons of free dining have been discussed to death, but it was the right discount for us for this trip!

Despite having free quick service dining, I also made us a few ADRs:
Dinner at Le Cellier!!! And Breakfast at Kona Café on our last day. I think for our first trip as adults, this was a perfect amount of ADRs. In the future we may book more, but we just wanted to play all the time, not spend an hour on a meal!!

Ok, onto the trip….. some of these pictures will be from my phone, some from our digital camera, then some from my sister’s DSLR that I borrowed, and then some from my brand new DSLR that I got on this trip!! ☺ enough cameras for ya?

December 16th – 17th:
I was already out of school, so I packed up the car and had everything ready to go by the time Austin got off work… I may have rushed him just a bit ☺

We loaded up our pups….

and took them to my mom’s house for the week. Then, we were on the road!!

We left at 4 pm and drove all night! Stopping only for bathroom breaks or snacks… such as this one:

We don’t have DD around us and we love it!!

As we got closer and closer the anticipation just kept building! Every sign made me shriek!!

And then……

We’re finally here!!! I must admit… I cried a little. Months of planning and reading, and booking and rebooking and obsessing… and we’re finally here!!

 

[Howe]

Loving the TR!!! I started crying when I saw the pic of you crying upon seeing the Castle. Nice upgrade on the camera...what an awesome gift!!! Your Dinosaur pic reminds me of mine the one time I went on it...scariest part of the ride and I'm cracking up about something and looking over at DH. That's fabulous that you got into DHS early. We also feel the same way about MVMCP- did it once and that was good enough.

The crazy thing - I have several good friends at WDW around the same time as your trip and I keep looking for any signs of them in the background of you pics...yeah- what are the odds?!?!?

Can't wait to read more! :wave:

Thanks!! You'll see more crying pics on our last day... I think I cried the whole morning! That would be so neat if you spotted your friends in some of our photos!!

Thanks for posting the Harry Potter pictures. I want to get there but like you, hate leaving the magic to do so. I've really enjoyed all the pictures. Great trip report!

No problem! It really is a neat area of IoA, themed well, just doesn't have that Disney magic that I'm now addicted to!!! Plus, the crowds just killed us. Thanks!!

 

[Howe]

Sorry it’s taking me so long to finish this TR! Time to get this one done so I can work on my new PTR!! Austin just surprised me with a trip to Disney as my graduation gift... leaving in 27 days!! Back to the regularly scheduled (but very delayed) trip report.....


After grabbing our FPs we went on the classic Great Movie Ride. This one really makes me nostalgic for my one trip to WDW as a child. Back on that trip my sister, who was 5 or 6 at the time, began crying hysterically when the mobster took over our car. She got on the floor of the car and cried the whole way through the ride. I still make fun of her for it to this day. She also got scared on small world! Anyways, back to the Great Movie Ride….

After the Great Movie Ride we headed over to MuppetVision 3D for some Muppet fun… I don’t think I saw this as a child, so I really enjoyed it. Austin and I had seen the new muppet movie pretty recently, so we enjoyed this a lot.

 

[Howe]

Next we headed over to Star Tours to grab FPs (we were some FP hoarders this day). Austin is a huge Star Wars fab, so he was most excited for this ride! I snapped a few pics of him in front of Tatooine traders, and then we were off to lunch at ABC Comissary. I have read some very negative reviews of this place, but I thought it was really pretty good. It was very clean, spacious, well air conditioned, etc. The food was good—not something I’d rush back to eat again, but we were happy with our meals! We both got the burger with the fried shrimp on it. I had a holiday cupcake, it was gingerbread flavored and very cute. Austin had the chocolate mousse.

Our hoarded fast passes

After lunch we went to ride Star Tours. We loved it! I don’t remember which scenes we got, but I know that both times we rode we got the same things.

After riding, we spent quite a while shopping in Tatooine Traders. We ended up seeing that they had half a case left of Star Wars vinylmations! The CM informed us that was the last case anywhere or something like that. So we bought three, two for Austin, and one for my little brother. Austin ended up with a storm trooper (what he most wanted) and Chewbacca. Very cute! I ended up ordering Austin a few more SW vinylmations from ebay for valentines day, and he got Luke and Leia!

 

[Cold71]

Great trip report, it looks like you guys had a great time. Me (26) and my wife (25) went in 2011 (her first time staying on Disney property and a first trip back for both of us since around 2000-2001) and had a blast. We are planning to go back as soon as possible.

 

[Howe]

Great trip report, it looks like you guys had a great time. Me (26) and my wife (25) went in 2011 (her first time staying on Disney property and a first trip back for both of us since around 2000-2001) and had a blast. We are planning to go back as soon as possible.

It was a blast. We had no idea we would have as much fun as we did! Now we are headed back in 23 days to celebrate our anniversary and me finishing my master's degree! We are hoping to go again in the fall, but we will see! It's addictive!!

Thanks for reading along, I still have more to post, hopefully will finish it soon!:wave:

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Sorry it’s taking me so long to finish this TR! Time to get this one done so I can work on my new PTR!! Austin just surprised me with a trip to Disney as my graduation gift... leaving in 27 days!! Back to the regularly scheduled (but very delayed) trip report.....

Awww how awesome!!! I'll be there in 22 days so perhaps we will run into each other!!!

Looks like you guys are having a blast so far!!! YAY!!

Your pictures are coming out really good for getting your DSLR mid-trip! I've been fiddling with my Nikon DSLR I got a couple months back and I'm praying my pics come out nice!

Can't wait to read more!

 

[Howe]

Awww how awesome!!! I'll be there in 22 days so perhaps we will run into each other!!!

Looks like you guys are having a blast so far!!! YAY!!

Your pictures are coming out really good for getting your DSLR mid-trip! I've been fiddling with my Nikon DSLR I got a couple months back and I'm praying my pics come out nice!

Can't wait to read more!

Yes! I just updated my signature to show my trip dates, and ours do overlap! I will be watching for you in the parks! Thanks so much for the compliments on my pictures. I haven't had much time to practice with my camera since that trip (silly graduate school) but I do hope to have improved some on this next trip. Congrats on your new camera! I'm sure your pics will come out great!

 

[onelivelygirl]

I started reading your TR and was so excited to see the shirt you were wearing on Epcot day. I saw "throw me something" and had to look to see where you are from. Thanks for the great TR. Christmas is my favorite time at WDW.
I also saw that you are braving the ToT race. My boyfriend and I will be down for the event as well. (HE will be racing...I will not.) Hope to run into you then.

 

[Howe]

I started reading your TR and was so excited to see the shirt you were wearing on Epcot day. I saw "throw me something" and had to look to see where you are from. Thanks for the great TR. Christmas is my favorite time at WDW.
I also saw that you are braving the ToT race. My boyfriend and I will be down for the event as well. (HE will be racing...I will not.) Hope to run into you then.

Yay! I see you are from NOLA! I'm from North LA, but lived in NOLA for a few years after college/before grad school. We miss it so much! We thought we would be moving back after I graduate, but now we are moving to Philadelphia.

Definitely hope to run into you in September as well!!

 

[dsnylvr]

MORE, MORE, MORE......You've got me hooked now, finish the TR. This is great, love your report and glad you had the "awakening" that we have experienced.

 

[ILDisneyFan]

I'm so enjoying your trip report! I loved the picture of you crying while on Main Street U.S.A. I get all teary eyed as well when I walk down it for the first time each trip. There's just something about Main Street U.S.A. that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and I think I'm going to cry now... LOL! Also, congrats on graduating and being able to go back to Disney this month! I don't get to go until November. Now, finish that trip report!

 

[Howe]

MORE, MORE, MORE......You've got me hooked now, finish the TR. This is great, love your report and glad you had the "awakening" that we have experienced.

Thanks for reading along! I am going to try to finish the report tonight. So glad to have had the awakening as well!!

I'm so enjoying your trip report! I loved the picture of you crying while on Main Street U.S.A. I get all teary eyed as well when I walk down it for the first time each trip. There's just something about Main Street U.S.A. that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and I think I'm going to cry now... LOL! Also, congrats on graduating and being able to go back to Disney this month! I don't get to go until November. Now, finish that trip report!

Main Street U.S.A. DOES make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Just feels as if all is right in the world, like you're finally in the right spot

Thanks for the congrats! I am thrilled to be going back! Going to work on finishing the TR tonight so that I can start my PTR!! :sohappy:

 

[Howe]

After some shopping, we headed over to Pixar Place to use our TSMM fast passes! We got on the ride surprisingly fast! I absolutely love the huge toys and lights and all of the decorations in the queue for this ride. I still don’t really understand why everyone goes crazy for the ride. Don’t get me wrong, I thought it was LOTS of fun, just surprised how in demand it is.

And I won!! I never beat Austin at games, so I was pretty excited about this!!

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

Great job on your TR - looks like you guys had a ton of fun!

And excellent job with the new camera. Your on-ride pics, especially ToT and GMR, are fantastic!

Looking forward to the rest, and to your next TR (you've set the bar high - no pressure :lol.

 

[Howe]

Next we left Pixar Place… because, is there anything else in pixar place besides TSMM? Maybe we missed something. So we went and checked out One Man’s Dream. We both really enjoyed looking through this, although Austin and I enjoy museums at completely different speeds! I am like a kid with ADHD, going from one thing to the next, and saying “look at this!” at everything. Austin is the calm, contemplative museum viewer (aka, the adult). So we looked through, and I finally was able to get Austin to finish up so we could see the film, which we both loved! I teared up while watching the film too, told ya I’m a crier! Austin said that next time he really wants to spend a longer time in One Man’s Dream. I’ll just have to go take pictures once I’m done and he’s still looking at the first glass case!

 

[Howe]

After One Man’s Dream, we headed back down Sunset Blvd to use our RnR fast passes…. This time without the heart attack of losing the brand new camera!!!

Please look at how hilarious I look in this ride photo…..
I had my hands in the air during the countdown, and I guess I was pulling them down when they took the picture…. Whatever happened, I look like an idiot, but at least it will make some people laugh.

 

[Howe]

Great job on your TR - looks like you guys had a ton of fun!

And excellent job with the new camera. Your on-ride pics, especially ToT and GMR, are fantastic!

Looking forward to the rest, and to your next TR (you've set the bar high - no pressure :lol.

Thank you! I didn't have as much luck with on-ride pics on many other rides, especially dark rides like Pirates, but I'm hoping to improve some for the next trip! Thanks for reading along! Hopefully the next TR will be much better and not as late as this one

 

[Howe]

I was getting hungry for a snack at this point, and couldn’t WAIT to try a cupcake from starring rolls. I can’t tell you how many pictures of these cupcakes I had drooled over while waiting for our trip to come!!! Austin opted out of a snack and just got coffee, and I got this delicious butterfinger cupcake. AMAZING!!! Ridiculously sweet, but I like it that way. Oh and if you’re keeping track, this is my second cupcake in one day. Haters gonna hate.

While we were sitting on the patio, we overheard a lady talking on a microphone. Apparently they were trying to film a flash mob thing in the road? Does anyone know anything about this? I don’t know, I was too distracted by my cupcake.

After our snack, we went back to ride Star Tours again, using FPs of course.

Then we waited in a super long line to get a picture of Austin on this speeder bike (I think that’s the name). It’s amazing how people just kind of jump in front of you for pictures like this. I know we don’t have kids, we’re adults, but it’s like people just don’t see you waiting in line if you don’t have kids. Whatever, didn’t put a damper on my magical day!! And well worth the wait to get a picture of Austin on this. I don’t know if anyone noticed, but he wore his Cantina Band shirt this day. He got this shirt when we went to see Star Wars In Concert a few years ago.

 

[Howe]

About this time, we had ridden all of the rides we wanted to ride, and none of the shows we wanted to see were starting anytime soon, so we actually decided to leave and headed to downtown Disney. So we saw ZERO shows at DHS. ZERO. I don’t know how we let this happen. But it WILL be remedied on the next trip. We still had 2 sets of Star Tours FPs, so we decided to save one set for the scrapbook, and give one set to a couple who had just entered the standby line. It was SO fun to see how excited they were. We both decided that giving away fast passes is going to be a regular part of our future touring plans!

So we went to Downtown Disney to shop around. We LOVE gift shops. I know its ridiculous, but I can look at Disney merchandise for hours. We didn’t really buy a lot, we just love looking! I loved taking in all of the Christmas decoration as well. Just made it feel that much more magical!

I love Belle!

 

[Howe]

We then ate dinner at Wolfgang Pucks for the third time! A little crazy, but it really is such a great value for the quick service dining plan (which we had for free). This time I skipped the pizza and got the meatloaf. It was really good, but if we go back on our next trip I’ll get the pizza again!

After dinner, we went to Goofy’s Candy Co. to get some dessert and use up some of our snack credits. I got a mickey rice krispie treat dipped in dark chocolate, rolled in butterfinger, and then drizzled with milk chocolate! I saved it and snacked on it the whole 15 hour drive home!

After that, we headed to the bus stop and hopped on a bus to Pop for our last night sleeping at Disney!