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

Howe · Apr 4, 2012

LAST DAY!! Polynesian, Magic Kingdom, and lots of tears!

This morning we had breakfast reservations at Kona Café. I thought it would be nice to have a sit down breakfast on our last morning. We really enjoyed doing that and plan on making that a tradition for every trip! So we got up early, packed our suitcases and headed out of our room for the last time. We got into our car (ewwwww, I hated getting in my car. It just bursts the bubble!!) and we headed towards the Polynesian. I was excited to get to drive under this sign!

Just as we parked at the Poly I saw a monorail coming our way, so I got a picture. The Poly was soooo pretty! I definitely want to stay here someday!

Howe · Apr 4, 2012

We quickly found Kona Café and were seated right away! We started with a French press of Kona coffee! Delicious! I went with the Tonga Toast, and Austin got the Samoan. Seriously delicious food!

After our meal, the waitress took a picture of us. And then I took a picture of Lilo and Stitch!

We hopped on the monorail and went straight to the MK. I’ll tell you now, I cried all day. I just couldn’t believe that this magical trip was coming to a close!

Howe · Apr 4, 2012

We hopped on the monorail and went straight to the MK. I’ll tell you now, I cried all day. I just couldn’t believe that this magical trip was coming to a close! We entered into MK for the last time and took our time soaking in Main Street.

Howe · Apr 4, 2012

You’ll notice almost all day I have sunglasses on, trying to hide the tears!! They truly were happy tears. I was at the tail end of the happiest, most magical week I had experienced in a long time. My graduate program is very stressful, managing classload and clinic 40 hours a week plus studying and prepping outside of school. I knew after this trip I was going home to prepare to spend the next three months studying every single night for comprehensive exams. My happy time was running out quickly. Little did I know, this week of carefree fun would provide me with the joy I needed to make it through those hard weeks of studying that were ahead.

Howe · Apr 4, 2012

At this point I was really crying, and decided to sit down in Liberty Square and try to get myself together. Austin took over with the camera and spent the rest of the day taking pictures of me and trying to get me to smile.

Here I am trying to get it together… unsuccessfully

Trying to smile

Obviously a fake smile.

Austin convinced me we needed to ride all of our favorite rides and enjoy the time we had left. I agreed, but it didn’t keep my for tearing up throughout the day! We headed over to tomorrowland to head to space mountain.

We ran into this guy, he helped cheer me up a little!

Howe · Apr 4, 2012

We grabbed FPs for SM and then headed over to adventureland. We took a million castle pictures, hope you don’t hate them!

We took a ride on Pirates, Austin’s favorite attraction.

After that, we grabbed some FPs for BTMRR.

We decided to venture over to Tom Sawyer Island. When Austin visited Disney as a child, he got lost on TSI. He was at a water fountain waiting in line for a drink, and after he was done, he couldn’t find any of his family anywhere. He walked all over the island and couldn’t find them. Eventually he started crying, and some adults came over and helped him find his parents, who were still on the island and had been looking for him too! So Austin was excited but hesitant to go back to TSI!

Howe · Apr 4, 2012

Howe · Apr 4, 2012

On the boat leaving TSI, Austin caught me getting misty eyed again…

But we went over and rode MY favorite ride, Haunted Mansion!

Next it was time for us to use our BTMRR fast passes.

Next, we headed back towards Tomorrowland to use our SM FPs.

This kid is hilarious!

Howe · Apr 4, 2012

We didn’t ride this on this day, I just like the picture

I looooove this picture. I could just sit and look at it for hours.

Finally it was time for us to head the other way down Main Street…..

We made our way slowly but surely out of the park, with lots of tears, and Austin promising me that we’d be back soon. I didn’t know how soon! Even though I cried all morning, I really enjoyed this day. I really, really began to understand just how much I love WDW and how special of a place it is. I can’t tell you how many times Austin and I said “next time we’re here” or “when we come back.” There is no doubt we will continue to come here for years to come!

By now it was lunch time, so we headed towards the resort monorail, with plans to eat lunch at Captain Cooks and then get on the road. As we were walking to the monorail, we saw an otter!!

It pretty much scared the crap out of me when I first saw it out of the corner of my eye because I thought it was a rat, and I have a crazy irrational fear of rodents. Luckily, it was an otter, much less scary than a rat.

Howe · Apr 4, 2012

We hopped on the monorail and headed back to the Poly, where we grabbed lunch – which was delicious!!

And our first experience with Dole Whip!!! We both got the pineapple swirled with vanilla and LOVED it!

After lunch, we couldn’t hold out any longer, it was time to head out of the Poly and to our car.

Once we got in the car, I decided to open a vinylmation that I had bought that morning. I LOVE surprises and grab bags, like I mentioned earlier, so the blind box aspect of the vinylmations really gets me. So here in the parking lot of the Poly, I opened mine up.

I thought this little Polynesian boy was the perfect vinylmation to end my day on, having just spent much of our day at the Poly! This cute little guy (girl?) is now on my keychain, reminding me of this last day we had at Disney.

With that, we were on the road and on our way home. Back to real life. But we haven’t stopped talking about Disney since. I’m pretty sure all of my friends and family think I’m absolutely crazy, but I don’t care. I’m in LOVE with WDW, and lucky to have a husband who feels the same way! We look forward to a lifetime of Disney trips, taking our future kids on their first trips, bringing friends, and of course, many more trip reports!

Thank you to all of you, for reading along, but also for posting your own TRs, your own pictures, your opinions and rumors. Reading along helped build the anticipation that really helped make this the best trip ever!

Now, in 22 days, I’ll be headed back to my favorite place, and I know it will be even more special because of the memories we now have! Looking forward to sharing my pictures, stories and more tears with all of yall again!

PolynesianPrincess · Apr 5, 2012

So sad it's over :cry:

I'm with you though on wearing sunglasses the whole last day.... Mine don't come off at all. I even wore them on my November 2010 trip during Wishes. My family thought I was nutzo!!

Disney really is such a magical place. People always ask me why I love Disney so much. They've either A - never been or B - didn't enjoy it. What's not to love about it?! It's amazing!!

I hope our paths cross while on the trip. I'll be on the lookout for you guys. I wrote a PTR with all of our dining and when we will be at each park so take a look and see if we have any of the same places planned!

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=833001

It'd be fun to meet up with someone from the here!!

Howe · Apr 5, 2012

derelicte19 said:
So sad it's over I'm with you though on wearing sunglasses the whole last day.... Mine don't come off at all. I even wore them on my November 2010 trip during Wishes. My family thought I was nutzo!!

Disney really is such a magical place. People always ask me why I love Disney so much. They've either A - never been or B - didn't enjoy it. What's not to love about it?! It's amazing!!

I hope our paths cross while on the trip. I'll be on the lookout for you guys. I wrote a PTR with all of our dining and when we will be at each park so take a look and see if we have any of the same places planned!

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=833001

It'd be fun to meet up with someone from the here!!

I am sad it's over too, but now i get to start my PTR! :sohappy: Thanks for reading along, much easier to write when you know someone is reading and enjoying

I hope we can run into each other too!

blackthidot · Apr 6, 2012

Good stuff in here especially the "lets go get you a camera" story.

Funny how you can instantly tell when you started using it!

PeoplemoverTTA · Apr 6, 2012

Great job wrapping up your first TR - and your next one is right around the corner :sohappy:

And don't feel badly about crying. I won a trip to DL in 2005 for the Happiest Homecoming On Earth, and on the first night there my sister and I went to see Remember, Dreams Come True (narrated by Julie Andrews - who just about personifies "Disney Magic"). It is (imho) Wishes x10 - the best Disney fireworks show ever.

I was recording the show at the time, and I was so stricken by the magic (can you be "stricken by magic?" :lol

, standing where Walt had stood, celebrating the 50th anniversary of DL with my family, that I started bawling my eyes out! Yet, I was able to do it silently (so I didn't ruin the recording - gotta keep my priorities straight

).

That's just one story - happens to me all the time!

Semantje · Apr 6, 2012

What a great Trip Report! We will be heading to WDW for the first time next year. We have been 4 times to Disneyland Paris wich is only a 5 hour drive from here but i think WDW is the real deal! We are about your age and this trip is our first big vacation together. Crossing the Ocean. I never left Europe. Can't wait actually! Looking forward to your next adventure.

val002 · Apr 7, 2012

This was such a great report! Thank you so much for sharing. We just got back on Monday and I am so depressed that my trip is over

I guess I have to start writing my own trip report to battle the sadness, yours definitely helped though! So happy that you had such a great time, and I look forward to all your TRs to come!!!

Howe · Apr 8, 2012

blackthidot said:
Good stuff in here especially the "lets go get you a camera" story.

Funny how you can instantly tell when you started using it!

Thanks! Yes, that part was one of my favorite parts of the trip! He's a good one. There is a huge difference between pictures from an iphone 3gs and a dslr! I'm glad you and other suffered through the bad pictures at the beginning! Thanks for reading!

PeoplemoverTTA said:
Great job wrapping up your first TR - and your next one is right around the corner :sohappy:

And don't feel badly about crying. I won a trip to DL in 2005 for the Happiest Homecoming On Earth, and on the first night there my sister and I went to see Remember, Dreams Come True (narrated by Julie Andrews - who just about personifies "Disney Magic"). It is (imho) Wishes x10 - the best Disney fireworks show ever.

I was recording the show at the time, and I was so stricken by the magic (can you be "stricken by magic?" :lol, standing where Walt had stood, celebrating the 50th anniversary of DL with my family, that I started bawling my eyes out! Yet, I was able to do it silently (so I didn't ruin the recording - gotta keep my priorities straight ).

That's just one story - happens to me all the time!

That's awesome that you won a trip!! I have never been to DL, but I could definitely see myself thinking the same way as you about Walt! I think that's part what makes Disney so great, all the emotions it brings out!

Thanks for reading and sharing!

Semantje said:
What a great Trip Report! We will be heading to WDW for the first time next year. We have been 4 times to Disneyland Paris wich is only a 5 hour drive from here but i think WDW is the real deal! We are about your age and this trip is our first big vacation together. Crossing the Ocean. I never left Europe. Can't wait actually! Looking forward to your next adventure.

Thank you! Congrats on your upcoming trip, I know you will love it!! We hope to visit DLP one day! I've never been to Europe. I hope your trip is fantastic!!

val002 said:
This was such a great report! Thank you so much for sharing. We just got back on Monday and I am so depressed that my trip is over I guess I have to start writing my own trip report to battle the sadness, yours definitely helped though! So happy that you had such a great time, and I look forward to all your TRs to come!!!

Thank you for reading! I know that depressed feeling, you should definitely relive your trip by writing a TR for us all to read!!

WishIWasAtWDW · Apr 9, 2012

so sad your trip report is over! and i felt sad reading along about your last day. i know the feeling of wanting to cry because your trip is almost over but i am glad that you were able to still enjoy your final day. and you will be back so soon!! that is awesome! thank you so much for sharing your trip report. i hope you have a fabulous time on your upcoming trip and can't wait to read all about it!

Howe · Apr 9, 2012

WishIWasAtWDW said:
so sad your trip report is over! and i felt sad reading along about your last day. i know the feeling of wanting to cry because your trip is almost over but i am glad that you were able to still enjoy your final day. and you will be back so soon!! that is awesome! thank you so much for sharing your trip report. i hope you have a fabulous time on your upcoming trip and can't wait to read all about it!

That last day was really bittersweet!! I think we have decided that from now on, we need to at least have some idea of when we will be back, that way the last day won't seem so sad! Thanks so much reading along! I am soooo excited and ready for our next trip, and can't wait to share another TR with everyone!

lovenerds2012 · Jun 2, 2012

Love it!!!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this TR! You sound just like me!! I went back to WDW just last year after a 20-year gap and loved every minute of it. Now I'm 2 months from our next trip to WDW and our cruise (which happens to be our honeymoon) and I'm so excited I keep squealing every time Disney Cruise line sends me a new automated text reminding me to book excursions, etc etc.
I can also relate on the grad student business...I did my M.A. in French Language and Literature and wrote a ginormous Masters Thesis, then I did 2 years of a PhD and decided recently that academia is not my cup of tea, that I'm a teacher through and through..SOO now I get to teach French at a posh little prep school. WOO!
And congrats on your graduation!!!! My M.A. graduation was seriously the best day ever, I hope you enjoyed it!
Anyway, back to your fabulous trip report...I hope you'll do another one of your graduation trip!
-Your pictures are FABULOUS, especially the ones of the castle with all the beautiful lights on it. I hope to get a DSLR myself someday! For now, my point and shoot and iphone do the job, I guess.
-I loved seeing the Disney "magic" you captured, like the Mickey ears that the person at the desk circled your building, and the Christmas towel art.
-I LOVE that you decorated your room, I would have done the same thing if we got the opportunity to drive. (We're from Pittsburgh so it's like 18 hours-easier to hop on a plane and take advantage of the Magical Express)
-I love Hello Kitty too- I even visited Sanrio Puroland in Tokyo...think Disneyland for Hello Kitty lovers!
-I am myself also a total Potterhead, and on our last trip, my fiancé and I also visited WWHP. We somehow had a better experience though, because it was literally pouring when we got there and we had virtually NO WAIT for the Forbidden Journey, which we rode twice. BEST RIDE EVER. We braved the rain, because it already rains in HP movies and books all the time anyway!! And yes, I think that Butterbeer must be milk from the Gods. But I am totally with you when you said you missed the Disney Magic. While WWHP was ingenious, and I loved it, the rest of Universal was boring, and the rollercoasters were closed anyway because of the rain. The "magic" is certainly not there, and the people who work there aren't anything like CM's at Disney. We ended up back at DHS! Oh, and I love your pics of the Mandrakes, I didn't notice them because we zipped through the line so fast!!!
Anywho, great job and I look forward to reading more! I'm about to start my first TR from our trip from March 2011 so TTFN!:wave:

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

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member