Trip Report Livin' La Vida Local

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.

For those of you that have been following my adventures for awhile now, welcome back! šŸ˜Š For those of you that are just joining my adventures, I'll do some quick introductions before we jump on in!

I'm Brittany and this is my prince, Dylan. ā¤ļø We are from Pennsylvania and got engaged at MK a little over a year ago. We took a page from Walt's book shortly thereafter and chased our dreams, leading us to central Florida. I teach 1st grade and Dylan works at the Magnolia/Palm (Disney) golf courses located across from the Poly and Grand Floridian. After living in FL for a full year now, we are 100% certain that we won't be moving back to PA. We are Floridians through and through and can't imagine living our crazy life together anywhere else. ā˜ŗļø
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You'll see lots of faces in my report (including some of yours!), but this is the one you'll see most often. šŸ˜‰ This is my very best Disney friend, Brooke (@wishes2013)! We met through this site and were brought together when we realized that we would both be teaching 1st grade at the same school. I'm not exaggerating when I say that you can either find us at school or Disney... we're together more often than we're not. šŸ˜‹
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You can find the ongoing trip report that chronicles our first year living in FL and being passholders here. šŸ˜Š This report will serve as more of a "highlight reel," rather than detailing every moment of every trip we take to the parks. But fear not, there will still be lots of report to read! If you're looking for your Disney fix or a way to chase those Disney blues away, you can most certainly find it here. šŸ¤—

To all who come to this happy place, welcome!
 
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Songbird76

Well-Known Member
Saturday, August 4

Dylan and I popped into Epcot for quick couple of hours! We rode Test Track, ate dinner at Sunshine Seasons, and Spaceship Earth on the way out. I mentioned that I love the smell in Spaceship Earth and he pointed out that it smells like crayons... I can't unsmell it. šŸ˜‚
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We were SO excited to test this design against the others in our car, but nobody else scanned their bands. šŸ™„
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The water is back! So much prettier than the rocks that are underneath. šŸ˜‰
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So that's why you became a first grade teacher! So you can smell crayons all day and be reminded of SSE!
 

blreinsel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
A bit late but happy birthday :) Great TR! Love the pics! Thanks for sharing!! And the Key to the Kingdom is on our bucket list for the future!

Thank you! I canā€™t recommend Keys to the Kingdom enough!

So that's why you became a first grade teacher! So you can smell crayons all day and be reminded of SSE!
Lol! There are days that I question that decision but then I smell crayons and pretend Iā€™m at Epcot and itā€™s all okay. šŸ˜œ
 

LisaBelle

Well-Known Member
Friday, July 20

My family was in town and my mom had one day left on the ticket she had bought a few months prior, so a day at HS was in order! From left to right... My brother (Michael), his girlfriend (Hope), her daughter (Karlee), my mom (Robin), my nephew (Peyton), and yours truly. šŸ¤—
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Hope's favorite Disney movie is The Little Mermaid, so we popped in for an under the sea show first!
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We walked through a few shops and I found these adorable socks. šŸ˜@becca_ they would look great with that magic band I'm still trying to not buy. šŸ˜
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We had fast passes for Star Tours next.
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After our ride, I left the group for a few minutes for a very important meet up outside of Indiana Jones. šŸ˜Š
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We look like we've been friends forever! ā˜ŗļø
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It was so fun getting to finally meet @LisaBelle and her sweet family! We stood and talked for awhile and it really was like old friends getting back together after time apart. šŸ™‚

It really was like old friends getting back together! šŸ˜Š I am so happy we were able to make it happen! Now my family knows who Iā€™m talking about when I mention my Disney friend Brittany! So glad I finally found a minute to start catching up on my TR reading! School is kicking my tail! Not to mention moving my daughter in to college šŸ˜­!

So glad you two got to meet :)

@LisaBelle - only last Sunday we were at the Harry Potter London tour and I thought of you all day as we wandered looking around the great hall where the movies were filmed and we got to see costumes and props etc.
I even had a butterbeer ice cream (that probably comes as no surprise!)

Me, too! It was so much fun to finally meet a forum friend!
Your Harry Potter London tour sounds AMAZING! I would absolutely LOVE to do that! Itā€™s so sweet that you thought of me while you were there šŸ˜Š! No, I am not at all surprised that you ate Butterbeer ice cream! Was it good? Did it taste similar to the frozen butterbeer at Universal?
 

Minnesota disney fan

Well-Known Member
Friday, July 20

My family was in town and my mom had one day left on the ticket she had bought a few months prior, so a day at HS was in order! From left to right... My brother (Michael), his girlfriend (Hope), her daughter (Karlee), my mom (Robin), my nephew (Peyton), and yours truly. šŸ¤—
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Hope's favorite Disney movie is The Little Mermaid, so we popped in for an under the sea show first!
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We walked through a few shops and I found these adorable socks. šŸ˜@becca_ they would look great with that magic band I'm still trying to not buy. šŸ˜
View attachment 306238

We had fast passes for Star Tours next.
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After our ride, I left the group for a few minutes for a very important meet up outside of Indiana Jones. šŸ˜Š
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We look like we've been friends forever! ā˜ŗļø
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It was so fun getting to finally meet @LisaBelle and her sweet family! We stood and talked for awhile and it really was like old friends getting back together after time apart. šŸ™‚

Gee you guys even kind of look alike:) Meet ups with others is fun!
 
Finally finished your 1st year TR and caught up on this one!

I am in the golf business so maybe Dylan help me get a job and then my wife and kids would have to move to FL with me!! :)
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Thursday, July 26

An evening in MK with my prince. šŸ˜˜ I've been trying really hard to just "be" and not take so many pictures of the same things when I'm at the parks, so I can't remember everything we did this evening.
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I know that it included a visit to my favorite ghosts and some dinner at Columbia Harbor House. šŸ‘»šŸ˜‹
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We had a fast pass for Big Thunder and ended up getting to see part of Happily Ever After while we did!
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We started walking out and watched the show sans crowds on the way. šŸ˜‰ We paused outside of Hall of Presidents and watched for a few minutes.
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"The flower that blooms in adversity is the more rare and beautiful of all." This is one of my favorite fireworks of the whole show.. so colorful! šŸ˜
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We took the back way out of MK and made it to the monorail just before the rest of the crowds made their way out!
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I am so surprised our paths didn't cross this night. Em and I exited Big Thunder moments before HEA started and watched it only a few feet from where you and Dylan were near HoP.
 

blreinsel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It really was like old friends getting back together! šŸ˜Š I am so happy we were able to make it happen! Now my family knows who Iā€™m talking about when I mention my Disney friend Brittany! So glad I finally found a minute to start catching up on my TR reading! School is kicking my tail! Not to mention moving my daughter in to college šŸ˜­!

Lol! Dylan always says "is that one of your Disney friends?" when he doesn't recognize a name that I mention. :joyfull:

School is KICKING mine too! Holy cow... I was sure that being a 2nd year teacher would be even slightly less chaotic, but so far that has not been the case! Lol. Hope those firsties are treating you okay. ;) Also hoping that you adjust to your daughter being away, but when it gets hard just remember: Disney College Program. :joyfull:


Gee you guys even kind of look alike:) Meet ups with others is fun!
That is AMAZING

I love when I get to have a Magic meet up! :)

Finally finished your 1st year TR and caught up on this one!

I am in the golf business so maybe Dylan help me get a job and then my wife and kids would have to move to FL with me!! :)

Haha! I'm sure he could make that happen. ;)

I am so surprised our paths didn't cross this night. Em and I exited Big Thunder moments before HEA started and watched it only a few feet from where you and Dylan were near HoP.
Grrrrr! Why does this always happen!? :banghead:
 

LisaBelle

Well-Known Member
Lol! Dylan always says "is that one of your Disney friends?" when he doesn't recognize a name that I mention. :joyfull:

School is KICKING mine too! Holy cow... I was sure that being a 2nd year teacher would be even slightly less chaotic, but so far that has not been the case! Lol. Hope those firsties are treating you okay. ;) Also hoping that you adjust to your daughter being away, but when it gets hard just remember: Disney College Program. :joyfull:




I love when I get to have a Magic meet up! :)



Haha! I'm sure he could make that happen. ;)


Grrrrr! Why does this always happen!? :banghead:
Itā€™s my 30th year of teaching and itā€™s been a rough start. Changing grade levels (and rooms!) has been a BIG adjustment even though I looped with my class. It is taking so much longer to feel like I am in the groove.
Disney College Program shall become my new mantra!
Between school and Allie leaving I was feeling down and had to engage in some Disney therapy. Grapefruit beer and watching HEA and Wishes on YouTube!
 

Longers

Well-Known Member
It really was like old friends getting back together! šŸ˜Š I am so happy we were able to make it happen! Now my family knows who Iā€™m talking about when I mention my Disney friend Brittany! So glad I finally found a minute to start catching up on my TR reading! School is kicking my tail! Not to mention moving my daughter in to college šŸ˜­!



Me, too! It was so much fun to finally meet a forum friend!
Your Harry Potter London tour sounds AMAZING! I would absolutely LOVE to do that! Itā€™s so sweet that you thought of me while you were there šŸ˜Š! No, I am not at all surprised that you ate Butterbeer ice cream! Was it good? Did it taste similar to the frozen butterbeer at Universal?

We really did have a lovely day - it wasnā€™t the same as being in Florida as it was just costumes, prompts etc from the films but we enjoyed the butterbeer ice cream - it didnā€™t seem as sweet as the frozen butterbeer. And I know how much you love Harry Potter so it was our Lisa day!

Just a few piccies (sorry @blgauger)

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Longers

Well-Known Member
Thanks! Iā€™d never met another forum member until this trip and I was always jealous of all the people who had. It was so much fun! Hope youā€™ll get a magic meet up one day as well!

Lisa - She met me!
And we share emails every few months about our lives and things weā€™ve done and we are face book friends too.
We both hope that one year we will meet again back ā€œhomeā€
 

LisaBelle

Well-Known Member
We really did have a lovely day - it wasnā€™t the same as being in Florida as it was just costumes, prompts etc from the films but we enjoyed the butterbeer ice cream - it didnā€™t seem as sweet as the frozen butterbeer. And I know how much you love Harry Potter so it was our Lisa day!

Just a few piccies (sorry @blgauger)

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This looks like so much fun!!! Thanks for posting the pictures! And for thinking of me while you were there šŸ˜Š!
 

LisaBelle

Well-Known Member
Lisa - She met me!
And we share emails every few months about our lives and things weā€™ve done and we are face book friends too.
We both hope that one year we will meet again back ā€œhomeā€
Thatā€™s awesome that you met and have kept in touch. Fingers crossed for a Disney reunion for the two of you!
 

blreinsel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Itā€™s my 30th year of teaching and itā€™s been a rough start. Changing grade levels (and rooms!) has been a BIG adjustment even though I looped with my class. It is taking so much longer to feel like I am in the groove.
Disney College Program shall become my new mantra!
Between school and Allie leaving I was feeling down and had to engage in some Disney therapy. Grapefruit beer and watching HEA and Wishes on YouTube!


I have a difficult group this year.. it has me kicking myself for thinking my crew last year was a challenge. I took them for granted! It's been hard trying to get back into the groove for me, too! It will come.. for both of us! ;)

Disney therapy is the best therapy! :inlove:
 

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