So I asked for advice way back when on people who spent time in Disney World after a loss. I thought it only fair that I let you guys know how my trip went. For those who didn't read my post and may read this, this trip was the last thing my wife and I had planned prior to her passing. No pictures here because they don't really do the trip justice, I only had ride pictures. Anyway...
September 30 - Left Huntsville, AL at 11:00 PM after playing a soccer game from 8-10 and working all day (I had planned to take the day off, but needed to be in the office due to something that happened). I drove in case I felt I needed to leave before the 11th. A friend of mine tagged along (his fastpass expired on October 3rd, so he talked to his wife and decided to use the last 3 days and help support me, I have come to realize just how good of friends I have).
October 1 - Got to the Poly at about 10 and got a test that said the room was not ready yet. This was suppose to be my wife and I's first trip to the Poly since we became DVC members, previous to DVC it was our favorite resort to stay in. We had both been really excited and when she was in the hospital I would try to make her feel better by getting her to focus on our trip. Anyway, when we arrived, we were both tired from driving all night, but raring to hit the parks too. I realized I forgot my DVC ID and my friend needed to hit the bathroom so we went in the lobby of the Poly, I got a parking pass for the car at the front desk and then went to the DVC kiosk, where I broke down in tears (It would be the first of many times on the trip, some because I was sad, some because a cast member did something so sweet for me I couldn't help my self, and some for both reasons). I told the DVC cast member about my wife and the following day I received a heartfelt message from my DVC Guide, Emile(I always forget how to spell his name).
Anyway, after getting a new DVC Membership card, we headed over the MK, I upgraded my pass to an annual premium pass, as Brandie had never been a fan of Water Parks, so that is something I am going to make sure I do when I go to WDW, just for something different. We then headed into the park, as I was walking down Main Street I started to tear up, but kept myself in check. The park was crowded, it seems there is no true slow time in WDW anymore except for maybe the last 2 weeks of January until Spring Break starts. Nothing really exciting happened while we were at MK that day.
Late in the afternoon we moved over to Epcot as we had a reservation at Biergarden. On the way, my friend asked my weird questions to distract me as we were going past the Wedding Pavilion, where I got married. At Epcot, it wasn't too bad for Food and Wine. We visited a couple stands on the way to Germany, nothing too exciting. I got the Pierogi and Apple Pie Frozen drink from the Poland stand. Stopped for Margarita's in Mexico, too. Then meandered our way to Germany. The food was excellent, as was the beer and the entertainment. My friend was born in Germany (Dad was in the US military), so he really enjoyed it. We left there after dinner and stopped at a few more stands for something to drink on our way out and made it an early night since we were both exhausted.
When we got back, he went to the room to talk to his wife and I went to the deck at Trader Sam's and had a non-alcoholic drink, lot's of water, and the pork tacos. It was all really good and I also enjoyed the entertainment on the patio. I teared up a couple times while sitting there, particularly when the guy playing the music played the ukulele version of "Somewhere over the Rainbow", which never had an effect on me before, but used to always make Brandie cry.
I'll post our Day 2 trip report later today or tomorrow. I don't think I realized how much detail I was going to put into each day. If anyone has any questions on how I dealt with the pain or any more in depth reviews on any one particular thing, let me know, and I'll answer any questions before I start my next day post.
September 30 - Left Huntsville, AL at 11:00 PM after playing a soccer game from 8-10 and working all day (I had planned to take the day off, but needed to be in the office due to something that happened). I drove in case I felt I needed to leave before the 11th. A friend of mine tagged along (his fastpass expired on October 3rd, so he talked to his wife and decided to use the last 3 days and help support me, I have come to realize just how good of friends I have).
October 1 - Got to the Poly at about 10 and got a test that said the room was not ready yet. This was suppose to be my wife and I's first trip to the Poly since we became DVC members, previous to DVC it was our favorite resort to stay in. We had both been really excited and when she was in the hospital I would try to make her feel better by getting her to focus on our trip. Anyway, when we arrived, we were both tired from driving all night, but raring to hit the parks too. I realized I forgot my DVC ID and my friend needed to hit the bathroom so we went in the lobby of the Poly, I got a parking pass for the car at the front desk and then went to the DVC kiosk, where I broke down in tears (It would be the first of many times on the trip, some because I was sad, some because a cast member did something so sweet for me I couldn't help my self, and some for both reasons). I told the DVC cast member about my wife and the following day I received a heartfelt message from my DVC Guide, Emile(I always forget how to spell his name).
Anyway, after getting a new DVC Membership card, we headed over the MK, I upgraded my pass to an annual premium pass, as Brandie had never been a fan of Water Parks, so that is something I am going to make sure I do when I go to WDW, just for something different. We then headed into the park, as I was walking down Main Street I started to tear up, but kept myself in check. The park was crowded, it seems there is no true slow time in WDW anymore except for maybe the last 2 weeks of January until Spring Break starts. Nothing really exciting happened while we were at MK that day.
Late in the afternoon we moved over to Epcot as we had a reservation at Biergarden. On the way, my friend asked my weird questions to distract me as we were going past the Wedding Pavilion, where I got married. At Epcot, it wasn't too bad for Food and Wine. We visited a couple stands on the way to Germany, nothing too exciting. I got the Pierogi and Apple Pie Frozen drink from the Poland stand. Stopped for Margarita's in Mexico, too. Then meandered our way to Germany. The food was excellent, as was the beer and the entertainment. My friend was born in Germany (Dad was in the US military), so he really enjoyed it. We left there after dinner and stopped at a few more stands for something to drink on our way out and made it an early night since we were both exhausted.
When we got back, he went to the room to talk to his wife and I went to the deck at Trader Sam's and had a non-alcoholic drink, lot's of water, and the pork tacos. It was all really good and I also enjoyed the entertainment on the patio. I teared up a couple times while sitting there, particularly when the guy playing the music played the ukulele version of "Somewhere over the Rainbow", which never had an effect on me before, but used to always make Brandie cry.
I'll post our Day 2 trip report later today or tomorrow. I don't think I realized how much detail I was going to put into each day. If anyone has any questions on how I dealt with the pain or any more in depth reviews on any one particular thing, let me know, and I'll answer any questions before I start my next day post.