"Be Careful... You Know You're Here to Act Like Animals!" Updated 7/24

[heycitygirl]

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[heycitygirl]

Chapter One: Cast of Characters

So who are we? Where are we from? What do we do when we're not gallivanting around Disney World? Let's start with me...

Mel - I'm 28 years old and from Brooklyn, NY. I'm an elementary school teacher who loves traveling, the theater, live music, dark bars, cobblestone streets, Netflix marathons and reading good books on good benches. I'm also a lover of all things Disney (no surprise there). My favorite Disney movie is Aladdin (followed closely by The Little Mermaid), my favorite park is Epcot, and my favorite attraction is a three-way tie between Spaceship Earth, The Haunted Mansion, and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority.

Geoff - My fiance Geoff is 27-years old (he'll be 28 in August) and from Toronto, Canada. He originally moved to NY for Med School and is currently in the second year of his Psychiatry Residency in Manhattan. He loves the Toronto Maple Leafs, traveling, eating, Game of Thrones, eating, reading fantasy novels, eating, going on adventures, and eating. His favorite Disney Movie is Toy Story, his favorite park is the Magic Kingdom and his favorite attraction is the Tower of Terror.

Now that you know who we are, we can get into the good stuff - the planning! We started planning our trip back in November of 2014. I used to plan my family's trips a full year in advance, so to be starting the whole process only three months in advance was very different. There were some definite pros and cons - one pro was that we didn't have to start our vacation countdown at over 300 days (woo!), but one con was that we didn't get to make our ADR's 180-days in advance (boo!). I was thankfully able to get reservations at most of our desired restaurants, missing out on only Be Our Guest. Womp, womp. Getting a ressie there is harder than breaking into Fort Knox! Anyway, we knew that we wanted to stay at Pop Century. Well, we didn't want to stay at Pop Century, but we definitely wanted to stay onsite and it was the only hotel we could afford without sufficient time to save Still, we'd be staying on Disney property for my first time since 1993 and Geoff's first time ever!

This trip really came about when I got a discount code. Going was always a thought it my mind, but it wasn't until I got that code that the ball really started rolling. Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE planning, especially when it comes to vacations. I live for researching, making reservations, finding deals, crunching the numbers. All of it gets me so giddy that it's become a running joke in the family. Need your vacation planned? Mel to the rescue! So I did just that - I researched and crunched the numbers, and decided that booking a package was the way to go. I know everyone always says that the dining plan is a waste of money, but those people haven't met Geoff. Have I mentioned that he can eat?! Plus, with our discount code, we would definitely be saving some serious dough. So we were set - six days at Pop Century (February 3 - February 8), with the dining plan and utilizing Magical Express. I was SO excited!

I spent the new few weeks making dining reservations, securing our fastpasses and planning out our days. All of us Disney fans know that's the best part! The plans changed more than a few times before we left, but finally things were settled:

Tuesday, February 3: Fly into MCO from JFK, check into Pop Century, head to Downtown Disney for some shopping and lunch at Wolfgang Puck Express, head to the Polynesian for a late dinner at the Kona Cafe before watching Wishes from the beach

Wednesday, February 4: Hollywood Studios (I still call it MGM, it pains me to call it Hollywood Studios). Lunch at Toy Story Pizza Planet, dinner at the Sci-Fi Dine In (OOP).

Thursday, February 5: Animal Kingdom. Lunch at Restaurantosaurus, before heading to the Animal Kingdom Lodge for dinner at Boma.

Friday, February 6: Magic Kingdom. Lunch at Crystal Palace, dinner at whatever counter service restaurant was nearby when we were hungry.

Saturday, February 7: Epcot. Lunch at Coral Reef, dinner at Tangierine Cafe.

Sunday, February 8: Check out and drop off our bags with Magical Express , go to the Contemporary for brunch at Chef Mickey's, fly home.

With that done, all we had to do was wait...

Coming Up Next: "Our plane isn't going to take off!"

 

[nilla]

I'm in! Sorry it took so long

Now, I have to actually read it.

 

[nilla]

Ok, caught up.

A teacher who is into planning? I don't believe it

Sounds like this should be a great trip. With hopefully less crying than that first trip.

Can't wait to hear about it!

 

[heycitygirl]

A teacher who is into planning? I don't believe it

Right? Who would've guessed? Haha thanks for following along!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

joining in - congratulations on getting back to Disney World!!!! ... oh, and on the engagement too

We are also from the NY Metro area (I was actually born in Brooklyn) and did the drive down once (once was enough - actually, the drive down wasn't too bad, but we were so done with it all by the time we got back)

Sounds like some good plans - especially for only having a few months to plan. We love watching Wishes from the Poly beach (or Contemporary, or, well wherever) and often do something like that our first night as well

 

[heycitygirl]

We are also from the NY Metro area (I was actually born in Brooklyn) and did the drive down once (once was enough - actually, the drive down wasn't too bad, but we were so done with it all by the time we got back)

Thank you! Very cool that you're also from the city. Where were you born in Brooklyn? We're in south Brooklyn, the Midwood/Marine Park/Mill Basin area!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Thank you! Very cool that you're also from the city. Where were you born in Brooklyn? We're in south Brooklyn, the Midwood/Marine Park/Mill Basin area!

We were in the Park Slope area when I was born - we moved out to Long Island when I was young though - my mom is still there. We now live in the lower Hudson Valley about 1 hour north of Manhattan

 

[mamamary]

Joining in too! Former Brooklyn girl here.

 

[heycitygirl]

We were in the Park Slope area when I was born - we moved out to Long Island when I was young though - my mom is still there. We now live in the lower Hudson Valley about 1 hour north of Manhattan

We have family in Mahopac and Yorktown Heights. It's fun finding other people from the area!

Joining in too! Former Brooklyn girl here.

Thanks for joining in!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

We have family in Mahopac and Yorktown Heights. It's fun finding other people from the area!

haha, I didn't mention names since not sure if people would know what I was talking about but we actually live in Mahopac - on the West side right off of route 6N

 

[Britbrie]

I'm joining in!! Looks like it'll be an awesome trip to read about!!

 

[SarahDisney]

Joining in! I'm excited to read about the adventures of a fellow New Yorker ... although I think I'm required to hate you because you're from Brooklyn (Go Queens!)

 

[LadyOfDunBroch]

Count me in! Same favorite rides as me AND a fellow 90s kid? This HAS to be good!

 

[disneyguy4life]

I am looking forward to your TR. I can't wait for the rest. I'm like you... I LOVE PLANNING!!! My last trip out to WDW with my wife was planned out months in advance. Keep those updates coming... I need to feed my Disney addiction somehow.

 

[heycitygirl]

I am looking forward to your TR. I can't wait for the rest. I'm like you... I LOVE PLANNING!!! My last trip out to WDW with my wife was planned out months in advance. Keep those updates coming... I need to feed my Disney addiction somehow.

I sometimes think that planning is the best part, and the trip is just the icing on the cake

Count me in! Same favorite rides as me AND a fellow 90s kid? This HAS to be good!

The 90s were the best! Thanks so much for joining in!

Sorry guys, it's been a crazy few days. I promise that the next few updates will be up a lot faster.

 

[heycitygirl]

Monday, February 2, 2015
Chapter 2: Our Plane Isn't Going to Take Off!

I've always believed that the best part of a vacation (any vacation, really) is the day before. You're finally on your way, but you still have your whole entire trip to look forward to. I usually spend the day packing, relaxing, listening to fun music and reminiscing about past trips. What's better than that?! Well, my friends, this year didn't quite go as planned. I was a substitute teacher at the time, and was able to easily take off the day before our vacation. Instead of relaxing though, I worried the whole entire day. You see, we were only a week past Winter Storm Juno. It was (supposed to be) a huge, enormous, epic blizzard that shut down schools, subways and every street for hours on end. Thousands of flights were grounded, and driving was a giant no-no. Funny enough, it barely even snowed. Really, we got maybe 4-inches of snow, and they had shut down the entire city! It was awesome for us, because Geoff and I both got a free day off from work, but those poor people... those poor, poor people who you just know were supposed to be flying down to sunny Florida that day, but were instead stuck in an overcrowded airport with barely any snow outside.

That was my biggest nightmare!

Now, as I packed our bags (procrastination is my middle name ) and watched the news, all I heard about was the new big blizzard on it's way. It was scheduled to dump a decent amount of snow on the city that very night, and would lead to hazardous road conditions. I was freaking out! We were already in the midst of one of the most frigid, snowy winters of all time, and if this snow ruined our trip, so help me... I was going to have a nervous breakdown I looked out the window every 10-minutes to watch the snow fall, and neurotically texted my family about how upset I would be if our plane didn't take off in the morning. The mayor held a news conference saying that the storm wouldn't actually be that bad, but you know how it goes - predict a giant storm and you get 4-inches of snow. Predict a light dusting and it's a nor'easter. So I tried to remain calm, continue packing and not think about the snow.

To take my mind off of worrying, I decided to search for Youtube videos from the parks and that's when I found See Ya Reel Soon. I LOVE Joe and Ashley! Geoff and I are nothing like them - we're far to cynical and sarcastic to be so lovey dovey all the time, but I think they're adorable and love the enthusiasm they have for Disney. Not gonna lie - I spent a good, oh, four hours browsing through their videos that day, and getting over-the-top psyched for our trip. The only problem was that I'd now be more disappointed than ever if we couldn't take off!

Geoff was home from work by 6:00, and we spent the night finishing the packing, finalizing our plans and making car service reservations for the next morning. We tried to call it an early night, but yea right.

I think I finally drifted off to sleep at 1AM, and made a run for the window every time I woke up between then and 5:00, just to see the snow falling, falling, falling...

Coming Up Next: An Unexpected Pitstop

 

[Sailormoon2]

I swear, as a Canadian teacher, I could never book a March break trip South as I would be just like you checking the dreaded snow fall every 20 minutes. I'm impressed you took the risk to go in Feb...but I feel your stress.

 

[DisneyAndrew]

I'm in! By the way, I completely understand your fears about weather. We are flying to Disney World for the first time this December. Last time, we drove the 15 hours and my wife swore never again. That's perfectly fine with me since she was the one who was afraid of flying before (we broke that by taking a short-notice trip to Myrtle Beach this summer for the weekend...our local airport started offering low-cost flights there - once she realized that 1 hour was better than 9 driving, she was game for flying). I know we don't normally get big winter storms in the beginning of December, but I have this - maybe, probably, definitely - irrational fear that we are going to the Snowmageddon and not be able to fly. Looking forward to more of your TR.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

The best part of traveling in the winter is getting away from the cold and snow ... but the worst part is how that same weather can impact your travel and just make you nervous of how it could be impacted ... this past year even moreso.

Though, I assume you made it out as otherwise your TR would go something like

"so we were all set to go but then it snowed too much and our flight was cancelled so we didn't wind up going. The end"

I hear you about getting sucked in the black hole that Youtube can be as one video leads to another suggested video that leads to another, etc.

I think I too leave a lot of the actual packing to the night before since I know I won't be able to sleep anyway