"ENCHANTED TALES with ROB" - A Birthday/Christmas DISer Celebration! **NEW TR LINK**

[CdnBuzzFan]

Glad you've started your TR, Rob. I've decided not to lurk this time. I loved your Christmas tree!

 

[TruLovesKiss]

YAAAAAAAY! I am so, SO excited that you are doing another TR!!

It sounds like you had such a magical trip.... can't wait to read all about it!!

 

[alice21]

OMG is that a Stacey T-shirt in the Ariel picture

 

[gracer9977]

Wow Page 5 already!!!! So many fans of your awesome TR's.

So excited that you started this, I have been looking forward to reading it since you left for your trip, just knowing about all the plans you were making and seeing your FB posts I just couldn't wait to read all about it.

Great intro!!!!

 

[Nermel9]

I'm in! I lurked on your last TR so I decided to join in for this one! I'm trying to find the nerve to do a solo trip someday, but so far I've been to scared!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Glad you've started your TR, Rob. I've decided not to lurk this time. I loved your Christmas tree!

Thank You ever so much! There is certianly nothing wrong with lurking... I did it for years. But I am REALLY glad to be able to welcome you.

YAAAAAAAY! I am so, SO excited that you are doing another TR!!

It sounds like you had such a magical trip.... can't wait to read all about it!!

YAY Rachel!! Welcome!! It wasn't for sure, but it became such a special experience that I just needed to share.

OMG is that a Stacey T-shirt in the Ariel picture

Haha, good eyes!!! Yes, It absolutely is indeed. What else could I possibly wear for my birthday? I'll post a better picture when I get to that day.

Wow Page 5 already!!!! So many fans of your awesome TR's.

So excited that you started this, I have been looking forward to reading it since you left for your trip, just knowing about all the plans you were making and seeing your FB posts I just couldn't wait to read all about it.

Great intro!!!!

I know, I really don't even know what to say. I'm just so grateful to have everyone here and I am deeply honoured by it.
And I am so very excited you're here.

I'm in! I lurked on your last TR so I decided to join in for this one! I'm trying to find the nerve to do a solo trip someday, but so far I've been to scared!

YAY, I'm so delighted you did. Haha, honestly there is no need to be scared. Believe me, solo can be awesome.

 

[ahair005]

Joining in!!

 

[shan23877]

Joining in! Can't wait to hear about all the fun!

 

[CdnBuzzFan]

I just noticed the Santa hat on your avatar!

 

[geckodani]

Yay! I can't wait to hear all about it!

 

[marmalade]

We arrived a few days after you arrived (the 10th). My DH's birthday is December 5th and I originally wanted to go that week, but it was still hunting season so he was not having any of that.

I hope you enjoyed your birthday in WDW!!! I would love to spend my b-day there sometime, but with my birthday being smack dab in the middle of July (ie. Crazy Crowd Time) I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Can't wait to read more.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Joining in!!

Hi Amanda, welcome. I am so delighted you joined in.

Joining in! Can't wait to hear about all the fun!

YAY Shannon, I'm so happy you're here.

I just noticed the Santa hat on your avatar!

Ha yes, good eye. I altered it for Christmas.

Yay! I can't wait to hear all about it!

YAY welcome back Dani!! So glad you're here.

We arrived a few days after you arrived (the 10th). My DH's birthday is December 5th and I originally wanted to go that week, but it was still hunting season so he was not having any of that.

I hope you enjoyed your birthday in WDW!!! I would love to spend my b-day there sometime, but with my birthday being smack dab in the middle of July (ie. Crazy Crowd Time) I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Can't wait to read more.

That's awesome. Also awesome is your hubby shares a birthday with Walt!!

Ha, yeah, I guess it's lucky that my birthday is in the (slightly) off season. I don't know that I could do July either.

Welcome. So nice to have you join in.

 

[TinksThree]

I'm here!! So excited to hear about this trip's adventures!!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

I'm here!! So excited to hear about this trip's adventures!!

Welcome Tisa, SO glad to have you here. Have fun on your upcoming trip!!

 

[MiaBella05]

joining in

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

joining in

And a VERY BIG WELCOME to you! So happy to have you here.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

"THINK OF ALL THE JOY YOU'LL FIND, WHEN YOU LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND,
AND BID YOUR CARES GOODBYE..."
Day 1 – December 3, 2013 Part 1



Despite my letters, calls, and pleas to the “Scientist People”, they still haven’t come up with a safe mode of teleportation.
In fact, I’m pretty sure they just let my calls go to voicemail now.
So, I was still forced to use to the outdated and ancient transportation option known as “airplanes”.

Normally, I much prefer to get out on the earliest flight possible with the ultimate goal of arriving in Orlando at the earliest possible time.
Sleeping is of no concern to me.
I also prefer a direct flight and will gladly pay extra for it.

Sadly at this time of the year, direct flights do not exist to me, so I had no choice but to book a connector.
There was an early flight option, but I was put off by the excessive four hour layover.

Yeah, no bueno (vista).

So, I booked an early afternoon flight with a much more pleasant two hour layover, which would put me at MCO at around 7:30pm.
Certainly not ideal, but acceptable. This day was always about travel day anyway.

My main goal was to get in, get settled, and get prepared for the next day… My Birthday!!
Now I just had to hope there were no travel issues.

I arrived at my local airport in plenty of time and the weather here and in my connection city of Newark was looking good,
So I was confident that I wouldn’t have any weather related travel delays.

I won’t lie, I obsess over that.

Not so much on the trip home, but on the trip down I‘m not comfortable until I’ve boarded the fake-o-rail and have my suitcase in hand.

The advance weather for Orlando looked… ok. I figured I could make it work if I had to.

We’re fortunate to have US Customs Pre-Clearance here in Halifax, so I get all that done before I even get on the plane.
Once cleared, I'm an American before I even leave home... At least as far as flights are concerned.

I always leave plenty of time for security/customs, but the whole process took maybe 5 minutes TOTAL.

While I was waiting in the terminal, I grabbed a Tim Horton’s Coffee and, not one for relaxing, wandered around.
I was particularly intrigued by the chairs made by local schoolchildren as I thought they were just beautiful.

Despite their beauty, I did have a hard time understanding why a chair adorned with “Welcome” messages was placed in the airport DEPARTURES AREA!!!

Although, we are admittedly a simple people. Hey, at least we’re nice!!

Anyway…

The flight to Newark boarded more or less on time, and in no time I was on my way.

The plane itself was what we in the biz call a “puddle jumper” and consisted on one row of 2 seats, and one row of 1 seat.

Yeah… small plane. In fact, I’ve seen model airplanes that were bigger.
I thought maybe instead of jet propulsion, it was simply sent on its way by a giant slingshot, though I have no proof.

Nonetheless, the ride to Newark was fairly quick and painless, and I did manage to grab a pic of Met Life Stadium before landing.

I arrived in Newark Liberty in Terminal A. However, my MCO flight was leaving from Terminal C.
So, I boarded the high tech and highly secure terminal transfer BUS (seriously… a bus???) and was driven over to Terminal C.

There’s nothing particularly exciting to report here as after grabbing some lunch, I was on the plane and finally on my way to MCO!

I’m just going to skip over the flight itself and jump right to MCO. I hope you don’t mind.

There is just something so beautiful and special about the MCO airport terminal.
Yup, it’s just an airport, but for me, this is the moment that it all becomes real and I’m really “home”.... For Christmas.

Of course, this doesn’t hurt and should be installed in all airports around the world…

I rode the fake-o-rail over to baggage claim, taking absolutely no pictures on the way.
It was dark out now anyway, so the pictures would have sucked.
But for all my DIS friends, I did put together a representation of what the photos would have been if I had taken any.

Pretty, yes? You’re welcome.

Now, I do always rent a car on trips simply because I like having the option, plus the rates in Orlando are so competitive that the prices are super cheap.
I don't have to use it all the time with all the bus transportation, but I like knowing it's there.
Plus, I had a trip to SeaWorld planned and I had to get there somehow.

Normally my flights arrive in terminal A, but this flight arrived in Terminal B, so I was excited to finally see this for the first time in my life.

Yeah… first time… ever.

(Yeah, I know that gif is a repeat from the last TR, but it’s still appropriate and it makes me laugh.)

Even though I wasn’t using the service, seeing it just made me smile wide. I was SO CLOSE!!!!
I actually stood there for a while and just... Stared... before finally moving on.

Since I am a Dollar Express member, my car was ready and waiting for me. No line, nothing.
I just hopped in and was on my way. Easy-Peasy-Lemon-Squeezy.

POP… Disney… Mickey…. STACEY!!!!! … I’m comin’ HOME!!!!!



TO BE CONTINUED…
​

 

[jrj]

Hey DISers... Rob's TR has started!!! Clutch the pearls

 

[vicceja]

Love your TR! Can't wait to read more. Looking forward to our family trip this summer!

 

[katt789]

Yay for travel days! I travel much like you do in the sense of early flights, earlier in MCO! I do really enjoy the direct flights, but they are usually more expensive than I like to pay, and hard to find! Lol.

THAT IS A TINY PLANE I DO NOT LIKE!

Awe man, I totally get that, the excitement of arriving "home" only happens in that airport, it's where I belong and it all feels just perfect. First time ever seeing the DME place?! THAT is bizarre I tell ya! Seriously. Lol. Glad you got a look at it though!

SUPER EXCITED TO READ MORE!!