The ABCs of An EPIC Girls' Trip! May, 2019-Q is for: Quietly Sending this Trip Report off Into an Internet Sunset (8/25)

[suse66]

Drastic measures had to be taken as an antidote- the only cure known is to add days to the trip. It's what sensible traveler's to Disney do anyway. So I did.

It is absolutely the perfect cure!

The only hitch was that Kelly, @buzzrelly , and I had a couple of days of white-knuckle hotel searching. Apparently, Disney Properties do INDEED sell out, or at least appear to and while we found a couple of do-able options, in the end, @jedijill opened up her bag of pixie dust and practically covered us from head to toe with 2 nights in her Kidani room with a Savanah view. Hello!

That is the nicest thing ever!

I was off around 4:00 on Tuesday which gave me plenty of time to spend a little time with my son who was taking me to the shuttle drop off point around 2:10 AM that night.

You two look so much alike!!

I'm one of those weirdos who would rather sit for over an hour with a cup of coffee and my phone, than run to a gate. Because A) running happens very little anymore (unless there is a Disney bus waiting at my depot and I see it from the park exit), and B) I've missed or almost missed too many flights in my irresponsible past. When you saunter you end up with enough time on your hands feet to add a little silly:

I am the same way. I'm always at least an hour earlier than I need to be.

"I'm sorry, I really hope this will be the only time I will have to get up to use the restroom, but no guarantees." <said knowing full well that I will be up at least 3 more times>

This is why I love aisle seats!

As I was waiting for my bag, I received a 2nd shot of pixie dust. My phone lit up with a text from @docsoliday1 saying he was in the area and was offering to pick me up and take me to Kidani! That would MORE than make up for lost time and save me 45 minutes, and quite possibly more. I gratefully accepted this unexpected gift and earlier than planned DISMeet as originally I didn't think I'd see Doc until our O'hana dinner a couple of days later. Bag safely in hand, I met him on the curb and WAS HEADED TO DISNEY! We happily chatted like old friends all the way to Kidani Village. Finally, I was "home" again.

Best feeling ever!!!!

I quickly dumped my bags at Bell Services, donned my Magic Band, grabbed my camera and off we went. Doc had offered to drive me to EPCOT (who'd say no to that?!) and soon I was feeling the magic all over again. Okay, right after bag check I was feeling the magic all over again.

That is wonderful! Doc sounds like a really great guy!

 

[Steppesister]

It is absolutely the perfect cure!

That is the nicest thing ever!

I would like to think I'd offer the same if the table were turned.... random acts of kindness are never wasted.

You two look so much alike!!

I've been told that.

I am the same way. I'm always at least an hour earlier than I need to be.

There is NOTHING worse than arriving harried and stressed out over something that can almost always be prevented!

This is why I love aisle seats!

I thought (erroneously) that I'd sleep some. But I am old and that is a 50+ year old's pipe dream.

Best feeling ever!!!!

100%

That is wonderful! Doc sounds like a really great guy!

His kindness doesn't stop there...

 

[disneyAndi14]

You are off to a great start, free ride service and a beautiful place to stay, what’s not to like!

It’s always so nice to have the whole trip in front you!

 

[Steppesister]

You are off to a great start, free ride service and a beautiful place to stay, what’s not to like!

It’s always so nice to have the whole trip in front you!

Absolutely! Always so much anticipation and excitement and I was on cloud 9 with so many kind gestures of generosity already.

 

[vamassey1]

Wonderful start for your trip, a date with your son. So nice that @docsoliday1 was your Knight in Shinning armor by driving you around.

can't wait for more.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Finally up to date! Looking forward to seeing the adventures I wasn’t part of, as well as your always amusing commentary on the ones I was a part of!

 

[Steppesister]

Wonderful start for your trip, a date with your son. So nice that @docsoliday1 was your Knight in Shinning armor by driving you around.

can't wait for more.

It was such a nice, relaxing start! I sure needed that... and you'll see why.....

It was nice to have a friend come alongside and offer some kind help to me!

 

[Steppesister]

Finally up to date! Looking forward to seeing the adventures I wasn’t part of, as well as your always amusing commentary on the ones I was a part of!

Hey Lady!! It was so super fun spending the time I did get with you! I loved sitting by you at Cali for sure!!

WAY more stories coming up....

 

[ariane37]

I'm here My extremely limited and archaic tech skills and I will do our best to assist with adding pictures and video that you lost

I already knew I'd be a hot mess anyway because it takes approximately 14 seconds in the Florida weather to look like crap

More true words have never been spoken although I thought you looked perfect each time I saw you! And may I say I'm super glad we were able to meet

 

[amazingact21]

Excited to see this trip report has begun! I'm looking forward to reading all about the epicness that ensued during this trip.

I had to giggle at your bathroom trips. Whenever I book my mom's flights over here to Germany, I always end up with frantic texts going: "AISLE SEAT! I NEED AN AISLE SEAT. I'M GONNA HAVE TO PEE!" So far, I have been spoiled and always had my kids next to me in the seats so I've never had to play that climb over game. But I have no doubt my day is coming...


Oh wow, a ride with a DISer beats ME by a mile. That kind of luck had to be a good omen for how the rest of the trip was going to pan out.

 

[buzzrelly]

If you don't believe me, this is what vacation face looks like:

​

Relaxed and Beautiful

The only hitch was that Kelly, @buzzrelly , and I had a couple of days of white-knuckle hotel searching. Apparently, Disney Properties do INDEED sell out, or at least appear to and while we found a couple of do-able options, in the end, @jedijill opened up her bag of pixie dust and practically covered us from head to toe with 2 nights in her Kidani room with a Savanah view. Hello!

That was so amazing and so generous of Jill

And while underwear ARE important, it became odiferously clear that deodorant is equally important in 90 degree Florida heat. I brought the EPIC stink to the Meet; I mean someone had to show up with that contribution, no?

Eek! I didn't even notice and I was sitting next to you a LOT!

As for meeting @buzzrelly , I already knew I'd be a hot mess anyway because it takes approximately 14 seconds in the Florida weather to look like crap. Oh well, Kelly, I tried!

You still looked practically perfect in every way

 

[crazycatstacy]

L is for Let's Get Packing!​

It's time to get the suitcase out and take stock of the wardrobe! Yeah, yeah, tease me all you want, but I pack slllloooooooooooooowly. I am pretty thorough and take my time in thinking through what I want to put into the suitcase. That way, if I have any holes in the list, I have time to shop or order and get them on time. It also gives me enough time that, should I forget something, I really have no excuse. While I like to think I'm rather organized, I have been known to be reduced to going commando on occasion for lack of planning. And then there was that time we went to Disney and forgot an entire suitcase for one of the kids....

I am super excited about 2 new items I purchased for this trip and couldn't wait to show you!

For the dinner at O'hana, I picked out this:

....only to get an email saying they were out of stock. I was/am so bummed. But, they have others and I chose this one in its place, which I'm not quite as happy with, but it still works:

I like the colors in the other, but will live. I have a plumeria hair clip I bought for when I DisneyBound Moana that I'll add.

I also bought a new little something for F&G:

View attachment 391715

It admittedly looks like a shapeless sack on the hangar, but I did try it on and it is nicely fitted around the waist. Either that or I am blithely deceived at what lies in the mirror and I truly am a shapeless sack. Whatever, I have fun at
Disney.

I need a set of F&G ears (which are WAY too expensive at $45.00)

and a pair of pink shoes like this:

OR

and I'll be set.


But, I can't decide!!!! What would you put with that dress? Both look comfy.

Anyway, I have some other outfits I already have picked out for our MK day and Brunch and for AK and Tea.

34 days to go! I made my countdown for the door today and will post that on Day 30... coming up!!! Only 4 short weekends to get stuff done after this. EEK!!!!

I LOVE the pink shoes with the bows! Can you tell me what kind they are/where you got them?

 

[Steppesister]

I LOVE the pink shoes with the bows! Can you tell me what kind they are/where you got them?

I’m just headed out for work pretty soon but I can do some research and get back to you later tonight.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

In order to get a very few precious hours of non-sleep, I began trying around 8:00. But as with most of my pre-travel "sleep" it was futile

Sounds very much like me. I usually have too much pre-trip excitement and can't switch my brain off enough to sleep the night before a trip. I'm also perpetually afraid I won't wake up or my alarm won't go off at 3:00am

I'm one of those weirdos who would rather sit for over an hour with a cup of coffee and my phone, than run to a gate. Because A) running happens very little anymore (unless there is a Disney bus waiting at my depot and I see it from the park exit), and B) I've missed or almost missed too many flights in my irresponsible past.

Same here on both fronts.
After years of travel, I don't chance it anymore. If it means I have to sit at the gate for an hour, so be it.

Also, I did talk to ME a day or so before I left and they did tell me I could have used the tags for Coronado... just to scratch off "Coronado" and write in "XXX Resort" in sharpie. I wish I'd had that conversation with them BEFORE I'd thrown them away.

I don't think I would be trusting enough to attempt that. It sounds too simple.
Interesting fact: I have never taken ME from the airport to Disney. I have always picked up a rental car, even if just for the first portion of a trip.
(I have always returned to the airport on ME)
There is part of me that would panic about just leaving my luggage at the airport and hope it all magically turns up in my hotel room later.

As I was waiting for my bag, I received a 2nd shot of pixie dust. My phone lit up with a text from @docsoliday1 saying he was in the area and was offering to pick me up and take me to Kidani!

Nice one, Doc!

I’m here, Liesa!! Loved meeting you so much, can’t wait to read along and hope our paths will cross again very soon

Hey Molly! I was pleasantly surprised to see you in the pictures on FB. Nice to see you back on the DIS too

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Vacation begins when one saunters out the door from the last shift of work.

Agreed. Leaving the responsibilities behind!

When I found out about some incredible magic that was to be granted to our happy little group, I contracted a quite curable case of FOMO. Drastic measures had to be taken as an antidote- the only cure known is to add days to the trip. It's what sensible traveler's to Disney do anyway. So I did.

I mean, what's a few more hundred dollars?

Apparently, Disney Properties do INDEED sell out, or at least appear to and while we found a couple of do-able options, in the end, @jedijill opened up her bag of pixie dust and practically covered us from head to toe with 2 nights in her Kidani room with a Savanah view. Hello!

Wow! Nice work, Jill!

I was down to putting in the last few items like... you know... underwear. (If you have read my past TRs, you'll get that rather obscure reference.)

I'm one of those weirdos who would rather sit for over an hour with a cup of coffee and my phone, than run to a gate.

I would so much rather be early than late.

Remember that coffee? It does 2 things. It wakes me up and tastes delicious. But more importantly, it absolutely ensures that I will be the most annoying seatmate EVER to the unfortunate souls who chose to take the middle and aisle next to me.

This is one advantage of flying with a family of 6. I'm only annoying one of them if I have to get up. So who cares, right?

They also have extra leg room and my rather largish carry-on fits under the seat in front of me so I don't have to wrestle it into an overhead bin.

I am still amazed at what people think they can squeeze into an overhead bin.

...only to find out that I went to the wrong side- Southwest flights are on Side A which is approximately as far as the trek from the Oasis to Expedition Everest on a hot Florida day.

Oh, man. I've done that walk before. It's brutal.

As I was waiting for my bag, I received a 2nd shot of pixie dust. My phone lit up with a text from @docsoliday1 saying he was in the area and was offering to pick me up and take me to Kidani!

Hey, good on ya @docsoliday1 !

Doc had offered to drive me to EPCOT (who'd say no to that?!) and soon I was feeling the magic all over again.

Having your own personal chauffeur will do that.

 

[docsoliday1]

On phone, so no multiquoting for me.

Thanks @Steppesister @MeghanEmily @suse66 @vamassey1 @Terra Nova guy @Captain_Oblivious for your kind words. (Hope I didn't miss anyone)

I really just considered it what a friend SHOULD do and meeting Liesa was, as others have said about dismeets, like meeting an old friend for the first time.

I live and work 15 min from MCO and it's on my way to Disney. Keep this in mind for future...might be able to give other friends some pixie dust also.

I also know, if the situation were reversed, Liesa would have been there for me... it's what friends do.

 

[docsoliday1]

I can't remember everyone's name or username, but it was great meeting all of you at O'hana or at EPCOT. Just wish I'd had more time what with work and making sure my doggie wasn't TOO mad at me.

There were a couple I'd met before (@Pluto0809 and @disneyAndi14 ), some I knew from TRs or comments I'd seen and a lot of new faces/names. Although I may not remember them all (username or real name), I've seen several that look familiar already commenting here, so hopefully I will get to know all of you better.

It's ironic too...met two couples from the Atlanta area and I just moved from there 6 months ago. Used to live near them, but met in Disney.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Looking forward to hearing about your trip!

 

[missjackiemcg]

...only to find out that I went to the wrong side- Southwest flights are on Side A which is approximately as far as the trek from the Oasis to Expedition Everest on a hot Florida day.

I did this, too. Ugh.

Bag safely in hand, I met him on the curb and WAS HEADED TO DISNEY! We happily chatted like old friends all the way to Kidani Village. Finally, I was "home" again.

@docsoliday1 to the rescue!! Doc, it was so nice getting the chance to meet you during our trip. And enjoying THE BEST CHEESECAKE of my life!! There, I said it, I don't care that I've jumped the gun. I'll say it again when we get to that part

 

[cinderkelly]

Checking in! Looking forward to this!!