Oh Florida! An East Meets West Girl's TR: 8/9 p56 & 8/17 p57

[MEK]

Oh Florida! An East Meets West Girl's TR
​

Table of Contents:
MEK: (pg 1)

MEK's Introduction
MEK's Introduction (con't)
MEK's Introduction (con't)

Cynthia: (pg3)

Cynthia's Introduction

MEK: (pg 8)

Surprise MEK!
Surprise MEK! (con't)
Surprise MEK! (con't)

Cynthia: (pg 10)

Travel Day

MEK: (pg 12)

Everybody Loves Epcot
Everybody Loves Epcot (con't)
Everybody Loves Epcot (con't)
Everybody Loves Epcot (con't)
Everybody Loves Epcot (con't)

Cynthia: (pg 17)

The Cronut

MEK: (pg 18)

Princess Half Marathon (PHM) Recap
PHM Recap (con't)
PHM Recap (con't)
PHM Recap (con't)
PHM Recap (con't)

Cynthia: (pg 20)

Princess Half Marathon (PHM) Recap

MEK: (Pg22)

After the Cronut
After the Cronut (con't)
After the Cronut (con't)
After the Cronut (con't)

Cynthia: (pg 24)

Epcot Update

MEK: (pg24)

Breakfast at Cindy's Castle
Breakfast at Cindy's Castle (con't)
Breakfast at Cindy's Castle (con't)
Breakfast at Cindy's Castle (con't)

Cynthia: (pg27)

Check it Out
Check it Out (con't)

MEK: (pg28)

DIS Meet and Missing Mine Train
DIS Meet and Missing Mine Train (con't)

MEK: (pg 29 & 30)

The Other Castle
The Other Castle (con't)
The Other Castle (con't)
The Other Castle (con't)

MEK: (pg 32)

Bowling Alley Sushi
Bowling Alley Sushi (con't)

Cynthia: (pg 33)

BOG, Sushi, and More

MEK: (pg 35)

Epcot Rocks, Even in the Rain
Epcot Rocks, Even in the Rain (con't)
Epcot Rocks, Even in the Rain (con't)
Epcot Rocks, Even in the Rain (con't)

MEK: (pg 37)

Soarin, Sippin, and Getting My Paparazzi On!
Soarin, Sippin, and Getting My Paparazzi On! (con't)
Soarin, Sippin, and Getting My Paparazzi On! (con't)
Soarin, Sippin, and Getting My Paparazzi On! (con't)
Soarin, Sippin, and Getting My Paparazzi On! (con't)

Cynthia: (pg 38)

OKW to SSR to DTD

Cynthia: (pg 40)

Run, Epcot, Dinner and More
Run, Epcot, Dinner and More (con't)

MEK: (pg 40)

Surprise Breakfast Hit
Surprise Breakfast Hit (con't)
Surprise Breakfast Hit (con't)
Surprise Breakfast Hit (con't)

MEK: (pg 42)

Ritas in the Rain (w/ bonus St Michaels & OCMD pics)
Ritas in the Rain (con't)
Ritas in the Rain (con't)

MEK: (pg 45)

Going to the Chapel
Going to the Chapel (con't)
Going to the Chapel (con't)
Going to the Chapel (con't)

MEK: (pg 47)

Longwood Gardens
Star Wars Weekend
Star Wars Weekend (con't)

Cynthia: (pg 49)

MK Morning
MK Morning (con't)

MEK: (Pg 50)

Bombay Hook
Epcot Evening
Epcot Evening (con't)
Epcot Evening (con't)

Cynthia: (Pg 51)

Hollywood Studios & Star Wars Update
HS & Star Wars (con't)

MEK: (Pg 53)

Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens (con't)
Illuminations
Illuminations (con't)
Jelly Rolls

 

[MEK]

Oh Florida! An East Meets West Girl's TR

As I start this trip report all I can almost hear my youngest son saying (in his most feminine sounding voice);Gurrrrrrlllllzzzzzz Night;. " It's Guuuuurllllzzzzzz Night Out;

How about Guuuurlllzzzzz Week Out?

Oh Yeah!

So welcome to the latest MEK/eandesmom combined TR.

I'm MEK or Mary Ellen

Here I am chilling with my main Disney squeeze Bo



A little bit about me - I am a complete Disney nut. I love the place and I love all the people I have met who are also Disney nuts. I have been married 25 years and I have two college age sons. I work as a nurse practitioner with cardiac surgery patients. I'm also a pastoral musician volunteer. I enjoy singing and I play the flute and guitar. But enough about me.

My partner in this TR is no other than eandesmom or Cynthia.



Here we are in October 2012 under the now defunct hat!

Here's a super cute picture of Cynthia from that trip



Cynthia and I actually met here on the DIS boards and the first trip we had together was in May 2011. It was part of a larger girl's trip that involved several East coast DISers, a Texan DISer, and Cynthia, who lives on the West coast. Hence - the East meets West term was coined. We hit if off immediately and we have been fast friends ever since.

If you are interesting in reminiscing, here's a link to that TR

Our second Disney rendezvous was in October 2012 when we visited for Food & Wine. That was my first F&W and it was awesomely fun. We started a trend of arranging DIS meets and one of our most memorable meets during that trip was with Poolrat Pat.



We even dressed up and went to MNSSHP together. I'l ladmit this is NOT my best look!



Poolrat Pat will make another appearance in this TR, so stay tuned for that! Here is a link to our 2012 TR.

Which brings us up to date. Well, sort of.

Our 3rd guuuuuuuuurllllllls trip together was in May 2014. For those of you who are astute, you may have noticed that we meet up in the world about every 18 months. It's a trend that we hope to continue. We are actually breaking our trend a bit as we are meeting in another month to run the Princess Half Marathon on the same team as our Trip Report title. Oh Florida. But Cynthia can tell you more about that.

So stayed tuned as we travel around the world, hit up some new restaurants and resorts, and meet A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT of DISers for the first or second time. We promise, you won't be bored.

I get the dubious honor of starting this TR because I arrived the evening before Cynthia. It's easier for me to travel in the afternoon or evening because I usually fly out of BWI (Baltimore). It's hard to get down there for an am flight. Cynthia, on the other hand, usually does a red eye. That brings her in bright and early. I just can't beat her there unless I leave the night before.

So it's all on me to get this thing started.

Departure Date May 11, 2014.

Mother’s Day

My oldest son's 21st birthday.

Here he is at the ripe old age of t-ball? How old is that? 1st grade? 2nd grade?



Since he lives about 2 hours away I would have loved to see him on his birthday, but that wasn't going to happen. I always said I wanted to take him out for his first legal drink. Oh well. Missed that one.

The day before departure Denny and I went for a bike ride and I took a few pictures in Chesapeake City, which is one of my favorite places in Md.



It was sort of overcast, but a nice day all the same



After our bike ride I went home to finish packing.

Denny was nice enough to drive me to the airport the next day. I was flying out of BWI which as I mentioned, is about an hour and half from our house. Not such a bad drive on a Sunday afternoon, but my return flight was late the following Saturday night. Thank you Denny for driving me and picking me up!

On the way



Across the Bay Bridge







Our timing was good, traffic was minimal, and there were no flight delays today!

And the best part - I got the window seat. Yay!





Looking for my luggage





Time for take off





It was a nice clear day for flying







Let’s go south baby!





Continued In Next Post

 

[MEK]

BWI is really close to Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay, so there were plenty of water views.





There’s the Bay Bridge





Getting higher



and higher





Ahhhhh - the big blue sky







When I wasn’t busy taking a million pictures, I watched a movie on my computer. Don’t ask me which one. I have no idea. I remember that the girl I sat next to had a really cool iPad mini.

I was on the side of the plane that could see the coast once we flew over Florida. I’m guessing this is Daytona Beach.



Turning inland



Starting our final descent



Finally on the fake monorail. I’m sure I left a FB status message that I had arrived safe and sound!





A hasty shot of MCO’s fountain, which always makes me ask why MCO airport is so much prettier than my local airport(s). Oh wait - maybe because this IS Oh Florida!



Blurry Balcony shot



I got a pretty decent ME seat and succeeded in amusing the lady to my left.





My first Florida pictures are of construction. Really? That is just so - Lame!



Before long I was seeing this. YAYAYAYAYAYAY!





Looks like OKW was the first stop! How convenient that it happened to be MY stop!



Check in was a breeze and I was off to find the room. Cynthia did the room request based on her prior stay at OKW. I also had a prior stay at OKW, but our studio was close to the Hospitality House. This location, on the other hand, was NOT close to the hospitality house so it required a bus trip. I’m pretty sure I was far too lazy to walk.

Our room was right near one of the quiet pools. It was an awesome location. I loved it. Private. Quiet. And right near the path to SSR. Perfect.

I think this was the quiet pool.



And a close up



This was our room view and I am certain I texted it to Cynthia. It was very quiet and private. Loved it. But I didn’t have much time to chill. I had my first DIS meet to get to!!!!!



Continued In Next Post

 

[MEK]

I probably took this picture while I was waiting for the bus to head back to the boat.



My pics are a little out of order so I am doing my best to piece things together. My next pic is here, so I’m guessing I had an uneventful bus ride back to the boat dock.



I love the umbrellas here. They are so festive!





I think I may have just missed a boat so I had a bit of a wait. I was the first person there, but it didn’t take long for the dock to fill up with other guests.



It was lovely to see some nice spring flowers



And I used my zoom to focus in on the lighthouse



I also zoomed in on the pool slide



OKW does have a pretty awesome main pool







Finally, the boat arrived and it was time for me to head to DTD and my first DIS meet of the trip. If I was really lucky I might arrive right on time!

So join in, stayed tuned, and join us for plenty of fun guuuuuurlllll’s adventures in Oh Florida!

 

[Pluto0809]

Am I first?!?!?!? Can't wait to read all about your trip and see all of your beautiful pictures!

 

[jenseib]

Thanks for the bat signal!

 

[teekathepony]

I'm definitely in! Thanks for the heads up!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Holy cow, I'm on the first page of an MEK trip report?! Score!

I'm looking forward to it!

 

[IheartDDuck]

Yay girls trip! You know I'm in.

 

[KatMark]

I had a nail appointment and just got home and Mark is putting dinner on the table. I will be back to read after I eat and do dishes. Thanks for the bat signal.

 

[Poolrat]

Here !!!!

So you were going shopping eh?

 

[GoofyFan1515]

Here

 

[ddstratton]

Yay! Another trip report!!!

 

[jedijill]

Here! Such great shots from the air! I see only one thing missing from your OKW pictures.....Turtle Krawls!!!!!!!

Jill in CO

 

[vamassey1]

I've been out of the loop for awhile. Glad I'm getting in on the trip report at the beginning.

Loved the pictures from the plane.

 

[KatMark]

Okay, I'm back.

I love Mary Ellen and Cynthia girls trips.

Great intros and pictures of you and Cynthia.

A nice departure day I'd say...no traffic, window seat, lots of beautiful pics from the plane and a movie.

And then you arrive at one of my favorite resorts.

The first pool picture you posted though is not the quiet pool. You got the hot tub at the main pool in that picture and I know that because you can see the blue dolphins in the background.

And I agree with you...those umbrellas are so pretty.

A boat to DTD. Can't wait to see who you are meeting up with.

 

[Wood Nymph]

One of the very first trip reports I read was a Mary Ellen and Cynthia TR, so I'm looking forward to following this one.

And you are staying at Old Key West, the one resort I wanted to hear more about. Now that is good timing.

 

[Dugette]

I'm here and so excited that I don't have to read 95% of a TR to catch up this time!

This is actually going to be really helpful, as I did a girls trip last June with another DIS-er (and our DDs) and we haven't done that TR yet (too darn many other trips between the two of us ).

Great photos, as always. That is quite the long bridge!

Looking forward to hearing about your DIS-meet.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Thanks for letting me know that you've started your new report! Now I need to go back and read what I've missed so far.

**Edited: I'm back. What great introduction pictures! Yay for the super easy travel day.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hi Ladies! Looking forward to your adventures!

Looks like a great day to fly! Funny about you amusing your fellow passenger on the bus. She's probably feeling like such a veteran - thinking you're a newbie!

I think you missed the boat because you were taking pics of umbrellas!