December 2013 Disney World
WHO ARE WE?
Noreen 45 years old; Senior Vice President at an Investment Banking Firm in New York City. I will be the author of the report.
Scott 44 years old; my husband; independent contractor in New Jersey.
Scott and I were married on the beach at the Atlantis in the Bahamas August 2013.
PERSONAL HISTORY
If you have read my prior reports you may remember that my first husband Paul passed away unexpectedly on December 18, 2010 at the age of 42. That was a huge shock. He died of a massive heart attack. Paul and I used to go to Disney World all the time. It was our favorite vacation spot. After Paul died I was devastated. I didnt know how I would go on without my best friend. Paul and I knew each other since we were 10 years old. I did all the things I was supposed to do I kept myself busy, I joined a support group, but life just wasnt fun anymore. I was going through the motions of living. I thought that would be it forever.
Scott and I met when he came to fix the garage overhang that collapsed at my house. One of the ladies I work with knew him and sent him over. He fixed that and started doing some other work around the house for me. Little by little we became friends. I would tell him all about Paul and he started telling me about his ex-wife.
As time went by we became better and better friends. He became my best friend. Someone I would talk to about anything and everything. We would spend hours on the phone. He used to say to me that he never had a relationship like this before, I was his best friend, and he didnt want to do anything to ruin it.
The day after Christmas 2012 he said he didnt want to be my friend anymore. I was devastated and didnt understand why. He told me he doesnt want to be my friend anymore because hes in love with me, wants to spend the rest of his life with me, and wants to marry me.
Our relationship was a whirlwind after that. We never really dated. We went from being friends to planning a wedding. It was the second wedding for both of us. We tossed around a lot of ideas and decided we both already did the big wedding; we wanted to do something for us. We chose to get married on the Beach at the Atlantis in the Bahamas. It was perfect and I highly recommend it.
We are still figuring out some logistics. I have a dog (Kiki) and he has 3 cats (Piper, Pebbles, and Portia). We both have houses. We are going to sell my house and live in his. All this is still underway.
PLANNING
We decided to go to Disney for a long weekend in December since I had extra timeshare points that would expire at the end of the year. Scott hasnt been in Disney since New Years 2000. This will be our first trip to Disney World together.
Im normally a total commando at Disney. Get to the parks early and stay until they close. Scott asked me if well have time to go in the pool or rest at all. He said he used to go commando too but wants to have some time to relax too. We have a lifetime of Disney trips to continue taking so Im trying to adjust my way of thinking to enjoy what were doing rather than constantly thinking about the next thing I want to do.
Kiki (my dog an almost 13 year old Akita who Ive had since she was 3 months old) will be staying home at my house. My brother in laws partner Peter will be house-sitting/dog sitting for me. Scotts 3 cats are staying home at his house and his ex-father-in-law will come check on them and feed them.
Transportation
We are flying on Jet Blue out of JFK even though we live in NJ. The earliest flight out of Newark wasnt until about 8:30am and there is a 6am flight out of JFK. This way we can get there early and have all day to enjoy Disney. Since its a short trip we want to get as much time as possible. We are flying down Saturday 12/7/13 at 6am and flying home Tuesday 12/10/13 leaving Orlando at 6pm. When we flew to the Bahamas in August for our wedding we paid extra for the Even More Space seats on Jet Blue which not only gives you more space, but also gives you a shorter security line in some airports, and you get to board the plane first. Scott liked it and wanted to do that again. The price depends where you are going and for Florida it cost an extra $35 per person for each flight for these seats.
I reserved a Full Size car with Alamo for about $111
We will park the car at the Parking Spot near JFK
Activities
I have a Disney annual pass.
We will buy Scott a Military pass (he was a Marine for 10 years) since I saw a note about retired military getting a 4 day hopper for $169
We are planning to go to Mickeys Christmas Party on Sunday 12/8/13 and will buy those tickets once we are in Florida
Since it was a short trip, the only dining reservation we made was for Shulas steak house for Monday night. This was Scotts request. We figured we would just wing it for the rest of our meals.
DAY BY DAY
The week before the trip
It was pretty hectic since its my busy season. I also recently started a new role at my company and am still helping out with things in my prior role, so its been busy.
I received an email from VIP services at Vistana telling me I should check in at the VIP area and asking what time I would arrive. I gave them the information.
I also came down with a sore throat and a cold. Im hoping to be better by the time we go to Disney
The day before the trip Friday 12/6/13
Work was busy but I managed to leave at a reasonable time.
I packed once I got home. Luckily I checked the weather forecast for Florida. I assumed that its December and will be cold. I was planning to bring pants and hoodies. When I heard it was mid 80s during the day, I had to find my shorts and T shirts and pack those.
Saturday 12/7/13
Today started at the crazy hour of 2am. I walked Kiki and got things ready and put my suitcase in the car. Then I drove to Scotts house to get him. Normally were back and forth on which house were staying in, but with leaving for Disney we both spent some time at our respective houses with our pets before going. We left his house a little after 3am to head to JFK. At that hour, there was no traffic and we made it there before 4am.
While waiting for our flight we ran into my friend Kims aunt, uncle, and two of their friends. We spent the time waiting chatting with them. They were also on their way to Disney World.
The flight was pretty quick and we landed on time. We got our luggage and rental car and were on our way to Vistana. Remember I mentioned being contacted by VIP services and told to check in at the VIP center? Well when we got to the guard gate, they said no one arrives at the VIP center to work until 1pm so we had to go to the regular check in area. That would have been useful for the woman who was emailing with me to tell me. The room wasnt ready when we got there (I didnt expect it to be) so we changed into shorts and T shirts, stored our luggage with bell services and headed to Epcot.
Scott wasnt able to get the military ticket after all. There were some rules (I guess in the fine print that I never knew about) that you had to be in the military for 20 years to be eligible or still active. He was in for 10 years. So he bought a regular 4 day pass instead.
Our first stop was getting a fast pass for Soarin it would be valid at 7:55pm. I was surprised it would be so late given that we got it before 11am.
Epcot was very crowded.
We went on Mission Space first. I went on the green side and Scott went on the orange side. After the ride we took a few pictures then Dana called that they were almost at Downtown Disney so we headed out to meet Dana and her family for lunch at Wolfgang Puck Express.
We had a nice time with Dana, Herman, and the kids. We had lunch at Wolfgang Puck Express. I had the macaroni and cheese since Ive been thinking about it for weeks. I had it once before and really enjoyed it so knew in advance what I wanted to order. Scott ordered one of the pizzas. I used my annual pass for a 10% discount. After eating we all wandered around Downtown Disney a bit just hanging out. Of course we stopped in Goofys candy kitchen so I could get the pretzel rods dipped in chocolate then covered with white and dark chocolate chips. I get these each time Im at Disney and usually bring them home and ration them out eating one pretzel rod every few weeks. Dana and her family had to leave then to bake cookies for a cookie swap they were doing with some friends.
We received a call from Vistana that our villa is ready while we were eating lunch
In World of Disney Scott found a cute Tigger Hoodie. My annual pass is saving us money again 10% here, 10% there, free parking, etc. It all adds up. I remember debating if I should get it or not but am glad I did.
We stopped at Goodings and picked up some bottled water, soda, and granola bars. I know Publix is much cheaper but since we were just getting a few things we decided to save the time and just go to Goodings.
We checked in (at VIP check in) and received our villa keys villa 1770 in the Lakes (top floor as requested). Its a larger one-bedroom villa. It has a full kitchen, dining area, living room, patio, master bedroom with Jacuzzi, and bathroom. We had a nice view of the pool. The woman at the VIP check in was a bit annoying since she wanted us to come to the owners presentation. I told her we were only here for a short trip and maybe well do it next time. She kept saying that part of VIP check in is getting her services for our whole trip and we should attend. I found this annoying, I just wanted to get my keys and be on my way. I wasnt looking for any special services from anyone this trip.
Anyway, we get to our room, called bell services to deliver our luggage which arrived very quickly, Scott took a short nap, and we unpacked. He wanted to jump in the pool and I went in the Jacuzzi. Then we got ourselves ready to head back to Epcot.
We were back in Epcot by 7pm. The weather is great. It was a little warm during the day, mid 80s, sunny, but not humid. At night the temperature dropped to the 70s so was a little chilly but beautiful.
We started with Spaceship Earth. I had him choose the options for the future and he chose things Ive never chosen before so our future was very different.
We went on Test Track next and used the single rider line rather than waiting in a long time.
We decided to skip our fastpass at Soarin and walk around World Showcase instead.
We started in Mexico and I thought Scott would love the Cava de Tequila since he likes Tequila. Surprisingly, he wasnt that interested. We went on the boat ride in Mexico.
We didnt stop in every country extensively, some just passed through quickly. We knew with a shorter trip we wouldnt be able to do everything.
In Germany, we got a bratwurst and noodle gratin. Scott also got beer and a shot of Jagermeister. We bought some goodies in the Caramel store (chocolate and caramel covered pineapple, caramel drizzled brownie, caramel drizzled cheesecake) and took this all to go with us. Scott also found a coffee mug in Germany. He collects coffee mugs
We continued walking around World Showcase browsing here and there.
We watched some of Illuminations during our walk then headed out before it ended to beat the crowds.
We had dinner at the Santa Fe Cattle Co. This restaurant is right near Vistana. We sat at the bar for dinner. Ive been here before. The food is good. We got chicken flautas as an appetizer but they were too spicy for me. We shared the surf and turf. I started feeling worse as the day went on. Lately, weve been sharing meals sometimes since we never would finish our food if we each order a whole meal. I had their specialty pink lemonade drink which was served in a huge mason jar. Scott had his drink of choice Beefeater and Tonic and also a shot of Tequila.
We were back at the villa by 11:30pm, watched a little TV and both passed out since we were up for almost 24 hours.
I didnt keep notes like I usually do so am trying to create this report from memory
Sunday 12/8/13
When we got up today, I was feeling worse. We changed our plans and decided to skip the Christmas party tonight and go to Magic Kingdom tomorrow when Im hopefully feeling better. Well take it easy this morning and if Im better later well head to Hollywood Studios.
Scott wanted to buy another pair of shorts so he ran out to the store. I went to the gym for a little while.
I showered once back from the gym and rested until Scott got back.
We went to Santa Fe Cattle Co for lunch. Scott wanted to watch a football game that was on at 1pm. We shared the nachos, and then shared a Philly cheese steak. Scott had his usual drink of Beefeater and Tonic while I tried their specialty punch (in a normal glass today). Lunch was very good.
Scott was starting to feel sick too now. We were both coughing and sniffling.
We went back to the timeshare and he finished watching his football game and we rested.
I know it sounds boring but we both felt pretty bad.
We kept debating if we should go to Hollywood studios, but we were worried about pushing ourselves and getting worse.
We skipped the parks completely today. Thats normally unheard of for me.
Around 6ish we decided to head out. We went to Downtown Disney. It was really crowded. We parked all the way on the Westside near Cirque de Soleil. We wandered around stopping in various stores. We walked to the Marketplace. We bought a few things in World of Disney. I found a cute shirt for me. I wanted a hoodie too but didnt find one I liked.
Prior to our trip Scott kept talking about wanting to go to Fultons. We stopped by and looked at the menu but he changed his mind. He was in the mood for seafood for dinner. We decided to go to Landrys near Vistana. We sat at the bar for dinner. I stuck with soda since Ive been taking cold medicine and Scott had his usual Beefeater and Tonic. We shared the mussels appetizer and the shrimp cocktail appetizer. I had a cup of New England clam chowder. I normally dont like soup (or any hot liquid for that matter) but thought it may make me feel better. Scott had shrimp wrapped in bacon. The food was good.
After dinner we headed back to the timeshare. We did a load of laundry. I like to do laundry on vacation. Scott at first was skeptical but I think he ended up liking having the washer/dryer.
Monday 12/9/13
Today we headed to Magic Kingdom and arrived just when the park opened.
Scott has been talking about wanting to go on Space Mountain so we headed there first. There was a 10 minute wait listed so we went right on. This was a fun ride.
We rode Buzz Lightyear next and even bought the picture. Scott looked so serious like he was really concentrating.
We headed into FantasyLand to get fast passes for Peter Pan since the wait was already over an hour.
Then we headed over to the new part of FantasyLand and stopped in Gastons Tavern. We shared the LeFrou brew and a cinnamon bun. Neither of us liked the LeFrou brew. The first sip was OK, but it was too sweet. We ended up tossing it after a few sips.
We went on the new Mermaid ride with a 15 minute wait. This is cute but reminds me of the Living with the Seas Ride at Epcot
Haunted Mansion was next with a 20 minute wait listed.
Im sure Im getting things out of order but we did a lot of criss crossing of the park throughout the day.
We rode Big Thunder Mountain which listed a 25 minute wait but in reality was less than that.
Pirates had a long line extending out to the walkway but the wait wasnt more than 20 minutes.
We cancelled our dinner reservation at Shulas since neither of us was feeling great.
We got fastpasses for Jungle Cruise since that had an 80 minute wait listed.
Back in FantasyLand we saw Philharmagic which we both enjoyed then went on Peter Pan once our fastpasses were valid.
We ate in Tomorrowland at Cosmic Rays. We shared the turkey sandwich with fries and each got soda.
It was time for our Jungle cruise fastpass after lunch so we headed over.
We went into the Tiki room next. Scott thought the pre-show was the whole show
We went back to TomorrowLand and saw the Carousel of progress then went on the TTA
We did some shopping on Main Street before leaving the park around 7pm. We were going to head back to Downtown Disney because there was a hoodie similar to Scotts Tigger hoodie that had Mickey Mouse on it that I wanted to try on. I know it was in the mens department but I think its kind of unisex. Luckily we saw it right in one of the shops on Main Street so I bought it there. I also bought a cute Disney tree skirt and new Xmas stockings. Since I found all these things here we saved ourselves a trip to Downtown Disney.
We stopped back at the timeshare for a bit. Scott rested since he wasnt feeling good. I went to the gym. After showering again we headed out for dinner. We went to Carrabas. Its an Italian chain place and was pretty good. I stuck with soda since Im still taking cold medicine and Scott had his usual Beefeater and Tonic. We shared the mussels appetizer and also the crabcake appetizer. Then we shared the Tilapia special. Everything was very good. We shared this dessert that had a brownie and some other stuff and it was delicious.
After dinner we went back to the timeshare, did most of the packing, watched some TV then went to bed. I think the running around was catching up to me. We are both coughing and sniffling still
If we were feeling better we would be running around more but were trying not to push ourselves too much.
Tuesday 12/10/13
We finished any last minute packing this morning, and then checked out early.
We were at Hollywood Studios just after 9am. The fast passes for Toy Story were for around 8pm. We would already be on our way home so we skipped that.
Our first attraction was Star Tours since Scott was very excited to ride that. We both enjoyed our ride on Star Tours.
Next we headed to the Tower of Terror which had a 20 minute wait listed and probably took about 15 minutes.
Rock N Roller coaster had a 45 minute wait listed so we skipped it. We picked up a chocolate chip cookie that we shared.
Then we went on the Great Movie ride.
We went into the animation building but the line to meet Sorcerer Mickey was long. We played the game of which character are you like. Scott ended up being like Lumiere and I ended up being like Jane from Tarzan.
We went on the Backlot Tour.
In one of the shops we put on the bride and groom ears. We talked about buying them before we came down but never did.
We were both kind of dragging since we werent feeling well. We stopped in one of the shops and Scott bought this cute T Shirt that had Mickey Mouses head on the front and his body on the back like his head was coming through a wall.
We decided to head out a little earlier than we needed to and go to have lunch at Kona Caf at the Polynesian. We both had soda. We shared the Volcano roll appetizer. We each had our own lunch entre. I had the noodles with chicken. Scott had a cheeseburger.
Scott wanted to change into his new Tshirt to go home but when he put it on it was too tight. We went to exchange it in the shop in the Polynesian but they didnt have that shirt. He found another one he liked but they didnt have his size. So we just returned the shirt.
Even though it was 85 degrees in Florida it was snowing back home. We heard that our flight home was delayed by an hour.
We still got to the airport a little after 4pm. Security was a mess, the lines were so long. Even though our flight was to be delayed suddenly everyone was getting on. We ended up leaving only 15 minutes late. We paid for the movie We are the Millers to watch on the ride home. It was really funny. We were laughing out loud a few times. The guy in front of us turned around and gave us a dirty look for laughing.
We landed on time, got our luggage, called the Parking Spot and were on our way home. The snow wasnt too bad, just a few inches.
We went back to Scotts house. He picked up some food for dinner. We played with the cats, ate, watched some TV, and then fell asleep.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This was a different type of Disney trip. It was shorter than Im used to. Its easier for Scott to get away for short periods of time. It was also odd since I wasnt feeling well and couldnt go full steam. But we had a lot of fun being there together and are looking forward to many more Disney trips.
WHO ARE WE?
Noreen 45 years old; Senior Vice President at an Investment Banking Firm in New York City. I will be the author of the report.
Scott 44 years old; my husband; independent contractor in New Jersey.
Scott and I were married on the beach at the Atlantis in the Bahamas August 2013.
PERSONAL HISTORY
If you have read my prior reports you may remember that my first husband Paul passed away unexpectedly on December 18, 2010 at the age of 42. That was a huge shock. He died of a massive heart attack. Paul and I used to go to Disney World all the time. It was our favorite vacation spot. After Paul died I was devastated. I didnt know how I would go on without my best friend. Paul and I knew each other since we were 10 years old. I did all the things I was supposed to do I kept myself busy, I joined a support group, but life just wasnt fun anymore. I was going through the motions of living. I thought that would be it forever.
Scott and I met when he came to fix the garage overhang that collapsed at my house. One of the ladies I work with knew him and sent him over. He fixed that and started doing some other work around the house for me. Little by little we became friends. I would tell him all about Paul and he started telling me about his ex-wife.
As time went by we became better and better friends. He became my best friend. Someone I would talk to about anything and everything. We would spend hours on the phone. He used to say to me that he never had a relationship like this before, I was his best friend, and he didnt want to do anything to ruin it.
The day after Christmas 2012 he said he didnt want to be my friend anymore. I was devastated and didnt understand why. He told me he doesnt want to be my friend anymore because hes in love with me, wants to spend the rest of his life with me, and wants to marry me.
Our relationship was a whirlwind after that. We never really dated. We went from being friends to planning a wedding. It was the second wedding for both of us. We tossed around a lot of ideas and decided we both already did the big wedding; we wanted to do something for us. We chose to get married on the Beach at the Atlantis in the Bahamas. It was perfect and I highly recommend it.
We are still figuring out some logistics. I have a dog (Kiki) and he has 3 cats (Piper, Pebbles, and Portia). We both have houses. We are going to sell my house and live in his. All this is still underway.
PLANNING
We decided to go to Disney for a long weekend in December since I had extra timeshare points that would expire at the end of the year. Scott hasnt been in Disney since New Years 2000. This will be our first trip to Disney World together.
Im normally a total commando at Disney. Get to the parks early and stay until they close. Scott asked me if well have time to go in the pool or rest at all. He said he used to go commando too but wants to have some time to relax too. We have a lifetime of Disney trips to continue taking so Im trying to adjust my way of thinking to enjoy what were doing rather than constantly thinking about the next thing I want to do.
Kiki (my dog an almost 13 year old Akita who Ive had since she was 3 months old) will be staying home at my house. My brother in laws partner Peter will be house-sitting/dog sitting for me. Scotts 3 cats are staying home at his house and his ex-father-in-law will come check on them and feed them.
Transportation
We are flying on Jet Blue out of JFK even though we live in NJ. The earliest flight out of Newark wasnt until about 8:30am and there is a 6am flight out of JFK. This way we can get there early and have all day to enjoy Disney. Since its a short trip we want to get as much time as possible. We are flying down Saturday 12/7/13 at 6am and flying home Tuesday 12/10/13 leaving Orlando at 6pm. When we flew to the Bahamas in August for our wedding we paid extra for the Even More Space seats on Jet Blue which not only gives you more space, but also gives you a shorter security line in some airports, and you get to board the plane first. Scott liked it and wanted to do that again. The price depends where you are going and for Florida it cost an extra $35 per person for each flight for these seats.
I reserved a Full Size car with Alamo for about $111
We will park the car at the Parking Spot near JFK
Activities
I have a Disney annual pass.
We will buy Scott a Military pass (he was a Marine for 10 years) since I saw a note about retired military getting a 4 day hopper for $169
We are planning to go to Mickeys Christmas Party on Sunday 12/8/13 and will buy those tickets once we are in Florida
Since it was a short trip, the only dining reservation we made was for Shulas steak house for Monday night. This was Scotts request. We figured we would just wing it for the rest of our meals.
DAY BY DAY
The week before the trip
It was pretty hectic since its my busy season. I also recently started a new role at my company and am still helping out with things in my prior role, so its been busy.
I received an email from VIP services at Vistana telling me I should check in at the VIP area and asking what time I would arrive. I gave them the information.
I also came down with a sore throat and a cold. Im hoping to be better by the time we go to Disney
The day before the trip Friday 12/6/13
Work was busy but I managed to leave at a reasonable time.
I packed once I got home. Luckily I checked the weather forecast for Florida. I assumed that its December and will be cold. I was planning to bring pants and hoodies. When I heard it was mid 80s during the day, I had to find my shorts and T shirts and pack those.
Saturday 12/7/13
Today started at the crazy hour of 2am. I walked Kiki and got things ready and put my suitcase in the car. Then I drove to Scotts house to get him. Normally were back and forth on which house were staying in, but with leaving for Disney we both spent some time at our respective houses with our pets before going. We left his house a little after 3am to head to JFK. At that hour, there was no traffic and we made it there before 4am.
While waiting for our flight we ran into my friend Kims aunt, uncle, and two of their friends. We spent the time waiting chatting with them. They were also on their way to Disney World.
The flight was pretty quick and we landed on time. We got our luggage and rental car and were on our way to Vistana. Remember I mentioned being contacted by VIP services and told to check in at the VIP center? Well when we got to the guard gate, they said no one arrives at the VIP center to work until 1pm so we had to go to the regular check in area. That would have been useful for the woman who was emailing with me to tell me. The room wasnt ready when we got there (I didnt expect it to be) so we changed into shorts and T shirts, stored our luggage with bell services and headed to Epcot.
Scott wasnt able to get the military ticket after all. There were some rules (I guess in the fine print that I never knew about) that you had to be in the military for 20 years to be eligible or still active. He was in for 10 years. So he bought a regular 4 day pass instead.
Our first stop was getting a fast pass for Soarin it would be valid at 7:55pm. I was surprised it would be so late given that we got it before 11am.
Epcot was very crowded.
We went on Mission Space first. I went on the green side and Scott went on the orange side. After the ride we took a few pictures then Dana called that they were almost at Downtown Disney so we headed out to meet Dana and her family for lunch at Wolfgang Puck Express.
We had a nice time with Dana, Herman, and the kids. We had lunch at Wolfgang Puck Express. I had the macaroni and cheese since Ive been thinking about it for weeks. I had it once before and really enjoyed it so knew in advance what I wanted to order. Scott ordered one of the pizzas. I used my annual pass for a 10% discount. After eating we all wandered around Downtown Disney a bit just hanging out. Of course we stopped in Goofys candy kitchen so I could get the pretzel rods dipped in chocolate then covered with white and dark chocolate chips. I get these each time Im at Disney and usually bring them home and ration them out eating one pretzel rod every few weeks. Dana and her family had to leave then to bake cookies for a cookie swap they were doing with some friends.
We received a call from Vistana that our villa is ready while we were eating lunch
In World of Disney Scott found a cute Tigger Hoodie. My annual pass is saving us money again 10% here, 10% there, free parking, etc. It all adds up. I remember debating if I should get it or not but am glad I did.
We stopped at Goodings and picked up some bottled water, soda, and granola bars. I know Publix is much cheaper but since we were just getting a few things we decided to save the time and just go to Goodings.
We checked in (at VIP check in) and received our villa keys villa 1770 in the Lakes (top floor as requested). Its a larger one-bedroom villa. It has a full kitchen, dining area, living room, patio, master bedroom with Jacuzzi, and bathroom. We had a nice view of the pool. The woman at the VIP check in was a bit annoying since she wanted us to come to the owners presentation. I told her we were only here for a short trip and maybe well do it next time. She kept saying that part of VIP check in is getting her services for our whole trip and we should attend. I found this annoying, I just wanted to get my keys and be on my way. I wasnt looking for any special services from anyone this trip.
Anyway, we get to our room, called bell services to deliver our luggage which arrived very quickly, Scott took a short nap, and we unpacked. He wanted to jump in the pool and I went in the Jacuzzi. Then we got ourselves ready to head back to Epcot.
We were back in Epcot by 7pm. The weather is great. It was a little warm during the day, mid 80s, sunny, but not humid. At night the temperature dropped to the 70s so was a little chilly but beautiful.
We started with Spaceship Earth. I had him choose the options for the future and he chose things Ive never chosen before so our future was very different.
We went on Test Track next and used the single rider line rather than waiting in a long time.
We decided to skip our fastpass at Soarin and walk around World Showcase instead.
We started in Mexico and I thought Scott would love the Cava de Tequila since he likes Tequila. Surprisingly, he wasnt that interested. We went on the boat ride in Mexico.
We didnt stop in every country extensively, some just passed through quickly. We knew with a shorter trip we wouldnt be able to do everything.
In Germany, we got a bratwurst and noodle gratin. Scott also got beer and a shot of Jagermeister. We bought some goodies in the Caramel store (chocolate and caramel covered pineapple, caramel drizzled brownie, caramel drizzled cheesecake) and took this all to go with us. Scott also found a coffee mug in Germany. He collects coffee mugs
We continued walking around World Showcase browsing here and there.
We watched some of Illuminations during our walk then headed out before it ended to beat the crowds.
We had dinner at the Santa Fe Cattle Co. This restaurant is right near Vistana. We sat at the bar for dinner. Ive been here before. The food is good. We got chicken flautas as an appetizer but they were too spicy for me. We shared the surf and turf. I started feeling worse as the day went on. Lately, weve been sharing meals sometimes since we never would finish our food if we each order a whole meal. I had their specialty pink lemonade drink which was served in a huge mason jar. Scott had his drink of choice Beefeater and Tonic and also a shot of Tequila.
We were back at the villa by 11:30pm, watched a little TV and both passed out since we were up for almost 24 hours.
I didnt keep notes like I usually do so am trying to create this report from memory
Sunday 12/8/13
When we got up today, I was feeling worse. We changed our plans and decided to skip the Christmas party tonight and go to Magic Kingdom tomorrow when Im hopefully feeling better. Well take it easy this morning and if Im better later well head to Hollywood Studios.
Scott wanted to buy another pair of shorts so he ran out to the store. I went to the gym for a little while.
I showered once back from the gym and rested until Scott got back.
We went to Santa Fe Cattle Co for lunch. Scott wanted to watch a football game that was on at 1pm. We shared the nachos, and then shared a Philly cheese steak. Scott had his usual drink of Beefeater and Tonic while I tried their specialty punch (in a normal glass today). Lunch was very good.
Scott was starting to feel sick too now. We were both coughing and sniffling.
We went back to the timeshare and he finished watching his football game and we rested.
I know it sounds boring but we both felt pretty bad.
We kept debating if we should go to Hollywood studios, but we were worried about pushing ourselves and getting worse.
We skipped the parks completely today. Thats normally unheard of for me.
Around 6ish we decided to head out. We went to Downtown Disney. It was really crowded. We parked all the way on the Westside near Cirque de Soleil. We wandered around stopping in various stores. We walked to the Marketplace. We bought a few things in World of Disney. I found a cute shirt for me. I wanted a hoodie too but didnt find one I liked.
Prior to our trip Scott kept talking about wanting to go to Fultons. We stopped by and looked at the menu but he changed his mind. He was in the mood for seafood for dinner. We decided to go to Landrys near Vistana. We sat at the bar for dinner. I stuck with soda since Ive been taking cold medicine and Scott had his usual Beefeater and Tonic. We shared the mussels appetizer and the shrimp cocktail appetizer. I had a cup of New England clam chowder. I normally dont like soup (or any hot liquid for that matter) but thought it may make me feel better. Scott had shrimp wrapped in bacon. The food was good.
After dinner we headed back to the timeshare. We did a load of laundry. I like to do laundry on vacation. Scott at first was skeptical but I think he ended up liking having the washer/dryer.
Monday 12/9/13
Today we headed to Magic Kingdom and arrived just when the park opened.
Scott has been talking about wanting to go on Space Mountain so we headed there first. There was a 10 minute wait listed so we went right on. This was a fun ride.
We rode Buzz Lightyear next and even bought the picture. Scott looked so serious like he was really concentrating.
We headed into FantasyLand to get fast passes for Peter Pan since the wait was already over an hour.
Then we headed over to the new part of FantasyLand and stopped in Gastons Tavern. We shared the LeFrou brew and a cinnamon bun. Neither of us liked the LeFrou brew. The first sip was OK, but it was too sweet. We ended up tossing it after a few sips.
We went on the new Mermaid ride with a 15 minute wait. This is cute but reminds me of the Living with the Seas Ride at Epcot
Haunted Mansion was next with a 20 minute wait listed.
Im sure Im getting things out of order but we did a lot of criss crossing of the park throughout the day.
We rode Big Thunder Mountain which listed a 25 minute wait but in reality was less than that.
Pirates had a long line extending out to the walkway but the wait wasnt more than 20 minutes.
We cancelled our dinner reservation at Shulas since neither of us was feeling great.
We got fastpasses for Jungle Cruise since that had an 80 minute wait listed.
Back in FantasyLand we saw Philharmagic which we both enjoyed then went on Peter Pan once our fastpasses were valid.
We ate in Tomorrowland at Cosmic Rays. We shared the turkey sandwich with fries and each got soda.
It was time for our Jungle cruise fastpass after lunch so we headed over.
We went into the Tiki room next. Scott thought the pre-show was the whole show
We went back to TomorrowLand and saw the Carousel of progress then went on the TTA
We did some shopping on Main Street before leaving the park around 7pm. We were going to head back to Downtown Disney because there was a hoodie similar to Scotts Tigger hoodie that had Mickey Mouse on it that I wanted to try on. I know it was in the mens department but I think its kind of unisex. Luckily we saw it right in one of the shops on Main Street so I bought it there. I also bought a cute Disney tree skirt and new Xmas stockings. Since I found all these things here we saved ourselves a trip to Downtown Disney.
We stopped back at the timeshare for a bit. Scott rested since he wasnt feeling good. I went to the gym. After showering again we headed out for dinner. We went to Carrabas. Its an Italian chain place and was pretty good. I stuck with soda since Im still taking cold medicine and Scott had his usual Beefeater and Tonic. We shared the mussels appetizer and also the crabcake appetizer. Then we shared the Tilapia special. Everything was very good. We shared this dessert that had a brownie and some other stuff and it was delicious.
After dinner we went back to the timeshare, did most of the packing, watched some TV then went to bed. I think the running around was catching up to me. We are both coughing and sniffling still
If we were feeling better we would be running around more but were trying not to push ourselves too much.
Tuesday 12/10/13
We finished any last minute packing this morning, and then checked out early.
We were at Hollywood Studios just after 9am. The fast passes for Toy Story were for around 8pm. We would already be on our way home so we skipped that.
Our first attraction was Star Tours since Scott was very excited to ride that. We both enjoyed our ride on Star Tours.
Next we headed to the Tower of Terror which had a 20 minute wait listed and probably took about 15 minutes.
Rock N Roller coaster had a 45 minute wait listed so we skipped it. We picked up a chocolate chip cookie that we shared.
Then we went on the Great Movie ride.
We went into the animation building but the line to meet Sorcerer Mickey was long. We played the game of which character are you like. Scott ended up being like Lumiere and I ended up being like Jane from Tarzan.
We went on the Backlot Tour.
In one of the shops we put on the bride and groom ears. We talked about buying them before we came down but never did.
We were both kind of dragging since we werent feeling well. We stopped in one of the shops and Scott bought this cute T Shirt that had Mickey Mouses head on the front and his body on the back like his head was coming through a wall.
We decided to head out a little earlier than we needed to and go to have lunch at Kona Caf at the Polynesian. We both had soda. We shared the Volcano roll appetizer. We each had our own lunch entre. I had the noodles with chicken. Scott had a cheeseburger.
Scott wanted to change into his new Tshirt to go home but when he put it on it was too tight. We went to exchange it in the shop in the Polynesian but they didnt have that shirt. He found another one he liked but they didnt have his size. So we just returned the shirt.
Even though it was 85 degrees in Florida it was snowing back home. We heard that our flight home was delayed by an hour.
We still got to the airport a little after 4pm. Security was a mess, the lines were so long. Even though our flight was to be delayed suddenly everyone was getting on. We ended up leaving only 15 minutes late. We paid for the movie We are the Millers to watch on the ride home. It was really funny. We were laughing out loud a few times. The guy in front of us turned around and gave us a dirty look for laughing.
We landed on time, got our luggage, called the Parking Spot and were on our way home. The snow wasnt too bad, just a few inches.
We went back to Scotts house. He picked up some food for dinner. We played with the cats, ate, watched some TV, and then fell asleep.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This was a different type of Disney trip. It was shorter than Im used to. Its easier for Scott to get away for short periods of time. It was also odd since I wasnt feeling well and couldnt go full steam. But we had a lot of fun being there together and are looking forward to many more Disney trips.