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The Trip, Trip, Trip Report


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So, this report is going to include two trips to WDW with stays at a total of 3 WDW resorts.  Of course, all 4 parks were visited multiple times, many wonderful meals were eaten and fun rides were ridden.  And that will take up the majority of this trip report.  But you’ve got to hang in there till the end, or at least check back in with us later, as that will be when we get to the best part – a trip to the most wonderful place on earth: an orphanage in Tegucigalpa, Honduras called El Hogar.  Danielle and I are blessed to get to spend a week there in March, and that will be how we wrap up this report.  So hang on for that!

 

Anyway, getting back to what we all have in common – a love for WDW and FW (even though I only made it to FW once briefly on trip 2 to see some fun women who were there :) ).  I was so lucky to get to go to WDW not just once but twice in January this year.  The first trip that was planned was for the end of the month, to celebrate the 22nd anniversary for Ray and me.  As some of y’all know, our oldest daughter Danielle (18) is out west for her freshman year in college, but we decided to take Jodi (16) with us, and of course for our family, that means bringing a friend.  This time, Jodi brought her friend Susan, a very cute girl that we’ve never traveled with before, but who is very sweet so I knew she would be fun to have along.

 

But then I started thinking about Danielle and how I really hated that she couldn’t come with us.  She would be back in school by the time that trip rolled around.  Plus, I had an AP in my pocket and a few extra DVC points laying around, so I did what I knew I had to do – plan a separate trip to WDW while Danielle was with us over the long holiday break.  Danielle of course jumped at the idea.  I told her she could bring a friend and this time she too brought a new-comer for a Disney trip with us – her college roommate/sorority big sister.  Megan lives in Denver and had never been to WDW before, so I knew this would be a fun one too.  Despite the fact that the anniversary trip with Ray, Jodi and Susan was planned first, the Danielle/Megan trip happened first, leaving to go down to WDW on New Years Day. 

 

So there are all your introductions!  Here are faces to put with names:

 

Trip 1 - Me, Danielle and Megan:

 

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Trip 2:

 

Ray and me:

 

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Jodi and Susan:

 

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I don't have any pictures to share yet from El Hogar as that trip is sadly still a ways off.  But please, please come back in March to see them.  I promise I'll post, and I promise they will be the best pictures I've ever posted on FF.  

 

So that’s it for introductions!  Next up: Travel day for trip #1!

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Monday and Tuesday were fairly similar in that we spent the days working on the project that El Hogar had planned for us – moving cinder blocks across campus and then using them to construct a wall wh

Wednesday:   Thankfully, I slept a little later than usual at home, and Ray slept a lot later than me, so we both woke up feeling refreshed despite our long travel and Epcot day yesterday.  We debated

Sunday – our last day!    I woke up on our last morning in enough time for one last run around SSR.  I had fun finding a Hidden Mickey in this here fountain:         It was yet another beautiful day

I am in!

Did these newbies get lessons on how to make a perfect rhino face before traveling with you? Cause you know we will be judging those.

If the trip Honduras and the orphanage is why you can't make it to the Desoto GG, well then you are forgiven. Though we are going to miss you.

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I'm in.

 

Thanks! Glad you're here!

 

Following!!!  

 

Yay!  

 

I'm in! And Happy Anniversary!

 

Thanks!  It's not the first time we've celebrated an anniversary at WDW and I know it won't be the last!

 

I'm in too.  Also happy anniversary!

 

Thanks!

 

I'm in. I can't wait to hear all but your mission trip.

But who is this Ray guy? Lol.

 

:rofl:

 

I'm

In!

 

Thanks!  Glad you're here!

 

Can't wait to read more!

 

Thanks, Carol!

 

I'm in! The mission trip reminds me of a place a cousin of mine went to teach at until she got sick.

 

El Hogar is a wonderful place!  Where was your cousin?  And I hope the sickness was just temporary!

 

I am in!

Did these newbies get lessons on how to make a perfect rhino face before traveling with you? Cause you know we will be judging those.

If the trip Honduras and the orphanage is why you can't make it to the Desoto GG, well then you are forgiven. Though we are going to miss you.

 

Hey Yvonne!

 

Honestly, Megan's rhino face was so scary that I don't think I could post it.  Y'all would never read one of my reports again.  I'm not sure I even kept it.  It was that bad.

 

And yes, the Honduras trip is exactly why I won't be at Desoto.  I really hate to miss it but sometimes you just can't do it all.  I'll be following the report(s) though!

 

I'm in !

 

Yay!  Thanks!

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I'm in!!  Happy Anniversary :)

 

Looking forward to hearing all about the trips :)

 

Thanks, Nacole!  Glad you're here!

 

You have a sad face about that? Silly girl! 

 

Actually, it's a very sad face.  We leave to go home today!!!  :(  :(  :(

 

Interesting start, looing forward to rest of report.

 

Thanks, Tom!

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I'm in for the long haul. 

 

Yay!  Thanks!

 

A trip report that could be as long as a TCD one, I'm in!

 

In my wildest imagination, I don't think I could ever write enough to come close to some of TCD's, but this one has potential to be a longer one for me. Glad you're with us!

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Thursday, January 1:

 

Danielle and I initially planned to fly out later in the day on New Years Day, but the day before the trip, I switched everything around and we left in the morning, arriving at MCO around 1:20 p.m.  We were hit immediately by the warmth and humidity – a welcome change compared to yucky winter weather at home and some really, really cold weather for Danielle in Wyoming, where it snowed as early as September and went down to -18F with a “feels like” of -38F in November.  We were both loving the much warmer weather.

 

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Of course, when it’s just 2 people together (at least so far) on a trip, you get lots of selfies for pictures, so you better get used to it.  :)  Even after Megan’s arrival, the selfies continued, given that 2/3 of us were college girls and that’s apparently the name of the game for them.

 

This time, partly because Ray wasn’t with us and partly in an effort to save a few bucks, we took Magical Express.  View of the WDW entrance from the back of the bus:

 

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It was our first time to use it and it successfully got us to our destination for the first part of this trip – Port Orleans Riverside! 

 

Because this trip was planned in less than 10 days and because it was New Years weekend, I couldn’t find a single DVC unit that would work for the first part of our trip.  So we stayed at POR for 3 nights and then switched.  And I have to say, that I LOVE Port Orleans Riverside!  The ambience was wonderful, the room was very nice, and I loved being able to walk to POFQ for beignets.  It is a resort that I wouldn’t hesitate to stay at again.

 

When we pulled up to POR and were waiting to get off the bus, we could see a CM holding a sign with our name on it, waiting to give us our package and send us on our way.  Very nice touch.  And our room was ready, so that was awesome too.

 

Our room was in the Acadian House, on the back side of one of the mansion area buildings.  It definitely was not one of the more conveniently located units. 

 

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But, we got used to the walk and it really wasn’t too far.  I'd be interested in figuring out which loop it would equate to if you were at FW and walking to Pioneer Hall.  But, that requires time and technology, and I haven’t really tried hard enough to do that yet. 

 

We had planned to immediately go to AK upon arrival, but we were pretty tired from the travel.  So instead, we found our room, dropped our stuff, and strolled over to POFQ for lunch and beignets.  It’s not every day that you get to have freshly beignets!

 

Our room:

 

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(Note the photobomb in the room pic.  If you’ve been reading my TRs for a while, you may even see an inadvertent rhino face!)

 

Our portion of the Acadian House:

 

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It was still Christmas everywhere:

 

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Danielle found out how messy a good beignet is:

 

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After our nice break strolling around and eating too much, we decided to try to make it to AK after all.  If we were lucky, we might even make our 4:05-5:05 FP at Everest.

 

Would we make it?

 

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We did!  Just barely, but we did, and we had a really great time, both riding as well as the excitement of trying to get there in time.  Danielle managed to somehow take a pile of pictures on some rides (something called a burst – do y’all know about that?  It was new to me) and we were actually having as much fun as it looked like.  After EE, we rode Primeval Whirl and then decided to head on back to POR, where we shared a flatbread and hit the hay pretty early.

 

EE:

 

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Primeval Whirl:

 

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Oh my gosh – getting to spend time with this girl who is usually so far away was just the best.

 

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After the AK, we just headed back to POR and I think just had an easy dinner in the room from the CS place.  

 

It was a wonderful start to the trip.  Getting to spend time with Danielle was truly a blessing.  She’s so far from home usually that I just relished every second with her.

 

Coming up:  A Fiend meet up and Megan’s arrival from cold and snowy Denver!

 

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