"GET AWAY, SCURVY!!" – A May 2017 Whirlwind Long Weekend TR

MeghanEmily

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 21, 2016
It's Another Meghan-And-Nathan Trip Report!!

Welcome to......
"GET AWAY, SCURVY!!"
AKA: "That Should Be The Name of Our Trip Report!!"
AKA: "Disney Is Broken"

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(I've just noticed that the person to the left behind us in this picture has the same Gryffindor sweater I bought a few years ago at Universal. Neat.)

Welcome, one and all! If you're joining because you've read my previous TR or current PTR, Welcome back! I'm continually glad to see you!
And if you're visiting my wonky world for the first time... oh my goodness, :welcome:!!! It'll be fun, and not scary, and not too boring...I promise...maybe.

A little background on this TR for those who are various degrees of new: In December of 2016, my then-boyfriend, Nathan (N in my TRs) and I went to WDW. Among other things we did over the week, we also got engaged. It was pretty special, and you can read all about it if you'd like:

DECEMBER TR
(This link should take you directly to the proposal chapter.)

Then we started planning a Disney wedding with Disney Fairytale Weddings for this coming August. If you'd like to follow our plans, you can do so here:

AUGUST PTR

In the midst of this planning, we both got the Disney itch again. For many reasons that need not be mentioned, we both felt like we needed a getaway, and after a little back and forth (which was discussed in the above PTR) the May Whirlwind adventure was born! It was also planned under the guise of a wedding planning weekend where we could tie up a few loose ends.

Who are we?? I'll keep the introductions short for the sake of making this a more concise TR, seeing as it was for such a short trip...
:rotfl::rotfl2: :rotfl:
Ahahah, what am I saying?? I've never been known to be concise!
I will, however skip most of the drawn-out introductions. If you'd like to read about who we are, here are our introductions from my current PTR:
WHO ARE WE?

It's a cute little post, if I do say so myself, so you're welcome to read it if you'd like!

If you want the short(ish) version:
Nathan and I have been together off and on, mostly on, for over 8 years. He is the Buzz to my Woody, the Carl to my Ellie. We drive each other crazy, and love each other loyally, and I'm lucky to share my life with him. He is better than I am in every possible way. We balance each other out. And he's incredibly protective (especially with my health concerns) in a non-controlling way. I was the life-long Disney fan, but I converted him on our first trip in April of 2016. He's more of a thrill-seeker than I am, and will try anything once. I have a brain condition which, among other things, causes motion sickness and some issues travelling. I also have dietary restrictions. We both love Disney food. N is a travelling performance artist who works in spray paint. I'm a braille transcriber who's about to go back to school for speech language pathology. That's us.

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Oh, also, fun fact: we're Canadian. I do my best to remember to use my American spelling on here, but sometimes I forget. No, we don't say "a-boot." (We say "a-boat.") No, we don't ride our polar bears to work. (That's strictly for weekend entertainment.) But yes, we do subsist on maple syrup. (N's dad owned a sugar bush.) And yes, I do say, "eh?" (Naturally. All the time. No shame.)


Our trip included 4 travel days, for just TWO days of WDW park enjoyment. But they were pretty packed days, I must say.

Other potential highlights:
* Wedding cake tasting at Erin McKenna's *
* Meeting our officiant *
* Peeing in the fancy GF bathrooms *
* Leather interior and temperature control on our "economy" rental car *
* I try a headliner Epcot attraction for the first time and (spoilers!) don't throw up *
* An exceptional first Dismeet *
* Even-hotter-than-expected May temperatures *
* Two grown adults manage to both lose their new water bottles on separate occasions *
* Hilarity ensues *
(Probably not actual hilarity. ...Definitely not. I think I'm much funnier than I am.)


One more thing:
This TR was almost called, "That Should be the Name of this Trip Report!" because N and I spent the majority of the trip saying or hearing things and saying that exact phrase. There were so many choices. Many of those quotations are expected to make it into chapter titles.

Then this TR was going to be called, "Disney is Broken." N joked about it at first when the first couple of rides/experiences were broken down or not working, but it became a seriously appropriate title as the two days wore on. In fact, that was the name of this TR in my head...up until our last travel day...but, alas, we'll get there soon enough.

So there it is! Thanks so much for joining me as I relive the shortest WDW trip I've ever taken. Buckle up, please keep your appendages inside the vehicle at all times, and enjoy the ride!
 
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Well, it looks like I'm the first one. And I have to start by admitting I've been a bad DISer. I've seen you around other TRs here and there but never got around to going to yours. But there are a couple things I noticed about you that meant I just had to jump in on this report. First, you can see I'm from Newfoundland, so it's always fun to see another Atlantic Canadian around here. Second, there was one report recently (I forget which one) where I saw that you also do princess parties. My oldest daughter does that too, part time. She is only "friends" with Elsa though. So, I'm glad to finally be along for the ride on one of your TRs!
 
Well, it looks like I'm the first one. And I have to start by admitting I've been a bad DISer. I've seen you around other TRs here and there but never got around to going to yours. But there are a couple things I noticed about you that meant I just had to jump in on this report. First, you can see I'm from Newfoundland, so it's always fun to see another Atlantic Canadian around here. Second, there was one report recently (I forget which one) where I saw that you also do princess parties. My oldest daughter does that too, part time. She is only "friends" with Elsa though. So, I'm glad to finally be along for the ride on one of your TRs!

:welcome: So glad you're here!! It's always nice to "meet" other Canadians. I, too, am at fault here on the bad Dis-ing front. I've seen you appear on many of the TRs I've been following, but I've never interacted. So nice to finally officially make your acquaintance! I remember seeing your profile and thinking that "Terra Nova" was a reference to the Spielberg tv series which was cancelled after one season and is now on Netflix. (Recommend, by the way, for anyone who wants a cheesey modern Jurassic-Park-esque little series to watch.) But after seeing you were from Newfoundland I figured that might possibly have more to do with it. How neat that your daughter also does princess parties! I tend to get booked most as Anna, so if she's friends with Elsa it's almost like we're virtual long-distance princess sisters without ever having met! :P Hope you enjoy following along with our trip adventures - I'll try to keep it exciting. :)
 


So excited to follow along on this adventure!! My husband and I (okay maybe just I) considered a Disney wedding BUT we both have huge families, many who wouldn't be able to travel so alas it was not meant to be. Can't wait to hear about the cake tasting!
 
So excited to follow along on this adventure!! My husband and I (okay maybe just I) considered a Disney wedding BUT we both have huge families, many who wouldn't be able to travel so alas it was not meant to be. Can't wait to hear about the cake tasting!

Hello, and :welcome:!! We were concerned about our families travelling as well, but in the end everyone we really wanted to be with us ended up being able to travel. We liked the idea of a small wedding, and as selfish as it may seem, it seemed like a good fit for us both so we made it a priority and just hoped for the best with our families. But we were prepared to have our family members not come and just celebrate with them at home when we got back from the honeymoon if it had to be the case. It definitely isn't the right kind of wedding for a lot of people and their guests though! Our cake tasting was really fun and delicious! As a bride with dietary restrictions, and doing a destination wedding, I figured that doing a cake tasting was something I just wouldn't get to experience, so it was a real treat! :)
 


Welcome back! Ariane told me about your wonderful Dismeet! It sounds like you had a very eventful 2 days at WDW. It sure was hot wasn't it?
We were dying waiting in line for Pandora...but once we were finally in it was worth it in the end.
I sometimes think about my TR titles when I'm at WDW...so you're not the only one. :)

Looking forward to more
 
I'm here!

Welcome aboard, Fallon!!

Welcome back! Ariane told me about your wonderful Dismeet! It sounds like you had a very eventful 2 days at WDW. It sure was hot wasn't it?
We were dying waiting in line for Pandora...but once we were finally in it was worth it in the end.
I sometimes think about my TR titles when I'm at WDW...so you're not the only one. :)

Looking forward to more

Thank you! We did have a great Dismeet, and an awesome but busy weekend. It was SO hot! I knew it would be warm compared to home...but holy smokes! I can't imagine waiting in that Pandora line that weekend, but I'm sure it was so worth the wait!
 
"Tell Everybody I'm On My Way"
Travel Day 1


Alrighty, here we go! The trip begins!

I'm going to do my best not to harp on for ages about travel days since they're never anyone's favorite posts to read, but seeing as this trip included twice as many travel days as park days, they really became a huge part of the overall experience, so I'm going to report on them anyway. If you really hate reading about travel days, feel free to skim or skip these chapters.

So it actually all begins pre-travel. The nights before we left I had been fighting anxiety (in the literal, mental disorder sense of the word) and having purple packing parties. I posted this on my PTR and Instagram:

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Anyone reading my PTR will know that we were attempting to pack for two humans in one carry-on — the world's tiniest carry-on suitcase, to be precise. Packing became very strategic. I left my DSLR at home, opting for the small point-and-shoot camera. I wasn't even planning to bring that, but with all the wedding things my mom wanted pictures of, and the Caring for Giants tour, I ended up bringing it...and then I almost never used it, relying instead on my iPhone and photopass for most of the trip. This is what our TEENY suitcase looked like.


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And for those who are wondering about the big question, Whether my KEEN sandals stood up to Disney days....they...kind of did? Kind of didn't?

On a Disney Shoe Suitability Scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is terrible (stilettos) and 5 is average shoes and 10 is perfect for Disney...these sandals were about a 6. (My Asic sneakers are around a 7.5 and my crocs around an 8. I've yet to find the elusive 10.)

Pros: they had decent support and my feet didn't ache, and it rained off and on our entire first day, so they held up well when they got wet and were almost equally comfortable wet to dry. They dried fully overnight, which was also a plus.
Cons: They still blistered, even in places they weren't originally rubbing where I expected possible blisters. If we'd been taking a slower touring pace (like we're hoping to do this August) they might have been fine, but moving as quickly as we were my feet were all taped up in Moleskin and looked like little mummies by the second day. We stop for nothing.

We also made sure to pick up the grocery things I would need to make allergy-friendly travel food. I'd been having a hankering for these special sweet pink muscat grapes, so I went to the only grocery store that had them, checked that the price was reasonable, and went to the cash...only to find they were like EIGHT DOLLARS. For grapes!! I had read the wrong price tag. But at that point I was so attached to the idea of them that there was no way they were going back. Man, I savoured those grapes.

So on actual Travel Day 1, I spent the day going to a couple of appointments, cleaning the condo, and finishing last-minute packing and food prep for the trip. I had booked time off work for these things, so I was only scheduled to go in to work for 2 hours in the afternoon. When I got in to work and turned on my computer, this is what I saw:

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This will take a while.

No kidding.


My computer persisted to do the biggest batch of updates it's ever done, and was completely inaccessible to me for almost the entire two hours. I sat and tried to be useful and entertain myself by listening to Epcot soundtracks and brushing up on my braille manual. Pretty dry reading for two hours! But it probably worked out for the best because I was on pins and needles about the trip and would have had a hard time focusing on something more important.

I burst out of work like a speeding bullet, got home, and N helped me finish packing the cooler and the car. At around 3:30pm we took off on our adventure!

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I began the trip as I typically do: by blasting "On My Way" from the Brother Bear soundtrack. It was the perfect weather for driving.


Before leaving, we'd hit Walmart to pick up an appropriately-themed flip-flop-shaped car freshener, and it helped to build the mood.

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Half way to our destination for the night (my family home in New Brunswick) we stopped at McDonald's. Both of us are watching what we eat right now and doing really well, but this was vacation and there were no rules! There are very few places I typically eat on the road due to allergies, but McDonald's fries in Canada are typically considered gluten free (in the US they're typically not) and we had a coupon, so we split a meal. N got to have the sandwich, and I got to eat the fries. Yum. Fries are absolutely my guilty pleasure.

I supplemented my fry-supper with a turkey/avocado/tomato sandwich I'd made at home, and it was delightful. Such a good combo, and so much turkey. I'd over-packed on snacks, which is always a sure-fire way to ensure a good road trip with dietary restrictions. All was going well.

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Yummy bitten food picture!

The sun began to set as we got closer to home, and I snapped this picture (which I persisted to "filter" and post on Instagram.)


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When we got to my family's house, we were met with a loudly barking and whining dog, owned by the tenants who currently rent half our house. The whining lasted all night. Otherwise the night was uneventful, and we got some rest before setting out for day two of the journey the next morning.
 
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I remember this from my gluten-free days! McDonald's fries helped me survive those 4 years haha.

This is starting to get weird. I've been GF for a little over 4 years now, but I'm hoping to be able to wean off a bit at some point in the future. Also, I'm 5'2". Are you sure we're not the same person? :P
 
Yay!!! Your TR is underway!!! :) Love the beginnings, especially "On My Way," one of Jimmy's favorites--he actually sang it in his Kindergarten graduation. Can't wait to hear about all the amazing chapter titles that could have been TR titles!!!!
 
They still blistered, even in places they weren't originally rubbing where I expected possible blisters. If we'd been taking a slower touring pace (like we're hoping to do this August) they might have been fine, but moving as quickly as we were my feet were all taped up in Moleskin and looked like little mummies by the second day.

I preemptively tape my feet up like mummies, but I always manage to get at least one painful and annoying blister. And in a new place every time despite wearing the same shoes :rotfl:I just limp after that.

There are very few places I typically eat on the road due to allergies, but McDonald's fries in Canada are typically considered gluten free (in the US they're typically not) and we had a coupon, so we split a meal.

So strange we actually didn't know the ones here weren't GF. Josh has never had a problem with them though, but he has more of a sensitivity than a full blown allergy to it so that could be why.
 
Aaaaaaaand,
I'm here :goodvibes

No, we don't say "a-boot." (We say "a-boat.")
Um, I hate to sound like an adult, but both ways are wrong :rotfl2:

* Leather interior and temperature control on our "economy" rental car *
:rotfl2::rotfl:

* An exceptional first Dismeet *
:love: (next time I comment I'll do more than just use emoji's, I promise!)

I sometimes think about my TR titles when I'm at WDW...so you're not the only one. :)

I do the same thing! And once I decide I'm doing a PTR I spend countless hours trying to come up with those titles, too. Everything about the Dis is addicting!
 
I'm going to do my best not to harp on for ages about travel days since they're never anyone's favorite posts to read

I really like travel day posts! Something really interesting about looking at how others prepare for a Disney trip!!

On a Disney Shoe Suitability Scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is terrible (stilettos) and 5 is average shoes and 10 is perfect for Disney...these sandals were about a 6. (My Asic sneakers are around a 7.5 and my crocs around an 8. I've yet to find the elusive 10.)

Haha I hear ya, I usually rely on sneakers (adidas is my favorite brand) but I don't like the way my feet get "hot." I think I've finally found a really great park shoe...allbirds. They are made from merino wool and are super soft and comfy. Because they are wool they regulate your feet temperature. I also have wide feet and need arch support but I've worn them over the past 2 trips for full days and I had no issues at all. Wish they were a little "sleeker" looking like some of my other sneakers but I'd take comfort over style for my feet any day!

Fries are absolutely my guilty pleasure.

Yeah mine too! Especially McDonalds!


Stunning!

I do the same thing! And once I decide I'm doing a PTR I spend countless hours trying to come up with those titles, too. Everything about the Dis is addicting!

Haha us Trip Report writers are under a lot of pressure to come up with good TR titles!
 
Yay!!! Your TR is underway!!! :) Love the beginnings, especially "On My Way," one of Jimmy's favorites--he actually sang it in his Kindergarten graduation. Can't wait to hear about all the amazing chapter titles that could have been TR titles!!!!

Welcome!! Glad you're here!

That's so cute!!

I preemptively tape my feet up like mummies, but I always manage to get at least one painful and annoying blister. And in a new place every time despite wearing the same shoes :rotfl:I just limp after that.

I've been thinking I should start doing this too...I typically blister in at least some of the same places every time so it probably makes sense...

So strange we actually didn't know the ones here weren't GF. Josh has never had a problem with them though, but he has more of a sensitivity than a full blown allergy to it so that could be why.

It seems to be a hot topic! I think there have been tests done in past which haven't shown them to contain gluten (under 20 ppm), so they should be safe? Last time I checked, the "natural beef flavor" in them contained a wheat derivative, but I've also heard that the beef flavor is soo processed that no traceable amounts of gluten actually remain by the time it's used in the fries, and a lot of GF people eat them with no issue. (Which in itself is kinda scary I guess, but it's fast food, so what should I really expect? Haha) It also depends on whether they have a dedicated fryer just for fries to avoid cross contamination, of course. I know typically in Canada they do, but probably not always. I would assume it would be the same in the US since McD's goes through so many fries so quickly that it would make sense to have a dedicated fryer. There have also been rumors that the oil is usually strained and then stored in a vat with other contaminated oil overnight, but I don't know if that's true or not. I've never tried them in the US to see if I'd react, but I suspect most people don't. I do know most places will cook other things in the fry fryers when they're really busy out of necessity sometimes, but I've always risked it and don't typically get sick from the ones on our side of the border.

Aaaaaaaand,
I'm here :goodvibes

Yay! Welcome!

Um, I hate to sound like an adult, but both ways are wrong :rotfl2:

I actually hate/make fun of the Canadian accent on words like this a lot. :P I'm one of the correct people in the world who puts the "ow" sound in about. (One of the most flattering things our reverend said to us when he met us was that he was surprised we were Canadian because he didn't notice any really noticeable accents, which made me prouder than it should have. Where's my Canadian pride!?) But since moving to Nova Scotia, we've come across a lot of that typical accent. My co-worker was telling me a story a while ago about buying a new "coach" and for the longest time I couldn't figure out what she was talking about—I was like huh? Is it drawn by four white horses?—until I realized she'd bought a new couch. Like a sofa. Yep. It's bad.

I think I've finally found a really great park shoe...allbirds. They are made from merino wool and are super soft and comfy. Because they are wool they regulate your feet temperature. I also have wide feet and need arch support but I've worn them over the past 2 trips for full days and I had no issues at all. Wish they were a little "sleeker" looking like some of my other sneakers but I'd take comfort over style for my feet any day!

Ooh, might be worth checking out! At this point I've tried too many and spent too much money seeking the perfect shoe, but I haven't given up hope yet. My feet are a little wider than average, and I get issues with heel pain, but my biggest Disney concern is soft and non-blistering. Did you find yours fit pretty true to size? I might try them eventually.
 

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