A newbie's trip that almost wasn't! A PTR

[poppinspal]

I won't leave you hanging and I'm sure you can guess but the trip is on, but for awhile it almost wasn't. This is a trip with lots of firsts in it so I've decided instead of just reading everyone's wonderful stories, I was going to share mine as well.

Before I get into the dramatic start to the story let me tell you a little about myself...

My name is Megan, I live just north of Boston. Been to Disney World approximately 30 times in my short 32 years. (Don't laugh my 30s has been some of my favorite years so far!)

This picture is my brother, sister, mother and myself after ridding Kali River Rapids at WDW three times in a row without getting out of our raft. The CMs thought we were pretty funny.

So this past spring Run Disney announced a new half marathon, an Avengers themed half marathon and it happened to fall on my birthday. Oh I was beyond excited... till I realized that it was on the wrong coast for me! Disneyland? I've never been to Disneyland, I'm a Disney World girl. Boston to Orlando... that flight is nothing to me. I knew this race was the race for me... I love, love, love the Avengers (Thor! Captain America!) and I always look for one big race to do around my birthday. I was going to come up with a plan.

Enter the guy I was seeing at the time. I was telling him about the race and how much I loved it. He said so do it. I explained my concerns of going alone and what to do. He said register and I'll go with you. Really? I mean we hadn't been seeing each other long and we were talking a race more then half a year away! Yes he said just register and we'd figure out travel details later. In shock I figured what the heck I'd go for it.

Oh this is me last year celebrating my 32nd birthday. I've been told I'm not normal. (I love my obstacle course races!) But yes I'm not kidding about doing a run for my birthday!

Well here's where things get messy... fast forward a month or so and I find out some pretty ugly information about this guy. No criminal record or anything but he'd lied about a lot of his life and there was no question we were over. But now what about my trip? First he'd made all these grand elaborate plans to stay at the Grand California and some other stuff while we were out there. Well quickly that all changed because I couldn't afford to go all out like that on my own but I wasn't really sure what to do with my plans.

So for the end of spring and part of summer my reservation just sat there with his name on it too, with money put down on a trip. I didn't even want to consider the trip for awhile. When people would ask me about plans I'd tell them I didn't want to talk about it. Eventually my cousin convinced me not to give up on going and that she would actually go with me. After I considered the idea for a little I decided deep down I really did want to go. So it was time for my cousin and I to make our plans. The trip was back on! Or was it?

 

[poppinspal]

Leaving space here for chapter links. Yay!

 

[crystal1313]

Following! Sounds exciting

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Following!! Can't wait to see the run

 

[poppinspal]

Thanks for joining my report. (Was a little worried no one would join along in my story!)

So my cousin and I decided we would go, so you would think I would rush right off to change the reservations for us. But for another week or two the reservation sat without my cousin's name on it and with someone else as my travel companion. We also quickly realized that Grand Californian wouldn't work for my cousin's budget and I couldn't afford to pay for both of us.

So I took out a notepad and read the disboards to research different hotels, to try to find out what my options were. I wrote down a list and put it in order of interest. I called to make the reservations and... Disneyland's hotels were booked for cheapest rooms, all the hotels on my list were booked. Was this trip not going to happen? I was getting a little worried.

This is where getting the right person on the phone can make all the difference. The woman I spoke to checked to see what was available. She looked at deals they had and offered her opinions on what ones were the better ones. She talked to me while I looked at what the hotels looked like and their ratings.

So we ended up with... Best Western Stovall's Inn. I've read the good, the bad and the ugly. (The ugly mostly just being a crazy free breakfast.) I'm happy with our choice given the limited options we had. I'm very happy as long as the room is clean and safe. I've read the rooms seem dark... this won't bother me. I've read about the distance to the parks and as I said to my cousin, I'm there to run 13.1 miles, if I can't occasionally walk back to our room then I'm in trouble. Also... I'm going on vacation, what more do I need?

So now our trip is 100% on and the planning phase is on. Disney World planning is really second nature to me so there's been a lot more fact checking for my first ever Disneyland/Avengers Half/Birthday trip!

 

[poppinspal]

Well I'm back. I've decided to share all the possible details I could about this trip now that I've shared how the trip almost didn't happen.

The cast of characters:

Me, Megan, 32 years old and will turn 33 on the trip! I've lost count of how many times I've been to Disney World, I general tell people its in the range of 30 trips. I've run I believe five Run Disney races and I love them. This will be my first trip to Disneyland.

My traveling companion is my cousin Cheryl, she is 38. She's also been to Disney World many, many times. Our families used to go together as kids. She used to run till she found out she has some crazy problem with her hips so she's limited to a couple miles at most. But when I told her what was happening with my trip she was more then happy to come along as my race support!

The original dates of our trip were November 13-November 17. At the time we were booking airfare Run Disney was saying the expo would start on November 13. We decided we didn't want to fly in the day of the expo so we booked our airfare for November 12. I will work my normal day and then leave right from work to hop a flight to Disneyland!!!

Well almost. We checked how much it was going to be to add a night on to our reservation at Best Western....it was more then the rate we had for the rest of the trip and we decided to look at some options. So we ended up with a hotel room at a hotel near the airport. We will get in around 11:00 at night Cali time, so like....2:00 to us? So we just needed a place to crash. Turns out the expo doesn't start till November 14 so we have our first day to check into our hotel early and hit the parks for the first time!!!

Normally when we travel to Disney World we are on a dinning plan and certain restaurants are family tradition for both of us. When researching Disneyland and thinking about this trip we decided sit down meals was less of a priority. EXCEPT.... we have an early morning reservation for Minnie and Friends breakfast on the Friday we are there. I got the first time they have available. I've read the good, the bad and I guess ugly about every character meal. We've always done at least one character meal every trip and decided to carry that tradition on. I happen to have a great love for Chip and Dale... like hints of them can be found all over my room. I also love Minnie. So this seemed like the best pick. I'm not picking based on food here people, I'm picking based on characters! Other then that we are sticking to counter service. I know we will go to Earl of Sandwich on Sunday for my birthday. I love their tuna and we also go there when in Disney World. I've also been making a list of food I want to check out when we're there.... drinking out of a cone from cozy cone! Ice cream sundae in the kitchen sink from Clarabelle's! Turkey legs! Mickey bars! (Wait those last two are just things I already love) The only other meal I'll probably plan what I eat in advance will be the night before the race. I want to have some sort of idea where to go.

Our plans for what days we go to different parks is still very much up in the air. I have a couple of priorities on this trip that are far different form my normal trip. I have a niece who is 2 (will be turning 3 a few days before my trip. She was the best 30th birthday gift!) Like all little girls right now she is Frozen obsessed!!!! So we are going to attempt to get a meet and greet fastpass because just imagine if auntie comes home and shows her that she met Anna and Elsa. She'd go crazy. The other is I want to meet Captain America and Thor, because I'm obsessed. I love the marvel superheros, made my day when Disney acquired them! (Really... Disney, Muppets, Marvel, Star Wars... all in one company. It's almost too much.) I'd originally thought to do this the day we got there BUT how can I not go meet them after earning my Avengers Half Marathon medal???

Isn't it pretty? Oh and I could see them on my birthday? Yup plans changed. We'll probably hit the hot tub for a little after the race, I'll shower up, throw on my Thor tee shirt, hang that medal on my neck and off we'll go to see Thor. Happy Birthday me!

Of course there will be food thrown in some place in that mix, I'll probably be hungry/want a beer. I blame all the mud runs I do that give you a free beer at the end. I don't drink a lot of beer.... except at the end of races. I need it, I want it.

Fine, fine... me for real drinking post race.

Yeah an hour later I was already back to drinking mixed drinks! I've been conditioned to drink beer post race! I'm the Pavlov's dog of beer!


Okay that's a long enough update without many pictures. (Sorry to those few people who may stumble here and read this. More pictures in the future.) Next time I post I'll share all about my pre-trip crafting (a costume, hairbows, room decorations...) and my genius idea to not only not over pack for the first time ever but to only pack a carry on!

 

[Tink220]

fun story - thanks for sharing!

 

[poppinspal]

Life has been crazy, crazy, crazy. I will probably post soon with some details but there have been some changes with my trip.

So a good friend of ours decided about two days ago to book a plane tickets and come along. Yup, just like that. Years ago my cousin, myself, our friend and her daughter(who has been my best friend for about 22 years) all went to Disney World to run the Tower of Terror race. (The original version, not the new one that they started a few years ago.) We were teasing Wendy reminding her that she got swine flu last time we went on a Disney trip and next thing we know she decided she'd come with us to Disneyland. Her daughter wants to come but it's looking like she can't make the time off from work happen.

Here's a picture of the four of us after the Tower of Terror in 2009. That's me second from the left.

I was about 40 pounds more then I am now, this was about the start of a HUGE weight loss transformation for me. If you'd told that girl in that picture how much weight she'd drop, how many miles she'd run regularly and how much weight she'll be lifting regularly she wouldn't believe you. Man sometimes it's good to remember how far you've come. Took me not even two years to put that weight on and it was an emotional journey to take it off. Wow okay sorry got a little thrown looking back at that picture.


I'll have another update tonight but for now I'm just excited our party has grown to three and I'll be able to celebrate this first visit and my birthday with some pretty great people.

 

[FaithsWish]

I am following along! Love your trip report so far! You know I have a soft spot for the Avengers also.

 

[poppinspal]

So the past month or so has been filled with mostly those little things that you do before a trip, or maybe just those little things I do before the trip.

I booked our only two sit down meals we are planning on. The first one is to Naples restaurant the night before the race. I heard you can get a coupon to eat there if its your birthday so I signed up and then booked a reservation. Figured this would be a great place to eat. (Me and every other runner who has a reservation there that night. Early times were hard to come by!) I'm already planning out my night before glass of wine.

Ok here's where I admit the girl who never drank wine now... has a love of wine, well certain wines. I tend not to get nervous the morning of a race, probably because I kick into go mode when I get up and get ready. The night before? Oh man... do I have my number? Did I program my alarm right? Every race, every time. Doesn't matter that I've done a crazy amount of 5ks, about 7 half marathons, so many obstacle course races. I get nervous. So I drink some wine the night before and relax. (It's also a nice break after drinking tons of water in preparation.) My darling friend Amy and I split a bottle of wine the night before our last Tough Mudder. Robert Mondavi Cabernet.... oh man so good.

I totally digress... so yes I booked that for the night before the race. The only other table service we are planning on is Minnie and Friends breakfast at Plaza Inn. Growing up I don't remember a lot of character meals, we did them just not with any sort of regularity. As an adult I really enjoy them. I also have a huge love for Chip and Dale and of course Minnie so this one was perfect and the other possible characters we get to meet made this one the obvious choice. Plus being inside the park and the location from the pictures reminds me of Crystal Palace (which I love) so I'm excited.

Our photopass+ came which had me so excited. I love the idea of getting all my photos from Disney and they're already paid for. Shortly after that our package came with our passes and all our trip info. I was in love! Disney World hasn't sent passes in well forever. So when I got this package from Disneyland it was so old school Disney to me that I took so many pictures.

Love the luggage tags they sent us! And they are so sturdy! (Yes, those are my plaid pjs in the background. lol)

Passes! I will be taking the ducks and my cousin can have the dogs! Just made me laugh how they did that, though probably not on purpose!

I told my cousin this is what I looked like when I opened the package...

So it was very exciting to get all of that, it finally made it more real. Over the next couple of weeks I treated myself to a few things for the trip that I normally wouldn't have. I got myself a new running belt. (Too boring to share a picture of.) My cousin suggest we wear Disney shirts every day and while I probably had enough to do it I got myself this frozen shirt. (My 2 year old niece like all little kids is obsessed with the movie so we have talked about having a frozen day at home where we both wear our shirts.) I got myself this Thor shirt because I love/adore the Avengers, especially Thor and Captain America. Then a friend of mine and I were at the halloween store so I could buy a prop for my costume to run in and I saw this shirt and fell in love with the shield on the back. I had decided not to get it because it wasn't on sale and I'd already spent enough money leading into the trip. Well a few days later my friend gave it to me!! So now I have shirts for my two favorite Avengers!!


I've started to pack. Mostly because during the week between work and my workouts I tend to be busy and then this weekend I'm watching my nieces while my sister goes to a wedding and then my best friend is in for a visit from California. Oh and then I leave for my trip!!! I bought those ebags and so far I really like them. I'm attempting to pack just a carry on and I hope they help because I am a notorious over packer!!

My sister was over a few weeks ago and we went to the fabric store to get some fabric to make the costume I'm going to run the half in. (As Thor... obviously.) While we were there we picked up some other fabric and made some bows for me to wear while I'm on the trip! (I haven't finished the costume for the race, probably will tonight. When it's finished I'll share some pictures.)

The Olaf one was for my niece. Polka dots is for breakfast with Minnie and the Thor one is clearly for the day I wear my Thor shirt to meet him. I may wear the polka dot one when I'm home as well. I've seen really cute hairstyles where girls put a bun in and put these next to it to dress it up. We will see.

So everything is moving forward and this time next week I will be at work just waiting to leave for the airport. It's pretty exciting.

Oh and to share some non trip related fun. Halloween is my Dad's birthday so it's always a big deal. This year was the first year my niece really got the whole trick or treating thing and she LOVED it. She loved ringing the door bell, saying trick or treat and every house we went to she said thank you. I was impressed by how well she did. Last year we only took her to certain neighbors that I grew up with so they could see her, this year we hit about two blocks. She hasn't really even had much of the candy from what my sister says.

So here's me with my two nieces on Halloween. FYI my ears and tutu are both for Disney World. I got the tutu the year I ran the Princess Half Marathon. Thats my go to kid Halloween costume. Those ears are also coming on the trip with me. (Tutu is sadly staying home.)

My niece requested Anna and Elsa pumpkins from me this year. (Last year was Doc McStuffins and Hello Kitty.) So here they are.

Elsa was a bit rushed because I only had like 45 minutes to do them and I used most of that on Anna. Oh well. So yes we are really a Disney family.

Phew I am long winded. I'll have to share about the room decorations, potential nail polish designs and a few other details another time.

 

[poppinspal]

I am following along! Love your trip report so far! You know I have a soft spot for the Avengers also.

Yay!!

The Avengers are awesome. Faith knows whats up!

 

[FaithsWish]

You are an awesome aunt! Love the pumpkins!

 

[Disney127]

Enjoy reading your pre-trip report. I love all the details! My DD (12 turning 13 on Nov 18) will be in DL from Nov 15-23. Can't wait!

 

[chttyangel]

Glad your trip came together after so many bumps in the road. Good luck on your run. (BTW; I love to run the mud runs/obstacles too! Climbing over a wall or thru a mud pit adds a whole new level. Still haven't made it to any of the Disney runs thou!)

 

[FaithsWish]

Almost time!!!

 

[nene0182]

Joining in! It's almost time for you to go. Hope you have a wonderful birthday trip!

 

[poppinspal]

So the day is finally here. I work 7-3 so I'm working my regular work hours today, I well then go home and change then it's off to the airport!! I'm desperately hoping to sleep on the plane tonight. If not I have loaded my ipad up with books. I decided to FINALLY read the Kingdom Keepers books. I find them to be a fairly easy read and have breezed through most of them. I have one and a half books left to read. They might be easy reads but I find them enjoyable and it's fun to picture the places they are talking about.

So the past week or so has been a bit crazy between work and a friend visiting from California. One of my closest friends back to LA(where she is originally from) in August. Her visit out here was the first time I'd seen her since she moved, she and I were always doing things together when she was here so it was nice to catch up with her. Felt like we just picked right back up. Also very exciting is that she is about an hour and a half drive away from Disneyland but she and her husband are thinking they might make the drive down to see me after the race!!! She was my running buddy when she lived here so she was super excited to hear about the course and everything.

My mom and I(mostly my mom) finished my costume for me to run in. I love races that have fun themes (and clearly I'm an Avengers nut) so I knew I had to dress as Thor. I don't want to share the whole costume till race day but here's a sneak peak...

Mom hard at work. I should mention that I have one of the most supportive moms around. She comes to races and stands there to watch me run by for twenty seconds, she's there at the end to hand me flip flops. She never NEVER has anything but support for my obstacle course races despite thinking they're crazy. I love my mom (and my dad!) to no end.

Here's it sort of in progress with things pinned down.

Last night I decided to copy a Thor themed manicure I'd seen on Pintrest. This is before I cleaned up the edges and all that. It's a bit over the top compared to what I normally wear but hey it's all in the spirit of things.

I also got my pins ready to bring to trade. I love pin trading. They are such small little reminders that make me happy. I have built up a collection of them over the years and tend to only bring ones I'm willing to trade plus a few favorites I like to have on my lanyard. I tend to have chip and dale, tink and special event/holiday pins. If I go to the Halloween or Christmas party at WDW I get a pin or if I'm there for some other event I will buy a pin. I don't buy pins for things I've never been to just to have them! Then theres random things that just catch my eye... like Mickey and Minnie as Bert and Mary Poppins!! My ex built this for me after my sister's Disney World wedding. (The castle picture I took while we were there. Oh and the ex who built it was not the one from the start of the story. This ex is a great guy who just happened to not be my forever guy. We're still friendly. lol) The bottom few rows on the left are from holidays and events. The row above them is all my race pins from WDW. The three original Tower of Terror races and the one Princess half I did. (For those who don't know the Tower of Terror ran for three years then they stopped it for awhile and brought it back a few years ago.)

So that was the busy little things I've been doing aside from packing. Today at work we are having a little pizza party and then it will pretty much a wrap on the day. I'll tidy my desk, write my boss a note of pending stuff and that's it!!

Today is also my nieces 3rd birthday. When we decided to fly out at night to give us the whole day tomorrow at the parks I wasn't thinking about the date. I have felt so guilty. She's more excited to know that I'm going to see Princess Anna! (Kids!) I will say that I love kids, I was a preschool teacher for six years and loved it. I find myself out at restaurants or on buses in Disney and next thing I know I've had a twenty minute conversation with a 7 year old. (My ex would always laugh when this happened.) But I never, never realized the kind of love you have for a child who is related to you. Being an aunt has so changed me. Also... best birthday gift ever, becoming an aunt and godmother 5 days before my 30th birthday!! So you'll have to excuse me for sharing a few pictures of my niece today.

Here we are in Disney World on her first trip. (We're hoping to all go again next fall for her sister's first trip!)

Her she is in front of a Christmas tree at Caribbean Beach Resort wearing one of the shirts I made her.

In August I run one of the biggest road races in the country which just happens to be in the town my sister lives in. The day before the race they had a kids race which my niece ran in and I got to run with her. At the end she got a medal. She keeps asking to do more races, at two, well now three! Of all the interests of mine I get to share with her this is one of the most meaningful to me. Here we are after her race.

And here we are at the finish of my race the next day. 7.1 miles along the coast in the August sun, yup I look sweaty.

So that's a wrap. Boarding pass is printed and my next step in this trip is going to be security at the airport!!! I'm sure I will pop in when I'm on my trip. Can't believe it's finally here!

 

[poppinspal]

Thanks to everyone who has been reading. Hope you follow along for the trip report!!!

 

[Disney127]

Thanks to everyone who has been reading. Hope you follow along for the trip report!!!

Have a magical time!

 

[FaithsWish]

Sending mucho good vibes your way for an awesome run! Have fun!