Hey Mickey You're So Fine but Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Updated 1/7 Day 7 the end

[tazdev3225]

OK not the greatest title in the world but nothing came to me on this trip and we were there to have fun.

BUT have I caught your attention?

There were 2 of us traveling on this trip. Me, the trip reporter and my friend Kristel. I am from Philadelphia and Kristel is from Indiana. And no neither of us has ever lived anywhere else. OK Kristel did go to school in Florida but that is it. So how did this all come about you ask??? Sit back and join in, and PLEASE comment once in awhile.

I'll start off with some background. Once upon a time in a galaxy far away I found the DIS. I read and planned a trip and when I came home I started a trip report. One person responded a lot, ScottNY. We started talking and became friends.

Through Scott I met some more people, among them Lesprivate. We chatted and decided to meet, but where? They both live in NY but we met in Philadelphia. We had a dinner at the Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse and to my husband's amazement I chatted with them for hours. I am very quiet usually, til you know me anyway. We all had cameras and not ONE picture was taken.

I met more people: Mrsksomeday, KatGarcia and GeminiAngel. The DIS was becoming my favorite place to be.

Fast Forward to December 2009 and Kristel was at Disney with her BFF and my husband and I were there at the same time and at the same resort. Unfortunately I did not know how to text so we never had a chance to meet. As we chatted more I head of something called an Ip Dip dinner. I was intrigued. Then I found out that anyone could go. I was in. I finally got to meet Kristel and her husband Doug. Lesprivate and her DH were also there but they had to leave almost as soon as they arrived. Their DD went into labor. We did at last get to say hello. The dinner and time spent together was really a lot of fun.

Sadly just a few months later Doug lost his battle with cancer. My heart ached for my new friend. I would have driven to Indiana if I could have. We chatted a lot and she wanted to go to Disney again that October. We decided to travel together. My family was shocked. I had met her on the internet. I spent one evening at dinner with her. WHAT WAS I THINKING?????

Well we did get to spend some more time together before the trip. She came to NYC for a long weekend trip. I hopped on a train and went to meet her, Scott and Leslie. We had an amazing time. I knew going to Disney would be great. My kids still weren't sure about this. They wanted me to go with no money and sleep with my credit card in my hand. My kids are insane but they love me. Jim just said "Go and have fun!" We did.

Kristel came to visit me in Philadelphia the following summer and my kids finally got to meet her. They decided I was OK to travel with her after that. My grandkids still talk about the trip. They really liked her.

We did another October trip and I almost backed out. I fell and had what I thought was a badly sprained ankle, just 10 days before we left. Kristel and Scott convinced me to go and I'm glad I did.

Last October I went to Indiana - no Ip Dip dinner. But we planned this trip while I was there. We just waited to see if any offers came out. She had 2 requirements - the resort and the dates. I was fine with that. Her BFF and another fried were supposed to join us but sadly had to back out.

Now you have some background. Here are some pictures of trips past so you can put faces to names.

Kristel and me the first time we met


The first Ip Dip


and my DH who sends me on these trips


Kristel on our first trip together




Our Ip Dip crew


Kristel and Stitch


The following year


Kristel, Scott, Vinny and me with Frankenstein's boot


The last Ip Dip


Kristel and KatGarcia


And Kristel here in Philly with 2 of my grandkids


And Scott


He still swears I tried to kill us all on this trip. The roads were very curvy and I NEVER went over the speed limit. Too many Amish and buggy's.

New York City


And all of us: Scott, Kristel, Me and Leslie




Now on to the trip.

Cast of Characters: Me - Lorrie
Favorite Character: Grumpy
Favorite Park - All of them for different reasons
Favorite ride - depends on the park. AK- Kilimanjaro Safari. EPCOT- Journey Into Imagination, sentimental reasons. DHS - Star Tours, I am on a quest with this one. MK - I know I hear the groans - It's A Small World. I rode it in the 1964 World's Fair. It brings back wonderful memories.

Kristel - the birthday girl this trip
Favorite Character - Stitch, and no we didn't go on the ride
Favorite Park - I'm going with EPCOT. She likes to drink around the world.
Favorite Ride - She likes the thrill rides.

The Resort - Animal Kingdom Lodge, standard view - parking lot. With a 30 or 35% off offer. We also had the QS meal plan an PH's on our ticket.

Dates - Sunday May 18th to Saturday May 24th

Plans - Almost NONE!!!! She did not want to be tied down to anything. We did plan EPCOT on the first day for the last day of the F&G show so a couple of FP+ there. We had an early ADR at Crystal Palace so some FP+ at MK that day. Star Wars that Friday so a few plans there. AK on the last day so FP+ there. But the burning question - did we actually stick to the plans????

Join in and read along. Now to go through almost 3,500 pictures.

 

[jecskc]

I'm here!! Can't wait to read!!

Susan

 

[cstorm65]

Looking forward to hearing about your trip!

 

[tazdev3225]

I'm here!! Can't wait to read!!

Susan

I am still sorting through pictures. I took an epic 3500+ this trip. Hope to get day 1 started in the next day or so.

Looking forward to hearing about your trip!

Thanks for joining in. It was a fun trip with some bumps in the road so hopefully exciting to follow.

You're going on your first cruise soon? How exciting. My DH and I are taking our first cruise in November. I can't wait.

 

[mrsksomeday]

So happy you told me about this report. Kristel is awesome and I can't wait to read this.

 

[tazdev3225]

So happy you told me about this report. Kristel is awesome and I can't wait to read this.

She really is. I finally uploaded some pics so I will be getting started on the trip itself soon.

 

[KatMark]

Here; will catch up when I am back.

 

[tazdev3225]

Here; will catch up when I am back.

Hope you are having a good time.

 

[scottny]

I am here.
I love the sleep with the credit card. I remember when they were questioning you about it.
Oh I loved that cruise. I need to do that again. OH MY GOD! Look at me. Ewwwwww!
Frankenstein’s boot. LOL. We need to do do-over pics. LOL
My drink looked good.
It was a very scary car ride. I held on for dear life.
I loved that day ion NYC. So much fun.
Can’t wait to hear how it went.

 

[tazdev3225]

I am here.


I love the sleep with the credit card. I remember when they were questioning you about it.

My kids are insane, what can I tell you. They are much better now. They ask when my next rip is. I think they just want to get rid of me.


Oh I loved that cruise. I need to do that again. OH MY GOD! Look at me. Ewwwwww!

That was such a great night and the cruise was amazing. Thanks again. And that was another life time ago.

Frankenstein’s boot. LOL. We need to do do-over pics. LOL

That's what it looked and felt like.

My drink looked good.

You did enjoy it.

It was a very scary car ride. I held on for dear life.

Why go to Disney for a thrill ride just take a ride in my car in Amish country. Closer and cheaper. Seriously it was perception. I feel like that in the back of my mom's van but in the front seat not at all. And I WAS going the speed limit.

I loved that day ion NYC. So much fun.

We need to do that again. I am only a train ride away.

Can’t wait to hear how it went.

Finally have day 1 pictures uploaded but was at FOUR baseball games yesterday and went to 3 or 4 dollar stores for some cheap games for the kids at church. Then I came home and made "Dirt", bean salad and fruit salsa. The salsa is very good and healthy, all fresh fruit ad can be eaten with chips or as a salad.

 

[MEK]

Thanks for the heads up on the TR.

So you drove 17 hours by yourself to meet Kristal? You really are my driving hero!

My kids had the same reaction when I started traveling with Cynthia.

How wonderful that you met such a great friend on the DIS.

Looking forward to more!

 

[tazdev3225]

Thanks for the heads up on the TR.

You're welcome.

So you drove 17 hours by yourself to meet Kristal? You really are my driving hero!

No I flew. I'm good til Virginia then I fall asleep. Kristel drove from Indiana an it is about the same distance. My kids would really get on me and my mom would ground me. Why I had to stay with my aunt last year.

My kids had the same reaction when I started traveling with Cynthia.

I appreciated the concern but I told them I am a big girl. Their answer, "The world has changed and you don't get it."

How wonderful that you met such a great friend on the DIS.

It really is nice to have made several great friends because of the DIS. Scott and Kristel are wonderful friends./COLOR]

Looking forward to more!

I finally have time to sit and relax so I am hoping to get an update done tonight.

 

[tazdev3225]

OK I finally got the link to work, I hope, and Day 1 loaded and written out so let's get on with the show.

Before we leave for Disney I need to tell you that planning this trip at times was stressful. I had used the FP+ in December so knew there could be some kinks in the system. I also knew that Kristel and I have different traveling styles. She didn't want the Memory Maker as seeing characters wasn't a big deal to her. I would have liked to see a couple but gave in on that point. That's where the title came in because Kristel - Just wanted to have fun.

She had to work the week before we left so was packed before me. I would get a text asking if I had started to pack and my reply was always - my shampoo.

I did not have as great a week. First my DSLR decided to act up. I took it to the camera shop and they promised to try and have it back in time. Two days later I got a call that it just needed a cleaning and an update. I was good to go. I didn't quite believe them but OK.

Then - My week went downhill!!!!

D Day minus 6, Monday- I had my grandkids, that means Ella. However Mikey didn't feel well. OK no going to my house to pack. A friend picked Crystal up from school for me and when she dropped her off I'm not sure who was more upset - the friend, her son or Crystal. The son accidentally shut the car door on Crystal's hand. She could move it so we put some ice on it and I told her father when he came home. Waste of breath - "she's fine" and down to the basement he went.

I had a meeting that night so a quick dinner and off I went. Came home to go on FB and got a private message almost the second I was signed in. My oldest grandson was sent home from school and was really sick. His other grandmother was concerned because he had pain in the lower right abdomen. NOT GOOD!!!! He refused to go to the ER and his mother was at work so we kept an eye on him. No packing tonight.

D Day minus 5 - Tuesday - I took my DGD Crystal out of school and off to the drs. we went. Her hand was really swollen and hurt. Of course I knew that also meant X-Rays. There went my entire afternoon. Thankfully she just bruised a bone in the hand. Whew!!!! She was jumping up and down for joy - no softball!

I checked on my grandson and he said he was feeling a little better. I had just gotten dinner done and was sitting down to eat when I got a phone call from my son. Jay was not better and my son told him he was going to the ER no discussion. The problem was my son could not get there he had to watch his other son while his wife worked her overnight job. "Please mom can you go over and keep me informed?" What else would I do?

Finally around 1 AM the dr. came in to let us know they were transferring Jay to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. The hospital he was in doesn't do pediatric surgery. Yep he had appendicitis. I called my son and managed about 4 hours sleep. No packing done again.

D Day minus 4 - Wednesday - I was up early, by 6:30 AM. Got a shopping list together so I could get some food in the house for my DH. Talked to my son and we planned on heading to the hospital by 9 AM. Surgery was scheduled for 10 AM. By the time we got to the hospital he was already in surgery. So now I worried. I tried to stay calm but this was my Jay, my Disney travel buddy for a few years, my first grandchild. What else could I do - Oh yeah, I prayed a lot.

The surgeon came out and showed us pictures. Jay wanted to keep his appendix, this was the best they could do. It was not a pretty picture and there was fluid in the abdomen. It had ruptured. I thanked God that my son got the boy to listen. Then we headed up to his room to wait for him.

Jay had 2 requests for me. (1) Please go to his high school and let his coach know what had happened. They had a playoff game that day and he was trying to hold off til after baseball was over to get the surgery. (2) Buy him a sword in EPCOT. I do not like swords but I told him I would look.

The coach was amazed that Jay was thinking of baseball. I wasn't.

I fell asleep almost as soon as I got home. No packing done again.

D Day minus 3 - Thursday - I woke up to find out that Jay had spiked a high fever so I had that worry. I also had my grandkids again and add Jay's brother to the mix at the end of the day. Oh well, I couldn't get to the hospital but I texted a lot. The fever broke so they were sending him home that afternoon. He went to his other teams game to cheer them on.

I treated the kids to frozen yogurt at a fund raiser for March of Dimes and closed the car door on my grandson's elbow. Thankfully he had a tiny red mark but he screamed so much that I thought I had broken his arm.

Took DD's kids to the carnival as I had promised them. I got sick and was up all night from the carnival food and stress. Still no packing done.

D Day minus 2 - Friday - I had the grandkids AGAIN! It was cold and raining and I had to go on a class trip with Mikey. Of course that meant I dropped them off at school, Ella off at her great-grandmother's house, my DD at work and then raced to catch the train. I had to meet the class at the museum. I got wet but it was a good trip. Mikey actually went in the dinosaur room. Last time we took him there he panicked and ran out of the museum. It did take almost the entire day to get him to do it - but he did.

I picked up Ella, got the kids from school and somehow finished my laundry before I was done for the day. Then I got into a HUGE fight with the kid's father. I left there shaking I was so mad. Still didn't get packed.

D Day minus 1 - Saturday - Was up at 6:30 AM to check in online with Southwest at 7 AM. Finally had something accomplished for the trip.

Then I had to take the grandkids for baseball pics and 2 games. My daughter had to work. The Preakness was that day so a mandatory work day.

Went to Jay's game to make sure he wasn't playing. Yes he would have tried to play if they let him. And then I made my DH take me out to dinner. I didn't eat as my steak mooed when I put a fork in it. I really didn't care at that point. We went home and I finally PACKED!!!!

I had a restless night though. My one cat kept waking me up because his brother went missing. We still haven't found him. I also had the oddest dream about a Brown Sock character in Disney that I kept missing. Don't ask, I have no clue where that came from.

Finally - DISNEY HERE I COME

Day 1

Jim, my wonderful DH, let me sleep til about 5 AM. I was up and showered and out of the house in 15 minutes. We stopped at the Dunkin Donuts around the corner for a quick breakfast. I had a coupon on the wake up wraps. Bacon, eggs and cheese on a tortilla.



And we were on our way to the airport


It was cold but in a half hour I was out of the house, fed and on my way to Disney.

There was almost no traffic on I 95


And at 5:45 AM I was saying good-bye to Jim for the week. I made him promise to look for Barbossa and keep me updated. I got my bag checked with no problem and had a wheelchair waiting to whisk me away to my gate. Security was a breeze and at 6 AM I was at my gate waiting. I got a front row seat so no tray but more leg room.

At 7 AM we were boarded and taking off. I actually put my camera away, took out my Kindle and relaxed. It was also pretty cloudy most of the way down. We landed about 15 minutes early and I was the first one off of the plane. I needed a bio break. There was no wheelchair for me so I got out my cane and hobbled to my first ride.



I know a fake monorail but since I drive down more often now it gets me excited. I found the ME and had no issues with the MB working. I was on a bus immediately although it was a little full. Did manage a second row aisle seat at least. Had a very nice seat mate and in no time this was in view



The first stop was AofA. It looked really nice. Then POP Century. One day I will stay there. Finally we were at my destination - AKL Jambo House.

I had done the online check in so headed straight to that line. Check in was a breeze and I just had to unlink my credit card from the account. Then major the room was ready.

Headed up and took a few pictures


Our view - the parking lot








My only complaint is that the room was a little small.

I had a call from the ECV company while I was on the ME and my scooter was arriving any minute so I headed to the entrance.

The view from the hallway


and a light fixture


The lobby from the 4th floor


The scooter was there within minutes and I had a text from Kristel that she was still on the road so I decorated the scooters basket. Then I explored some more and headed to Mara for a drink.

A zebra on the overlook


A pretty flower


AKL from the overlook


And my first meal




A strawberry scone and Gold Peak White Citrus Iced Tea. I finished up and went to wait on Kristel's arrival.

 

[GrammyJudy]

I'm here Lorrie.

First question... what is an IpDip?????

I always go to Disney with the family but would love to do n adult trip someday.

Your life with grandkids sounds so familiar. Love them to pieces though.

 

[tazdev3225]

I'm here Lorrie.

Glad you're here

First question... what is an IpDip?????

I don't really know for sure. I'm not even sure Scott remembers.

I always go to Disney with the family but would love to do n adult trip someday.

I love going with the kids and miss them terribly but it is really nice to do an adult trip once in awhile just for me.

Your life with grandkids sounds so familiar. Love them to pieces though.

LOL I love them and couldn't imagine my life without them but sometimes it gets overwhelming. I always get everything in clumps. Can go for weeks with a boring life and then everything happens at once like that last week.

 

[Lesprivate]

I am here Miss you guys. We have to set up another get together. I love that Kettle Kitchen.

 

[tazdev3225]

I am here Miss you guys. We have to set up another get together. I love that Kettle Kitchen.

I miss you too. We do need to get together again. Scott and I said the same thing over the winter. We need to make plans for this summer.

I LOVE the Kitchen Kettle. Shady Maple for breakfast, Kitchen Kettle for browsing and Lapp Valley Farms for ice cream. The perfect day.

Your going on a Disney cruise too. Where too and you will have to tell me about it. We're going on our first one in November.

 

[MEK]

There was almost no traffic on I 95

This is a cool picture! Love it!

Oh your poor grandson! I am sure he is fully recovered now, but that is always so scary.

And your granddaughter with her smashed hand. Ouch!

And your missing cat. That's a shame. Poor kitty.

When DID you manage to pack?

Yay for arriving! Your room looks really nice. I just love AK!

 

[Lesprivate]

I miss you too. We do need to get together again. Scott and I said the same thing over the winter. We need to make plans for this summer.

I LOVE the Kitchen Kettle. Shady Maple for breakfast, Kitchen Kettle for browsing and Lapp Valley Farms for ice cream. The perfect day.

Your going on a Disney cruise too. Where too and you will have to tell me about it. We're going on our first one in November.

We are not going on the cruise, I forgot to clear my ticker.. Emily and I had a last minute trip to Disney in the end of March on the way from visiting my Dad. I am planning to go in December for the PopWarner, my niece Anna, they came in 1st place last year in her age group. This year she is guaranteed to go.

 

[scottny]

Little bit of a challenge to get to the vacation.
MMM, that breakfast wrap looks good.
Lovely phone. Get the weather app off and download hd widget. They have a free one. Great weather app.
I love the monorail at MCO. It is officially my first ride.
Nice pics around the resort. I now want to go there. I miss it.