Shock13
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2006
Yes, you read that right! I vowed never to return to WDW after a very unpleasant trip last year but now just a mere year and a half later I've decided to give the World one more chance and this time do it solo! 
Before I begin the gory details of the trip-that-should-not-be-named, let me introduce myself!
I'm Veronica and I love Stitch! I'm also a fan of Donald and Belle and Cars is my favorite movie mostly because Radiator Springs is based off a town in my home state. If you ever get a chance to drive Route 66 up in northern AZ you will soon realize that many of the characters were based on real locals.
I'm 37, single and no kids but I do have a wonderful roommate named Charlie.
He's a rescue dog so that means he was a little weary around the edges when I got him since rescue dogs are "as is" but he's come a long way and now very healthy and happy and a sweetheart!
For some more background information let me give you the rundown of my previous visits to the WDW. I grew up going to Disneyland. Vacations were camping at the Grand Canyon and a summer trip to Disneyland. We were lucky since family friends lived just a mile away and we stayed with them.
I've wanted to go to WDW for years but couldn't really afford it until January 2009 when Disney released an amazing package of pay 4 nights for 7 and it included a $200 gift card. Do any of you remember that awesome deal???
So I conversed with my Disney companion (Mom) and we decided to make plans! It was an amazing trip! We stayed at AKL with a savannah view and ate at great places like Jiko and California Grill. This is us at our favorite park...
I couldn't wait to return! So I made plans again to visit in April 2011 with my nephew. Lucky for us we were also able to see the newly opened Wizarding World at US.
Me and Chico (not his real name) on the Boardwalk...
Well, we still had a great time but I was exhausted at the end of the week as the temperatures had risen to the 90's and being from the "but its a dry heat" state I had a hard time handling the humidity. I told myself that I was fine with keeping my Disney travels closer to home.
But then my equally Disney-obsessed sister and her family moved from AZ to Miami for her husband's new job. Hey that's just a 4 hour drive to WDW!!! My sister and I began making plans for me to join her family for their first trip to the world. It also began the months of trying to convince BIL of going. It was difficult since BIL was planted firmly in that "they are not even going to remember so why go" category. But my sister performed her Disney magic and the plan was set for 4 days the end of January 2012.
So I flew into Miami then jumped right into the minivan for the 4 hour drive. It was exciting and fun and the kids were extremely excited. We stayed at POP Century which I thought was a great resort.
And then begins the drama...
First day was HS and I was feeling great! No worries and the kids loved the character breakfast at Hollywood & Vine.
Here's me and my DNiece waiting for the Pixar Parade...
Second day we hit AK and was fine in the morning but really started to run down in the afternoon. I began to get some serious pain in my lower back but I just downed some pain reliever and soldiered on. That night I couldn't sleep since I was in more pain and by the morning it still hadn't gone away. Because I didn't want to ruin the trip for my sister and her family so we continued to MK. At the time I thought I had somehow strained my muscles again since weeks earlier I fell on my lower back and was out of commission for a few days. After the long flight and then long car ride, I just assumed this was the reason for the pain.
Well the plan for the next day was to do MK again in the morning then drive back to Miami in the afternoon. I couldn't even stand for more than a few minutes and sitting was incredibly painful as well so...what did I do?
I remained in the car.
Yes, while they were out riding Splash Mountain over and over again, I was stretched out in the backseat of their minivan in the parking lot.
I'll be honest and say that my sister really didn't feel comfortable leaving me there but I assured her that I was just tired and I would be fine. Again, I didn't want to ruin their vacation.
We finally headed back to Miami and I seriously don't even remember this drive because I was only half-aware of my surroundings. We settled in that night and then early the next morning my sister took me to urgent care since I figured I just needed a quick dose of a muscle relaxer and I'd be fine.
But it wasn't muscle strain...I had shingles.
Shingles!!!! Who gets shingles at Disney???
Well apparently I do.
I was given antibiotics and the really good pain reliever.
The next day I flew home in my medicated daze and proceeded to miss two weeks of work because I couldn't return until the "contagious" stage ended. It was then I made that silly vow of never returning to WDW somehow blaming Disney for my misfortune for hyping me up that I'm going to have a phenomenal time and ended up in horrible pain.
But as the months continued and then after a great trip to Disneyland to see the new Carsland which I
I'm going back to WDW and doing it my way!
And the goal...No shingles!
Trip plans coming up...
Before I begin the gory details of the trip-that-should-not-be-named, let me introduce myself!
I'm Veronica and I love Stitch! I'm also a fan of Donald and Belle and Cars is my favorite movie mostly because Radiator Springs is based off a town in my home state. If you ever get a chance to drive Route 66 up in northern AZ you will soon realize that many of the characters were based on real locals.
I'm 37, single and no kids but I do have a wonderful roommate named Charlie.
He's a rescue dog so that means he was a little weary around the edges when I got him since rescue dogs are "as is" but he's come a long way and now very healthy and happy and a sweetheart!
For some more background information let me give you the rundown of my previous visits to the WDW. I grew up going to Disneyland. Vacations were camping at the Grand Canyon and a summer trip to Disneyland. We were lucky since family friends lived just a mile away and we stayed with them.
I've wanted to go to WDW for years but couldn't really afford it until January 2009 when Disney released an amazing package of pay 4 nights for 7 and it included a $200 gift card. Do any of you remember that awesome deal???
So I conversed with my Disney companion (Mom) and we decided to make plans! It was an amazing trip! We stayed at AKL with a savannah view and ate at great places like Jiko and California Grill. This is us at our favorite park...
I couldn't wait to return! So I made plans again to visit in April 2011 with my nephew. Lucky for us we were also able to see the newly opened Wizarding World at US.
Me and Chico (not his real name) on the Boardwalk...
Well, we still had a great time but I was exhausted at the end of the week as the temperatures had risen to the 90's and being from the "but its a dry heat" state I had a hard time handling the humidity. I told myself that I was fine with keeping my Disney travels closer to home.
But then my equally Disney-obsessed sister and her family moved from AZ to Miami for her husband's new job. Hey that's just a 4 hour drive to WDW!!! My sister and I began making plans for me to join her family for their first trip to the world. It also began the months of trying to convince BIL of going. It was difficult since BIL was planted firmly in that "they are not even going to remember so why go" category. But my sister performed her Disney magic and the plan was set for 4 days the end of January 2012.
So I flew into Miami then jumped right into the minivan for the 4 hour drive. It was exciting and fun and the kids were extremely excited. We stayed at POP Century which I thought was a great resort.
And then begins the drama...
First day was HS and I was feeling great! No worries and the kids loved the character breakfast at Hollywood & Vine.
Here's me and my DNiece waiting for the Pixar Parade...
Second day we hit AK and was fine in the morning but really started to run down in the afternoon. I began to get some serious pain in my lower back but I just downed some pain reliever and soldiered on. That night I couldn't sleep since I was in more pain and by the morning it still hadn't gone away. Because I didn't want to ruin the trip for my sister and her family so we continued to MK. At the time I thought I had somehow strained my muscles again since weeks earlier I fell on my lower back and was out of commission for a few days. After the long flight and then long car ride, I just assumed this was the reason for the pain.
Well the plan for the next day was to do MK again in the morning then drive back to Miami in the afternoon. I couldn't even stand for more than a few minutes and sitting was incredibly painful as well so...what did I do?
I remained in the car.
Yes, while they were out riding Splash Mountain over and over again, I was stretched out in the backseat of their minivan in the parking lot.
I'll be honest and say that my sister really didn't feel comfortable leaving me there but I assured her that I was just tired and I would be fine. Again, I didn't want to ruin their vacation.
We finally headed back to Miami and I seriously don't even remember this drive because I was only half-aware of my surroundings. We settled in that night and then early the next morning my sister took me to urgent care since I figured I just needed a quick dose of a muscle relaxer and I'd be fine.
But it wasn't muscle strain...I had shingles.
Shingles!!!! Who gets shingles at Disney???
Well apparently I do.
I was given antibiotics and the really good pain reliever.
The next day I flew home in my medicated daze and proceeded to miss two weeks of work because I couldn't return until the "contagious" stage ended. It was then I made that silly vow of never returning to WDW somehow blaming Disney for my misfortune for hyping me up that I'm going to have a phenomenal time and ended up in horrible pain.
But as the months continued and then after a great trip to Disneyland to see the new Carsland which I
I'm going back to WDW and doing it my way!
And the goal...No shingles!
Trip plans coming up...
