Ohana means... everything! A sentimental trip report - Fall 2018

[TeaForTulips]

Hello! Welcome to my trip report! My name is Tarah. (that's pronounced like Sarah, but with a T)​

I did a PTR that lacked the luster I hoped for. Fingers crossed I can rock the trip report! Long time lurker does not a great poster make. I can admit this.

But! I appreciate anyone who comes along for the ride.

Our trip took place from September 28th through October 6th.
Fall decorations. MNSSHP. Food and Wine. Still incredibly hot and surprisingly little rain.

Let us proceed with introductions!

About me? I'm a 30-something southern gal, former nanny, and teacher in the making. My special skills include singing Disney songs, picking the wrong line at the grocery store, and using all the hot water in the morning.

The Favies before the trip:
Park: Magic Kingdom
Ride: Thunder Mountain, Tower of Terror
Character: Mulan, Dale, Wall-E, Mary Poppins

This is me.




I don't have many photos of just me.

I've been with my now wife for 12 years. She did not accompany me on this trip for health reasons. Once upon a time, we lived in Orlando and had annual passes. It was a dream. We've lived all over this country and consider ourselves very blessed.

I very much missed my wifey, but we still managed a party of 6 this trip.



The rest of the gang includes my sister, Trista, and her husband, Mario, their two children, Pierce (12) and Hallise (10), and our father, Billy.

My sister and I grew up on Disney. I always joke we were raised on Disney, Christmas, and sweet tea.
For the most part, we're two peas in a pod.
We are also very different.



She is 16 months older than myself, but if you ask her, she will tell you I'm the older sister. We call each other "seesters" or "sisters." Her kids often call me "Aunt Sister" even. I call them my squishies.

The Favies before the trip:
Park: EPCOT
Ride: Peter Pan, RnRC
Character: Cinderella​

Trista has been married to Mario for a dozen years.



This is Mario's third trip to Disney, along with their kiddos.
Perhaps it wasn't instant, but Mario got bit by the Disney bug.

The Favies before the trip:
Park: Hollywood Studios
Ride: Haunted Mansion and RnRC
Character: Lumiere





Continued in next post...​

 

[buteraa]

Sounds like a great trip. Looking forward to hearing more. I hope your wife is feeling better now and sorry she had to miss your trip.

 

[TeaForTulips]

The squishies' first trip was when they were oh so leetle...



Where does the time go?? Of course, they don't remember this trip.

This one is from 2013...



Then again this year on the same wall...



Seriously. Why are they almost teenagers?!

Their second trip was in 2015. They remember some, but not a lot from this trip as well.



They are both fantastic kiddos with amazing personalities.

Pierce (12) is in the 6th grade and loves chess, boxing, and video games.



The Favies before the trip:
Park: EPCOT
Ride: Test Track
Character: Jafar

Hallise (10) is in the 5th grade and loves dancing, all things Zelda, anything crafty, and swimming.



The Favies before the trip:
Park: Magic Kingdom
Ride: Soarin' and RnRC
Character: Mulan and Tinker Bell

My last introduction brings us to the reason behind the sentimentality of this trip.



These are my parents. Melody and Billy.
Married 30+ years, both veterans. They met in the Navy.

My mom was the heart and soul of our family.
The reason our family has such a Disney foundation.
The reason we were raised on Ohana and taught that family means everything.



In October 2016, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. At the time, wifey and I were living in Florida. My parents, my sister and her family, and my wife's mother all lived in Louisiana.

In the beginning, things were very hopeful. By the start of 2017, however, things were going the wrong way and quickly. I didn't understand just how quickly at the time, even speaking to my mother daily.

Wifey and I did everything we could to put a move in place. I quit my job. Wifey got a transfer. Movers were scheduled for the end of March.

Then, a phone call came that made me nervous. I left early.

I was in Louisiana 6 days before my mother passed away.






Losing my mother was the shock of my life. She was my best friend. I don't say that lightly. I don't mean that in the way that because she was my mother, she was my best friend. She was my best friend. The best person I'll ever know.

This is a club I didn't want to belong in, but it is a club that no one can understand until you're in it.
My heart goes out to anyone who is a member.

Losing my mother changed everyone's life, of course. Life has become a difficult journey that even time cannot fix.

Continued in next post...

​

 

[TeaForTulips]

My sister and I called my mother "Marmee." A Little Women reference for those who may not know.

We all got Ohana tattoos in my mother's memory.






She was always crafting things, quilting, and crocheting.
She collected My Melody, so Mitsukoshi was always a favorite stop.
However, my mother's absolute favorite beyond favorite is Piglet.



She cried every time she met him. She was always upset he never had enough merchandise.

Mario's mother even made Hallise a little Piglet for her birthday as a tribute to her Nana.



Last fall, my dad wanted to plan a trip to Disney, but everything felt too soon.

Everyone knew Disney without my mom was going to be brutal.

Marmee's Favies According to Me:
Park: Magic Kingdom
Ride/Attraction: Carousel of Progress and Swiss Family Treehouse
Character: Piglet



Then, my dad had a quadruple bypass on his heart.
It was another reminder that time is not a guarantee.


A big family Disney trip was not something we initially planned, but we knew it was something we all needed.

My dad turned 70 the day before we left for this trip. Everyone calls him "Bobo." He was never the same type of Disney fan as my mother, my sister, and myself. He doesn't know the characters and hasn't seen all the movies. He loves the rides, the atmosphere, and seeing his family happy.


(sometimes you have to improvise when you don't live nearby)

The Favies before the trip:
Park: EPCOT
Ride: Soarin' and Expedition Everest
Character: Buzz Lightyear

​

 

[adventuregirl]

Joining

 

[TeaForTulips]

FRIDAY | TRAVEL DAY
September 28th

My alarm went off at 2:30 am.

My father and I were leaving at 3:30 to meet Trista and the family at 4:00.
We were meeting at a gas station off the Interstate because we were all driving to Dallas to catch our flight.
This is about a 3-hour drive and we were leaving extremely early to ensure nothing went wrong.

Dad and I made it to the gas station early. This would be no surprise to anyone who knows us.

At 3:47 we got a call that Sister and family were just leaving their house.
This would also be no surprise to anyone who knows them.

They weren't too late, however.

Gas tanks were topped off. Coffee was had by some.


And I found a friend.



Gas Station Kitty! Hims had a very fluffy tail and was too cute.

By 4:30 am we were off.

Dallas traffic was horrible, but we were not worried.

When I mentioned we left extremely early I was not exaggerating.

We parked at an outer lot at DFW (hello, cheaper parking) at 8 am.
From there, we took the shuttle to the actual airport.
It was quite simple.

While us adults had checked in already, we still had to check in the kiddos.

Let me back up...
Upon making the airline reservation, Trista somehow forgot to include her children.


She called and got it sorted. Of course, it wasn't a big deal we just had to explain upon arrival that they were not unaccompanied minors.

Somehow, we got lucky enough to all be seated together anyway!

(the best part of this video is Trista saying "My name's Tarah and I know everything" in a mocking tone.

I've no idea what I did, but I'm sure it was something.)

Going through security was no fuss, but for some reason, my bag was either chosen at random or was found suspicious.
I stood there and watched the woman go through it thoroughly.
I mean, I didn't have a problem with it. She's doing her job. I had nothing to hide.
Only... during my packing I ended up shoving my pile of undies in my carryon opposed to my checked bag.

So while she's rummaging, I can only stand by and watch her toss about my delicates.
No joke, she really, really went through it. It took some time.

We got to our gate with 3 hours to kill before our flight.
You read that right.
3 hours.



Luckily, we spotted a Mexican restaurant just down from our gate that starting serving lunch at like 10.
I have noted we got there about 10:15 and grabbed a table.

It was called Blue Mesa and it was soooo good. Our first trip meal, not even Disney, and we were off to a good start.









I remember there were chips, salsa, guacamole.
Dad got enchiladas.
Trista and I shared a burrito.
Mario and the kids shared tacos.

The service was great.
Of course, it helped pass the time.

I carried around this itty bitty Piglet Tsum Tsum while we were at Disney.

The original plan was to put it in photos. I quickly realized, however, that was just not going to happen.
That's why you see him in these couple of photos and never again.
I wish it would have been more feasible.





Pierce worked on homework while on the plane.
Everyone else either napped (Mario and Bobo, I believe) or watched their electronics.

The flight was super quick and we loved our flight attendants.
After hearing awful things about the airline, we were pleased.

Next Post: Travel day continues. We make it to Orlando!
​

 

[TeaForTulips]

Sounds like a great trip. Looking forward to hearing more. I hope your wife is feeling better now and sorry she had to miss your trip.

Thank you! She has some chronic illnesses that make doing a week of Disney really hard on her body. She is good though.

Joining

Welcome!

 

[Wayland10]

I'm glad that you and your family were able to be together and celebrate your mom in a place that is special to you all. Disney was our last family vacation all together before we unexpectedly lost my dad, and I know going back will be rough, but I'm looking forward to it. They're never really gone as long as the love remains. Sorry, you made me weepy.

 

[TeaForTulips]

FRIDAY | HELLO, ORLANDO
September 28th

Our family usually drives to Disney. It's always been much cheaper because we prefer to have a car during our stay.
Flight + rental adds up quickly.
When wifey and I lived in Orlando, however, everyone would fly to us. That was the only exception in the past.
This time, the flights and rental were such a good deal we did it.



I love my father, but can I just say flying instead of driving 18 hours in the car with him was oh so worth every penny.

We did hit a snag when we made it to the rental car counter.
We had two reservations.
One, we booked with our flight as a package. It was basically a "free" van for the stay.
The second, my dad booked a standard car for the stay.

He was planning to drive a few hours away to visit friends for the first couple of days.

We first attempted the rental kiosk.

Welp.
That froze right after it confirmed it charged my dad's credit card.


Trista and Dad got in line while I guarded the kiosk.
They were able to see my dad's reservation and eventually I was able to abandon my post.

The snag was they couldn't find the second reservation. All the "confirmation numbers" we printed out were not valid.

We probably spent at least half an hour at the rental car desk.
A manager was called over.
It was not looking good.

After a lot of frustration, the woman at the counter tried looking up the reservation under my name...

The airline reservation was booked by Trista.
It was paid for by Bobo. Different last name.
I was the last person on the reservation but had no importance to it. Also, a different last name.

And lo and behold, the van reservation pulls up under my last name.
Who'da thought?

We were so grateful because while the manager was there working with us, they were not actually helping us in terms of finding an alternate route to get us what we paid for and had proof of paying for when things were not looking good.

Finally, we were able to head across to the parking garage to the rental cars and pick things out.

Trista and family were driving the van and picked that out.
Dad and I were driving the car and picked that out.
I don't actually remember what kind of van it was. I believe a Chrysler?
Dad and I picked out a green Kia Soul. I had gotten one before as a rental and was pleased with how spacious it was for such a little car. I knew the green would make it easier to find in crowded parking lots.

Leaving the airport is where we hit our next snag.

...at least, I did.

My wife travels a lot for work, and, as I mentioned above, everyone flew to us when we lived in Florida. While we were there, I knew the airport like the back of my hand.
One tricky bit? We lived in Altamonte Springs. Leaving MCO was always just a straight shot down 436 to our house.
Leaving MCO and heading to Disney?
Yeah.
That was new to me.

I put the Wal-Mart we were headed to into my phone and left it in Google's hands.

Google let me down and I drove in circles around the airport.

Twice.

I finally looped back around so I could just follow the signs instead of Google's lame attempt at back roads and things were finally heading in the right direction.
Literally.

At Wal-Mart, Trista's family bought some toiletries that they chose not to pack since they did carry-ons only.
We picked up a case of water, more snacks than any of us needed, and a couple of beach towels for Pierce and Mario who were going to Volcano Bay the next day.

We went to the tourist Wal-Mart nearest Disney so it took a bit to get out of there, but it wasn't too bad.

It was finally time to head to the hotel!

Next Post: Travel day (still) continues! We make it to All Star Music.

​

 

[TeaForTulips]

I'm glad that you and your family were able to be together and celebrate your mom in a place that is special to you all. Disney was our last family vacation all together before we unexpectedly lost my dad, and I know going back will be rough, but I'm looking forward to it. They're never really gone as long as the love remains. Sorry, you made me weepy.

Thank you so much. No sorry needed. However, I am so sorry about your dad. I can tell you, it was super duper rough without her, but her memory never left us for a minute. It was very bittersweet.

 

[Trista_Daisy]

Greetings and salutaions! Trista here! Travel day really went smoothly. Dallas traffic is, and always will be, horrible. Besides that and one wrong turn (my bad!) we arrived at DFW and did not have to rush about like maniacs.

Other parents have forgotten to book their children’s flights when they book their own, right??? No? Only me?? Well..again, my bad. When I originally found the package I booked with Spirit Airlines, I read no reviews until after. The reviews I did read were not promising. But I figured we were saving time flying and the end destination being Disney, we will live. Spirit was fantastic!!! We had great flights there and back (spoiler haha!).

Not having my mother physically on this trip was hard. But spiritually, she was there every second. As the trip report continues, you will find out how this ended up being one of our best Disney trips ever!! Stay tuned and thanks for following!!

 

[Wayland10]

Other parents have forgotten to book their children’s flights when they book their own, right??? No? Only me?? Well..again, my bad.

I actually have done this. When my oldest daughter was around one, I didn't book her into a flight. She was a lap baby, right? No ticket? With a sigh, the ticket agent explained that if the plane crashed, they needed to know who was on board.
Yeah, I felt really good after that.

 

[TeaForTulips]

FRIDAY | THE DISNEY BUBBLE
September 28th

Since my morning started at 2:30 am that morning, it felt like an eternity had passed before we got to Disney World.

We needed to be in the Disney Bubble!

Back when we made our reservations for this trip, we picked All Star Music. We've stayed there before a couple times.
We've always stayed at value resorts because we're very much the type who say we're just sleeping there.
We're content with the values.

Our initial reservation was probably made in December 2017? Our goal was to book now and then pray for Free Dining.
We always got it in the past, knew how it worked, and the dates historically meant we could get it again.

Then, in April (I believe) the time came and we woke up before the sun to snag Free Dining the day it released.
We thought about getting a reservation for Pop Century (hello, refurb), but I assumed those rooms would be the first to go.

I was right.
All Star Music it was.

Edited to add: Seriously, Hallise's commentary in some of the videos I'll post throughout this report is a hoot. I do recommend watching them.


I had faxed our room requests 3 different times leading up to our trip starting about 30 days out.
Our rooms were linked online and I made sure to list both reservations on the faxes.
We both had preferred rooms.

My request?
"Rooms side-by-side in Calypso, building 1, first floor, closest to the lobby and laundry... for example, rooms 1101-1110."
Basically, I was asking for the best location in the joint.


The main thing I wanted, though, was the side-by-side. The last time we all stayed together the room numbers made us assume we got side-by-side, but our rooms were around the corner from one another. That sounds so minute, but even that was a hassle at times.

We had both gotten room texts once our flight landed and not only were our rooms not close.
We weren't in the same sections.
Trista's room was in Jazz. Mine was in Calypso.



The pink circle is where I requested.
The black circle is where Trista's room was.
The red circle is where my room was.

At the check-in counter, we had a lovely CM.
I basically asked him if there was any way to get a side-by-side room.
After a bit of Disney magic, he was able to move Trista's room to the one directly next to mine.

Yay! We would have taken him moving us wherever, so it was fantastic that we still got to stay pretty close to the main lobby.

We were rooms 0401 and 0402. Our doors faced the pool.

I'll admit these rooms do need a refurb desperately. I'm glad to know it's on the books.
We were still content. Everything was clean.
The shower pressure was ah-mazing. I miss that shower.
We had a bit of trouble with little bitty caterpillars getting in. I found a few of them throughout the week in our room.

Luckily, this guy never made it inside.



Our plans were to keep the night easy.

We headed to the main building for dinner.

Last time we did Free Dining, we upgraded to the standard dining package.
The value resorts give you the quick service package.
It was sooo much for us. Too much food.
And mostly, too much time constraint with all the reservations.
We stuck with the quick service package for this trip.

We each got our refillable mugs.
I'll admit we all got really good use out of them.
I only put water in mine because while they had a variety of beverage options, none of them fit my needs.
I can't have carbonation. I cannot have too much sugar. I'm allergic to caffeine.
So.
It's a good thing I'm very happy with water.

Dad and I both got the meatball plate for dinner.
It was giant. Neither of us put even a dent in it.
I picked at mine because the sauce was loaded with onions, which I do not eat.
The meatball itself was tasty though.



The biggest win for this was the Caeser salad that came with it.
Between that and the bread stick, I was happy.

Dad got this as his dessert. I think it's just a cinnamon crumble?




Hallise and I both got the Unicorn Cupcake. We just had to try it. It did not disappoint.
Apologies, the picture doesn't do it justice and it was SO MESSY.







It was full of unicorn magic inside!

SO CUTE.

Hallise got chicken nuggets and fries and had no complaints.

I believe this one is Pierce's choice.



A BBQ pork sandwich with chips.

I'm missing what Mario got. I cannot remember, but I think he devoured it and said it was yummy.

This is Trista's.



Fish of some sort...
I warn you now, we failed so hard at remembering food photos this trip.
Every. Time.
Half eaten... picture!
Already gone... we forgot a picture!

She got the Dole Whip Cupcake and said it was amazing.
It had the little squeeze of pineapple juice in a tubette.
Adorbs.

After food, we looked about the gift shop.



Mario had a good debate about these Wilderness Explorer ears but ultimately did not get them.

We had an evening swim and I noted I was in the bed by 9 pm.

Next Post: Bobo heads north, the boys head to a volcano, and the girls head to a castle!


​

 

[heaven2dc]

Enjoying your trip report! So sorry about your mother passing away It's always bittersweet to think about booking a Disney vacation again but so glad that you did and that your dad was also ready to go too! Love your food pics! That unicorn cupcake looks like it would keep me awake for days lol

 

[luckylady]

Wow the food at the airport looked amazing. After the mess with the van I was afraid you weren’t going to get it, whew you did. A long day for you all,but it looked fun. Can’t wait for more.

 

[TeaForTulips]

SATURDAY | MAGICAL KINGDOM
September 29th

Our first park day!
We were heading to Magic Kingdom!

At least, Trista, Hallise, and myself were.

Mario and Pierce were off to Universal's Volcano Bay.

Bobo was off to Jacksonville to visit friends.

We deemed the day "girls day".

Since Pierce was going to the water park, we let Hallise decide our entire day.
She picked out our FastPasses and made all the decisions!

Initially, our Be Our Guest breakfast reservation was before park opening as MK was scheduled to open at 9.
Then Disney did their thing and before we left the park was opening at 8.

Hallise decided she still wanted breakfast at Beast's castle and we were not going to deny her!
(we were having breakfast here again later as a whole group so the option to miss this one wasn't as nuts as it may sound)

I was up at 5 am, in the shower by 5:30, and ready by 6:30.

Since Bobo took the car and Mario was taking the van, us girls were doing something we rarely did at Disney...

Take the bus!



We were thrilled the wait was minimal and we made it on the first one that came.
We were happy gals!

This is where Hallise began calling Magic Kingdom "Magical Kingdom" and we loved it.
It stuck a bit and we said it throughout the trip.


We made it to the Magical Kingdom by 7:34 am.
Our BOG reservation was for 8:15 and I was hoping they'd still let us in early.

Of course, it was pretty packed, unlike the old days before they let people in for the castle show.
(a moment of silence for the train station welcome show... )

Of course, we cried. Quite a bit.
The Disney Magic.
The missing Marmee.
It was overwhelming.

But!
We pulled it together and did what everyone expects us to do...

Take some selfies.








We couldn't dillydally, though! We had a different castle to get to.

(Side note... I had to "compress" my photos and I feel like the quality really takes a hit. I apologize. Womp womp.)



We got there before 8 am and waited in line for the restaurant to open.
Luckily, we pre-ordered and our line was much, much shorter.
Seriously, pre-order if you can. I don't think you'll regret it with the line comparison.
(which I did not photograph)



Silly Sister in line.


Continued in next post...
​

 

[TeaForTulips]

SATURDAY | BREAKFAST WITH A BEAST
September 29th

I had eaten at BOG many times while living in Florida.
I always ordered a kid's meal and got into the park early.
It was fantastic.

Trista and Hallise, however, were ready to see the splendor!

Hallise wanted to sit in the art gallery room, but they keep it closed until the ballroom fills up.
Womp womp.
At least we did get to see it.

Our food came ridiculously fast.

Our pastries.



I ordered Feast a la Gaston.



Hallise got the Croque Madame.



Trista got the Open-Faced Bacon and Egg Sandwich.



Everyone was so happy.
The food was truly delicious.



I've yet to have a bad meal here and the atmosphere is too good to pass up!
Not to mention the early park entrance, when applicable.

We got in line for Seven Dwarf's Mine Train at 8:38 am.
It was posted at 20 minutes and we waited for exactly that.
I have noted that it was apparently a torturous 20 minutes because I was in line next to a gum smacker.
My worst pet peeve EVER.

After Mine Train, we headed to Adventureland because it was time for someone to become a mermaid!


Next Post: Hallise not only becomes a mermaid, but she gets Disney Famous.​

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Joining! Can't wait to hear more...

 

[TeaForTulips]

Greetings and salutaions! Trista here! Travel day really went smoothly. Dallas traffic is, and always will be, horrible. Besides that and one wrong turn (my bad!) we arrived at DFW and did not have to rush about like maniacs.

Other parents have forgotten to book their children’s flights when they book their own, right??? No? Only me?? Well..again, my bad. When I originally found the package I booked with Spirit Airlines, I read no reviews until after. The reviews I did read were not promising. But I figured we were saving time flying and the end destination being Disney, we will live. Spirit was fantastic!!! We had great flights there and back (spoiler haha!).

Not having my mother physically on this trip was hard. But spiritually, she was there every second. As the trip report continues, you will find out how this ended up being one of our best Disney trips ever!! Stay tuned and thanks for following!!

Hi, my seester! Thanks for adding to our report! I know you'll help keep me on the up and up with remembering things!

Enjoying your trip report! So sorry about your mother passing away It's always bittersweet to think about booking a Disney vacation again but so glad that you did and that your dad was also ready to go too! Love your food pics! That unicorn cupcake looks like it would keep me awake for days lol

Welcome! Thank you so much. Neither myself nor Hallise could eat more than a few bites of the unicorn cupcake. It was as sweet as it looked.

Wow the food at the airport looked amazing. After the mess with the van I was afraid you weren’t going to get it, whew you did. A long day for you all,but it looked fun. Can’t wait for more.

We thought we weren't going to get the van either! At least, not without them telling us we suddenly needed to pay a fortune for it. Whew! I was mentally preparing myself for begging Disney to let us ride the Magical Express and just using buses all week. Talk about spoiled. Thank you for joining us!

Joining! Can't wait to hear more...

Thank you! So glad to have you along!

 

[TeaForTulips]

SATURDAY | MOVE OVER, ARIEL
September 29th

Ariel was no longer the mermaid we longed to see!
It was time for Hallise to become a mermaid.

Our appointment was for 9:20.
We arrived at 9:10 and were taken straight back.

First, they had to take care of important matters.
A contract had to be signed.

Then nails, hair, and make-up followed.
Hallise enjoyed herself immensely.
Her CM was fantastic and quite punny, which we loved.






Trista and I enjoyed it as much as Hallise I think.
(Ok. Probably not, but we had a good time.)



Eventually, it was time for the big reveal and for Hallise to be announced a mermaid!
"Pirates, from sea to land this mermaid stands!"
"Yo ho!"

Hallise was told to strike a pose.

I hope she was on cloud nine.


She got so many compliments throughout the day.
We wanted her to feel special and I think she did.









And my FAVORITE picture of Mermaid Hallise...



Oh, my sweet little darling squishy.

She deserves all the good things.

Obviously, the next thing we had to do was ride Pirates.
I have we walked on at 9:52, though it was posted a 10-minute wait.
I like to think we got mermaid privileges.


Next, we went to ride some carpets!
It was posted 10 and we waited for 10.

Hallise controlled the up and down.
Trista and I controlled the tilt, but alas the tilt was broken.
It was still so fun!
Singing along made it worth it.
Obviously.

Continued in next post...
​