World Showcase or Bust!

[librarymouse]

Hello everyone! This is my very first Trip Report! *Waves*
​

I have really enjoyed reading everyone else's TR's and I am so excited to start my own! My hubby and I will be in WDW from Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012 through Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012.

Without further ado, the introductions:

Me: My name is Nicole, I am 26 years old and I am a librarian at a public library. Obviously, I LOVE reading and all things Disney. I am also a huge Harry Potter fan. I tend to have almost as much fun planning our Disney trips as I do actually taking them!

My hubby: Chris, turning 27 on the first day of our trip! He is a grocery manager at Kroger. He is a huge Star Wars fan, but I have converted him to a Disney lover as well. He is very funny and laid back; he is good for me and lightens me up when I get too "Type A" haha.

This will be our 4th trip to WDW together! We went once in 2005 with my family, for our honeymoon in November 2009, and for my birthday and our 1st anniversary in November 2010.

I grew up going to Disney World every few years with my family (and we always drove!) but Chris's first time was with us in 2005. I have been about 8 times. We usually don't stay on property. We LOVE the Floridays Resort but it was a little too expensive this time so we are trying somewhere new...the Polynesian Isles resort.

Thanks for joining us on our journey! I will lay out our itinerary in the next post!

Table of Contents​

FAVORITES
TRIP ITINERARY
TRIP SHOPPING AND PLANNING BINDER​

 

[librarymouse]

FAVORITES!

I realized that I had not listed our Disney Faves in my last post, so before I write out our itinerary, I wanted to post them!

Nicole's Favorite:
MOVIES: Beauty & the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Tangled
CHARACTERS: Belle, Rapunzel, Stitch, Eeyore, Jack Sparrow, Buzz
SONGS: When Will My Life Begin?, If I Never Knew You, Goin Down the Bayou, Be Our Guest, A Whole New World
PARK: Magic Kingdom
RIDES: Big Thunder Mtn RR, Haunted Mansion, POTC, Peter Pan's Flight, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, Toy Story Midway Mania, Soarin'
SHOWS: Finding Nemo: The Musical, Beauty & the Beast, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, One Man's Dream movie
FOOD: taco salad from Pecos Bill's, Mickey Mouse bars

Chris's Favorite:
MOVIES: Bug's Life, Swiss Family Robinson, STAR WARS
CHARACTERS: Heimlich, R2D2
PARK: Hollywood Studios
RIDES: Star Tours, Big Thunder Mtn RR, Great Movie Ride
FOOD: breakfast at Main Street Bakery, mini cheesecakes, taco salad from Pecos Bill's

Go to Next Post: TRIP ITINERARY

 

[librarymouse]

INTINERARY​

Day 1 (1/21/12):

• Fly from RIC to MCO, Depart 7 AM, Arrive 10 AM
• Check in to hotel
• Hollywood Studios
• Ride Star Tours as much as Chris wants for his birthday!
• ADR at Hollywood Brown Derby for Grapefruit Cake
• ADR for Dinner at Rain Forest Cafe in DTD
• VOLCANO cake for Chris' birthday!

Day 2 (1/22/12):

• Epcot

Day 3 (1/23/12):

• Animal Kingdom
• CS lunch at Yak & Yeti
• ADR for Dinner at 'Ohana

Day 4 (1/24/12):

• Magic Kingdom
• ADR for breakfast at Crystal Palace
• Lunch or Dinner at Pecos Bill's

Day 5 (1/25/12):

• DownTown Disney shopping
• Rest Up
• ADR for Dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe

Day 6 (1/26/12):

• Magic Kingdom
• SpectroMagic Parade

Day 7 (1/27/12):

• Universal Studios Islands of Adventure
• Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Lunch at the Three Broomsticks
• Dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe at Universal CityWalk

Day 8 (1/28/12):

• Hollywood Studios
• Dinner at Raglan Road in DTD

Day 9 (1/29/12):

• Epcot
• Make sure to tour World Showcase
• Depart at 9 pm
• Arrive Home around 11 pm

GO TO NEXT POST: Trip Shopping and Planning Binder

 

[librarymouse]

Look what came in the mail today:

 

[Disneylove1228]

Hi!!! I just saw your link from my ptr!! I'm so glad yall will be there the same time we will! How cool that your husband's birthday will be your first day there!! I love your plans! I need to work on mine, as I tend to be type A too!! He likes to go with the flow, or do whatever feels right that day lol! I love your introductions.. we got married in November, too!! (11/1/2008!) When is your anniversary? Can't wait to read more!

 

[librarymouse]

Hey! I just commented on your post before I realized you had replied here, lol. Our anniversary is also November 1st, but of 2009! Haha!

 

[RGirl]

Hi Nicole! So excited for your trip!

Your plans look great - you know I love Hollywood Brown Derby, so I will be looking forward to that update!

I'm also interested to hear about your off-site resort (take lots of pics!!!) and Universal.

 

[librarymouse]

Hi Nicole! So excited for your trip!

Your plans look great - you know I love Hollywood Brown Derby, so I will be looking forward to that update!

I'm also interested to hear about your off-site resort (take lots of pics!!!) and Universal.

Thank you!
I am really looking forward to visiting the Brown Derby- it will be our first time! I am planning on just having us go for dessert and to soak up the atmosphere, but I'm very tempted to do lunch too!

We usually stay at the Floridays Resort which we LOVE- so gorgeous and spacious, but this time we weren't able to get as good of a deal on it from hotels.com, so we are going to try Polynesian Isles.

 

[RGirl]

Thank you!
I am really looking forward to visiting the Brown Derby- it will be our first time! I am planning on just having us go for dessert and to soak up the atmosphere, but I'm very tempted to do lunch too!

We usually stay at the Floridays Resort which we LOVE- so gorgeous and spacious, but this time we weren't able to get as good of a deal on it from hotels.com, so we are going to try Polynesian Isles.

Wow - the resorts look really nice. Can't believe the low price!! Definitely a little different from a Disney resort in that regard!

 

[librarymouse]

Yesterday I was off so I had a chance to run around and do some shopping to get ready for our trip! I got all of our cute little travel sized toiletries, a few new outfits, a trip journal and a new guidebook!

I was inspired to get a trip journal by Jess (Disneyfreak508) and Kristen (Disneyfreak616)- it should really come in handy when doing my trip report! I found a cute Mickey Mouse one at target. My new book is also in the picture. It's called The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World and it seems pretty cool...it talks about the secrets and stories behind all the little details Disney puts into the attractions.

I can't believe our trip is 2 weeks from tomorrow! Hooray! I have already started packing a little bit! I am proud of myself for not waiting until the last minute, although it's hard to know what to pack because I have know idea what the weather will be like! I think layering is going to be key.

I have been watching Disney movies to get into the spirit (as if I'm not excited enough already!) and so far I've watched Aladdin, Peter Pan, and the new Winnie the Pooh.

I also wanted to share some pictures of my trip planning binder. I got most of the pages and graphics from the awesome Creative DISigners.
Front Cover:

Packing List and my Master Plan for which park to visit which day:

Section Dividers for Dining and the Parks:

Park Planning Pages:

Back Cover:

 

[librarymouse]

I am SO EXCITED- we are leaving in the morning!! 6 1/2 hours actually- I really should be in bed, but who can sleep on Disney-Eve? EEP! Not me, obviously! Our stuff is all packed and ready to go, I did online check in for our flight, and the house is relatively clean...I am working on painting mickey heads on my nails now, then bed time for sure!! My hubby has been sleeping for about 2 hours already, haha! I can't believe I'll be in Orlando in last than 12 hours...it is sleeting here, so it will be so nice to be in that 80* sunshine!

I am going to try to tweet frequently while we are there, so please follow me on twitter: @pinkowlreads

Mickey, here we come! OH BOY!