MouseFest Hop till You Drop at Pop - Day 2 -- UPDATED 1/6 - Page 5 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Hey all ~
Thanks for the encouraging comments! I really appreciate it. My next update will be a day or 2 after Christmas. Yesterday was my birthday and my folks are in town to celebrate that and today we're doing Christmas. Then the next two days we spend it with Glenn's family. I hope everyone has a
Merry Christmas!
and I'll talk to you again in a few days. Wait til you see the Hustle-tini Meet video. Hilarious!
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Oct '99: CSR ~ May '02: CR ~ Nov '04: SOG ~ May '06: SOG ~ Dec '07: Solo @ Pop ~ May '08: Pop w/friends ~ Oct '08: SOG ~ Dec '09: Pop w/LeAnn ~ Sept '10: Solo @ Pop ~ Spring '11: AKL ~ Jan '12: Pop for 1/2 Marathon ~ Sept '12: 1st trip for DL 1/2 Marathon? ~ Feb '13: Pop w/pals? ~ Mar '13: Tokyo Disney w/PP's?
Happy Belated Birthday Lori! It was a pleasure to have met you during the MF and can't thank you enough for inviting me to join you for dinner at Boma's (Told you it was good! ) . Sure am hoping we will be able to get together again & have to say I too totally enjoyed the solo trip thing
Looking forward to reading more, Lorie! How cool to do a solo trip.
How funny about SoG....our first trip in 2001 we got "bumped" to PoR - AB! We loved it so much!
Thanks for the nice comments! Ok, Christmas is over, the gifts are put away, the house is back to normal, so...... I have no excuse to not post an update. Look for it tonight.
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Oct '99: CSR ~ May '02: CR ~ Nov '04: SOG ~ May '06: SOG ~ Dec '07: Solo @ Pop ~ May '08: Pop w/friends ~ Oct '08: SOG ~ Dec '09: Pop w/LeAnn ~ Sept '10: Solo @ Pop ~ Spring '11: AKL ~ Jan '12: Pop for 1/2 Marathon ~ Sept '12: 1st trip for DL 1/2 Marathon? ~ Feb '13: Pop w/pals? ~ Mar '13: Tokyo Disney w/PP's?
I finally got the photobucket thing figured out...(Yeah!) .... and I'm ready to post an update. (HipHipHooray!)
Ok so where were we? Anyone remember? Hint: I hadn't even arrived on property yet.
I know, I know. Get on with it, girl. At this rate, this TR won't be finished until summer. (Oh, let's hope not )
Day 1 continued.....
The Magical Express bus had a couple of stops to make but Pop Century was the first stop. But one of things that I missed by being on the ME bus instead of in the car was going under the WDW arch. It was difficult to see it coming and when we did go under it no one said a thing. Glenn and I usually let out a little but I didn’t want to look silly so I didn’t say anything. (newbies on the bus, what can you say?)
After I arrived at Pop, I took a brief moment to look around and get my bearings before heading over to the front desk for check-in. I walked in and thought “it has that Disney smell and now I know for sure that I'm in my happy place". I don’t know what it is, but Disney has a certain smell that’s become familiar to me. It’s not particularly a good smell or a bad smell just a smell that I associate with Disney.
A nice cast member checked me in and I asked if I could have a room in the 50’s section overlooking the lake and on the 4th floor. (I was looking for a quiet room) She said “No problem and your room is ready.” Yeah! I grabbed my carry-on bag and headed out to find my room. I was staying in the jukebox building.
I got a teeny bit turned around looking for my room but a cast member (CM) got me to where I was going. From the front door of my room I could see the lake in front of me with a quiet walking path. In the distance, I could see the top of ToT at MGM and in another direction I could see the top half of SE at Epcot.
I took a picture of my room number before opening the door to my room. I have this habit of forgetting my room number (that’s Glenn’s job ;-) so I took a picture right off.
I have never stayed at a ‘value’ resort before. I’ve heard some people refer to it as a “super 8” which made me a bit apprehensive. I don’t have to stay in luxury resorts - I’d like to – but I don’t have to. They do have to be clean though. One time, Glenn and I stayed in a 3 star hotel in Texas that was horrible. I didn’t want to take my socks off in the room, bathroom, or in bed. We also skipped showers until we got to the next hotel. Thank goodness it was just for one night.
Anyways, back to my room at Pop. It was clean. It had two double beds that I was also a bit concerned would be as hard as a rock like most cheap mattresses. The bed was very comfortable and made correctly. Some places don’t make it right or they use really scratchy sheets. (I know. I sound like a Really I’m not) The size of the room was adequate for 1-2 people … maybe 3 if you don’t plan on hanging out in the room much.
I changed clothes because it was a bit warmer than what I expected. I didn’t bring any shorts or capri’s because I was expecting upper 60’s/low 70’s. It turned out to be closer to upper 70’s/low 80’s but I was fine in my jeans and short sleeves. By the time that the sun set each day, I was glad that I had on long pants and had brought a jacket.
Before heading out I quickly decorated my window. (Another way to help me find my room at night) I’ve read that people make or buy window clings, bring Christmas lights with extension cord, and stuffed animals to decorate their windows but I settled for a few signs announcing MouseFest, Passporter, and a few dozen podcasts that I listen to.
My plan was to head to Epcot but I needed something to eat. The last time that I'd ate was at 5 am so I stopped in the food court called “Everything Pop”. I purchased a “refillable mug” that sure came in handy. Pop had frozen cokes, regular and diet coke products, coffee, and hot chocolate. They even had an area with instant hot water to wash out your cup if you were switching beverages.
The food court was set up with maybe 4 serving stations that had different specialties and a small market area to buy packaged food. I chose a station that made an Asian Chicken Salad to order. It was romaine lettuce, sliced red pepper, sliced chicken breast, peapods, cooked noodles, and a sesame seed dressing served in a white cardboard chinese take out container. (I'll have to figure out how to make it at home.)
After polishing off the salad and refilling my mug with diet coke, I headed to the bus stop for a bus to Epcot. I think the Pop bus stop is cool.
I think I waited maybe 5 minutes before the Epcot bus pulled up and I was on my way by 3:30. Not bad considering my plane landed at 12:40.
This is when it hit me. I get a little teary eyed remembering the moment. Ok, I'm a sap. I'll admit it. Anyways, the weather was P E R F E C T, I'm on a bus to my favorite park to do whatever I wanted to do, and I'm finally starting my trip that's been in the works for so long. And, I got teary eyed on the bus.
Up next.... closing Epcot down.
__________________
ºOº ~*~
Oct '99: CSR ~ May '02: CR ~ Nov '04: SOG ~ May '06: SOG ~ Dec '07: Solo @ Pop ~ May '08: Pop w/friends ~ Oct '08: SOG ~ Dec '09: Pop w/LeAnn ~ Sept '10: Solo @ Pop ~ Spring '11: AKL ~ Jan '12: Pop for 1/2 Marathon ~ Sept '12: 1st trip for DL 1/2 Marathon? ~ Feb '13: Pop w/pals? ~ Mar '13: Tokyo Disney w/PP's?
Great update! I know what you mean by that "Disney smell" I wouldn't be able to describe it, but its there...I like to think it's the smell of happiness and pixie dust!
Can't wait to hear more!
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Aw! Your recollection brought a tear to my eye! Glad you are in your happy place, you've gotten a great room and you are on your way to your favorite park! Can't wait to hear more
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) . Sure am hoping we will be able to get together again & have to say I too totally enjoyed the solo trip thing 
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Day 1 continued.....
But one of things that I missed by being on the ME bus instead of in the car was going under the WDW arch. It was difficult to see it coming and when we did go under it no one said a thing. Glenn and I usually let out a little 
but I didn’t want to look silly so I didn’t say anything. (newbies on the bus, what can you say?)
We also skipped showers until we got to the next hotel. Thank goodness it was just for one night.
It had two double beds that I was also a bit concerned would be as hard as a rock like most cheap mattresses. The bed was very comfortable and made correctly. Some places don’t make it right or they use really scratchy sheets. (I know. I sound like a 
Really I’m not) The size of the room was adequate for 1-2 people … maybe 3 if you don’t plan on hanging out in the room much. 
It was romaine lettuce, sliced red pepper, sliced chicken breast, peapods, cooked noodles, and a sesame seed dressing served in a white cardboard chinese take out container. 
Margaret
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