What a shy girl will/won't do for the love of a bear,UHM,mouse!(Spa, Tea and It's Complete! ) About This Page:

[poohsgirl]

<font color="purple"> Adventurer : Angie (me) - never vacationed alone anywhere before!

Dates : February 11th-16th

Resort : Pop Century

Occasion : I really, really love Disney and my DS doesn't!

**(The following background is my opinion on weight loss surgery and obesity, it is not meant to offend anyone, but to give insight as to how good I feel about myself)**

Background: My last trip to the world was in the Spring of 2000 as a birthday gift to my baby sister who was turning 15(the latin sweet sixteen). We had a good time, but I didn't know all of the great tips that I know now and mostly did commando style touring. I was also suffering from obesity which made my trip a slightly less pleasant one. I wanted to go on all day and found that I'd get winded very easily and my feet ached and got swollen too soon for my liking.

In August 2000 I made the drastic decision that, in my opinion saved my life, I had gastric bypass surgery. In the following year I achieved my goal of becoming a healthier person and wanted to reward myself. What better way, I thought, than a trip to Disney! My airline ticket was bought &amp; paid for, I had a room reserved at the All Star Movies, and then 9/11/01 happened! Yes, the President said go on with your lives, but I couldn't leave my son home and maybe have something happen to me or back in New York(the main target at that time), so I got my refund and the trip was canceled. 2002 and 2003 saw different challenges, so no trip could be planned. Finally, I couldn't take it any longer and felt I had postponed my reward trip far too long, so I decided to take the plunge!

In September '03 I spotted a great price on American for February and grabbed it. That finally made it a reality! Within the next week, I had booked a room at the Pop Century and gotten my first Annual Pass!

My son Joey, 12, is not a Disney fan, infact he thinks I'm pretty nuts for obsessing like I do. I wanted this trip to be about my accomplishment, so I decided not to push the issue and make it a solo(oh no! I'm shy!)trip. I was also planning an extended family vacation back to Disney in August(the family seems to have backed out but I'm hopefully dragging Joey with me!), so I didn't feel so guilty about leaving him behind.

From September on I started counting down the days and making plans as to what I'd like to do that I've never done before, along with some old favorites.

Cut to mid-January '04 and the attack of the killer Migraine rears it's ugly head and I, being a slight pessimist,say oh no! It lasted 2 weeks and I was about pulling the hair out of my head! I went to every doctor imaginable and nothing abnormal was found. I finally started feeling better the last week in January and breathed a short sigh of relief, only to have Mr. Migraine come back 10 days before my trip and not go away! Monday February 9th I went back to my neurologist who prescribed Furicet(Imitrex, was not working) along with Topomax a preventative medication.

As I type this I am somewhat pain free and hope it will last the entire trip, because I am really looking forward to it.



These are things that I've scheduled ahead of time:

Wednesday, February 11:

Picked up by TTC @MCO

Check-in at Pop-Century

Head to MK to activate my AP and try to get a special Dining Card

See Wishes

Head to Epcot to see Illuminations

Thursday, February 12:

EE @ MK

9:30am Keys to the Kingdom Tour

Afternoon MGM and Fantasmic

maybe DTD for some shopping

Friday, February 13:

EE @ AK

Head to Epcot

PS at Le Cellier for lunch

dinner at Jiko AKL

Saturday, February 14:

EE @ MGM

afternoon @DTD shopping

Evening @MK for Spectromagic

Sunday, February 15:

Morning up in the air

head to Epcot

Dinner @Artist Point in WL

Monday, February 16:

One last ride on Pooh in the MK

Spa treatment at the Grand Floridian

Afternoon Tea at Garden View Lounge @GF

back to PC to wait for TTC to pick me up!



I hope I wasn't long winded!

Stay tuned to see if this shy girl actually takes some chances or plays it safe in the World !

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[Colexis Mom]

Have a great trip Angie Can't wait for you to come back and finish the TR

[lkmom]

Good luck Angie! Have a wonderful time! I hope you stay pain free!

[luvnwdwgal]

Have a great time!!

[Danton]

Best of luck with your health and may your visit be even more joyful than you hoped. I am eager to read your trip report, especially about how your GBS and Dining Card worked out since I expect to have the same procedure in a couple of months. Danton

[statelady01]

Live it up, don't be shy and have a blast Angie- you go girl!

[Smiley]

Have a fantabulous time!

[poohsgirl]

<font color="purple">Hi everyone!

I'm back! Actually, I've been back for almost a week, but I think you'll understand why I hadn't started on my trip report until today. My DS Joey (12) has been home from school on winter recess and needless to say, has not let me near the ! I haven't really put up much of an argument because I came back from my vacation battling a cold or some sort of sinus infection. Yes, from migraine to something else! Anyways, he's away for the weekend so I've been figiting(sp?) with my photo editor, so that I can include my 200+ pics in my trip report. I love when everyone else shares theirs ! It's tough work when you are a newbie, I'd just gotten a digital camera for the first time not 2 weeks before my trip and with my migraines hadn't really wanted to play with it before going. The novice in me definitely will show in alot of pictures, not like Tiki's(I miss you!) amazing pics! But I've been able to resize my first day, so I'll start slowly.

To refresh everyone's memory:

Adventurer: Me!

Dates: Feb 11-16

Resort: Pop Century

Occasion: I really, really love Disney, and my son doesn't!



Wednesday February 11

DAY 1: Journey &amp; Check-in



It's 6:05a.m, my flight doesn't leave until 11:05am, but I can't sleep anymore. A combination of anticipation and a twinge of headache still lingering. I take a shower and get on the boards for some last minute reading. I'm all packed see!





My son wakes up around 7:30am and gets ready to go to school. He hugs and kisses me, after a little fussing

and heads to school about 8:15am. I finish

my pre-trip report and am in a cab headed to Laguardia

Airport at 8:30am. It's actually a beautiful morning in NYC, sunny, crisp and clear in the low 30s. The cabbie tells me we'll have to go local because the highway is backed up, so I'm glad I left home a little earlier. Seriously, there was no need, at 8:45 I was done with curbside check-in and on my way to look for a Starbucks! **Side-note** I printed my boarding pass online and have done so once before and didn't have a problem with it. THis time however, they printed another boarding pass for me, even though the Skycap saw that I already had one, oh well.** Okay, back to my search for $4-bucks, I mean, Starbucks,guess what? There isn't a Starbuck's in the AA terminal at LGA!!! So, I headed through security and they took a look at my sneaks and said:"You may want to take those off"



The zippers might set off the alarms. I didn't care, I was early, I was going to Disney, and the security girl complimented my hair color! I was sitting at my gate at 9:00am, with 2 hours until my flight! My head was feeling okay, but the announcements were really getting loud. I decided to get something in my stomach so I could take my meds(migraine medication, preventative medication and lots of vitamins). I got some lousy coffee and had half a bagel that I made at home wtih lox/scallion cream cheese; my breath was lovely ,NOT!

While I was waiting I saw a couple browsing through a passporter! So my first unshy act was to ask if they were part of the message board, but no luck. They had borrowed the book from a friend, but were really enjoying it, so maybe another fan is born! I also got the scoop on Comcast's bid for Disney on CNN this morning while waiting to board.

Now, an announcement comes on asking for volunteers to give up their seats and they would be compensated with a $200 travel voucher. They would be arriving in Orlando at 6:00p.m and opposed to 2:00pm. A 4 hour difference, for a $200 voucher, I thought about it, but thought, what good would my 1 seat do, so I didn't volunteer. About 15 minutes later they asked again, raising the amount to $300, now I was really interested, that would almost pay for Joey's &amp; my ticket in August, but 4 hours? I had planned to see Wishes and then go on to Epcot to see Illuminations. All of these what ifs popped into my head, but finally I decided to volunteer. They were very grateful and I was feeling good, until..... I saw everyone boarding MY flight! I want to get there NOW! I've been waiting so long, what if, the next flight is delayed? I called my sister and asked her. She said to see if they'd give me first class on the next flight(I know aren't we presumptious,but hey?)So I got in line to ask. There was a gentleman infront of me in line who saw my confused look when I got in line and asked what was my dilemna. I explained and he said not to second guess myself and to take the offer. It turns out they couldn't guarentee anything regarding the next flight, so I asked to recind my offer. I was also worried about calling TTC and not getting another car in such short notice, so I was able to get back on my flight, although not in my original seat. When I get on the plane, who am I seated next to, but the gentlemen that had told me to take the offer back at the gate! He laughed and said he wasn't going to let me live it down the entire flight!

It ended up being a very entertaining flight!







Dominick and Lisa the other passenger in my row thought I was very organized when I showed them my passporter. I think they were just being polite and really thought I was nuts! Lisa was going down for business and was staying at the Royal Pacific Universal Studios, so I showed her the little quib in the book on the hotel. Dominick was going for the Daytona 500. The flight flew by, no pun intended! And we landed at 1:55p.m in a cloudy Orlando but 74 degrees!

Sid from Tiffany Town Car meet me at baggage claim and was the sweetest thing! He helped me with my bags, made conversation and really made me feel comfortable! I'd recommend Sid anytime. I asked if he knew about the passporter coupon and he jokingly said no, but then he told me, keep it in your book so that you can use it again! He didn't even request to see it when I paid him.

I was at the check-in line at 2:55 at Pop Century. I had 2 people in front of me and there were a lot of cast members at the check-in desks, so in about 2 minutes Kathy from Dublin, Ohio was attending to me. She told me I was assigned a King room in the 50s overlooking hourglass lake and it was ready. I swallowed my shyness again and asked if it was possible to get a room closer to Classic Hall, I didn't need a King and if it was at all possible in the 70s, because I was born in the 70s, so without missing a beat she got right on the phone, explained to the person on the other end, who I assume was the room assigner, what I'd prefer and sure enough I got it! Room 0247, non smoking in the 70's , a hop away from Classic hall and best of all READY!!!!! I did a double take, did you say ready? Yep! Thanks! I asked for a hairdryer, because I thought I'd be blowdrying my hair during the trip. You'll realize how ridiculous this concept will be as you read further. As I walked out of the check-in area where a castmember was hulahooping in the middle of the floor and I heard all of the themed music, I just had to sigh and smile. I was finally here!



To be continued..... </font>

[BritDisFan]

Hi Angie

This is a great start to your report , well done for not being shy, am looking forward to your next installment.

Karen

[statelady01]

Angie,

What a great start to your TR and I love your pics- I agree they add so much to a TR- sounds like you were getting over the shy side of you early on - WTG!

More when you can please!

[luvnwdwgal]

WooHoo Angie!! You're there!! Looking forward to the next installment!!

[whoSEZ]

Angie! So happy to see the start of your trip report. Love the pic of you on the plane -- you look so excited! Looking forward to reading more.

[Colexis Mom]

Great start to your report Angie Thanks for uploading your pictures Keep it coming, you're doing great

[kaymeg]

Angie, great start to your TR!! I have been looking foward to reading it since you stared your pre-trip report!! I think the shyness was left back at home!! Looking forward to more!!

[WeLuvTheWorld]

Hi Angie, I totally understand about the shyness thing as I too am working on it. I really admire you for taking this trip alone. Can't wait to read more and especially love the pictures - they always make me feel like I'm there too!