Forever Could Even Start Today, Wedding & Disneymoon Sept 17 update 10/1: Last Day, Budget recap

[thumper*]

Hi Alyssa

Glad to have found your TR. You looked familiar in your first few pics and then upon reading realized I had followed you on one of previous reports, not sure which one though. I'm guessing it was your Pretrip report since these gorgeous flowers (below) are also familiar. Kuddo's to you and all your hard work on those flowers.

Looking forward to hearing all about the wedding and trip.

 

[Tink0812]

Joining in! I am looking forward to hearing all about the wedding and the trip. If I were you I would just slowly update as things become available.

 

[amalone1013]

Hi everyone! I think I'm going to mainly try to update once a week, because one trip day per week should drag it out just enough to about when we get our pictures back! I'm going to try and put in a little work on my old Disneyland TR, but I might have to pop in here and add a plan or two for December and January

Don't think I had let you know I was following along! It's too bad we couldn't have had an epic 4-person Dismeet with Raeven and Michelle!

I would do a combo of slowly update and add PTR plans!

That would have been epic! Someday, right?

Hmmm...tough call. If I were you I'd probably go for the slow-update deal. It gives you lots of time in between to keep your life in order, and we still get to keep up with the TR!

I love the details on your dress! The picture with the jewelry (which is sweet!) is the first one that shows the detailing! Also your flowers are so unique and pretty!

Darn life always getting in the way, right? And thank you! I loved my dress. It's funny, because I never would have picked it up off the rack myself because of the beading and detail! I'm usually more plain and simple, but once it was on I loved it!

I'd just slowly update. I've been doing my more recent report with only like 1 update a week, and I'm just wrapping up 3 days over a month later.

Then I can relive it longer

Hi Alyssa

Glad to have found your TR. You looked familiar in your first few pics and then upon reading realized I had followed you on one of previous reports, not sure which one though. I'm guessing it was your Pretrip report since these gorgeous flowers (below) are also familiar. Kuddo's to you and all your hard work on those flowers.




Looking forward to hearing all about the wedding and trip.

Hi! I slacked off a bit on my PTRs for sure... just got really busy the last few months before the wedding. Glad you're here!

Joining in! I am looking forward to hearing all about the wedding and the trip. If I were you I would just slowly update as things become available.

Hello! I'm happy you're here, hope you enjoy!

 

[mamamelody2]

Joining in.
Those paper flowers are beautiful!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Just take your time with the TR and add in some PTR as needed. We all love both! Can't wait to hear about both!

I worked on the flowers. There was much wine.

More flowers...

The paper flowers are amazing! Great job!!!!

 

[amalone1013]

Joining in.
Those paper flowers are beautiful!

Welcome! And thank you!

Just take your time with the TR and add in some PTR as needed. We all love both! Can't wait to hear about both!

The paper flowers are amazing! Great job!!!!

Thanks! I might have to throw in plans because I'm just so excited and I know you guys understand

 

[amalone1013]

Travel Day​

One of my credit cards comes with a lounge pass, but Denver doesn’t have any of the right lounges so I had never bothered to request my pass. Right before we left, I found out that one of the nicer restaurants was giving a $28 food and beverage credit per person for the lounge pass! I tried to request it, but of course it didn’t come in time. It probably showed up the next day with my luck. We hit up Rock Bottom Brewery, which is where we’ve eaten the last few times now. They started to worry us because they were pretty slow for an order of nachos and eggrolls, but they finally came out and we wolfed them down. We’ve got one of these by our house too, and while I like the food, they’re so slow. We went there last week and the tables were like 95% full… It took forever to get the darn nachos! Anyways, here's a few internet pictures to pad out this TR to start:

Brewery Nachos
Housemade tortilla chips with black beans, cheddar & pepper jack cheeses, tomatoes, jalapeños, red onions, sour cream and cilantro. Served with housemade salsa

Southwest Egg Rolls
Smoked chicken, tomatoes, blackened peppers & onions and cheddar & pepper jack cheeses. Served with jalapeño ranch dip
​

We boarded (and didn’t get stopped with our garment bag, carry on suitcase, and two stuffed backpacks - score!) and had an uneventful flight. I read while Zack watched Jurassic World on his phone. We landed and got our two bags from baggage claim. Somehow, we made this trip with 3 carry on size suitcases, a garment bag, and two backpacks. And I packed a Vera duffel to bring souvenirs backed. I’m still not sure how we managed!

I wasn’t really thinking when I requested our Uber to get to Royal Pacific Resort at USO… I just picked an UberX. I guess, silly me thinking you might leave some room for bags if you’re picking people up at the airport? The guy that showed up was nice enough, other than his comments about us having a lot of bags… A lot of his trunk space was taken up by his subwoofer (and apparently a bottle of alcohol...). But we got them all in, and I sat in the front, and eventually we made it!

We usually stay in cheaper hotels, so everything on this trip was so fancy to us! I might have ruined Zack for good! We went to check in, it was around 1am at this point. The girl checking us in was really sweet, and after she found out we were in Orlando for our wedding and honeymoon, she kept apologizing because she couldn’t find us an upgraded room view for our stay. We appreciated the thought and were just fine, but she disappeared to the back and came out with a card for our honeymoon, and a voucher for dinner at one of the restaurants at the hotel. We made it up to our room, marveled at how pretty it was, checked out the hurricane damage from our room view (some downed trees and bamboo), and collapsed into bed agreeing we didn’t have to get up too early now since it was about 2am!

But we did take a moment for a few pictures!

​

Up Next: Our first day at USO and an awesome Dismeet​

 

[fallonkendra]

You guys did awesome to have only that much luggage! I already have a full Rubbermaid tote full of things that need to go into a suitcase for our wedding trip, and that doesn't include any of our clothes or my wedding dress...

Your paper flowers turned out amazing, they look so great!

I'm sure you've told me before, but now I forget - what are your dates for your January trip?

 

[Raeven]

I wasn’t really thinking when I requested our Uber to get to Royal Pacific Resort at USO… I just picked an UberX. I guess, silly me thinking you might leave some room for bags if you’re picking people up at the airport?

That is weird now that I think about it of course you'd have bags if you were coming from the airport. We've never been in an Uber before where they seemed surprised we had bags coming or going to a hotel.

 

[tinkerbell1991]

Following along

 

[amalone1013]

You guys did awesome to have only that much luggage! I already have a full Rubbermaid tote full of things that need to go into a suitcase for our wedding trip, and that doesn't include any of our clothes or my wedding dress...

Your paper flowers turned out amazing, they look so great!

I'm sure you've told me before, but now I forget - what are your dates for your January trip?

Thank you! Packing was hard. It mainly came down to, running out of time to do some extra projects meant less stuff, and we would have had to buy another suitcase I picked up two of our carry-ons last year around Black Friday, and I got a deal but I spent more on them hoping they'll last a long time. The other carry-on I used all through college and it now looks like the seams are going to pop at any time, so I think it's time to retire it...

Originally our January trip was going to be the 24th through the 29th, but we have to move it because the hotel we want is booked up on the 24th. We need to make a decision to make sure our vacation days at work are good (really, that's more for Zack than me). When I first realized I had to move it, I looked at earlier in the month and was definitely like, hmmmm @fallonkendra will be there... but they're pretty booked up then too

That is weird now that I think about it of course you'd have bags if you were coming from the airport. We've never been in an Uber before where they seemed surprised we had bags coming or going to a hotel.

It was really weird. I mean, I'll admit that I should have probably gone with an XL just because of luggage, but this guy had a trunk full of stuff. There was a basketball in there too. Eventually we got a suitcase in the trunk, put the garment bag on the floor in the back, laid the other two carry-ons on top of each other on the back seat, and Zack sat back there with his backpack in his lap while I sat up front, with my backpack in my lap. The driver made a few comments about how we had so many bags.. I mean, we had more than normal, we probably would have had one less carry on and no garment bag if we weren't getting married, but that still would have been a squeeze! Thank goodness we didn't have any regular size suitcases!

Following along

Hope you enjoy!

 

[kde175]

We'll be at WDW Jan. 14th - 21st for our Irma re-do trip.

 

[KimmyD]

Following

 

[MeghanEmily]

We boarded (and didn’t get stopped with our garment bag, carry on suitcase, and two stuffed backpacks - score!)

Wooho score!! Transporting a wedding to Orlando is hard work!!

I guess, silly me thinking you might leave some room for bags if you’re picking people up at the airport? The guy that showed up was nice enough, other than his comments about us having a lot of bags… A lot of his trunk space was taken up by his subwoofer (and apparently a bottle of alcohol...).

Bahah you'd think they'd leave room for bags if they're going to the aiport! Jeez! Sounds like you got a driver who was a real cool dude!

We usually stay in cheaper hotels, so everything on this trip was so fancy to us! I might have ruined Zack for good!

We have this problem, too! Our first trip was at Pop Century and we had a great time! I was used to staying value-level hotels all the time. But then the next time we splurged and stayed at AKL, and now Nathan only wants to stay at deluxe hotels! I'm like, easy buddy! We can spent WAY more nights if we stay cheaper places! But it seems like now we're going to try to do a combination of price-points on future trips once in a while, especially if we can get deals! (Last summer we got our room at the Poly for around $250 a night. I can stomach that much easier than rack rate!!)

We appreciated the thought and were just fine, but she disappeared to the back and came out with a card for our honeymoon, and a voucher for dinner at one of the restaurants at the hotel.

How nice!!

I love the decor in the royal pacific rooms! So pretty! Can't wait to hear more about your park days!

 

[mdsouth]

Enjoying your report so far! I am fine with the slow updates and the PTR combination.
I am just loving your dress so far and the beautiful jewelry that you paired with it. The photo is a nice little dangler until we get to see you in the actual dress!
I am enjoying the great photos and details.

You are so talented! The flowers are beautiful. They must have taken a lot of time to create.

Unbelievable that your Uber driver commented on your luggage. Of course you would have luggage! What did he think people do when they travel to Orlando for a trip bring only one backpack each?

The room at Universal looks really nice.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

Joining in.

 

[ariane37]

I can't remember if I commented on your flowers, but they're beautiful! If I tried doing something like that they'd look like used, bunched up tissues.........

Brewery Nachos
Housemade tortilla chips with black beans, cheddar & pepper jack cheeses, tomatoes, jalapeños, red onions, sour cream and cilantro. Served with housemade salsa

Southwest Egg Rolls
Smoked chicken, tomatoes, blackened peppers & onions and cheddar & pepper jack cheeses. Served with jalapeño ranch dip
​

Both of these look REALLY good, too bad the service is slow. One of my favorite restaurants before they all closed used to be Friendly's (super gourment, I know) but no matter which one we went to it took forever to get served.

Somehow, we made this trip with 3 carry on size suitcases, a garment bag, and two backpacks. And I packed a Vera duffel to bring souvenirs backed. I’m still not sure how we managed!

I applaud you because Steve and I barely made it earlier this month with two carry-on duffels and two carry-on small suitcases, and that was for 4 nights! Your driver would not have been impressed with us lol.

The only Universal resort I've stayed at was Cabana Bay for a TA training, but we toured the other resorts and I absolutely loved RPR. If I ever stayed on-site for a personal trip, that's where I'd want to be

 

[dgthree]

One of my favorite restaurants before they all closed used to be Friendly's (super gourment, I know) but no matter which one we went to it took forever to get served.

They haven't all closed. I can find you a few in NJ. =)

(Reese's Pieces Sundae addict here.)

 

[amalone1013]

We'll be at WDW Jan. 14th - 21st for our Irma re-do trip.

Darn! We finally got our days straightened out and we're going at the end of the month.

Following

Hope you enjoy!

Wooho score!! Transporting a wedding to Orlando is hard work!!

Bahah you'd think they'd leave room for bags if they're going to the aiport! Jeez! Sounds like you got a driver who was a real cool dude!

It was so weird! He was nice enough other than the bag comments. I was like, what did you expect at the airport? Just be glad we don't have anything full size!

We have this problem, too! Our first trip was at Pop Century and we had a great time! I was used to staying value-level hotels all the time. But then the next time we splurged and stayed at AKL, and now Nathan only wants to stay at deluxe hotels! I'm like, easy buddy! We can spent WAY more nights if we stay cheaper places! But it seems like now we're going to try to do a combination of price-points on future trips once in a while, especially if we can get deals! (Last summer we got our room at the Poly for around $250 a night. I can stomach that much easier than rack rate!!)

Sounds about right! Growing up our family vacation hotel/motel requirements were clean, cheap, free breakfast, and a pool. Zack's family was mostly the same way, and that's how I look for hotels still for traveling. But now we're ruined! Zack just keeps saying, I need to make more money! I think any USO trips will be hard because Zack is a big Express Pass fan now. I think Orlando trips from now on will be a compromise with deals, but other travel will probably remain more budget friendly.

Enjoying your report so far! I am fine with the slow updates and the PTR combination.
I am just loving your dress so far and the beautiful jewelry that you paired with it. The photo is a nice little dangler until we get to see you in the actual dress!
I am enjoying the great photos and details.

You are so talented! The flowers are beautiful. They must have taken a lot of time to create.

Unbelievable that your Uber driver commented on your luggage. Of course you would have luggage! What did he think people do when they travel to Orlando for a trip bring only one backpack each?

The room at Universal looks really nice.

Thank you! Photos will definitely pick up after the first few days... I don't know why I was such a slacker at USO I'm glad you're up for PTR updates... because that's what's coming next

The Uber driver thing was just so weird. I've traveled twice with just a backpack, and those were 3-4 day trips. That was hard. This guy's setup would have made it hard to get two people plus two carry-ons in there. Why was he picking up at the airport? All of our other drivers were really nice.

Joining in.

Thanks for following along! Hope I keep you entertained

I can't remember if I commented on your flowers, but they're beautiful! If I tried doing something like that they'd look like used, bunched up tissues.........

Aw thanks! I made many practice flowers

Both of these look REALLY good, too bad the service is slow. One of my favorite restaurants before they all closed used to be Friendly's (super gourment, I know) but no matter which one we went to it took forever to get served.


I applaud you because Steve and I barely made it earlier this month with two carry-on duffels and two carry-on small suitcases, and that was for 4 nights! Your driver would not have been impressed with us lol.

The only Universal resort I've stayed at was Cabana Bay for a TA training, but we toured the other resorts and I absolutely loved RPR. If I ever stayed on-site for a personal trip, that's where I'd want to be

We loved RPR. So pretty! I think our driver would only have been impressed with people with no luggage

I really struggle with that restaurant at home, because the food is really good! And my favorite entree is ginormous so I can make two work lunches out of the leftovers They also have delicious Sangria Margaritas. I swear they're never really the same when we go, but they are always delicious. It's just so slow, it's like Do I want these things bad enough to give up 3 hours?

 

[amalone1013]

They haven't all closed. I can find you a few in NJ. =)

(Reese's Pieces Sundae addict here.)

So I've never been to Friendly's, and I really know nothing about them other than I've heard the name. But they have Reese's Pieces sundaes? I need to plan a trip to NJ!!