PJ & TR: Claire & Mike - WP/KWR/SCP - 30 Dec 09 - **Inside Disney Weddings Podcast**

[Chilly]

Friday 8th January 2010

Today was our one and only non-Disney day, I had gotten 1 day/2 park tickets to US/IOA for free so we would be hitting both parks. We got a taxi from AKL no problem and arrived just after opening, I can't remember the order we did everything sorry but I know we went to IOA first, my planning head was obviously not on as we should have gone to US first. Anyway I know we went on Spiderman, DH didn't bother with Hulk, Dr Doom had a really long wait so we gave that a miss as well, and we stayed away from all the wet rides as it was just too cold.

At some point we went over to look at Harry Potter, where DH left me to take way too many photos while he went on Dueling Dragons.

After i'd run out of things to photograph I walked towards DD and saw a group of people who were working on the Harry Potter project having a site inspection of some sort, I tried to listen in but they weren't talking loud enough. After they'd gone I spotted a squirrel so took more photos.

When Mike came off the ride we went over to US. DH wanted to go on RRR which wasn't open when we last came so he headed to that and I went to The Mummy, i'd not gone far though when DH appeared to say the queue was really long so we went to The Mummy together. I know I went on The Mummy twice more on my own, can't recall what DH did while I was escaping The Mummy. We also went on Men in Black, saw the Animal show and I think we went on ET.

The Simpson's ride hadn't been open the last time we came so we wanted to try that even though motion simulators make us both feel sick. We had a bit of a wait and yes it did make us both feel ill, DH was really dissapointed in the ride.

We went back to RRR and the wait had gone down so DH got in the queue and I went back to IOA to look for a jumper i'd just seen that I liked but they didn't have my size in US. They also didn't have it in IOA, I had lots of time until Mike would be finished though so I went into CityWalk. I went into Margaritaville and got a t-shirt that was on sale. At the till they tried to sell me a CD but I didn't tak them up on the offer. I went into the Universal shop and found my jumper in my size! I returned to US and didn't have to wait long until DH came off the ride, he'd loved it.

We ate at Bubba Gump's but it wasn't as good as last time I felt, then got a taxi back to AKL where we had some cocktails before returning to our room.

 

[Brit_Jude]

Love your updates Claire! I think the blue Marge wig is very fetching on you

 

[Boardwalk_bride]

I totally agree about the wig

How did you like the Studios overall? I have only been there once, when I was about 9, and I cannot really remember it. I can't decide whether I should go back

 

[Stephie77]

Loving your updates. You guys looked like you had such a great time! I totally agree with it being so time consuming not being at a monorail resort. We are staying at the Port Orleans for this trip coming up in a few weeks so it should be interesting to see how long things take. IOA looks like so much fun! I really want to go but DH is not a big crazy ride person. Oh and the wig looks great! Blue is you color.

 

[BecBennett]

I want a day at IOA/US too, but only so I can get some more thrill type rides under my belt. I love a good rollercoaster and I'm really looking forward to duelling dragons.

I'm not really into Harry Potter, but I will admit the WWOHP looks awesome. I don't know what I was expecting of Universal, but I can tell you that wasn't it no wonder there's such a hype about that place opening.

 

[Chilly]

Love your updates Claire! I think the blue Marge wig is very fetching on you

Why thank you.

I totally agree about the wig

How did you like the Studios overall? I have only been there once, when I was about 9, and I cannot really remember it. I can't decide whether I should go back

Well I love the Mummy ride so I have to go on that every trip, and DH loves the rollercoasters but I think 1 day is enough to do both parks esp if its quiet.

Loving your updates. You guys looked like you had such a great time! I totally agree with it being so time consuming not being at a monorail resort. We are staying at the Port Orleans for this trip coming up in a few weeks so it should be interesting to see how long things take. IOA looks like so much fun! I really want to go but DH is not a big crazy ride person. Oh and the wig looks great! Blue is you color.

How did you find PO? That is where we are staying in September.

I want a day at IOA/US too, but only so I can get some more thrill type rides under my belt. I love a good rollercoaster and I'm really looking forward to duelling dragons.

I'm not really into Harry Potter, but I will admit the WWOHP looks awesome. I don't know what I was expecting of Universal, but I can tell you that wasn't it no wonder there's such a hype about that place opening.

I'm really looking forward to WWOHP opening, i'm a big HP fan. Next they need to build a Twilight section!

 

[Chilly]

Saturday 9th January

Today it was back to Disney and Epcot. We spent the morning going on rides and then wandering around the World Showcase until about 3pm when we headed to the Dophin hotel to pick up our hire car. On the way out of Epcot we went into a shop at the International Gate and I got a Mickey ring, which I now wear everyday, and when we came back from our honeymoon and people asked to see my ring i'd show them that one as well.

We found the car hire desk without too much trouble and then headed back outside to get our car. DH was not impressed, where as at the airport you can pick your own here you are just given one and Mike did not like what we were given.

Anyway it worked and that's what was important so we exited the Dolphin as you had to pay to park there and instead parked in the Beach Club I think, we then returned to Epcot on the boat which I'd not been on before and back through the International Gate.

Not sure what we did for the next couple of hours but at 7pm we had an ADR at Teppan Edo. Up to the desk we go but the CM cannot find our booking and I had not got the number with me as i'd never had a problem before. After searching in vain we leave, only for me to realise the minute we leave that it is probably booked under my new married name rather then my maiden name and sure enough it is!

We are seated with 2 women, and a family of 4, with the parents of the family sitting nearest to us. We chatted to them all the way through the meal, the 2 women didn't say a word to any of us and only about 2 words to each other. We all enjoyed the food and got a free dessert for being on our honeymoon.

We ended the night with Illuminations, we even got chairs to sit on but it was a bit cold and all evening I had being blowing my nose. We returned to pick up our car and headed back to AKL.

 

[Chilly]

Sunday 10th January

Today I woke up and new we weren't going anywhere as I felt terrible, it was a cold boardering on the flu. I spent the day in bed watching TV and DH alternated between joining me and sitting on the balcony reading. I watched 3 films, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and 2 Harry Potter films. DH also got me food and drinks from Mara.

Monday 11th January

Still sick, Mike spent most of today on the balcony and I watched nearly a whole season of Make it or Break it including the first of the new season, I was distraught when we got home and found out it wasn't on British TV.

 

[BecBennett]

Bleh that's terrible There's nothing worse then being sick on holidays, you're never as comfortable as you are at home, and the knowledge that your holiday is slipping away and you can't do anything about it.

 

[Stephie77]

You poor thing being so sick Loved Teppan Edo. We went just last week on our trip and the food was good and the guy cooking was HILLARIOUS!

Anyway, the PO Riverside let's see. The hotel was nice like the lobby, grounds are pretty, restaurant looked good(although we did not eat there) and they have a big selection in the food court. Honestly, I felt the room wasn't great. I just expected more from it being it is disney and is a moderate and I heard that the Cornado rooms were nice from my guests at my wedding. The rooms DEF need an update. At least we got lucky that we were in a building close to the bus stop and the lobby/food b/c the hotel is HUGE!

 

[Chilly]

Bleh that's terrible There's nothing worse then being sick on holidays, you're never as comfortable as you are at home, and the knowledge that your holiday is slipping away and you can't do anything about it.

Yes it was the wasting days that got me the most.

You poor thing being so sick Loved Teppan Edo. We went just last week on our trip and the food was good and the guy cooking was HILLARIOUS!

Anyway, the PO Riverside let's see. The hotel was nice like the lobby, grounds are pretty, restaurant looked good(although we did not eat there) and they have a big selection in the food court. Honestly, I felt the room wasn't great. I just expected more from it being it is disney and is a moderate and I heard that the Cornado rooms were nice from my guests at my wedding. The rooms DEF need an update. At least we got lucky that we were in a building close to the bus stop and the lobby/food b/c the hotel is HUGE!

We are staying at POFQ. My parents loved Cornado as well but it was more expensive and I liked the idea of being by DTD.

 

[Boardwalk_bride]

You should post a pic of your ring...I am intrigued and would love to see it! I really want to go to Teppan Edo now...I have never even thought to go before. I can't beleive you were sick for 2 days Do you think it was just from doing so much? I almost always get sick if I travel for more than 10 days!

 

[Chilly]

You should post a pic of your ring...I am intrigued and would love to see it! I really want to go to Teppan Edo now...I have never even thought to go before. I can't beleive you were sick for 2 days Do you think it was just from doing so much? I almost always get sick if I travel for more than 10 days!

Sadly I get sick a lot with colds and normally I battle on but this was a bad one.

Just for you...

(I don't normally have it on my thumb, that was to get the best photo)

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Sadly I get sick a lot with colds and normally I battle on but this was a bad one.

Just for you...

(I don't normally have it on my thumb, that was to get the best photo)

I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your TR and… I have that same ring!!! I love it!

 

[Chilly]

I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your TR and… I have that same ring!!! I love it!

Thanks for reading, I love my ring!

 

[Chilly]

Tuesday 12th January

I woke up this morning feeling a lot better. As we were meeting Randy (our photographer) at 11am in the lobby it was a nice and slow start to the day. We met Randy as planned and he gave us our wedding photos. We left Randy with a see ya in September and took our photos back to the room before heading out to the Outlet Mall.

We didn't buy as much as we had in past years, partly because I was till feeling ill, partly becuase of the exchange rate, and partly because we didn't see that much we wanted to buy. We had lunch in the food court while we were there. We continued the shopping over at DTD. We decided to eat at TGI's over at Crossroads. As we parked I said to Mike lets go into Footlocker as he wanted new trainers but hadn't found any he'd liked. He was all "no, its fine, lets eat" but I insisted that while we were there we should pop in. Of course he found a pair he liked and he got them, the two women working there spotted our badges and asked us about our wedding. After paying we went into TGI's and had a nice meal before heading back to AKL and bed as I was tired.

Sorry no photos today.

Wednesday 13th January

This is going to be a very short report as I have no photos again and cannot actually remember what we did! I think we must have gone to AK in the morning and then perhaps DTD for lunch as I know we had an EoS near the end of the trip. We may have also popped to DHS.

Sorry worst TR ever!

 

[Chilly]

Thursday 14th January

Normal service returns today as I have photos so know what we did! But before I continue I forgot to say on our last Epcot day we bought this with the Gift Card Mandy (Mandymouse) very kindly gave us for our wedding.

And while we are talking about shopping here is another purchase we made with another gift card we got.

So back to today, we went to DHS. We rode all the rides and saw the shows but mainly today we got lots of photos with characters.

It was great to see the UP characters as we'd watched that film on the plane on the way here, and as the characters don't appear anymore it was great to get that in. We also had fun with Woody as he kept playing with my veil.

Today also had one of my fav moments from the trip. While watching the parade Boo came and pulled me over to dance with her. I had SO much fun dancing about in the parade. Here we are doing the YMCA.

We ended our day by drawing the man himself, we'd never done this before but I really enjoyed it. Mike's is the first one.

Sorry no idea what we did for food but I think we ended up at DTD again today. If it wasn't today it was yesterday and we made a big purchase. All trip long we had wanted to buy some art as a memento of our wedding and honeymoon so we went into the Pop Art shop at DTD and found not one but several pieces we liked, we talked about it for a while and to one of the CMs there but left the shop without buying anything as we wanted to think about it. We walked for about 30 seconds turned back and picked one to buy. We decided on this one as we have a bit of a bridge theme going in our living room and because the couple in it look like a bride and groom. We had a long discussion about framing and shipping but decided just to take it unframed in our suitcase. This is what we got, it is now framed and is hung with a B&W wedding photo of us either side of it in matching frames whch looks beautiful.

 

[Chilly]

Friday 15th January

Our last full day in Orlando started with Breakfast at Chef Mickey's. We got great character interaction and a free cupcake. It was a great way to start the day.

We spent some time in the shop and having a look round the resort until it was time for DH's Wedding present. I had got him the Richrd Petty Driving experience. Mike loved it. My job was to take photos and film it, it is very hard to take photos of cars going at great speeds.

After he'd finished and they'd got their lap times etc it was time for some mini golf. An excellent oppertunity to do a silly pose.

It was during mini golf that DH sat on our camera and it stopped working. Back at the AKL it was time to start packing. Mike kept out of my way while I crammed all our stuff into our bags, I knew at least one must be over the magic number but couldn't do anything about it. Our ADR for our last night was at the Cali Grill. We arrived and were told they were running late, we said that was no problem we'd have a drink at the bar, I wanted a final Very Berry Punch but they didn't do it, so I had a cosmo. The drinks weren't even poured when our buzzer went off, I went over to the podium leaving Mike to get the drinks but then they wouldn't seat me without him and said we had to pay seperately. I wasn't impressed given that they were the ones who said they were running 25 minutes late. Anyway we were seated in the little side room and had a lovely meal and watched Wishes one final time.

 

[Lorelei528]

Claire-
Loving all the updates! (Even the ones without pics!)

Sorry to hear you were ill a couple of days!
I sometimes catch a cold while I'm at WDW towards the end of the trip and come home with it!
I think because of the stress and running around with the wedding, you must have been a bit run-down!

You know that means that next time you will have to make certain to relax a bit more!

I love all the things you bought as well! Great shopping!

Can't wait for Sept.!
Only 3 1/2 months to go!

 

[Chilly]

Claire-
Loving all the updates! (Even the ones without pics!)

Sorry to hear you were ill a couple of days!
I sometimes catch a cold while I'm at WDW towards the end of the trip and come home with it!
I think because of the stress and running around with the wedding, you must have been a bit run-down!

You know that means that next time you will have to make certain to relax a bit more!

I love all the things you bought as well! Great shopping!

Can't wait for Sept.!
Only 3 1/2 months to go!

I so cannot wait for September to get here, I think this year has gone really fast though, can't believe we've been married nearly 6 months, and that I've still not finished my TR!