Our 1st time & Only Trip to WDW

[robyn221]

it has felt like it truly is a dog eat dog world and I've been the one wearing the pants with a seat made out of Milk Bones......

That's a good one. I'm going to "borrow" that one!

Thanks for the wonderful trip reports! It really is so much fun reliving your first trip with you!

Here's wishing you many more!

Robyn

[javamama]

I can't tell you how many times you made me cry, tears of joy. I hope when I'm married 21 years I have a trip of a lifetime like Karen, and you had. I guess this is what true love is, and not just for the mouse
Glad your trip was a great one, many more to come I hope! Thanks for sharing it with us

[cal5755]

Another AMAZING day!! You are making me think I should take a honeymoon for my 15th anniversary in 2 years!! We never had a honeymoon...we went straight from reception to home and work the next day. I never really thought about taking a delayed one until I started reading this thread... We are taking our 4th trip to Disney as a family this year... Maybe DH and I should take a long weekend alone for our 15th.... if we have 1/4 of the magic you have had together it would be amazing!!

[cajunbaby1]

Your wife and family are so very lucky to have you!! I am glad so had the opportunity to share such a magical experience. Hopefully you guys can return together or even with the kids to share the magic. Now if only I can find myself a fabulous prince....

[pwdebbie]

Have you posted any pictures yet of you and your dw on the trip?

When my dh and I went last year, it was our "once in a lifetime" trip. But as soon as we were on the road, he turned to me and said, "So, when are we going back?" I really don't think this will be you "only trip" to WDW either -- you'll be back!

Deb
POFQ, Oct. 2007
praying / hoping / wishing / dreaming for March or April, 2009 or 2010.

[TheMartellFamily]

This is becomming a great thing. I keep looking to see if there is additions and the feeling I need more. Keep it up can not wait for more.

[Ribeyespud]

On the morning of April 3rd I realized that waking up this day wasn't to much of a struggle. I'd like to think that my body was getting used to the late nights and early mornings, but I'm pretty sure it had to do with the fact that my wife forgot to close the bathroom door when we went to bed. I can read the headlines already... Man dies of multiple snake bites at Walt Disney World, wife to collect insurance money..Hmmm...she did have a funny look in her eye when we went to bed last night. Well, ...I suppose it could be my imagination (note to self: Keep eye on the wife and double check the bathroom door before bed...just in case)Today breakfast was at the Grand Floridian with Alice, the Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins, Pooh, and Tigger. I was really looking forward to meeting the Mad Hatter and Alice while my wife kept looking for Mary Poppins. When Mary Poppins came to our table Karen asked her where the children were and Mary said, "With their father like they ought to be." She said it so prim and proper that I immediately sat up straight in my chair and checked to make sure my shirt wasn't untucked (Whew...it wasn't) after getting my picture taken with her she left so I could let my gut out again and act like my old self (unless I see her headed back my way...Gulp...) Alice was a little sweetheart, but bursting into the room in all his top hatted splender was my main man the Mad Hatter. After making fun of the fact I was drinking dirt in water (uh...that's coffee to you and me) and not tea, we got three pictures of him. Due to the fact that he must be part ghost or something, all the pictures that I have of him turned out blurry. Well, ok...my camera did tell me to change the batteries. (Personally I like the ghost theory.) After eating breakfast and catching the monorail, it was time for our only full day at Epcot. After meeting with the Photopass people for a magic shot with Stitch eating ice cream we decided since we had lunch at the Rose and Crown Pub to go to the World's Showcase and walk around. We didn't happen to notice the time when we headed that way and couldn't see that it hadn't opened yet until we got to the bridge that had the "closed" rope on it. As we were milling around we walked by some people just standing there and I found myself stoping dead in my tracks. One of the guys standing there looked very familiar to me and I couldn't figure out why. As the clouds in my mind began to part, I recognized him from the Year of A Million Dream's Commericials. I started to talk to him about seeing him on TV and he was really a nice guy. He told me to "Stand right "here" for a minute, not even a minute" and in about 30 seconds he began yelling about the Year Of A Million Dreams. He gave Karen and I Epcot Dream Fastpasses and a smile to go along with them!...Oh what a day this is going to be I thought....

[kelly.garrett]

Wow! Are you sure this wasn't all a dream?

I can't wait to read more.

[Ribeyespud]

After we received our Dream Fastpasses we went to a gift store that had just opened to look around and let it sink in that we just met the guy from the Year Of A Million Dreams commercials. When looking around I saw what at the time I thought would be a good idea for our day in Epcot (...this from the guy who booked nothing but very early breakfasts). Apparently great minds think a like because Karen saw the same thing at about the same time. Since we both thought it would be fun, we bought what we had found...an Epcot Passport. Now...to use this correctly, you walk to all the countries in the World Showcase and find the "Kidcot" place where they will stamp your passport (with a rubber stamp of Mickey's head in the dress of that country) and write something in the passport using that country's language. We had some time before lunch, so we knocked off the 1st three countries and looked around a little in each place. We were enjoying ourselves in Epcot but as we went to each country we began to become aware of how much walking that would need to be done to finish the Passport. (Whose bright idea was this!?!) Orginally we weren't going to be doing alot of rides at Epcot but after getting the Fastpasses we felt like we should use them as much as we could. To this day our passport is missing a few countries...But oh, the rides we rode

[JMTStone]

What's next, Spud?

[Ribeyespud]

By the time lunch came around Karen and I were ready to rest our weary bones. We found the British Pub "The Rose and Crown" a most relaxing place to achieve this largely due to the adult atmosphere (...that and the pint of Harp's Larger I had * Hick *...) The meal was enjoyable and it was fun trying the different types of UK cheese. (Now I know why the cartoon characters Wallace and Gromit eat all that cheese ...Get off me cheese Gromit!!) The waitress was from Ireland and she answered questions about her homeland for me. (Yes, they do believe in 's, no they won't share the gold...)After lunch it was all about doing the rides we won fastpasses on...Nowadays when I think of Epcot two words immediately spring to mind, "Mission Mars". Let me tell you, Captain Kirk and Spock have nothin' on me! After doing the ride twice I felt like one of the few and the proud and felt ready for space travel. (Which is a good thing since my wife thinks I've been "spaced" out for years...) Hands down, this was my favorite ride of the day...Well, I guess I forgot Soarin', so it's a toss up between those two for the day's top spot. The thing I discovered I liked most of all about Soarin' was the "landing" part. As much as I don't like gators and snakes, I'm not a very close friend to "heights" either. So although I liked the ride very much and would do it again... I was very happy to touch good old "Terra Firma" again (...this from the guy ready to go to space...well, maybe I'll just watch "Star Trek" and call it good.) The ride that surprised me the most was the viking boat ride in Norway. (Ya just gotta love a ride with trolls in it). Oh yeah, when we did the "Living with the Land" ride we saw the same landscapes (only a much, much better view) that we saw the night before peeking over the railing while eating at the garden grille...well, what do you know, you do learn somethin' new every day... After doing the rest of the Fastpass rides we found ourselves working again on going to all the countries in the Epcot passport we bought. The more we walked, the more tired we became (...you know you're tired when you start to see "mirages"...)and the more tired we became, the more "Slap Happy" we got. We were giggling like school girls and looking for anybody (and I mean ANYBODY) who we thought could sign that old passport so we could get out of that country and go to another. When we got to China and checked out that really tall pretty building with all the different colors in it I knew Karen had enough of "doing" the Passport for awhile when she told me that she saw someone around the corner and told me to get her to sign the book so we can go eat dinner. As I rounded the corner, I stopped to explain to Karen that I didn't think it was Mulan's job to stamp our Passport. So instead, we just had our picture taken with her and went back to Norway for Dinner at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall....

[garymacd]

Ribeye, I finally got around to reading this entire post from start to finish and knew that you would have a wonderful time. You and your beloved wife certainly deserved this trip! I told you so when I was lucky enough to be first to welcome you to Intercot.

Your posts have inspired me. We have been to WDW many times and enjoyed all the trips; the early ones with our kids and the last couple by ourselves, but I have never known where to find my wife a glass slipper. If you wouldn't mind, could you PM me and let me know which florist you got the Princess package from? (I am certain there are probably a lot of other husbands out there who would like to know) I would definitely appreciate that. We are down to 26 days, and counting to our next anniversary trip.

Wish me luck. Can't wait to read the rest of your posts.

[HndrdPrcnt]

Ribeye, I can not even begin to tell you how much I am enjoying reading your pre-trip and trip reports!! I have to tell you that I am very happy to see that your wife is considering a future trip to WDW!! I am currently pushing for a return trip!! Hopefully I will get there again! Our previous trip was beyond amazing, but when we returned, I was given news that changed our lives ever since - I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was given 6 months to live. Praise God we found a surgeon who performed a procedure on me and saved my life!! I have learned from that whole experience that we must make the most of our every day and take the time to enjoy time with our loved ones. So, what better place to do that than WDW??!!??

I can't wait to read about the remaining days of your trip!! I again have to thank you for your reports!! They are so chalked full of details and to hear your excitement is so much fun!!

[ltam16]

I have really enjoyed reading your posts. Your trip has been amazing I think because though you weren't expecting it or searching it out, you found the magic in it all! Your wife and you sound like you have a wonderful relationship and it is inspirational!

You are a fabulous story teller and I am anxiously awaiting your next post!

[Ribeyespud]

I remember dinner at the Ankershus Royal Banquet Hall for a number of reasons. Although the meal was good and the princesses were fun, what stood out to me was how beautifull Belle looked in her yellow ball gown. ...that and how a certain mermaid had me completely under her spell. During our vacation we had so many meals with all the princesses that toward the end of our trip whenever they would see us again, it was like a family reunion at uncle Bob's. (...Toward the end I thought I could see a hint of fear in Jasmine's eyes when ever she saw me, she had to be thinking...Is this guy stalking me or what!?!) So just when everything seemed like nothing was there that would surprise me...out SHE came. Now,...I feel a need to pause here for a moment to explain that I am a really big Kate Winslet (of the movie "Titanic") fan as well as red headed ladies in general. Having said that, I was not expecting Ariel to be at dinner looking like Kate Winslet's prettier sister and decked out in her own ball gown...she even had a flower in her hair. My eyes darted around to make sure Snow White wasn't anywhere near me as Ariel came to our table. (Hey, I don't want Snow White to think I've forgotten about her). The only words that I could get to come out of my mouth as I sat there were "You look beautiful". As I swallowed the lump in my throat, she thanked me for noticing and said she had remembered to use her "dingle hopper" in the morning. (...She had me at "Hello"...) The rest of the dining experience was pretty uneventful but by this time it didn't matter since my heart had already been warmed by seeing Ariel in her dress. Before we left Epcot we stopped into a store in Canada to buy some great maple candies and chocolate. Sadly we knew that tomorrow would be our last day in the parks and it would be a big one so we decided to head back "home" and get some sleep (but not before checking to make sure the bathroom door was closed)...

[cal5755]

Well your trip has been beautiful so far. I am sad your last day is tomorrow too.... I don't want to stop reading!! This has been by far the bestest trip report ever. Isn't Belle just stunning at Akershus... my kids love going there as a matter of fact we have adr's for lunch on our first day this Sept.

I do think you should start teaching a class in romance though... I will be the first one to sign up my DH

[Ribeyespud]

On April 4th which was our last full day at Disney World we decided to "Shoot the Moon" and start off with breakfast at the Animal Kindom, followed by lunch at Epcot, head over to Disney's Hollywood Studios for a show and then cap off the night with a Pirate and Princess Party at the Magic Kingdom. Even though I get tired just thinking about it now, this is exactly what we did. Since we didn't have alot of time at the Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney's Hollywood Studios we thought we would just try to do a few things at each one and enjoy the atmosphere and the Photopass people. So anyway ...our day begins at the Animal Kingdom and breakfast at the Tusker House with Donald Duck. This breakfast was the greatest, most scrumptious, delightful, and entertaining of all the breakfasts that we booked. (not only that, it was "fabtabulous" to boot...) They specialize in some kind of Jungle Juice made from some jungle fruit that I don't remember the name but from the this moment on will be forever remembered as the sweet & lovely...."Jungle Juice type thingy". All the different selections from fresh omlets to quiche and fresh fruit to sausage (...and everything in between) had pleasantly amazed us both. Up until now we had thought we had seen the best that Disney offered for breakfast. (If I were an octopuss I would have to give it eight thumbs way up. ) During breakfast I received my 1st character kiss (unless you count a "lick" from Pluto as a kiss). Sure I had kissed Minnie on the nose, but she hadn't returned the favor...I did catch Mickey giving her the old evil eye, so perhaps she didn't want to upset their domestic bliss. I guess Daisy must feel that Donald is more secure in their relationship because she gave me a nice friendly smack right on the cheek.(...and I'm preety sure she was "batting" her eyes) After breakfast (did I mention how good it was?...) Goofy came around and he was,...that is to say he...well, he was "Goofy" ...but in the best possible way a goof can be. He was hands down Da Man ... or in this case Da Dog (...Or whatever). I have a great picture of him dancing with Karen. (Hey, she didn't fuss when Daisy kissed me so I thought why not, after all, it's just Goofy) Once again we bought the picture of us they had taken before we ate, and after a much entertaining jungle dance with Goofy and all the kids in attendance we left with smiling faces and bellies to match. The beautiful thing about eating an early breakfast is when you are done you are right in the park. Having said that, when the rope dropped I was the guy running (...while panting and sweating and wishing I hadn't just eaten so much....Ok, I don't regret all the good food, but I do regret being out of shape) to the Roller Coaster ride with the Yeti. After running in the wrong direction a few times I found it before the line got very long or I passed out (...or both) and I must say the ride was well worth the run. At first I thought "This is it? Big Deal" Until you suddenly go backward and the Yeti is there ripping up the track and then I thought "THIS IS IT! IT IS A BIG DEAL!"...best Roller Coaster ride of my life... Karen and I made it over to the tree of life to watch the 3D movie about "It's A Bug's Life" and from the very start when the curtain reveals itself to be really a bunch of butterflies hovering we were both hooked....until the "acid" hit us (mean little acid throwin' bug anyway)...we were still hooked, only now we were hooked and wet. Oh well,....I guess it really is hard to be a bug.... Before we left for lunch at Epcot we had a picture taken by the tree of life by the photopass girl and a "magic shot" picture of Karen holding a baby Simba that looks so cute (...and Simba doesn't look too bad either)

[MizMissy]

Yay!!!
I have really enjoyed reading your trip reports. I was so sad that we were reaching the last day, but at least I know it's going to take you 2 or 3 more installments to finish the last day, then, hopefully, you will do a re-cap or summary or highlights and that could take another few posts, so this thread could just keep going and going....Until you start with a pre-trip report for your next trip!

[Mrs.Mickey]

Wow! I hope when I am married that long we still want to run around disney like that. Its so nice to hear about people still in love after being married so long!

[robyn221]

Again, thank you very much for the great trip report(s). Any chance you'll post some of those great pics you mention?

Robyn