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Saturday, June 1, 2013

Life and other travels.....

It's been a little while since I posted on my life journeys. I am still struggling with the weight. I am still riding my bike but had been absent for awhile but I am getting back on track.

My daughter is traveling to France with her high school French Club in July. I am so excited for her and it is coming up quick.



While she is gone the hubby and I will be taking a quick beach trip and I can not wait!! Sun, Sand, Water and my wonderful husband. What more could a girl want??

 
My goal is to lose 20 pounds by then! I got to get my butt in gear!
 
As you know from my previous postings, we are going to Disney in December. Well, we are also going in May to celebrate our daughter's graduation. We are taking 2 of her friends as well. We will be doing Universal and Disney. I can't wait. Then in September we are going to Disney again for a business meeting.
 
It's a busy travel year and half for us so I need to really watch my pennies. I need to coupon more. I have started using 2 new phone apps called ibotta and Endorse. They are pretty cool and you should check them out. Basically, if you buy certain items, you upload a picture of your receipt and you save money. Easy Peasy!!
 
I think that is about all in my little world. Thanks for stopping by!

Update on Disney Christmas Trip

Good Evening! We have made some updates or should I say I have made some updates to our Disney trip. The biggest is it will only be a 5 day trip instead of 6 days UNLESS we get the Free Dining PIN that has been floating into emails or an awesome discount comes out for our time frame. The other updates are on our daily plan and whether we are doing the regular dining plan or quick service. We have switched back and forth on the dining plan but at this point we are going to pay for quick service dining plan then pay for 2 table service meals out of pocket. I know it is probably cheaper just to upgrade the meal plan but my husband doesn't want to be tied to 4 reservations just 2.


I am still working on that.

The plan so far is to do 5 day base tickets. We are not much of a park hopping family so the park hoppers never get used enough to warrant the extra cost.

Here is the daily plan: Please note all times are estimated since hours are not released yet.

Sunday -- leave home and drive to our normal stop over Valdosta, GA.

Monday -- Arrive at Disney -- go to Magic Kingdom for EMH evening hours til 2:00am

Tuesday -- Go to Hollywood Studios for morning EMH. Lunch at Sci-Fi then to the room to rest. Back to park for Osborne Lights and stay til closing.

Wednesday -- Go to Epcot -- midday rest then back to park til closing

Thursday -- Go to Magic Kingdom -- lunch at The Plaza then rest time and back to the park til closing.

Friday -- Check out of resort then to Animal Kingdom for the day. Evening leave and head to Valdosta for the night.

Saturday -- back home

We can't wait to see all the new things at Disney. I am nervous about crowds but I am so ready to go to Disney. It will be a rope drop and soak up the atmosphere king of trip.

That is all on the Disney trip. Stay tuned for more details.

Thanks for stopping by.

Vacation Specials

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Free Dining Plan Offer at the Walt Disney World Resort
  
Now through July 31, 2013, buy a non-discounted 5-night, 6-day Magic Your Way room and ticket package at select Disney Moderate, Disney Deluxe or Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts for arrivals most nights Sept. 2-25, 2013, and get the Disney Dining Plan FREE!*

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Booking Window:  May 9 – July 31, 2013

Travel Window:  For arrivals most nights Sept. 2-25, 2013

Sample Pricing:
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Or, buy this 5-night, 6-day Magic Your Way room and ticket package with FREE Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan for $75 per person, per day, for a family of 4, at a Select Disney Value Resort in a Standard Room for stays most nights Sept. 2-13, 2013, for a total package price of $1,779. That's a savings of $635!

Save Up To 30% on Rooms at Select Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
    
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Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts
For stays most nights Aug. 15 – Sept. 28, 2013:
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  • Save up to 20% at Disney's Polynesian Resort and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Booking Window: Book May 9 – July 31, 2013
 
Save Up To 30% on Rooms at Select Walt Disney World Resort Hotels this Summer
    
You can save up to 30%* on rooms at select Walt Disney World® Resort hotels this summer.
Add minimum 4-Day Magic Your Way Tickets to make it a package and get a discount on the tickets too!**

Offer Details:
Disney Value and Moderate Resorts
For stays most nights June 13 – Aug. 14, 2013:
  • Save up to 20% at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney's Port Orleans Resort – Riverside and Disney's Fort Wilderness Cabins
  • Save up to 15% at Disney's All-Star Sports Resort, Disney's All-Star Music Resort, Disney's Pop Century Resort and Disney's Art of Animation Resort – Family Suites
Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts
For stays most nights June 13 – Aug. 14, 2013:
  • Save up to 30% at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, Disney's Beach Club Resort Villas, Disney's BoardWalk Inn & Villas, Disney's Polynesian Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (standard view rooms), Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Disney's Old Key West Resort and Disney's Contemporary Resort (including Bay Lake Towers)
  • Save up to 20% at Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort (including Villas)
Add minimum 4-Day Magic Your Way Tickets to make it a package and get a discount on the tickets too!**

Booking Window: Book April 2 – June 14, 2013
 

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Booking Window: Must book through July 31, 2013
 
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This fall, Disney Cruise Line® will say farewell to its homeport in Galveston, Texas. You can still get onboard and take advantage of a great lead rate—plus, receive an onboard credit and half-off deposit.

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Atlantis - Bahamas
 
 
Contact me for more details at 1-888-MICKEY8 ext 706 or Reena@dreamcometruevacations.com.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Costumes and Window Decorations...Oh My!

Remember in my Fall Break trip report where I was telling you about my friend that I didn't know that I finally met in person at Disney during the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party? Of course, you do!!

Well, her husband dressed up as Russell from UP and he was incredible!! Here are some pictures.




 
 
So when you plan your trip to Disney for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, make sure you plan a very cool costume to wear!!
 
Also another thing, don't forget to bring items to decorate your Disney Resort Window. You can't use tape or write on the windows though. We use suction cups to hold everything up.
 
Here is the window from Halloween
 


Here is the window for Star Wars Weekends and celebrating my birthday


 
I can't wait to decorate for Christmas this year.
 
Thanks for stopping by!!


Life and New Trip

Good Evening! I am still struggling on my weight loss/get health lifestyle. I am going to get there but it is taking me some time. I got off track and have been unable to get back.

Last week I was in Dallas for a business trip with my day job and I ate out the entire trip. I have been hearing about the whole 30 and this seems like a very healthy way to eat and it would be good for my blood sugar. I am going to keep researching.

Exercise has been mostly nothing but a couple bike rides a week. I have got to get back to every day!!

So my new plan is at least 15 minutes on my bike 7 days a week for the next 2 weeks then bump it up to 20 minutes for 2 weeks and so forth.

For food..I am going to continue to research Whole30 and make a decision on Friday.

Now on with the fun stuff...DISNEY!!! This week we booked our next Disney trip and it will be over Christmas!! I know it is going to be crazy packed but I am researching and watching videos/reading trip reports and it seems that if you go with a plan it can be managed. I can't wait!!

We will be staying at Port Orleans Riverside in a Preferred room which is in the Alligator Bayou which is the same room that we had in October 2012.



This will be our longest trip ever! We will have 6 day tickets so we have plenty of time to explore. I have already started planning my days based on the crowd levels.

I think that is about all I have for now.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Save Up To 30% on Rooms at Select Walt Disney World Resort Hotels this Summer

  
You can save up to 30%* on rooms at select Walt Disney World® Resort hotels this summer.
Add minimum 4-Day Magic Your Way Tickets to make it a package and get a discount on the tickets too!**

Offer Details:
Disney Value and Moderate Resorts
For stays most nights June 13 – Aug. 14, 2013:
  • Save up to 20% at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney's Port Orleans Resort – Riverside and Disney's Fort Wilderness Cabins
  • Save up to 15% at Disney's All-Star Sports Resort, Disney's All-Star Music Resort, Disney's Pop Century Resort and Disney's Art of Animation Resort – Family Suites
Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts
For stays most nights June 13 – Aug. 14, 2013:
  • Save up to 30% at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, Disney's Beach Club Resort Villas, Disney's BoardWalk Inn & Villas, Disney's Polynesian Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (standard view rooms), Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Disney's Old Key West Resort and Disney's Contemporary Resort (including Bay Lake Towers)
  • Save up to 20% at Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort (including Villas)
Add minimum 4-Day Magic Your Way Tickets to make it a package and get a discount on the tickets too!**

Booking Window: Book April 2 – June 14, 2013
 
Contact me at Reena@dreamcometruevacations.com or 1-888-MICKEY8 ext 706 for your personalized Disney Vacation Package.
 
Thanks for stopping by!

Part 6 -- Epcot

Good afternoon! I know it has been months so I hope everyone hasn't given up on me completing this report. Life again has gotten in the way.

We wake up this day and are ready to hit all our favorites at Epcot.



We decided to ride on of my favorite rides....



Yes, I love Figment!!

Next we are off to explore World Showcase. Who will we meet??




And who did we wonder upon in our journey.......that I am so happy to met.....

 

Yes, It was Alice and that was our first time to meet her. It was magical!!

Then there was another great person for us to meet.


It was the one and only Mary Poppins.

We wonder around Epcot and see the sights.






We wrap up our tour of Epcot so go back to the resort to grab some lunch and rest for our party tonight. Yep, we did 2 Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Parties!! Also by this time I was really starting to feel bad...I think I was getting sick in Disney!! NO!!!!!

 
Soup and sandwich is just what Mickey ordered to make me feel better.



 
Plus some ice cream!



Finally, it is time to head over to Magic Kingdom to the party. I can't wait because I am finally meeting in person another Disney Nerd as we call ourselves or otherwise known as "My friend that I have never met"!

This picture of Jamie looks like she has ears on but really it is the girl behind her. ;-)





 
 
We are riding rides and getting candy this night since the other night we saw the firework show and Boo to You Parade.
 





Before we know it is midnight and we must leave Magic Kingdom. This was our last night in Disney. We get up the next day and we have tickets but I am feeling really bad so we missed some of the New Fantasyland sneak peeks. We hang around the resort exploring.



 






This is the end of another wonderful Disney trip. This is our sad faces as we leave.


Thank you for stopping by and reading my trip report. I will be starting a new pre-trip soon.






 

Friday, February 1, 2013

Part 5 -- It's Hollywood Studio Day!!!

That's right...We are heading to Hollywood Studios.


The bus was a little crowded this morning so Al had to stand.


Our first view.....


The last two trips were during May/June so we had visited during Star Wars Weekend. We were hoping for a little less crowds to enjoy everything.

We took advantage of some photopass moments.



We are off to ride Toy Story....I have to be honest. Hollywood Studios is not my favorite park and we have even skipped it but it seems to be growing on me. I really love Toy Story Mania!! I am also hoping that some of the rumors of additions to the park are true!!



Then off to explore and I wonder what our next ride will be??



Jamie is passing time in line...by of course being on her phone.




I took the chicken exit because I am not a thrill rider. Then it was time for.....


 



Somewhere along the day we rode the following and stopped for these photopass pics.




Lunch time!!





That was our day at Hollywood Studios!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!