TinksThree
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2009
I Feel As Though I've Never Been To Disney Before
May 23 - 30, 2015
Port Orleans French Quarter
Greetings to one and all, and welcome to my most recent Trip Report!
May 23 - 30, 2015
Port Orleans French Quarter
Greetings to one and all, and welcome to my most recent Trip Report!
This trip was one that we weren't intending on taking this year. We seriously were considering something else, but we had plans changed once we began talking with my aunt and uncle. They have been to WDW a few times over the years and even stayed at the Poly way back when only the Magic Kingdom existed! In our conversations, though, they mentioned wanting to take a trip with us and basically "tag along"...and of course, I am more than happy to oblige being a tour guide at "The Happiest Place on Earth"!! (If only I could find a way to make it a career! )
I had assisted them 2 years ago when they took their two sons and daughter-in-laws on a trip. I helped them plan and gave them my tips for touring WDW. They had a great trip that year but wanted to just be a "fly on the wall" with us! So we began planning and choosing a date!
Due to schedules, we decided to go Memorial Day week. They were surprised by the Saturday to Saturday plan, but once I explained they were all for it! "Free Days" have become essential for us! And by the end of the trip...they were fans! That was step one!
Step two: where to stay? Two years ago, they had stayed at Caribbean Beach and enjoyed the resort. I wanted them to experience something new and for anyone that has read my past TRs knows Keith adores Port Orleans (most specifically for the boat to DTD) so we decided to go with French Quarter. (Actually, the choice between Riverside and FQ was made by Disney since we were using Military discounts and only FQ had the room only discount available!)
Also for anyone that doesn't know, is curious, or just wants a piece of information to store in your brain: The Military Room Only Discount allows you to add the Dining Plan options! We went with the DDP giving us 1 snack, 1 Quick Service and 1 Table Service per day/per person! Also of note: we got to experience the aspect of the Dining Plan changes with having a leftover Quick Service that allowed us to exchange it for 3 snacks. We did this on our final morning and I was surprised they even mentioned doing this! Once on the road, I learned on Facebook that the new Dining Plan "rules" were being leaked out!
Anyway, that sums up the when and where portion! Let's move on to the who!!
I'll begin with my family...well, part of my family!! Only 3 of the 5 went. Actually the oldest has never been! Our middle son, Chris-who many may remember from the past, has a "Grown-Up" life now with a real job so he was unable to go with us. That leaves Keith, Madison (DD19) and myself!!
Madison is all about the Princesses but she's a fan of Minnie Mouse too. She's my sidekick and the one I can usually count on to be at Rope Drop with me and ride any ride either of us choose to do! She just finished her Freshman year of college which went way to quickly for me but not fast enough for her!
Then their is Keith and myself (Tisa):
I am the Disney fanatic/addict in our family. I am usually planning a new trip before the current trip has even begun! I love travel in general, though. And travel can be anything from a day road trip to a full fledged vacation! I have been blessed with a DH that is as into travel as myself so we go frequently. As a matter of fact, friends and family ask where/what we are doing next because for us to not have plans to explore is unusual! As you can tell from our pictures, the beach can be on our list as much as New Orleans, Gatlinburg, TN/Asheville, NC or Mississippi back roads!
I fell in love with Disney much sooner than DH but he's slowly coming around! In fact the day we arrived, he suggested booking a return trip for Food and Wine! He is all about the food at Disney and that is perfectly fine by me!! So of course, I am looking at my possibilities for an October trip now!!
While Keith is about the relaxation, pool, and food/beverages while at WDW, I love, well, pretty much everything!! My most favorite ride is Tower of Terror but that just tops the list of the many attractions I love! I also love the shows-which Keith hates due to the singing, resort hopping, fireworks, parades, and just being on WDW property in general! My favorite park is Epcot even though many times I believe this is more due to what Epcot used to be and not what it is today-at least Future World!
Then the other part of our travel party are my aunt and uncle. My uncle is one of my mom's older brothers (she has five...poor thing! ). For most of my growing up years, they lived around the block from my parents (still do) and their sons are close to my age. They are as much like 2nd parents as they are aunt/uncle. Growing up we went on vacations together and always had a blast. My uncle is known to be a joker and prefers NOT having his picture made (this fact proves very important later!)!
My title comes from my aunt because about mid-trip, she told me "I feel like I've never really been to Disney until now!" This made me feel good that a trip I'd worked hard to be sure they had a great time was actually happening! I couldn't think of a title but the conversation where this statement was made kept popping up in my head...so I went with it!
Needless to say, this trip was almost all positive and when I think of the negatives, I always think of the positives that out weigh them: **it was HOT-but not humid so shade helped!, **it was crowded and we didn't get to do things we planned-we still got to do lots of things and focus on those!, and so on. I suppose the trip was just fun so any negatives don't matter in the end since we enjoyed what we did accomplish! Besides, that's the whole point, correct?
I'm going to wrap up the intro with this thought: How many see Disney in everyday life? Here are just a few things that bring Disney into my life even when I am not in Orlando or WDW. In many ways, they just strike a Disney cord with me and aren't really "Disney" at all...or I find them interesting!
Down in south Louisiana, along the banks of the Mississippi River lies River Road. River Road has plantations that mostly farmed sugar cane. So how does this make me think of Disney? Well, I did say that Port Orleans is our resort of choice! And Riverside does have the plantations!!
(These are of Oak Alley Plantation)
Also on River Road is a Creole Plantation called Laura Plantation. Laura is of significance due to stories that were collected and recorded here in the slave's quarters (which you actually can tour). (And note if you are ever that way, the differences between Anglo and Creole plantations are significant and each unique. If you can only tour two...choose one of each!)
And these stories include the tales of Bre'r Rabbit...you know the Disney movie "Song of the South" and a little attraction called Splash Mountain? So there's that Disney tie-in!!
And back to the beach...in Pensacola, FL there is a Naval Museum that has this cool display that made me squeal when I saw it!!
And on the actual beach, I ran across this little hidden Mickey which someone may have purposely arranged but I still spotted what started it all...a Mouse!
There are many things in "the real world" that evoke the Disney magic deep within me, I just thought I'd share a few!
I will leave us at this point, but I will return with our arrival day!! Hopefully, you will join in and if so, again I say