Adulting is Hard, So I'm Running Away! ~ An Oct 2016 PTR ~ Update 10/19: Peace Out, Yo!

[Steppesister]

They should! And hey, look... MNSSHP OFFICIAL DATES CAME OUT TODAY!!!
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...walt-disney-world-guests-29-nights-this-fall/

Hot DIGGITY!!! I will look at these tonight after dinner and work into the night on planning.

Thanks! I'm trying! It's getting harder instead of easier!

That's normal! Dieting is definitely a long haul sort of thing- just keep at it!

 

[Pluto0809]

OMG, it's the infamous Ariana! On my PTR!

Not sure what I did to become infamous around here. That cracked me up.

Steal away! I actually have a nearly-blank template that I email to DISers all the time who PM me with their email address. I'm happy to send it along anytime!

I actually have a very similar spreadsheet just never thought to color code it.

 

[bruinsfan88]

Hi Billie! I haven't commented since like, September on here, but I have been following along! I'm just really bad at the whole...commenting thing. CONGRATS by the way on the weight loss! I need to get my butt in gear. I've been trying to alter my eating but when your dad pretends that everything is healthy, is a bit difficult. Hopefully the weather around MA will decide whether it wants to be spring or winter, since it keep bouncing back and forth, and I would much rather prefer spring so I can get out and walk! At least that's what I tell myself. I need the motivation! Eeeek.

I was super excited that the Oct hours came out, and realize the only two days I'll be at Disney during Oct is the 30 and 31st, and only have plans to be at the Halloween party on the 31st, so now I guess I just have to wait to see the November hours! I've seen that there may be a Christmas party Nov 7? If that's the case I'm hoping to maybe go to that as well, since we leave the 8th. It's getting so difficult to plan things with so many changes happening and things costing so much extra. This may be my last vacation for a few years, so I want to be able to plan it the way I'd like! It's a stretch, I know, but a girl can dream!

 

[Wood Nymph]

I tried to squeeze an Ohana dinner into this trip, but there's just no way without sacrificing something else! Which is weird... I've not gone to Disney without a visit to Ohana while there in well over a decade! It's gonna be super weird! (It's so hard when you want to do ALL the things!)

There are so many good restaurants that are convenient to go to when staying at the BC that it is hard to find the time to go to all the favorite ones. We'll be going to 'Ohana in June, which we haven't been to since Feb 2013. The only restaurant I have to eat at every trip is lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern.

 

[tabrizia]

Yay park hours! I like your plan it looks great.

 

[Elevationist]

YOU GUYS. I DID IT. I'M CAUGHT UP. I THINK. It took me almost 7 hours, but I think I'm finally caught up on all the threads I follow.

If I missed yours, please go ahead and PUNCH ME IN THE FACE. Like, right now. Before I fall behind again!

Okay, and now replies...

Hot DIGGITY!!! I will look at these tonight after dinner and work into the night on planning.

I hope everything worked out for you!

That's normal! Dieting is definitely a long haul sort of thing- just keep at it!

I am! Just keeping my eye on the prize... No, not looking and feeling better. The prize is a week of eating ALL the things in October at Disney!

I actually have a very similar spreadsheet just never thought to color code it.

I color-code my whole LIFE, girl. Even hand-written notes at work are multi-color highlighted within and inch of their papery lives. It's pretty sad.

Hi Billie! I haven't commented since like, September on here, but I have been following along! I'm just really bad at the whole...commenting thing. CONGRATS by the way on the weight loss! I need to get my butt in gear. I've been trying to alter my eating but when your dad pretends that everything is healthy, is a bit difficult. Hopefully the weather around MA will decide whether it wants to be spring or winter, since it keep bouncing back and forth, and I would much rather prefer spring so I can get out and walk! At least that's what I tell myself. I need the motivation! Eeeek.

Thanks!!! And you can do it! Spring will be here any day now!

I was super excited that the Oct hours came out, and realize the only two days I'll be at Disney during Oct is the 30 and 31st, and only have plans to be at the Halloween party on the 31st, so now I guess I just have to wait to see the November hours! I've seen that there may be a Christmas party Nov 7? If that's the case I'm hoping to maybe go to that as well, since we leave the 8th. It's getting so difficult to plan things with so many changes happening and things costing so much extra. This may be my last vacation for a few years, so I want to be able to plan it the way I'd like! It's a stretch, I know, but a girl can dream!

I hope you are able to do both parties! That seems like such a neat idea!

There are so many good restaurants that are convenient to go to when staying at the BC that it is hard to find the time to go to all the favorite ones. We'll be going to 'Ohana in June, which we haven't been to since Feb 2013. The only restaurant I have to eat at every trip is lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern.

Oh, I've made a point to eat at ALL the BC/YC restaurants while I'm staying there, even if it means sacrificing old favorites. I want the full experience!

Yay park hours! I like your plan it looks great.

Thanks! I feel pretty good about it! (For now...)

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

YOU GUYS. I DID IT. I'M CAUGHT UP. I THINK. It took me almost 7 hours, but I think I'm finally caught up on all the threads I follow.

If I missed yours, please go ahead and PUNCH ME IN THE FACE. Like, right now. Before I fall behind again!

Here's your punch in the face!

 

[NJlauren]

HEY THERE! I have been really bad around the DIS too, but while i love books and that is my usual downfall, right now its Netflix, i am all over Netflix! So i get it!

YEAH for park hours, sorry you needed to redo everything, but i think they are changing all sorts of stuff around so i am not to surprised that the hours are different!

YAHOO 35 pounds, you go girl!

 

[brb1006]

Looks like you won't be able to meet Marie now that she left WDW yesterday.

 

[LindseyJo22]

YOU GUYS. I DID IT. I'M CAUGHT UP. I THINK. It took me almost 7 hours, but I think I'm finally caught up on all the threads I follow.

Woo hoo!

I am! Just keeping my eye on the prize... No, not looking and feeling better. The prize is a week of eating ALL the things in October at Disney!

I'm trying to do this for our May trip - but dessert is my weakness, and it's very hard to resist. At least I'm running more and trying to keep the rest of my food semi-healthy But I totally understand the motivation being delicious Disney food! At least once a day my husband and I start talking about how excited we are about our vacation reservations

 

[Steppesister]

Hey Billie! I guess I'm to supposed to punch you in the face as well. LOL! Haven't seen you around in a while on mine....

Not that there's a ton of new trip stuff lately except ADR day looms....

And yes, I'm sorta on a watch it, Girl... you have eating to do come October! Just wanna fit into my suit and not feel like I'll come home 100 pounds more than I am now before the trip.

 

[deedee2177]

So, just thought I would share that we are looking to head back to WDW 10/26-11/1! I think a well-known and loved Diser is planning to be there during that time as well, but just can't recall who!

 

[Rozz]

2. I can't believe I'm not going to Magic Kingdom OR Epcot until the FOURTH day that I'm in town! Normally I try to start my trip at MK at least, but the park hours being what they were, it actually worked out better to just do it the way I have it. Oh well! No regrets!

We usually start our park visits with MK too. We just got back and didn't go to MK until the 3rd day. When I made our schedule, it felt weird not having MK 1st but it worked out well. Park hours influenced my plan too!

4. I left lots of room in there for Food & wine festival noms!

I failed miserably at this. I planned on sampling 3 food kiosks at the flower and garden festival last week; I did absolutely none! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were too much. No room left for food samples. I even made a list of what I wanted to try. Oh well; I'll just have to go back and try again!

On the subject of books have you ever read "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern?

I got this as an audio book for a friend of mine for Christmas awhile back and she loved it! I still haven't read it...

Looking forward to the next update as always! You've got a great schedule! I wouldn't have enough energy to keep up!

 

[Saphire5742]

Ok, I'm back.
Yay for October hours coming out. And for the continued weight loss. Keep it up, girl!
Mmmm, books. I do like those. Not that I've had much time for that lately. Maybe now that I'm done with the exam. No, I have a trip to continue planning that's coming up real soon. Maybe after. Although then I'll be needing to write up a TR/DR. Well there's always night shifts when I'm feeling up to it. I do have quite a few books on my shelf to get through. I have toyed quite a few times with getting an e-reader but haven't yet. Maybe one day I'll take the plunge. Glad you're making good use of it.

 

[Elevationist]

Here's your punch in the face!

TOTALLY FAIR!!! Sorry about that!!

HEY THERE! I have been really bad around the DIS too, but while i love books and that is my usual downfall, right now its Netflix, i am all over Netflix! So i get it!

I understand. I'll be deep in Netflix for a few days when the new season of Orange is the New Black comes out this summer.

YEAH for park hours, sorry you needed to redo everything, but i think they are changing all sorts of stuff around so i am not to surprised that the hours are different!

Man, they are changing a LOT of stuff! So much to keep up with!

YAHOO 35 pounds, you go girl!

Thanks, lady!!!

I'm trying to do this for our May trip - but dessert is my weakness, and it's very hard to resist. At least I'm running more and trying to keep the rest of my food semi-healthy But I totally understand the motivation being delicious Disney food! At least once a day my husband and I start talking about how excited we are about our vacation reservations

6.5 months until DISNEY FOOD. Carbs carbs carbs! I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Hey Billie! I guess I'm to supposed to punch you in the face as well. LOL! Haven't seen you around in a while on mine....

GAH! I totally deserved that! Thanks for the heads-up!

Not that there's a ton of new trip stuff lately except ADR day looms....

It certainly does! We make ADRs THIS MONTH. Omg omg omg!

And yes, I'm sorta on a watch it, Girl... you have eating to do come October! Just wanna fit into my suit and not feel like I'll come home 100 pounds more than I am now before the trip.

Worth it. OM NOM NOM.

So, just thought I would share that we are looking to head back to WDW 10/26-11/1! I think a well-known and loved Diser is planning to be there during that time as well, but just can't recall who!

Say whaaaaaaaat! We better overlap somewhere so we can meet up, even if it's just so I can hug your neck in passing! I leave the morning of the 28th, so I expect you to refer to MY spreadsheet when planning your own itinerary!

Also... You better hurry and get organized, girl! Your ADR day is just than 3.5 weeks away!

We usually start our park visits with MK too. We just got back and didn't go to MK until the 3rd day. When I made our schedule, it felt weird not having MK 1st but it worked out well. Park hours influenced my plan too!

It seems WEIRD, right?! I mean, I'm sure it'll be just fine, like you said. But right now, it feels WEIRD!

I failed miserably at this. I planned on sampling 3 food kiosks at the flower and garden festival last week; I did absolutely none! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were too much. No room left for food samples. I even made a list of what I wanted to try. Oh well; I'll just have to go back and try again!

I learned the hard way myself, at F&W in 2014. I walked around World Showcase for HOURS, just eat eat eating everything in sight... And then had to go to my dinner reservation at the Coral Reef at 5pm.

And being on the Dining Plan, I had to order a dessert, despite having NO room left. So my turtle cheesecake went back to the room with me, and tasted delicious 2 nights later.

I got this as an audio book for a friend of mine for Christmas awhile back and she loved it! I still haven't read it...

Read it! It's a pretty quick quick read, the chapters are short, and it's absolutely gorgeous.

Looking forward to the next update as always! You've got a great schedule! I wouldn't have enough energy to keep up!

I don't have the energy to keep up with me! I hope those resort breaks are enough!

Ok, I'm back.

HOORAY!

Yay for October hours coming out. And for the continued weight loss. Keep it up, girl!

Thanks!!!

Mmmm, books. I do like those. Not that I've had much time for that lately. Maybe now that I'm done with the exam. No, I have a trip to continue planning that's coming up real soon. Maybe after. Although then I'll be needing to write up a TR/DR. Well there's always night shifts when I'm feeling up to it. I do have quite a few books on my shelf to get through. I have toyed quite a few times with getting an e-reader but haven't yet. Maybe one day I'll take the plunge. Glad you're making good use of it.

I'm surprised how much I'm loving my Kindle. I fought against getting one for so long, and now it's just SO CONVENIENT, and I have my book with me everywhere I go!

 

[deedee2177]

Say whaaaaaaaat! We better overlap somewhere so we can meet up, even if it's just so I can hug your neck in passing! I leave the morning of the 28th, so I expect you to refer to MY spreadsheet when planning your own itinerary!

Also... You better hurry and get organized, girl! Your ADR day is just than 3.5 weeks away!

I have already taken a look at your spreadsheet and it looks like we will both be in Magic Kingdom on 10/27!! So, no excuses we must meet up!!!

I know what you mean about my ADR's!! I know we definitely want to do BOG for dinner this time and I want to try Via Napoli. I'm also thinking about trying Whispering Canyon too! Those are the only 3 I can think of at this point, so I have 3.5 weeks to figure it out!

 

[Elevationist]

20 days until ADRs!
140 days until FP+!
199 days until WDW!
****************************************************

Hey, ya'll!

It's April! Did ya'll know that? Do you know what April means? April means...

1. ADRs! That's right, it's almost ADR day, which for me is April 24th! Finally! Less than three weeks to go now! I can't wait to get my massively massive list of ADRs booked and confirmed!

2. You know what else happens on April 24th? Season 6 premier of Game of Thrones! Even though I won't get to watch it until the next day on HBO Go. But still, exciting!

3. Staycation! As usual, I have too many unused vacation hours that are threatening to disappear if I don't use them soon. So it's time to take a week off to burn some of them up! I can't afford to go anywhere, when means I get to spend a week not being at work, reading books, enjoying the sunshine before it gets blistering hot and humid, hanging out in coffee houses and listening to local musicians, and basically just being as lazy as humanly possible. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

So onto more WDW things, though... Did ya'll see that MNSSHP dates were confirmed? HOORAY! And my chosen date of 10/23 works out great, so I'm happy about that! Now if they would just hurry up and go on-sale so that I can buy my ticket!

Speaking of buying/booking stuff... Today I booked and paid for my traveling day hotel!

I'll be staying that very first night at the Holiday Inn & Suites Universal in a Standard King Bed room. Since I'm not going to Universal on this trip, the hotel's super-close proximity to those parks doesn't interest me. However, it's only 2.5 miles from Texas de Brazil (which I'm considering taking an Uber over to and back so I can have a few cocktails with dinner), and I got a SUPER rate through work... Just $77, no tax! Can't beat it! And it's connected to it's own TGIFriday's that offers a breakfast buffet in the mornings, so that will be a perfect place to fuel-up for my day before heading over to start my Disney adventure!

Speaking of my adventure... it officially starts in LESS THAN 200 DAYS!!! I missed the 200 Days benchmark yesterday, so today I'm celebrating LESS than 200 days left to wait!!!

I'm getting really antsy about buying my Annual Pass. See, for years previously we've sold them at a my work for a discount. Then when Disney restructured the APs a few months back, we were told we couldn't sell them anymore. We've been figuring we'd get them back eventually, but no luck so far. And the big price hike Disney just did has got me scared. So my options at this point are:

(A) Continue to wait to see if we get them back at work so that I can get a discount, but also run the risk of us NOT getting them and meanwhile Disney could raise the price again on buying it direct through them, costing me more in the long run, or...
(B) Just suck it up and buy it direct from Disney now for $797, and try not to cry if we get them back to sell and I see how much I could have saved if I had just waited.

For those of you keeping up with my weightloss/fitness progress, March was a bit of a bummer. I only lost 6 lbs. Granted, it was pretty much my own fault... I stuck to my diet, but as previously mentioned, I was slacking off on the exercise. I didn't lose anything at all for almost 3 weeks. Then I got back on the workout wagon the last week of the month, and whaddya know... we're four days into April, and I've already lost 3 lbs this month. Funny how that works. So that makes my total weightloss as of today 38 lbs.

This is kinda significant because when I started this 3 months ago, I weighed 370 lbs. Which means that I've officially lost 10% of my starting body weight! Many many years ago when I did Weight Watchers, they taught us to celebrate those 10% goals, and it's always stuck with me as a pretty cool thing to get excited about! I'm 10% smaller! I take up 10% less space!

I guess one more thing I could mention here is the books I've been reading since my last update...

The Night Circus
On the recommendation of @cinderkelly and @ALEXandFAB , I picked up "The Night Circus." I wasn't sure what to think at first, as I find "present tense" style to be a bit awkward, plus the way it jumps all over the story's timeline was hard to get used to initially. But once I got past those, I really lost myself in the story and the characters. Plus, I know it seems strange to think of a book as having "visuals," but I'm not sure how else to describe it... But the visuals in the book were absolutely breath-taking. It's just gorgeous, some of the things these two main characters create for one another. I think that's what truly made me fall in love with it, and what made it so different from the things I've been reading lately. It's just a really beautiful work!

The Others (Series)
I'm a big fan of the Black Jewels series and the Ephemera trilogy by Anne Bishop, and she has two other series I haven't read yet, so I downloaded them to my Kindle. Here in this thread I mentioned them to @LindseyJo22 , and she highly recommend on of them, a currently 4-soon-to-be-5-book series called "The Others" that begins with the book "Written in Red." I was kind of avoiding it because I'm partial to fantasy that has a high element of magic involved, which this does not. What it does have are werewolves and vampires and such, which I'm not a fan of generally. But Lindsey did say, and it turns out that she was very correct, that Bishop handles the whole thing in a very unique way. And while I'm just on the third book now, I've found myself really enjoying the characters and their stories! So I'm glad I decided to push past my initial reservations about this series, and am giving it a chance. I'm sure once I finish the four books that are currently in print, I'll be foaming at the mouth for the 5th one (due out next year, I believe).

Okay, that's all I got for this update. Thanks for reading. Bye!

 

[soniam]

20 days until ADRs!
140 days until FP+!
199 days until WDW!
****************************************************

Hey, ya'll!

It's April! Did ya'll know that? Do you know what April means? April means...

1. ADRs! That's right, it's almost ADR day, which for me is April 24th! Finally! Less than three weeks to go now! I can't wait to get my massively massive list of ADRs booked and confirmed!

That will be exciting and nerve wracking

3. Staycation! As usual, I have too many unused vacation hours that are threatening to disappear if I don't use them soon. So it's time to take a week off to burn some of them up! I can't afford to go anywhere, when means I get to spend a week not being at work, reading books, enjoying the sunshine before it gets blistering hot and humid, hanging out in coffee houses and listening to local musicians, and basically just being as lazy as humanly possible. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

I am so jealous. I was 3 hours short of vacation before our trip a few weeks ago. Luckily, my boss is cool, and I earned it while I was on vacation.

I'll be staying that very first night at the Holiday Inn & Suites Universal in a Standard King Bed room. Since I'm not going to Universal on this trip, the hotel's super-close proximity to those parks doesn't interest me. However, it's only 2.5 miles from Texas de Brazil (which I'm considering taking an Uber over to and back so I can have a few cocktails with dinner), and I got a SUPER rate through work... Just $77, no tax! Can't beat it! And it's connected to it's own TGIFriday's that offers a breakfast buffet in the mornings, so that will be a perfect place to fuel-up for my day before heading over to start my Disney adventure!

Ooooo, Tejas de Brazil. They are so good. Since I am recommitting to my diet, we will be eating at Fogo de Chao for our anniversary in a couple of weeks, so I can be sure to get my protein and veggies. No drinks or dessert though. I was really bad in December through March, so I really need to get back.

For those of you keeping up with my weightloss/fitness progress, March was a bit of a bummer. I only lost 6 lbs. Granted, it was pretty much my own fault... I stuck to my diet, but as previously mentioned, I was slacking off on the exercise. I didn't lose anything at all for almost 3 weeks. Then I got back on the workout wagon the last week of the month, and whaddya know... we're four days into April, and I've already lost 3 lbs this month. Funny how that works. So that makes my total weightloss as of today 38 lbs.

This is kinda significant because when I started this 3 months ago, I weighed 370 lbs. Which means that I've officially lost 10% of my starting body weight! Many many years ago when I did Weight Watchers, they taught us to celebrate those 10% goals, and it's always stuck with me as a pretty cool thing to get excited about! I'm 10% smaller! I take up 10% less space!

That is awesome! Good job 10% is a huge deal. Technically, you have lost a little more than 10% I have been slacking off on my diet and exercise. So last week I started eating well again, and I am going to the gym on Wednesday. I have a long way to go exercise-wise to get back to where I was last September. I was really good then, working out twice a week and going to an intensive yoga class twice a week. It's so hard starting back though. So, congratulations! Remember what you have done and accomplished, not what you are not doing

 

[hokieinpa]

ADRs! That's right, it's almost ADR day, which for me is April 24th! Finally! Less than three weeks to go now! I can't wait to get my massively massive list of ADRs booked and confirmed!

Yay, yay! It's getting real now! Excited to see your new spreadsheet!

You know what else happens on April 24th? Season 6 premier of Game of Thrones!

I've never seen this but I think I would really like it. I need to see if we have it on Amazon Prime or something!

Staycation!

This sounds like perfection! A quick 2-night visit with an AP wouldn't be out of the question either...Pop rates are looking pretty good. Just saying.

Did ya'll see that MNSSHP dates were confirmed? HOORAY! And my chosen date of 10/23 works out great, so I'm happy about that! Now if they would just hurry up and go on-sale so that I can buy my ticket!

Hopefully they will go on sale soon! I'm ready to get this trip rolling!!

We've been figuring we'd get them back eventually, but no luck so far. And the big price hike Disney just did has got me scared.

Hmm...I would probably just buy it now. But I have no patience and don't always make the best choices because I can't wait!

I've officially lost 10% of my starting body weight!

Congratulations! You're doing amazing!!

 

[LindseyJo22]

I get to spend a week not being at work, reading books, enjoying the sunshine before it gets blistering hot and humid, hanging out in coffee houses and listening to local musicians, and basically just being as lazy as humanly possible. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

This sounds fabulous! Kind of like how my Spring Break was - one of the perks of being a teacher, at least Hope you enjoy every bit of it!

Speaking of my adventure... it officially starts in LESS THAN 200 DAYS!!! I missed the 200 Days benchmark yesterday, so today I'm celebrating LESS than 200 days left to wait!!!

Ahh!!! So so so exciting!

March was a bit of a bummer. I only lost 6 lbs

But you still lost 6 lb! That's really amazing

I've officially lost 10% of my starting body weight!

Woo hoo!!!

And while I'm just on the third book now, I've found myself really enjoying the characters and their stories! So I'm glad I decided to push past my initial reservations about this series, and am giving it a chance. I'm sure once I finish the four books that are currently in print, I'll be foaming at the mouth for the 5th one (due out next year, I believe).

I'm so glad you enjoyed the books! I was a little nervous about them at first, but I've really enjoyed the series. I'm currently feeding my vampire obsession with JR Ward, but since I don't have her newest yet, I think Anne Bishop is up next And yay for being in the same month as ADR day! That's always a super exciting one And I'm now adding the Night Circus to my list - it had been on there for a while after I heard a podcast about the book, but I never got around to it.

Hopefully you can get a deal on the AP, but at the very least you should get your money's worth with two trips, even if it is expensive :/ And then there is the fact that the AP has made us plan another trip we weren't originally going to take this year So that's always a possibility