bamacmac
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
Thank you for reading all of this! I so appreciate all the support I've gotten on this trip report. It's been so fun. I'm going in early December and cannot wait!!!
A Whole New SOLO World: A July 2015 WDW TR - My 1st! (complete)
- Thread starter bamacmac
- Start date
Thank you for reading all of this! I so appreciate all the support I've gotten on this trip report. It's been so fun. I'm going in early December and cannot wait!!!
bamacmac
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
So are you an Auburn fan? I must admit, as an Alabama fan, I may have enjoyed a little bit that you read my trip report during your game. Hahaha.
(My last 2 boyfriends were Auburn grads...so I'm a nice Bama fan.) Yes, that would be the only thing keeping me from doing the Wishes FP in the future...the getting the 4th thing. Perfect for a day you only plan to be in MK for a bit in the evening!
Grilled cheese and tomato soup sound like they would have been a much better choice. Maybe I will get it another try with that one day! Special memories at a place though can make a big difference.
Yay for Nutella waffles! I was pushing those on a friend at the lake today who is going to WDW in a few weeks. Hahahahaha.
Yes...I think I succeeded at finding a good balance!
Facebook can be good for something!! Ha!
Thank you so much for following along! I am working on writing 3 more posts. Hopefully I'll get the first one posted in the next day or so.
bamacmac
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
I know right? Lucky me!!!
Yes! So glad someone gets it.
Less than 60 days....woo hoo! Awww, thanks! They have become family to me. Love them all dearly. Will be so hard to leave, but still think it's the best thing for me. Sigh.
LOL....isn't that hilarious? He's too funny.
RunningAriel
Formerly known as DISNEYDUET
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2013
Such a wonderful report!! Seriously, just pulled a Netflix and binge read the entire thing!! I loved my time as a CM. I lived in Windermere. It wasn't cheap by any stretch of the imagination but it was close and that's what I wanted. Excited to read your final thoughts and to hear about your plan to make the move to the Happiest Place on Earth!! Have a Magical Day!!
bamacmac
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
For some reason I was not getting that there were updates in my alert box! I was not expecting the return WDW!!! So cool! An AP gives you magical powers, lol. Looking forward to your final thoughts.
Sometimes I don't get the emails or alerts either. Not sure why. I will think no one has commented on this thread and then I pull it up and see several. Weird!
Haha...yes it does! If only I could snap my fingers and appear in WDW....then that would make the AP even more worth it. Ha.
Thanks! I've been working on it...but I'm having a hard time condensing my thoughts and making sense of it all! I'm at my parents this weekend, so I'm distracted. Haha. Hopefully will have some of it posted very soon!
bamacmac
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
Thank you so much!
LOL at pulling a Netflix like binge! That's too funny. I'm so glad you found it entertaining enough to read it all in one sitting! That's awesome. So cool that you were a CM...I had no idea that was even a thing until few years ago. Yes, I am so torn between wanting to be close and wanting to live somewhere more affordable. I keep hoping I will stumble across something that's fairly close and not crazy expensive. A girl can dream right?
I am trying to get all my thoughts down and I'm struggling with it not becoming a lengthy novel. Haha. I have SO many thoughts and they are ALL over the place. Having a hard time making sense of it all. I'm also super distracted this weekend...in my hometown with my family and little nephew and friends...I tried to write last night and it was a jumbled mess.
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bamacmac
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
Had a super fun time reading your trip report! Love your spontaneity! Looking forward to hearing about your plans. My $ is on you moving to Florida sooner than next summer!
Ha! We will see!
Thanks SO much! I appreciate you reading and your comments so much.
About to post Part 1 now...
bamacmac
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
September 7, 2015
Final Thoughts: Part 1
Trip Overview
This trip was incredible for me in so many ways and it meant so many different things to me. I almost feel like saying that it was “incredible” or “awesome” or “amazing” just doesn’t give it the justice it deserves though. In some ways, it had a “trip of a lifetime” feel to it. I’ll never take my “first solo trip” to Walt Disney World again. I will take the things I learned and experienced from this trip and build on them for the next trip. And the next trip. And the one after that. It was everything I hoped it might be, and so much more. It was freeing and adventurous. It was fun and exciting. It was relaxing and enlightening. I’m beyond thankful that I got to take this trip and that it went so well.
One thing that maybe surprised me a little is that I fell way more in love with Epcot on this trip. I thought I already loved it plenty. But there is just something about wandering around Epcot by yourself (and especially that morning that I felt like I had it all to myself) that is completely magical. It might even have been enough for me to solidly say it is my favorite park now. Gasp! I feel like I am cheating on Magic Kingdom when I say that though. I adore Magic Kingdom for a million reasons and the feeling I get in that park is unequal to anything I have ever felt, anywhere else, in my life. But then I get a completely different feeling in Epcot. Understandably, because they are obviously SO different…but I love both of these completely different feelings SO much. I love the part of me that each brings out. But if I were a local, I for sure think I would spend a borderline absurd amount of time at Epcot. And when I made that split second decision to head back to WDW for a little bit, it didn’t even occur to me to go anywhere other than Epcot. So congratulations Epcot, you are now officially Christy’s Favorite Park!
I wear a FitBit, so I wanted to add that my step total for those 9 days was over 107,000 and my distance total was over 50 miles! Not bad for a girl who has had foot issues lately. I had a stress fracture in June and spent 3 weeks in a walking boot...and I am having foot surgery next week for plantar fasciitis!
Here is a little overview of things that I considered to be key to this trip being a success and what I didn’t care for.
~Going solo: I will forever be a huge supporter of the idea of going to WDW solo. I realize that it is not for everyone, but if you love WDW and don’t have anyone to go with, then I urge you to give a solo trip a chance. There are so many positives that easily outweigh any potential negatives you might be able to come up with.
~Pace: I felt like I was able to accomplish a great balance of partial park days, full park days, resort time, off-property time, etc. I was able to do and see so much without getting completely worn out. That makes for a great WDW vacation in my book.
~The AP: This made a HUGE difference in my trip. Without it, I would have likely spent 2 days in the parks. With it, I was in the parks 8 of 9 days. It allowed me to have the pace that I mentioned above. The discounts and free parking on my off-property days were also great perks!
~CBR: Again, I just want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this resort and would most definitely stay there again. There are so many more resorts I want to experience though, so I may not stay there again soon. But one day, I’m sure I will return. I highly recommend it.
~Fairfield Inn & Suites (South Apopka Vineland): Eh. Hard for me to recommend this one based on the location. While it is very close to DTD, again, I didn’t like how it was basically part of a strip mall. It was very clean and comfortable, but I would have preferred to spend a little bit more and stay at one of the official DTD hotels.
~Going in July: I was very unsure of my decision to go during July. You always see SO many people complaining about the crazy crowds and the heat and the rain. To be clear, I am not one of those people who just loves the heat. Was it hot? Yes. Was I a sweaty mess most of the time? Definitely. Did it bother me? It honestly did not at all. I wore appropriate clothing, I drank a ton of water, I used a cooling towel and I had a tiny fan with me when I really needed it. I was having such a good time I just didn’t really notice it all that much. Was it crowded? At times, yes. But most of the time, I didn’t notice any crazy crowds. Did it rain? Some…but not that much, and as is typical of Florida, it never lasted long. Now, if I could choose any time of year to go then of course I would likely go with October or December, but I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to go in July if that was the only time I could. I think this is the kind of thing that will get to you if you let it, but a little bit of perspective can do wonders. I was just so happy to be there, it would have taken something pretty major to ruin my trip. And the weather and a bunch of people were not nearly enough to do that. And on top of all of that, the summer discounts were MORE than worth going at what might be considered a less than ideal time by many.
~Food: Overall, this was a great food trip for me. I had some meals that weren’t anything to write home about (like The Plaza), but I had some that were amazing too (Le Cellier, Hollywood Brown Derby). And don’t you dare forget about that Nutella waffle. Be sure to let me know when you try it. I expect to hear from all of you. J I made the dining plan worth it, so that was good.
~Potential Issues: Cast Members? Zero issues…nothing but great, friendly, helpful CM’s. Traffic? Only that one evening at DTD, which was to be expected. Technology? None. My magicbands worked great the whole time, no MDE app issues, nothing. Reservations? The only thing in this department was that I did have to wait awhile to be seated at Raglan Road, as I mentioned. It was much longer than I would have expected and at a time when they were not that busy. But even that wasn’t really an issue for me.
So yes. Incredible, amazing, awesome, fantastic, wonderful, epic trip. So, so thankful.
I have a little more to say…but with a slightly different focus. Hang on for Parts 2 and 3...coming very soon.
Final Thoughts: Part 1
Trip Overview
This trip was incredible for me in so many ways and it meant so many different things to me. I almost feel like saying that it was “incredible” or “awesome” or “amazing” just doesn’t give it the justice it deserves though. In some ways, it had a “trip of a lifetime” feel to it. I’ll never take my “first solo trip” to Walt Disney World again. I will take the things I learned and experienced from this trip and build on them for the next trip. And the next trip. And the one after that. It was everything I hoped it might be, and so much more. It was freeing and adventurous. It was fun and exciting. It was relaxing and enlightening. I’m beyond thankful that I got to take this trip and that it went so well.
One thing that maybe surprised me a little is that I fell way more in love with Epcot on this trip. I thought I already loved it plenty. But there is just something about wandering around Epcot by yourself (and especially that morning that I felt like I had it all to myself) that is completely magical. It might even have been enough for me to solidly say it is my favorite park now. Gasp! I feel like I am cheating on Magic Kingdom when I say that though. I adore Magic Kingdom for a million reasons and the feeling I get in that park is unequal to anything I have ever felt, anywhere else, in my life. But then I get a completely different feeling in Epcot. Understandably, because they are obviously SO different…but I love both of these completely different feelings SO much. I love the part of me that each brings out. But if I were a local, I for sure think I would spend a borderline absurd amount of time at Epcot. And when I made that split second decision to head back to WDW for a little bit, it didn’t even occur to me to go anywhere other than Epcot. So congratulations Epcot, you are now officially Christy’s Favorite Park!
I wear a FitBit, so I wanted to add that my step total for those 9 days was over 107,000 and my distance total was over 50 miles! Not bad for a girl who has had foot issues lately. I had a stress fracture in June and spent 3 weeks in a walking boot...and I am having foot surgery next week for plantar fasciitis!
Here is a little overview of things that I considered to be key to this trip being a success and what I didn’t care for.
~Going solo: I will forever be a huge supporter of the idea of going to WDW solo. I realize that it is not for everyone, but if you love WDW and don’t have anyone to go with, then I urge you to give a solo trip a chance. There are so many positives that easily outweigh any potential negatives you might be able to come up with.
~Pace: I felt like I was able to accomplish a great balance of partial park days, full park days, resort time, off-property time, etc. I was able to do and see so much without getting completely worn out. That makes for a great WDW vacation in my book.
~The AP: This made a HUGE difference in my trip. Without it, I would have likely spent 2 days in the parks. With it, I was in the parks 8 of 9 days. It allowed me to have the pace that I mentioned above. The discounts and free parking on my off-property days were also great perks!
~CBR: Again, I just want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this resort and would most definitely stay there again. There are so many more resorts I want to experience though, so I may not stay there again soon. But one day, I’m sure I will return. I highly recommend it.
~Fairfield Inn & Suites (South Apopka Vineland): Eh. Hard for me to recommend this one based on the location. While it is very close to DTD, again, I didn’t like how it was basically part of a strip mall. It was very clean and comfortable, but I would have preferred to spend a little bit more and stay at one of the official DTD hotels.
~Going in July: I was very unsure of my decision to go during July. You always see SO many people complaining about the crazy crowds and the heat and the rain. To be clear, I am not one of those people who just loves the heat. Was it hot? Yes. Was I a sweaty mess most of the time? Definitely. Did it bother me? It honestly did not at all. I wore appropriate clothing, I drank a ton of water, I used a cooling towel and I had a tiny fan with me when I really needed it. I was having such a good time I just didn’t really notice it all that much. Was it crowded? At times, yes. But most of the time, I didn’t notice any crazy crowds. Did it rain? Some…but not that much, and as is typical of Florida, it never lasted long. Now, if I could choose any time of year to go then of course I would likely go with October or December, but I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to go in July if that was the only time I could. I think this is the kind of thing that will get to you if you let it, but a little bit of perspective can do wonders. I was just so happy to be there, it would have taken something pretty major to ruin my trip. And the weather and a bunch of people were not nearly enough to do that. And on top of all of that, the summer discounts were MORE than worth going at what might be considered a less than ideal time by many.
~Food: Overall, this was a great food trip for me. I had some meals that weren’t anything to write home about (like The Plaza), but I had some that were amazing too (Le Cellier, Hollywood Brown Derby). And don’t you dare forget about that Nutella waffle. Be sure to let me know when you try it. I expect to hear from all of you. J I made the dining plan worth it, so that was good.
~Potential Issues: Cast Members? Zero issues…nothing but great, friendly, helpful CM’s. Traffic? Only that one evening at DTD, which was to be expected. Technology? None. My magicbands worked great the whole time, no MDE app issues, nothing. Reservations? The only thing in this department was that I did have to wait awhile to be seated at Raglan Road, as I mentioned. It was much longer than I would have expected and at a time when they were not that busy. But even that wasn’t really an issue for me.
So yes. Incredible, amazing, awesome, fantastic, wonderful, epic trip. So, so thankful.
I have a little more to say…but with a slightly different focus. Hang on for Parts 2 and 3...coming very soon.
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bamacmac
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
September 7, 2015
Final Thoughts: Part 2
The Big Picture…what’s next?
If you will recall, at the beginning of this trip report, I wrote that a big part of this trip was about “making Walt Disney World my own thing”, after my recent break-up with the person who led me to fall in love with this magical place. Thankfully, I was able to do exactly that. I made my own memories. I had so much fun, in spite of the few moments of sadness when something would remind me of our trips there together. But those moments were far and few between and did not last long. I enjoyed being there even more than I expected to and was very happy with how well I navigated it all by myself. I know these parks and I know them well. That is, in part, because of him. He was an excellent tour guide and teacher. But I’ve also learned a lot from the disboards and from the DIS Unplugged podcasts and the crew. I felt so comfortable there. As many often say, “it felt like home”.
An even bigger part of this trip was trying to decide if I could see myself living in Orlando. This idea started brewing back in February and it grew quickly into a new dream of mine. But I felt like I needed to go down there and explore Orlando beyond the gates of Walt Disney World. I have been looking online at apartments in the area for months now, but needed to see these areas in person. Needed to get a feel for neighborhoods and little towns. The internet is a great tool for relocation research and it gives you access to people who currently live there that you can ask questions as well…but I still think it’s important to see it for yourself. To decide for yourself what you think. I also felt like I needed to see what it would really be like to be in the parks by myself. That was a big part of wanting the AP…so that I could see what it was like to just go into the parks for a few hours in the evening or leave early without feeling like I was wasting money.
SO…after the trip I took a few weeks to process all of it and give myself time to think about it some more. I’ve talked about this to some degree throughout the trip report, but I’m so excited to officially say that I have decided that I want to move to Florida!! It’s a little scary to say that! These last few weeks have been full of so much excitement, anxiety, doubts and just overwhelming thoughts and emotions. I lived in the same small town in Georgia for the first 18 years of my life. In the same house. Same school K-12. Then I moved to Alabama, only a couple of hours away, for college and stayed there for the last 17 years. So change isn’t something I have ever had to get very comfortable with. I’ve been able to go home and visit my family any time I have wanted. And it’s been so easy for them to come visit me at anytime too. And now I have a 7 month old nephew who I adore and I’m having a hard time imagining not seeing him very often. I think my parents will do a decent job of visiting me now and then. They will at least do so to visit my dog. They have made several comments about how much they will miss her and how they will need to visit her. (Gee…thanks Mom and Dad…feeling the love! Haha.) I know they will want to see me too though. And who doesn’t want their daughter to live near beaches? Ha. My brother and his wife might visit eventually, but not often. ( I mean, the kid will eventually HAVE to visit Mickey!) I’m hopeful they will keep me in the loop in my nephew’s life. I keep telling myself that it will all be ok. We will make it work. And I also keep telling myself that this doesn’t have to be forever. There is nothing that says that if I move there I have to stay forever. If it turns out to be way too hard for me to be so far from family, then I can always move back closer to them. Or I might move there and it be the best thing I have ever done and may stay there forever. You just never know. But that is something I really want to find out.
I’m pretty heartbroken over leaving the kids I have been a nanny for as well. 7 years is a long time to be such an integral part of a family and then leave. I’ve been talking to the kids about this for a while now. It was important to me that this not be a surprise to them and that it be something we could very openly talk about at any time. I wanted them to feel like they could be sad with me about it if they needed to, ask questions or whatever they wanted or needed. These kids are my world and I cry every single time I think about leaving them. BUT. The reality of it is, they are getting older. They are all in school now and during the school year my job becomes less than ideal to me. I mostly do laundry , grocery shopping, make their school lunches, run errands, pick-up from school and then drive around from activity to activity. I’m not complaining…because really I love doing all of these things because it means they get more quality time as a family. That is my job. Making their family life easier so the parents have more time with their kids and don’t have to worry so much about the things that tend to take over the evenings and the weekends. They both work and this way they get to have their careers and family time too. Saying I love these kids is the biggest understatement ever. It’s almost like I am an aunt or even a big sister sometimes. Or even like a 2nd Mom at times. The only thing keeping me sane with this part of all of this, is that I know that eventually the day will come when they wouldn’t need me anymore. And it scares me to stay and just wait for that day to come. I don’t want to be close 40 when that happens and then not know what to do next. And also it helps tremendously to know that this won’t be goodbye. I will still make every effort to see them from time to time. I will call them and send them letters and gifts for every birthday and Christmas. I will be there when each of them graduates from high school and college. I will be there when each of them gets married. And I will be there every time they visit Disney from now on. They will forever be a part of my life and I will be a part of their lives, no matter where I live. Knowing that makes me think I can actually do this.
Another part of this is leaving Alabama. I’ve called this place home for almost half of my life. It’s crazy to imagine not living here. I feel like it is such a huge part of who I am. But at the same time, I’m not that overly attached to it. The 2 things I love most about my life there currently, are my church and this family. I’m confident though that I can find a similar church that I will love. And if not, my church streams their services live every week and posts everything on their website, so I can always keep up with all of that no matter where I am. I love other things about it too…like all the great places nearby for hiking. I think in Florida that is something you just call walking. Ha. But the millions of other things to do outdoors should outweigh not having actual mountains to hike up. I also love being not too far from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I’m a huge Alabama football fan and love going to games and being right in the middle of all the news about the team. But again, thanks to technology, I can still stay pretty connected. AND I just realized recently that on September 1st, 2018, Alabama will open their season against Louisville IN ORLANDO! So I have that to look forward to. And I can go anytime they play at the University of Florida or end up in a bowl game in Florida. So that will be ok. I have lots of friends around here, but most of them are married and have kids and have very busy lives. And we all keep up with each other, but I just don't see them that much. I can keep up with them from anywhere. My closest friends lives in various states across the country, so that will be no different than it is now.
So…I think I have worked through all of the things that would keep me from doing this. Haha. I know it may seem like I am way overthinking it all. But I just am not one of those people who can rush into decisions and hope it all works out for the best.
All of the exploring Orlando was a lot of fun. And even more than it just being fun, I felt really comfortable driving around the city. I didn’t look at a map or anything, I just drove and drove and drove. It’s a neat city with so much to offer. I checked out several apartment complexes and drove through a lot of areas. Saw a lot I really liked…Windermere, Celebration, Dr Phillips, parts of I-Drive are all so close to WDW. They are all kinda pricey too though. So will have to figure that part out. There are some other areas like Clermont, Davenport, Winter Haven…that all appeal to me too and have some less expensive options, but are slightly further away. Lots of time left though to figure that part out.
So what is the timeline for all of this?
Well, I am glad you asked.
This is currently my plan:
I will stay here through Christmas break of this year. My current lease runs out about that time. After that I will move to my hometown in Georgia for roughly 6-8 months. The only way I can see the move to Florida happening is if I can really seriously save some money for a few months first. So I am planning to live with my parents during that time. I won’t lie, that is going to be really hard after so many years living on my own. But it’s the only solution I can see and they will graciously let me live with them for a bit while I do this. It would be great to move to Orlando in January, but it just can’t happen. I hope to be in Orlando though by the middle of the summer. That would be ideal for me. At the very latest I am hoping for September. We will just have to see how that all works out!
As far as a job in Orlando, that is another big thing I decided recently. I definitely want to try to work for Walt Disney World! I had thought about that some, but wasn’t sure I really wanted to. On this trip though I realized what I would love to do there…I would LOVE to be a tour guide and think I could be a really good one. I realize it is unlikely that this is the job I would get immediately. But I’m willing to start out doing whatever and work my way up.
At this point, I am slowly starting to pack and make plans. Trying to decided what will go to Florida and what will go to Georgia. I'm planning to store everything going to Florida somewhere here until I'm ready to move. No sense paying so much to have it all moved twice. The kids know that this is really happening. There have been a lot of tears, but also a lot of great conversations about all of it. I think they truly understand (as much as they can) why I need to do this and that it is so hard for me to leave them. They know I am doing what I think is best for me and they seem to respect that. I hope that will be a good life lesson for them. Sometimes in life you have to do what is best for YOU, even if it's hard. Even if it hurts.
I'm slowly starting to tell people. I've gotten some interesting reactions. Most people are shocked that I would move so far away. And some associate me so closely with Alabama and my hometown, that they can't imagine me somewhere else. But mostly I have had so many people say "that is awesome" and "good for you" and "I wish I could do something so fun and adventurous like that...", so all of those comments are very encouraging.
So that brings all of you up to speed on my life! Thank you for allowing me to ramble on with my thoughts. It means so much to me that so many have followed this first attempt of mine at a trip report. I have really enjoyed writing the report and have enjoyed all of the comments so very much. I will most definitely be writing more of these in the future. I'm debating what to do for the life stuff that will be happening over the next year as I follow this new Disney dream. I would like to somehow document/share all of that. I'm just not sure if that needs to be in the form of a blog or if there is a good place on here for such a thread? I welcome any ideas about the best way to do that!! I would love to know what you all think!
One more part to come...a little preview of the next trip report.
Final Thoughts: Part 2
The Big Picture…what’s next?
If you will recall, at the beginning of this trip report, I wrote that a big part of this trip was about “making Walt Disney World my own thing”, after my recent break-up with the person who led me to fall in love with this magical place. Thankfully, I was able to do exactly that. I made my own memories. I had so much fun, in spite of the few moments of sadness when something would remind me of our trips there together. But those moments were far and few between and did not last long. I enjoyed being there even more than I expected to and was very happy with how well I navigated it all by myself. I know these parks and I know them well. That is, in part, because of him. He was an excellent tour guide and teacher. But I’ve also learned a lot from the disboards and from the DIS Unplugged podcasts and the crew. I felt so comfortable there. As many often say, “it felt like home”.
An even bigger part of this trip was trying to decide if I could see myself living in Orlando. This idea started brewing back in February and it grew quickly into a new dream of mine. But I felt like I needed to go down there and explore Orlando beyond the gates of Walt Disney World. I have been looking online at apartments in the area for months now, but needed to see these areas in person. Needed to get a feel for neighborhoods and little towns. The internet is a great tool for relocation research and it gives you access to people who currently live there that you can ask questions as well…but I still think it’s important to see it for yourself. To decide for yourself what you think. I also felt like I needed to see what it would really be like to be in the parks by myself. That was a big part of wanting the AP…so that I could see what it was like to just go into the parks for a few hours in the evening or leave early without feeling like I was wasting money.
SO…after the trip I took a few weeks to process all of it and give myself time to think about it some more. I’ve talked about this to some degree throughout the trip report, but I’m so excited to officially say that I have decided that I want to move to Florida!! It’s a little scary to say that! These last few weeks have been full of so much excitement, anxiety, doubts and just overwhelming thoughts and emotions. I lived in the same small town in Georgia for the first 18 years of my life. In the same house. Same school K-12. Then I moved to Alabama, only a couple of hours away, for college and stayed there for the last 17 years. So change isn’t something I have ever had to get very comfortable with. I’ve been able to go home and visit my family any time I have wanted. And it’s been so easy for them to come visit me at anytime too. And now I have a 7 month old nephew who I adore and I’m having a hard time imagining not seeing him very often. I think my parents will do a decent job of visiting me now and then. They will at least do so to visit my dog. They have made several comments about how much they will miss her and how they will need to visit her. (Gee…thanks Mom and Dad…feeling the love! Haha.) I know they will want to see me too though. And who doesn’t want their daughter to live near beaches? Ha. My brother and his wife might visit eventually, but not often. ( I mean, the kid will eventually HAVE to visit Mickey!) I’m hopeful they will keep me in the loop in my nephew’s life. I keep telling myself that it will all be ok. We will make it work. And I also keep telling myself that this doesn’t have to be forever. There is nothing that says that if I move there I have to stay forever. If it turns out to be way too hard for me to be so far from family, then I can always move back closer to them. Or I might move there and it be the best thing I have ever done and may stay there forever. You just never know. But that is something I really want to find out.
I’m pretty heartbroken over leaving the kids I have been a nanny for as well. 7 years is a long time to be such an integral part of a family and then leave. I’ve been talking to the kids about this for a while now. It was important to me that this not be a surprise to them and that it be something we could very openly talk about at any time. I wanted them to feel like they could be sad with me about it if they needed to, ask questions or whatever they wanted or needed. These kids are my world and I cry every single time I think about leaving them. BUT. The reality of it is, they are getting older. They are all in school now and during the school year my job becomes less than ideal to me. I mostly do laundry , grocery shopping, make their school lunches, run errands, pick-up from school and then drive around from activity to activity. I’m not complaining…because really I love doing all of these things because it means they get more quality time as a family. That is my job. Making their family life easier so the parents have more time with their kids and don’t have to worry so much about the things that tend to take over the evenings and the weekends. They both work and this way they get to have their careers and family time too. Saying I love these kids is the biggest understatement ever. It’s almost like I am an aunt or even a big sister sometimes. Or even like a 2nd Mom at times. The only thing keeping me sane with this part of all of this, is that I know that eventually the day will come when they wouldn’t need me anymore. And it scares me to stay and just wait for that day to come. I don’t want to be close 40 when that happens and then not know what to do next. And also it helps tremendously to know that this won’t be goodbye. I will still make every effort to see them from time to time. I will call them and send them letters and gifts for every birthday and Christmas. I will be there when each of them graduates from high school and college. I will be there when each of them gets married. And I will be there every time they visit Disney from now on.
They will forever be a part of my life and I will be a part of their lives, no matter where I live. Knowing that makes me think I can actually do this.Another part of this is leaving Alabama. I’ve called this place home for almost half of my life. It’s crazy to imagine not living here. I feel like it is such a huge part of who I am. But at the same time, I’m not that overly attached to it. The 2 things I love most about my life there currently, are my church and this family. I’m confident though that I can find a similar church that I will love. And if not, my church streams their services live every week and posts everything on their website, so I can always keep up with all of that no matter where I am. I love other things about it too…like all the great places nearby for hiking. I think in Florida that is something you just call walking. Ha. But the millions of other things to do outdoors should outweigh not having actual mountains to hike up. I also love being not too far from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I’m a huge Alabama football fan and love going to games and being right in the middle of all the news about the team. But again, thanks to technology, I can still stay pretty connected. AND I just realized recently that on September 1st, 2018, Alabama will open their season against Louisville IN ORLANDO! So I have that to look forward to.
And I can go anytime they play at the University of Florida or end up in a bowl game in Florida. So that will be ok. I have lots of friends around here, but most of them are married and have kids and have very busy lives. And we all keep up with each other, but I just don't see them that much. I can keep up with them from anywhere. My closest friends lives in various states across the country, so that will be no different than it is now.So…I think I have worked through all of the things that would keep me from doing this. Haha. I know it may seem like I am way overthinking it all. But I just am not one of those people who can rush into decisions and hope it all works out for the best.
All of the exploring Orlando was a lot of fun. And even more than it just being fun, I felt really comfortable driving around the city. I didn’t look at a map or anything, I just drove and drove and drove. It’s a neat city with so much to offer. I checked out several apartment complexes and drove through a lot of areas. Saw a lot I really liked…Windermere, Celebration, Dr Phillips, parts of I-Drive are all so close to WDW. They are all kinda pricey too though. So will have to figure that part out. There are some other areas like Clermont, Davenport, Winter Haven…that all appeal to me too and have some less expensive options, but are slightly further away. Lots of time left though to figure that part out.
So what is the timeline for all of this?
Well, I am glad you asked.
This is currently my plan:
I will stay here through Christmas break of this year. My current lease runs out about that time. After that I will move to my hometown in Georgia for roughly 6-8 months. The only way I can see the move to Florida happening is if I can really seriously save some money for a few months first. So I am planning to live with my parents during that time. I won’t lie, that is going to be really hard after so many years living on my own. But it’s the only solution I can see and they will graciously let me live with them for a bit while I do this. It would be great to move to Orlando in January, but it just can’t happen. I hope to be in Orlando though by the middle of the summer. That would be ideal for me. At the very latest I am hoping for September. We will just have to see how that all works out!
As far as a job in Orlando, that is another big thing I decided recently. I definitely want to try to work for Walt Disney World! I had thought about that some, but wasn’t sure I really wanted to. On this trip though I realized what I would love to do there…I would LOVE to be a tour guide and think I could be a really good one. I realize it is unlikely that this is the job I would get immediately. But I’m willing to start out doing whatever and work my way up.
At this point, I am slowly starting to pack and make plans. Trying to decided what will go to Florida and what will go to Georgia. I'm planning to store everything going to Florida somewhere here until I'm ready to move. No sense paying so much to have it all moved twice. The kids know that this is really happening. There have been a lot of tears, but also a lot of great conversations about all of it. I think they truly understand (as much as they can) why I need to do this and that it is so hard for me to leave them. They know I am doing what I think is best for me and they seem to respect that. I hope that will be a good life lesson for them. Sometimes in life you have to do what is best for YOU, even if it's hard. Even if it hurts.
I'm slowly starting to tell people. I've gotten some interesting reactions. Most people are shocked that I would move so far away. And some associate me so closely with Alabama and my hometown, that they can't imagine me somewhere else. But mostly I have had so many people say "that is awesome" and "good for you" and "I wish I could do something so fun and adventurous like that...", so all of those comments are very encouraging.
So that brings all of you up to speed on my life! Thank you for allowing me to ramble on with my thoughts. It means so much to me that so many have followed this first attempt of mine at a trip report. I have really enjoyed writing the report and have enjoyed all of the comments so very much. I will most definitely be writing more of these in the future. I'm debating what to do for the life stuff that will be happening over the next year as I follow this new Disney dream. I would like to somehow document/share all of that. I'm just not sure if that needs to be in the form of a blog or if there is a good place on here for such a thread? I welcome any ideas about the best way to do that!! I would love to know what you all think!
One more part to come...a little preview of the next trip report.
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bamacmac
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
September 7, 2015
Final Thoughts: Part 3
My next WDW Trip! Happy early birthday to me and an early Merry Christmas too!
So my next trip is less than 3 months away!! I definitely want to do a trip report again. You can expect it sometime in January (with all of the packing and moving and HUGE life changes happening in December.)
Here is a little overview of what I have planned for that trip, so you know what to expect from the next TR!
Doesn't that sound so fun?? I have done Christmas at WDW once before and I absolutely loved everything about it. So excited for this trip.
My birthday is near Christmas, so I will be celebrating # 36 a little bit early while I am there.
I hope you all will join me again for that trip report! And if you are going to be in the parks around that time, let me know!
THANK YOU all again for being a part of this.
~The End~
Final Thoughts: Part 3
My next WDW Trip! Happy early birthday to me and an early Merry Christmas too!
So my next trip is less than 3 months away!! I definitely want to do a trip report again. You can expect it sometime in January (with all of the packing and moving and HUGE life changes happening in December.)
Here is a little overview of what I have planned for that trip, so you know what to expect from the next TR!
- Early December, 2015
- Mostly solo again! (but will be hanging out with some DISers!)
- Split stay: Pop, POFQ, Cabana Bay
- DISAPALOOZA!!!!! (SO excited for this!)
- Christmas at Disney! Osborne Lights, Candlelight Processional Dinner Package x2 (I really love it!), MVMCP, California Grill, Garden Grill, Chefs de France, Be Our Guest (Breakfast).
- DIS Unplugged live podcast recording!
Doesn't that sound so fun?? I have done Christmas at WDW once before and I absolutely loved everything about it. So excited for this trip.
My birthday is near Christmas, so I will be celebrating # 36 a little bit early while I am there.
I hope you all will join me again for that trip report! And if you are going to be in the parks around that time, let me know!
THANK YOU all again for being a part of this.
~The End~
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tinkfan160
Believer in Faith, Trust, & Pixie Dust
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2013
Just finished up reading the rest of your TR! I love that you ended up making a last minute stop at Epcot on your way home...if I had an AP burning a hole in pocket I'd probably do the same! Everything you said about Disney in July is soooo true! We have done it twice now and everyone always thinks we're nuts! Sure I'd love to go in the fall, but that just doesn't work when you have two people who follow a school year work schedule, so we go when we can! We just go knowing our limits and don't push them!
Congrats on your decision to move to Florida...HOW EXCITING! While I love Disney and visiting Florida I just don't think I could live there year round. My grandma winters in Florida in a town called Frostproof, which is 45 minutes to an hour from Disney off of Highway 27. Her town isn't very big, but we travel through some of the towns you mentioned when we go to Orlando. Winter Haven is a a really nice area that we visit a lot for shopping when we are at my grandma's. I hope everything goes well with your move and that you get an awesome position with Disney. My friend who is a CM loves it so much that she did two stints with the College Program and never came home from the second one! She worked QS at HS during her first program and merchandise in Frontierland during her second. She was able to get hired in the position full time when she decided to stay. She's currently looking into trying to get into a more management oriented position.
Hopefully time flies quickly for you and your next trip is here before you know it...I will look forward to reading your TR and seeing more of your beautiful pictures!
PS- I love the sign that you posted at the beginning of your last post...I have it! It is currently on my desk in the Social Studies office at the school where I start my student teaching tomorrow!
Congrats on your decision to move to Florida...HOW EXCITING! While I love Disney and visiting Florida I just don't think I could live there year round. My grandma winters in Florida in a town called Frostproof, which is 45 minutes to an hour from Disney off of Highway 27. Her town isn't very big, but we travel through some of the towns you mentioned when we go to Orlando. Winter Haven is a a really nice area that we visit a lot for shopping when we are at my grandma's. I hope everything goes well with your move and that you get an awesome position with Disney. My friend who is a CM loves it so much that she did two stints with the College Program and never came home from the second one! She worked QS at HS during her first program and merchandise in Frontierland during her second. She was able to get hired in the position full time when she decided to stay. She's currently looking into trying to get into a more management oriented position.
Hopefully time flies quickly for you and your next trip is here before you know it...I will look forward to reading your TR and seeing more of your beautiful pictures!
PS- I love the sign that you posted at the beginning of your last post...I have it! It is currently on my desk in the Social Studies office at the school where I start my student teaching tomorrow!
DaisyDuck001
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 5, 2006
You mentioned that you will be looking for a church in the area around WDW. This is just a thought, but Yehaa Bob is apparently involved with leading choir at Ocoee Christian Church, and he says everyone is invited there, so maybe that's one you may like to check out?
j2thomason
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2013
I'm so excited for you! It sounds like you have put a lot of thought into this and have a great game plan. I'm sure you will be able to find a wonderful faith family in Orlando and God will use you in your new hometown. Maybe Highlands could start another satellite church down there! Please continue to keep us updated as you move along this new "magical" journey!
jandlinz
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2010
An extra day at Epcot was the perfect ending!
I'm so happy for you that you made your decision to move to Orlando. It sounds like you have a great game plan. I always tell my DH that since I moved away from family for his job that retirement will be my choice to move to Orlando. Sounds fair to me! I hope you enjoy the ride.
I'm so happy for you that you made your decision to move to Orlando. It sounds like you have a great game plan. I always tell my DH that since I moved away from family for his job that retirement will be my choice to move to Orlando. Sounds fair to me! I hope you enjoy the ride.
& great wishes for luck 
filled with happiness 
while you reach for your dreams 
! You deserve it!
1Grumpy9
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 2, 2011
Great wrap up...I love the spontaneity of heading to EPCOT for a couple of hours on your last day. You got a lot done in a couple of hours.
Your solo trip has made me want to really think about doing a solo trip. The only problem is right now I have two trips planned that aren't going to be solo right now...Next Oct/Nov I am going to celebrate my 40th birthday with friends and then Nov 2017 I am taking my parents for their 50th wedding anniversary. If I lived closer (living in PA doesn't make it easy to get in a car and drive to Disney alone), I would definitely have an annual pass and visit a lot.
Good for you to make the decision to move to Florida. I know it is going to be hard for the kids, but as you said, they will always be a part of your life and you in theirs.
Your solo trip has made me want to really think about doing a solo trip. The only problem is right now I have two trips planned that aren't going to be solo right now...Next Oct/Nov I am going to celebrate my 40th birthday with friends and then Nov 2017 I am taking my parents for their 50th wedding anniversary. If I lived closer (living in PA doesn't make it easy to get in a car and drive to Disney alone), I would definitely have an annual pass and visit a lot.
Good for you to make the decision to move to Florida. I know it is going to be hard for the kids, but as you said, they will always be a part of your life and you in theirs.
bamacmac
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
Just finished up reading the rest of your TR! I love that you ended up making a last minute stop at Epcot on your way home...if I had an AP burning a hole in pocket I'd probably do the same! Everything you said about Disney in July is soooo true! We have done it twice now and everyone always thinks we're nuts! Sure I'd love to go in the fall, but that just doesn't work when you have two people who follow a school year work schedule, so we go when we can! We just go knowing our limits and don't push them!
Congrats on your decision to move to Florida...HOW EXCITING! While I love Disney and visiting Florida I just don't think I could live there year round. My grandma winters in Florida in a town called Frostproof, which is 45 minutes to an hour from Disney off of Highway 27. Her town isn't very big, but we travel through some of the towns you mentioned when we go to Orlando. Winter Haven is a a really nice area that we visit a lot for shopping when we are at my grandma's. I hope everything goes well with your move and that you get an awesome position with Disney. My friend who is a CM loves it so much that she did two stints with the College Program and never came home from the second one! She worked QS at HS during her first program and merchandise in Frontierland during her second. She was able to get hired in the position full time when she decided to stay. She's currently looking into trying to get into a more management oriented position.
Hopefully time flies quickly for you and your next trip is here before you know it...I will look forward to reading your TR and seeing more of your beautiful pictures!
PS- I love the sign that you posted at the beginning of your last post...I have it! It is currently on my desk in the Social Studies office at the school where I start my student teaching tomorrow!
View attachment 122363
I hope your student teaching has gotten off to a great start! How fun! From your personality (that I have seen through your TR, it seems you will be a great teacher!)
What you said about July....exactly. You have to know yourself and know what to expect and then any time of year is fine. I may very well find that living there isn't for me! Who knows! I may be there a year or two and be ready to head back to Georgia or Alabama....or who knows where?? Maybe I will give Southern California a shot next and be a DL local!
The sign is awesome! I have seen people post pictures of it, but I need to get one for myself! It's perfect!
Thanks so much for reading along and for all the great comments and well wishes! You rock! I need to get caught up on your TR and will soon!!!
bamacmac
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
Thank you!!! I was so determined to make the most of that little random trip back to Epcot. It was definitely worth it!
I hope you get to take a solo sometime! So fun to have a couple of trips on the books though! I live just far enough away that I have to have more than just a weekend to go. And I hate taking time off work. I usually vacation when the family vacations.
Thank you, thank you and more thank you! For reading and for the great comments. It will be hard for all of us, but I'm trying hard to constantly remind myself that I have to think about myself right now. I've been thinking about everyone else for years and not doing enough for me. So it's time to do that now!!!!
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