Dawgs go to Disney - Hallobirthary 2010

[cassidyh]

HELLO!

I am alive. I have been without Internet in the new house for a week! It has been driving me insane but I am back now

Not much has changed on the WDW planning front. I did get the internship with the wedding planning firm!!!! I am so excited. We start next week and I think I'm going to learn a lot.

The new house is great. Veryyyy tiny, but it's cozy and I love the backyard. I'll put up pics soon.

As you may have seen, I'm considering flying...I think it would give us more time but IDK. Now I have my internship from 9-4pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If we can't leave Athens until like 4:30pm, then we would be getting to WDW around 11 or 12... I feel like we would we wasting a night. If we fly we could get there around 8:30 or 9 because getting to the airport would take that long. We could take a 7pm flight. It would cost around $160 each, and we could stay longer on Sunday too! (I don't really care about getting back late...who needs school after DISNEY??)

Even still, I haven't asked about taking that Thursday off from my internship yet. We have orientation tomorrow, so hopefully they will go over that. I may have to make up hours or something or work a half-day like til noon.

There are so many variables! I guess I'll just wait and see how things go with school and then make a decision. If I can get that day off on Thursday and Morgan can skip his class, then we may end up driving. Flying though would seem so fun and I wanna take Magical Express!!!

Anyway, school starts on Monday and I need to get to work soon! And I need to buy textbooks tomorrow

 

[leshunlenese]

Congrats on the new house. i know how you feel. i get home and the internet is down it drives me crazy! Fkying would be fun. growing up we alwasy drove and were always so tired we are flying for the first time and i hope it gives us better use of our time! Good luck with classes i start monday too!

 

[HeatherBelle614]

I hope the flying works out!

I hate to fly but it is SO much easier!!

 

[cassidyh]

Congrats on the new house. i know how you feel. i get home and the internet is down it drives me crazy! Fkying would be fun. growing up we alwasy drove and were always so tired we are flying for the first time and i hope it gives us better use of our time! Good luck with classes i start monday too!

Thanks! I like it a lot. I think we may end up flying....I THINK! Hope your classes went well!

I hope the flying works out!

I hate to fly but it is SO much easier!!

I don't mind flying too much, especially from ATL to MCO..it will be very short!!

I think we may end up having to because one of DBF's classes got moved and doesn't get out until 4:45 on Thursdays!!!! UGHHHH!!! So that's like really making me want to fly now, because otherwise we won't get til Orlando until after midnight and I can't handle that! I feel like if I have a room booked for Thursday, I better get there before the clock strikes 12!

 

[cassidyh]

You need to get DBF to hang out with some WDW lovers. I happen to think they're all pretty awesome, good people!

The old pictures are too funny; I have a lot of the same type of pictures! The old-school midriff shirts are classic. We should bring them back!

Just saw this post..I'm SO bad at PTR-ing!!! Sorry!!

I think he is slowly becoming more tolerant! I don't know what I can do to make him as excited as I am, though. I've been telling him little cool things about Disney to tell him so he realizes it's more than like Six Flags (ew). Like the other day the Disney blog said that EPCOT was growing the world's hottest pepper, and he actually read the blog after I showed it to him. I knew it would catch his attention because he worked in a greenhouse last year AND he loves to cook! I think this trip I will have to make it more about him. That's what I've been hearing on podcasts and stuff about taking first-timers. Make sure they see what would interest them and then they'll be hooked!!!

HA I don't know if my midriff is ready for a come-back of the half shirt yet!!

 

[cassidyh]

EDIT:

We are not flying

But that's ok. The plane ticket prices increased like the day we were going to buy tickets and it would have been way too much $$$$.

Update later...really good news coming

 

[cassidyh]

Hello??

Idk if anyone is reading my PTR anymore but I'm updating anyway

These past few days have been all over the place! First, we decided that we aren't going to fly to save $$$. We'll be saving even more than I thought because our room prices got reduced with the new discounts

Plus, I'd rather have more money to spend at WDW than get there a couple hours earlier.

But guess what?

I'm officially a foster mom!! On Friday, Morgan told me that we can finally foster a dog. I've been wanting to for a while ever since I started volunteering with True Love Canine Rescue, and I'm so glad we finally did. I e-mailed the director and told her we were ready to foster, and she wanted me to come to animal control on Saturday. When we got there, she had the cutest, goobiest, best little boy waiting for us in an interaction pen, and we fell in love. We took him home that day!!!

Here he is:

Reggie and Wally being goobie twins

LOVE him. He's so perfect. Wish I could keep him, but we can't afford to pay for two dogs

Off to class!

 

[cassidyh]

Well, here's an update for any lurkers....!!!

It's our 47-day mark, which means we pay our deposit in two days!!! I've never been more excited to spend money

On Wednesday I was looking on Amazon during my newswriting lecture class , and I really wanted to order the Unofficial Guide 2011...(if I have the 2011 version, that means we HAVE TO go again in 2011, right?? )

I contemplated buying it for a long time. I justified it by saying that I could get a discount subscription to TouringPlans.com, and I would get the Lines iPhone app to use on the trip!!!

Still, I didn't buy it right away...mostly because I was in class and didn't want to whip out my debit or anything because that would look suspicious.

Later, I was in my Graphics class and my teacher was talking about the kinds of images we need to use for our projects....

BACKGROUND FOR THE PROJECT: We had to pick a client at the beginning of the semester, and then during the semester we will design a magazine cover, a two-page magazine story, a double-page ad, a newsletter, and a brochure for our client.

Naturally, my client is WDW!!!!

Ok so, she was telling us that our graphics would preferably come from print sources or from our own digital cameras that we would scan in since we are designing for print. Internet pictures don't have high enough resolution to look good on paper. She has a ton of stock photo books in the room, but I didn't think any of them would have WDW pics. I knew I would be able to take a ton of pictures in October when we go, but I am not that great of a photographer

Which got me thinking....about the COLOR COMPANION UNOFFICIAL GUIDE!!!

I was like, ok if I buy this book, then I'll have the Guide for the trip, AND I'll have photos for my class. It's perfect, right??

So, I get home and get on Amazon right away, and there's a free shipping deal for orders over $25. I was like, ok well I'll get the Unofficial Guide and the Color Companion so that way I'll have the wordy version with more info for intense planning and the color companion for the class and for quick planning decisions.

I can't wait for them to come!!! I haven't bought books for myself in so long. I can see myself staying up all night absorbing all the tips before we leave.

So, not much is happening on the planning front. I think Morgan is going to be able to skip his last class, which means we'll be able to leave Athens closer to 2 or 3 instead of 5, which means we'll get to WDW hopefully around 10:30. I'll take Wally to my house in Snellville the night before so we don't have to stop on the way down, and Reggie will go to another foster home with TLC Rescue for the weekend.

Other than that, I'm waiting to get my books until I start getting into itinerary planning mode. I kind of want to leave WDW later on Sunday..maybe make an extra ADR at Boma or something for brunch? Any good brunch places at the resorts? I'd love the advice

47 Days!!!

 

[onelilspark]

I'm still here! Just quiet...

Your little foster puppy is adorable. If I had enough space, I'd probably have about 10 dogs I'm like the crazy cat lady, but with pups instead!

Make sure you read through the Color Companion, there are some pages in there just for laughs and they're hysterical!

 

[cassidyh]

I'm still here! Just quiet...

Your little foster puppy is adorable. If I had enough space, I'd probably have about 10 dogs I'm like the crazy cat lady, but with pups instead!

Make sure you read through the Color Companion, there are some pages in there just for laughs and they're hysterical!

Glad you are still here

I think Reggie is adorable too. I am the same way; I would have a jillion puppies and doggies if I could.

I've definitely read that the Color Companion is pretty silly. I'm excited to bury my nose in it

 

[cassidyh]

Watching S. Carolina kill my Dawgs

On a happier note, I made 9:45am reservations for Boma on the 31st the morning that we leave. I'm really excited. I was deciding between Boma and Kona. I have never eaten at either, so it was really tough to just rely on reviews. I went with Boma because of the buffet. DBF is a big eater so I figured it would be good for him

Also, I've always wanted to explore AKL. It's definitely one of my dream resorts for when I grow up and have $$$

I also got Morgan really excited about Disney by looking at the Food Porn threads. He LOVES looking at them He actually even researched some of the restaurants and asked if we could stay at the Contemporary one day because of the Cali Grill. I was like YES OF COURSE!!!

We also made a pretty awesome decision yesterday...

WE'RE GOING AGAIN IN 2011!!!!!!

Either during my birthday (August 9) which was the original plan for this year, or again during F&W over our Fall Break. He saw all the drinks on the food porn threads, and he said that we have to go back as soon as we are both 21

Anyway...pixie dust for my Dawgs please...

 

[cassidyh]

Happy Friday!!

Today I am at home getting my car fixed. It's a 2001 Jetta...and it's a character. I haven't been able to reverse in about a year, the radio stopped working a few months ago, the VW emblem is knocked off, and now there's some sort of leak from my sunroof, but other than that

it's a great car!!! Today I am getting my sunroof leak fixed and my oil changed, and HOPEFULLY they'll take a look at my radio and see if they can do anything before we leave for Disney. Can you imagine a 7 hour drive in silence?

So, I skipped my one class of the day to be at home and do laundry while I wait for my car. When I got home, my mom had the coolest suprises for me!!

They had a yard sale last week, and she kept a couple of Disney things that didn't sell for me. The first two things are little mini recplicas of Cinderella's Castle and Splash Mountain, and then the other thing is a 25th Anniversary mug that I didn't even know we had!

I'm so excited to put the replicas in my room and oogle over them as we count down for our trip! And I'll definitely be drinking out of that mug on Monday

We may have to keep Reggie in a boarding place if he's not adopted by the time we leave, but they are really good and work with the rescue, and we get a discount for $10 a day. I'm paying my little bro to watch Wally...maybe like $10 a day too plus a present from Disney. My parents already have two chihuahuas and a lab, so they said only one of our dogs. Morgan might ask his mom if she can watch Wally so my brother can watch Reggie, but we're not sure if she'll be up for it. She's already watched him three or four times.

I am going to suprise Morgan with a countdown chain on the 9/28..I know it's for kids, but really I just want to do something!!! I'm so excited. I should get my Official Guide and Hidden Magic books by then, so I'll have a lot of good trivia to put on the chains.

Any lurkers... let me know what you think of our plans! I have been reading a few of the restaurant reviews, and I'm a little nervous about San Angel Inn. It seems to me that people either love it or hate it, so I hope our experience makes us love it! Another restaurant that caught Morgan's eye was Tutto Italia, but it's kinda expensive. We'll see. Am I crazy for wanting to change an ADR this late in the game?

Back to laundry!!

 

[therussells08]

I'm here, and I'm loving your PTR! Your doggies are so adorable!

I can't believe how close your trip is! That's really exciting!

 

[cassidyh]

I'm here, and I'm loving your PTR! Your doggies are so adorable!

I can't believe how close your trip is! That's really exciting!

Thank you for reading! I am vvverrry excited. I started putting together a countdown chain to put up in our room when we hit one month!!

 

[leshunlenese]

im still here! just super busy! everything sounds good and yah for another trip!!!

 

[cassidyh]

im still here! just super busy! everything sounds good and yah for another trip!!!

It is such a busy time of year. Do you have a lot of midterms right now?

You are less than 20 days away omg!!!

 

[cassidyh]

Good mornnning!

I got all my books in on Friday!

They are sooo great. I can't put them down. Totally hyping me up. Again, I got the Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World, The Unofficial Guide 2011, and the Unofficial Guide Color Companion.

I have been using mostly the Hidden Magic of WDW to make our countdown chain. I cut 30 pieces of red, black, and yellow papers, and I'm going to glue 30 facts on them and then chain them together. I'll put them up when we hit 30 days, and then when we take them down, Morgan can learn all the facts

He actually has been reading the books too! He likes reading about Epcot, and he actually told me what he was excited to go on! Last time we went, we didn't do much in Future World except Soarin' and Spaceship Earth He told me he really wants to see Living with the Land, Test Track, and the Innoventions Pavillions. I am so excited that he is excited!!

It is getting really close to crunch time! I have to start thinking of what to pack. I want to pack light since we're only going to be there a couple days. I think we can probably fit all of our stuff in one big suitcase. We need four outfits each, PJs, toiletries, camera, tennis shoes, and I need a small bag to carry things in. I'm thinking about putting some money on a Disney gift card so I don't have to carry cash. I will have my debit for "emergencies", but I don't want to have to use it.

I need to go shopping soon. I need new tennis shoes, or even those sporty flip-flops (I think they are called Tevas or Chacos...). I also need to take a trip to the Disney Store!! I want to get at least one Disney shirt to wear there, and then maybe buy one at the park.

I got my car fixed last week. Oil is changed, brand new tires, and everything is good to go. The only thing that sucks about my car is that the amplifier for the stereo system is busted, so there is no radio. My dad got me this little iPod speaker thing, though, and it works fine. We will be listening to WDW podcasts and mp3s all the way down!

Can you guys think of anything else I may need for a weekend trip? I thought about getting some ponchos....there's some UGA ones at the Kroger here for about $5 and they look pretty decent. I think Morgan would rather wear that than a WDW one, so I may go ahead and get them just in case.

37 days!!

 

[cassidyh]

Is anyone reading my PTR? :

Oh well!!

I finished finding all the WDW facts that I want to put on our one-month paper chain. Tomorrow is the 30-day mark, so I'll put it up tomorrow night!!! The paper colors I picked were black, red, and yellow...Mickey colors!

Today is also the one-month mark until I get my iPhone! My birthday was in August and I reallllly wanted one, but our upgrade discount isn't until October 26th. I decided to just wait it out... it will be such an exciting week! First getting the iPhone and then heading off to WDW!

I can't wait to get the Lines app!!

I have been thinking about souveniers for a while now. I think I will be getting something for my parents, my little brother, maybe the dogs, and then possibly DBF. He'll probably be getting something for his mom and his granny.

I know we definitely need to get Christmas ornaments for Morgan's mom and granny. For my parents, I'm not really sure!! Maybe a pin for my mom. She wears a Tinkerbell one or a Bambi one to work almost every day. I don't know what in the heck my dad would want. Maybe something Pirates-y. For my brother, maybe a T-shirt or something. I'll have to think about that one. I don't know if they have any dog merchandise on property...maybe DTD? For Morgan, I'll probably get him a stein from Germany or something like that and save it to give to him for his 21st b-day in December.

Off to study! Next time I'll put up pics of the chain...maybe start an itinerary?

 

[leshunlenese]

It is such a busy time of year. Do you have a lot of midterms right now?

You are less than 20 days away omg!!!

i have 3 test and two papers and i have to do a case study for midterm all due the day before we leave so it s pretty crazy. yes im reading your ptr. i am the same way just typing away and thinking o well i ll read it myself. im currently like 11 days now

 

[cassidyh]

i have 3 test and two papers and i have to do a case study for midterm all due the day before we leave so it s pretty crazy. yes im reading your ptr. i am the same way just typing away and thinking o well i ll read it myself. im currently like 11 days now

Oh my word that is overload!!! It will be so nice to get that off your back before you go! You are SO CLOSE AHHH!!!!