Pre-Trip Report: Aly’s Grand Family Trip to the Grand Floridian (September 2024)

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VIRGINIA: Welcome to Where I Long To Be, A Magical Trip Report Podcast.

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VIRGINIA: My name is Virginia and I am your host.

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VIRGINIA: Thank you all for tuning in to another episode of the show.

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VIRGINIA: This week, I'm happy to welcome back Aly.

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VIRGINIA: She's been on the podcast for two of her previous trips, so I will link those in the show notes if you're interested to hear them.

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VIRGINIA: In one, she and her husband took a couple trip, and in the other, they traveled with their son and his girlfriend who was a first-time Disney and Universal visitor.

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VIRGINIA: This time, Aly is traveling to Walt Disney World with her mom, dad, and brother.

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VIRGINIA: Without further ado, here's Aly.

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VIRGINIA: Welcome back, Aly.

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ALY: Hi.

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ALY: Glad to be back.

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VIRGINIA: So excited to see you and to talk to you.

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VIRGINIA: It has been...

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VIRGINIA: When was the last time we spoke?

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ALY: It was, I think, after the January trip, when I went with my son and his girlfriend.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah.

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VIRGINIA: It's been a while.

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VIRGINIA: It has been a while.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: Of course, I've been following you on TikTok, where you've become a lot more active recently.

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VIRGINIA: So I'm constantly hearing your voice, and it feels like we've spoken.

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VIRGINIA: But we haven't really, except for by direct messaging back and forth.

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ALY: Yeah.

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ALY: I was trying to talk more on TikTok, trying to talk more on TikTok, because I guess those are better videos.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah.

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VIRGINIA: You know what?

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VIRGINIA: You definitely inspire me.

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VIRGINIA: That is partly why I went and did a TikTok channel for the podcast.

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VIRGINIA: Have I posted anything on it yet?

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VIRGINIA: No, I have not.

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VIRGINIA: But I was like, I should go ahead and claim this username.

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VIRGINIA: And then, I don't know, I think it's like anything.

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VIRGINIA: I wanted to start a podcast and I spent maybe two minutes spinning my wheels about, how would I get started with that?

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VIRGINIA: I would need to have everything in place to get started with that.

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VIRGINIA: And then one day, I just said, no, I'm just going to start and then it will evolve.

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VIRGINIA: And I think that's what I need to do with TikTok is just start.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah, I don't know.

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VIRGINIA: Maybe this might be me on record saying, listeners, hold me accountable.

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ALY: It's I think TikTok's fun.

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ALY: I mean, I kind of started it, abandoned it, started again, kind of situation, but it's fun.

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ALY: It's just a different space than Instagram.

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ALY: So it's diverse, I guess, meaning there's just all sorts of different kinds of content that you get over there and different kinds of comments.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah, for sure.

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VIRGINIA: It's so much different than I think I originally thought it would be.

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VIRGINIA: When I first heard of the platform, I was under the impression it was only dancing, right?

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VIRGINIA: It was people doing dances, and that's not what it is at all.

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VIRGINIA: And what got me into it, I guess, at the beginning was realizing that there were hair tutorials and makeup tutorials.

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VIRGINIA: And I was like, I feel like I need a refresh or something.

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VIRGINIA: So I started watching because I was like, your skin changes over the years.

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VIRGINIA: And you're like, how do I do now that I'm 41 years old, how do I do my makeup?

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VIRGINIA: I don't know.

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VIRGINIA: And that was something that I started to gravitate towards.

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VIRGINIA: And then from there, it was like, oh, there's all this other content that I'm interested in.

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VIRGINIA: And then, of course, with anything, the more you look at certain kinds of videos, the more it will show you.

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VIRGINIA: And then it was like, wow, there's a ton of Disney content out there, too.

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VIRGINIA: So now I'm there.

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ALY: It's so fun.

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ALY: And, you know, I saw some metric and I can't don't quote me on that number, but it was some crazy metric where it was, you know, starting to rival a search engine like Google, where people were searching for information on TikTok.

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ALY: And I hear it a lot, you know, out on the Internet or on the YouTube sphere.

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ALY: You hear people talking about like, hey, I searched TikTok and this is where I found out how to do this or how to do that.

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ALY: So interesting.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah.

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VIRGINIA: Especially considering the limit on how much time something can be.

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VIRGINIA: So it's not like you go to YouTube and something could be three hours long.

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VIRGINIA: But if you go to TikTok, the longest thing you're going to see still is probably going to be like five minutes.

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VIRGINIA: You know, it's not super long.

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VIRGINIA: Anyway, well, for listeners who are not familiar with you, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself and tell us about your TikTok and your Instagram handles and just where you come to us from.

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ALY: Hi, I'm Aly.

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ALY: I have been on the show a couple of times before, but I have a couple of social media accounts that are dedicated specifically to Disney World because, like all of us, our friends don't want to watch our social medias of Disney World, so you want to get around like-minded people.

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ALY: So I went ahead and created those about a year ago now.

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ALY: I'm Captivate underscore Magic on most platforms, TikTok, Instagram.

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ALY: I even have a YouTube, but I don't really upload to YouTube that much.

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ALY: But yeah, I just enjoy sharing Disney content.

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ALY: I think it's fun.

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ALY: We go to Disney a lot.

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ALY: We've been DVC members for years now.

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ALY: Now we've started going without my son.

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ALY: My son's in college now, so we go on all different sorts of trips and do all sorts of things and we really enjoy it.

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ALY: We're really enjoying this stage of life.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah.

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VIRGINIA: You just have one son.

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VIRGINIA: So I think, I feel like you are such a kindred spirit for me.

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VIRGINIA: I also feel like when I look at you and I see how you and your husband are getting out there and enjoying things and not sitting at home crying just because your son is off to college, and so I kind of see like, oh, in four years, that's going to be me.

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ALY: It's fine.

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ALY: He comes with us.

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ALY: He loves Disney.

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ALY: He'll be 21 in November, which is insane, but he wants to go to Disney World for his 21st birthday, so we're taking him right before Christmas because he doesn't have a break in school till then.

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ALY: So he is a Disney kid.

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ALY: He grew up Disney.

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ALY: He grew up DVC.

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ALY: He grew up all the things, so he is still really into it.

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ALY: So it's just that it's a place where we can enjoy going.

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ALY: My husband travels a lot for work.

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ALY: I used to travel for work, so and we've traveled a lot of different places, and Disney at this phase of our life is just easy.

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ALY: It's so easy to get a flight.

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ALY: It's so easy to get there.

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ALY: We have an owner's locker.

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ALY: It's convenient.

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ALY: We love it.

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VIRGINIA: I don't think you said what state you're in.

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ALY: We live in New Hampshire.

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ALY: Actually, we live right on the border of massachusetts, so we're about 45 minutes from Boston.

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VIRGINIA: I always think of you as massachusetts.

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ALY: We literally, I can see massachusetts from my window.

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ALY: So literally.

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VIRGINIA: That's very close.

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ALY: I stay in New Hampshire because it's technically New Hampshire, but yeah, we are New Englanders.

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VIRGINIA: All right.

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VIRGINIA: Well, who is going to be going on this trip and what inspired you to go?

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ALY: This trip is interesting because I'm taking my mom, my dad, and my brother.

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ALY: We are all over the age of 40.

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VIRGINIA: We'll just leave it at that.

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ALY: So my brother was born with spina bifida, so he has some physical considerations.

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ALY: When we go to places and Disney is a very accessible place and always has been.

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ALY: So it's a good vacation for us.

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ALY: Recently, my dad in the last six or seven years broke his back.

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ALY: So he has some physical limitations too.

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ALY: So Disney is actually a very accessible place.

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ALY: I mean, there's public transportation built for people that need assistance.

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ALY: There are rides that they can ride.

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ALY: There are things they can do.

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ALY: For them, it's not easy for them to go to a beach location or even a city location for vacation.

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ALY: So we've been going to Disney.

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ALY: So we haven't been since 2022.

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ALY: So we're going now, two years later.

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ALY: It'll be fun.

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VIRGINIA: All right.

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VIRGINIA: So in terms of the physical considerations, are they going to be renting a scooter or a wheelchair when they're down there or will they already have what they need?

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ALY: So they both have wheelchairs full time, but pushing them manually is, it's not easy because for one, the heat and just the distance that you go.

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ALY: So they typically will rent a scooter when we go down there.

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ALY: So yeah, we're renting scooters from scooter bogs.

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ALY: They get there the day after, because we get there late at night.

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ALY: So they're delivered to the resort the day after and we just go from there.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: All right.

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VIRGINIA: Any other rentals this trip?

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VIRGINIA: Are you renting a car?

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ALY: No.

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ALY: No.

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ALY: Renting a car with all of the equipment we need.

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ALY: Suitcases, wheelchairs.

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ALY: It's just, it's a pretty big car.

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ALY: So yeah, we just take mirrors and we get on Disney property and we go from there.

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VIRGINIA: Your trip dates are going to be Monday, September 23rd through Monday, September 30th?

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VIRGINIA: Yes.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: And where have you decided to stay for this trip?

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VIRGINIA: because you have a lot of options considering the fact that you're DVC.

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VIRGINIA: And I remember that you own multiple DVC contracts, so multiple home resorts.

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ALY: We sure do.

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ALY: And we decided to go with the Grand Floridian this time.

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ALY: The monorail is king when you have a couple of scooters.

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ALY: And my parents stayed the last time they went in 2022.

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ALY: They stayed at the Grand Floridian for the first time.

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ALY: And they loved it, like loved the Grand Floridian.

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ALY: So we're going to go back there.

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ALY: We're staying in the resort studios this time, which I haven't stayed at.

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VIRGINIA: Oh, okay.

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VIRGINIA: I have stayed in a resort studio.

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VIRGINIA: First of all, they're beautiful.

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VIRGINIA: They're absolutely gorgeous.

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VIRGINIA: My one gripe about the resort studio is that the only full length mirror in the room is on the armoire thing that's sort of built into the wall.

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VIRGINIA: And when you open the door to use the mirror, it doesn't stay open.

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VIRGINIA: So I remember, maybe it was just the one that I was in, but I remember having to hold it with my arm and step back to try to see my full self because it was a solo trip.

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VIRGINIA: So when I would step away from the mirror, it would start to close.

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VIRGINIA: I was like, this is poor engineering.

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ALY: That's a pain in the neck.

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ALY: I could see that.

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ALY: That's one of the things.

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ALY: Yeah, I love the original building.

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ALY: That's my favorite.

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ALY: The reason we're in the resort studios is because A, I needed the standard view because I needed two rooms and I don't have enough points in the preferred lagoon room.

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ALY: Two, there's no rolling shower in the standard view one bedrooms, which was what we wanted to do.

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ALY: So we ended up getting two resort studios, and doing the standard view, and there was only, from what I understand on, don't quote me, but touring plans, how you can go through their rooms, there's only one standard view resort studio room with a rolling shower.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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ALY: It was like everything had to align for this reservation.

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VIRGINIA: Will you try to get connecting rooms?

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ALY: Yes.

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ALY: I've put in multiple requests, who knows if they'll go through.

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ALY: It would be ideal if we had connecting rooms, even if we were just across the hall or close in proximity.

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ALY: It would just be ideal because it's going to be me and my mom in one room, and my dad and my brother in another room.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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ALY: I'm hoping we'll see when we get there.

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ALY: Room requests are 50-50 for me.

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VIRGINIA: You never know what you're going to get, but I feel like if you get there and actually speak to somebody, it might play better in your favor.

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VIRGINIA: Also, I don't know if you're able to locate the real phone number for the front desk.

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VIRGINIA: Sometimes you can find that and actually call over to the resort instead of to that main hotline.

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VIRGINIA: I would do it the day of and say, I'm checking in later, I'm arriving late in the day, and connecting would be great or just at least very close.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah.

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ALY: That's a good idea.

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ALY: I didn't even think of that.

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ALY: I did the touring plans one, I did the chat one through my Disney experience, and then I also did the one through Disney Vacation Club.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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ALY: So I tried to hit it that way, but I think calling a resort, especially day of or day before even would probably help.

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ALY: because again, connecting is ideal, but if we were just close, we could work around that too.

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VIRGINIA: Right.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah.

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VIRGINIA: All right.

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VIRGINIA: Well, I need to know what kind of part tickets the others have, because you are an annual pass holder.

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VIRGINIA: The fact that they haven't been since 2022 makes me suspect that they are not.

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ALY: They are not.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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ALY: So we still don't have part tickets yet.

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VIRGINIA: Oh, okay.

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ALY: So we are doing this kind of trip.

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ALY: So they've been going back and forth.

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ALY: So they want to do a couple of resorts days because they watch kind of like my husband and I when we go.

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ALY: Like a lot of times we don't go to the parks and my parents are like, we really want to do that.

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ALY: We think that'd be really relaxing to kind of visit resorts and things like that.

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ALY: So I think we're going to end up with a five day park hopper.

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ALY: So they're kind of going between the three and the five day park hopper.

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VIRGINIA: What it's, it's September 17th right now.

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VIRGINIA: And your trip starts on September 23rd.

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VIRGINIA: So when are you going to make the decision?

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ALY: Oh, oh, this isn't my decision.

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ALY: If it was my decision, it would have been purchased, you know, six months ago.

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ALY: Okay.

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ALY: All right.

00:14:32.951 --> 00:14:38.451
ALY: So I'm hoping I keep kind of bringing in my computer to their house and be like, hey, you know, what do you want to do?

00:14:38.451 --> 00:14:39.651
ALY: And, oh, we'll just buy them.

00:14:39.651 --> 00:14:40.011
ALY: We'll get there.

00:14:40.011 --> 00:14:41.471
ALY: No, we don't do that.

00:14:41.791 --> 00:14:49.111
ALY: And then I explained to them that we should be buying fast passes if we want them.

00:14:49.111 --> 00:14:50.951
ALY: And they're like, no, we don't want to do that.

00:14:51.011 --> 00:14:54.551
ALY: And I was like, you know what, this is going to be like, what do the kids say, raw dogging it?

00:14:54.551 --> 00:15:01.351
ALY: This is like, this is going to be an adventure.

00:15:01.351 --> 00:15:03.371
ALY: I mean, I have a rough plan of what we're going to do.

00:15:03.371 --> 00:15:05.131
ALY: I have a rough plan of parks we're going to go to.

00:15:05.131 --> 00:15:07.271
ALY: I have a rough plan of the resorts.

00:15:07.271 --> 00:15:13.891
ALY: But as far as like scheduling rides and fast passes, that's not happening.

00:15:13.891 --> 00:15:24.791
VIRGINIA: I mean, do they understand that however many days they choose to purchase, that you have a chunk of time to use those days.

00:15:25.211 --> 00:15:29.511
VIRGINIA: You could still be spontaneous if you want it within that.

00:15:29.511 --> 00:15:30.711
ALY: Yeah.

00:15:30.711 --> 00:15:32.291
ALY: We have that kind of thing.

00:15:32.291 --> 00:15:32.571
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:15:33.691 --> 00:15:37.251
ALY: So it'll be interesting because I haven't done this ever.

00:15:37.451 --> 00:15:38.431
ALY: I haven't done this.

00:15:38.431 --> 00:15:40.211
ALY: So we'll see.

00:15:40.211 --> 00:15:43.731
ALY: Hopefully, I'm hoping they'll buy their tickets tomorrow.

00:15:43.731 --> 00:15:49.291
ALY: because I went today with a rough plan like, hey, we're going to go here this day, here this day, whatever.

00:15:49.291 --> 00:15:50.951
ALY: They're like, oh, okay.

00:15:52.591 --> 00:15:54.051
ALY: Oh, and then my Disney experience.

00:15:54.051 --> 00:15:56.671
ALY: Yeah, they don't have that.

00:15:56.671 --> 00:16:04.251
VIRGINIA: Whatever you're doing, you're controlling all of those lightning lanes if you go that direction.

00:16:04.251 --> 00:16:11.151
VIRGINIA: Have you looked at the crowd calendars to get a sense of what you might be in for?

00:16:11.151 --> 00:16:11.611
ALY: Yeah.

00:16:11.611 --> 00:16:15.531
ALY: So Magic Kingdom, obviously, if you go on a party day, we're good.

00:16:15.931 --> 00:16:18.771
ALY: It looks like it for the most part.

00:16:18.771 --> 00:16:21.651
ALY: We're probably not going to ride a lot of rides, to be honest.

00:16:21.651 --> 00:16:27.451
ALY: So it's definitely not going to be the type of trip where we're going from ride to ride to ride because loading can be a challenge.

00:16:27.451 --> 00:16:30.831
ALY: It's like the step down into like pirates.

00:16:32.391 --> 00:16:35.171
ALY: Then the step up can be difficult.

00:16:35.171 --> 00:16:39.631
ALY: So there's a lot of rides that we're just going to skip.

00:16:39.631 --> 00:16:44.751
ALY: We've ridden them before just for ease and for everybody to be comfortable.

00:16:47.271 --> 00:16:49.731
ALY: I don't know if it's going to be an issue.

00:16:49.731 --> 00:16:50.371
ALY: You know what I mean?

00:16:50.371 --> 00:16:52.591
ALY: because most of the stuff we're going to do.

00:16:52.591 --> 00:16:54.351
ALY: I think my brother does want to ride Tron.

00:16:54.351 --> 00:16:55.731
ALY: He's never ridden Tron.

00:16:55.731 --> 00:16:57.191
ALY: That won't be a problem.

00:16:58.071 --> 00:17:01.031
ALY: I'll try to get a virtual queue or I'll try to get a fast pass.

00:17:01.031 --> 00:17:04.031
ALY: But I looked today at the party day.

00:17:04.031 --> 00:17:07.091
ALY: At 1230 today, Tron, the wait was 30 minutes.

00:17:07.751 --> 00:17:08.271
VIRGINIA: Oh, wow.

00:17:08.271 --> 00:17:08.911
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:17:08.911 --> 00:17:11.291
ALY: So I don't know.

00:17:11.291 --> 00:17:13.171
ALY: We're just going to see what happens.

00:17:14.411 --> 00:17:18.071
ALY: The only thing I do want to get a virtual queue for is Guardians, obviously.

00:17:18.071 --> 00:17:20.331
ALY: I'll try to get that and maybe I can get a fast pass.

00:17:20.331 --> 00:17:21.431
ALY: But it doesn't look very busy.

00:17:21.431 --> 00:17:24.431
ALY: The crowd calendars, I think, are high as a seven.

00:17:24.431 --> 00:17:24.711
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:17:24.711 --> 00:17:28.971
ALY: And I think that's Epcot on a Saturday with food and wine.

00:17:31.571 --> 00:17:42.971
VIRGINIA: Well, since you are not exactly sure what you'll be doing, let's just walk through what you potentially might do, knowing that I absolutely love changes and plans anyway.

00:17:42.971 --> 00:17:45.251
VIRGINIA: So this is right up my alley.

00:17:45.251 --> 00:17:48.871
VIRGINIA: So what time are you arriving on Monday the 23rd?

00:17:48.871 --> 00:17:54.191
ALY: So Monday, the plane arrives in MCO around quarter of seven.

00:17:54.191 --> 00:17:58.531
ALY: So I guesstimate we'll be at the reserve between like nine and 10.

00:17:58.531 --> 00:18:01.671
ALY: By the time we unload, get the luggage.

00:18:01.671 --> 00:18:08.251
ALY: Now, I think we'll be there sooner because it's near, so it just depends on where you are on the bus stops.

00:18:08.251 --> 00:18:11.031
ALY: But so we're hoping that we get there by nine.

00:18:11.031 --> 00:18:12.511
ALY: That would be ideal.

00:18:12.511 --> 00:18:14.271
ALY: That's another expectation on this trip.

00:18:15.951 --> 00:18:23.571
ALY: It's just things can take longer to get from one place to another.

00:18:23.571 --> 00:18:24.811
ALY: Then when you're just by yourself.

00:18:24.871 --> 00:18:26.231
VIRGINIA: Right.

00:18:26.231 --> 00:18:27.051
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:18:27.051 --> 00:18:28.371
ALY: So we don't have any plans.

00:18:28.371 --> 00:18:29.931
ALY: We're just going to hang out at the resort.

00:18:30.011 --> 00:18:34.791
ALY: We're going to get something to gas gorillas and maybe watch the fireworks if we get there on time.

00:18:34.791 --> 00:18:37.391
ALY: If we don't, then no big deal.

00:18:37.391 --> 00:18:38.711
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:18:38.711 --> 00:18:39.091
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:18:39.091 --> 00:18:42.311
VIRGINIA: So Tuesday, September the 24th.

00:18:42.311 --> 00:18:45.871
VIRGINIA: Are you going to take it easy this first full day?

00:18:45.871 --> 00:18:49.911
ALY: We're going to go to Magic Kingdom.

00:18:50.691 --> 00:18:51.771
ALY: It's a party day.

00:18:51.771 --> 00:18:56.191
ALY: So we're hoping to go maybe 10 o'clock in the morning.

00:18:57.331 --> 00:19:00.291
ALY: We're definitely not going to do rope drop.

00:19:00.291 --> 00:19:04.551
ALY: There's a couple of snacks that my parents, my parents have never had a cheeseburger spring roll.

00:19:05.791 --> 00:19:09.151
ALY: So we have a list of snacks that they want to try.

00:19:10.411 --> 00:19:16.331
ALY: Then we'll probably leave, we're going to try to leave out of there before 4, and then go back to the resort, hang out.

00:19:16.331 --> 00:19:27.091
ALY: Then I thought for dinner, we could go over to Fort Wilderness, to the quick service or the lounge area.

00:19:27.091 --> 00:19:30.571
ALY: They've never been over there, so I thought that would be kind of fun.

00:19:30.571 --> 00:19:38.231
ALY: Having access to Magic Kingdom, we have access to a lot of the resorts, like the buses and boats and everything.

00:19:38.871 --> 00:19:39.711
ALY: That'll be interesting.

00:19:39.791 --> 00:19:42.891
ALY: The other interesting thing about this trip is we have the dining plan.

00:19:42.891 --> 00:19:45.051
ALY: We have bought that.

00:19:45.051 --> 00:19:45.831
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:19:46.351 --> 00:19:47.491
VIRGINIA: This is fascinating.

00:19:47.731 --> 00:19:48.951
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:19:48.951 --> 00:19:50.751
VIRGINIA: So dining plan.

00:19:51.971 --> 00:19:56.671
VIRGINIA: Have you used the dining plan before with them specifically?

00:19:57.571 --> 00:19:59.251
ALY: Before the whole thing.

00:19:59.251 --> 00:20:03.371
ALY: So back in the day, I haven't used the dining plan since it came back.

00:20:03.371 --> 00:20:03.811
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:20:03.811 --> 00:20:07.071
ALY: But we did use it with them before.

00:20:07.071 --> 00:20:10.491
ALY: We always use the quick service one with them because it's just a lot.

00:20:10.491 --> 00:20:13.351
ALY: Well, I have always preferred the quick service one, to be honest.

00:20:13.351 --> 00:20:15.531
ALY: I think eating in a restaurant every day is a lot of food.

00:20:17.531 --> 00:20:18.411
ALY: It's a lot.

00:20:18.411 --> 00:20:27.431
VIRGINIA: I have never done the quick service dining plan, but I think, am I correct that the quick service version of the dining plan now includes something alcoholic?

00:20:28.591 --> 00:20:35.711
ALY: So two meals, and each meal, if it's offered at the quick service location, you can grab alcohol.

00:20:35.711 --> 00:20:37.031
ALY: So that's a new thing.

00:20:37.731 --> 00:20:42.131
ALY: I haven't done the dining plan since they added the alcohol portion to it.

00:20:43.491 --> 00:20:48.871
ALY: My parents love the dining plan because they feel like it's everything's paid for.

00:20:48.891 --> 00:20:51.251
ALY: I haven't tried it, so I was up for trying it.

00:20:51.251 --> 00:20:53.411
ALY: I was like, why not?

00:20:53.411 --> 00:20:54.931
ALY: Let's see how this goes.

00:20:54.931 --> 00:21:00.591
VIRGINIA: We did the dining plan back in the day with my in-laws.

00:21:00.591 --> 00:21:05.871
VIRGINIA: I think that was the only time I did it was on that first trip with Alex when he was like five.

00:21:05.871 --> 00:21:13.991
VIRGINIA: Then after that, when we would go as a family without my in-laws, I tossed around, should we get the dining plan, should we not?

00:21:14.291 --> 00:21:34.151
VIRGINIA: I remember, I had multiple trips where I went and had decided not to get the dining plan, but instead to buy what I wanted to eat and keep track of the cost, and then see how I came out in the end so that I would know for future trips if I wanted to invest in the dining plan.

00:21:34.151 --> 00:21:43.471
VIRGINIA: The way I went about it was just basically eating what I wanted to eat when I wanted to eat it and not really thinking about how much it would cost me.

00:21:43.551 --> 00:21:46.231
VIRGINIA: It was just going based on what I felt like having.

00:21:46.231 --> 00:21:47.311
VIRGINIA: Did I want an appetizer?

00:21:47.311 --> 00:21:48.231
VIRGINIA: Did I not?

00:21:48.231 --> 00:21:49.411
VIRGINIA: That sort of thing.

00:21:49.411 --> 00:21:57.291
VIRGINIA: And I did at least two full scale tests of the entire trip, keeping receipts and really tallying it up.

00:21:57.291 --> 00:22:02.991
VIRGINIA: And both times I came out ahead by just literally buying whatever I wanted to eat when I wanted to eat it.

00:22:02.991 --> 00:22:04.951
ALY: Yeah, it really do.

00:22:04.951 --> 00:22:07.731
VIRGINIA: And you have to work hard to get the value.

00:22:07.731 --> 00:22:09.031
VIRGINIA: Yeah, you do.

00:22:09.031 --> 00:22:12.191
ALY: And honestly, when my husband and I travel, we share a lot.

00:22:12.191 --> 00:22:22.911
ALY: So we'll go to a lounge and we'll just share small bites, or we'll go to Epcot festival or not festival, we'll grab one plate and share it.

00:22:22.971 --> 00:22:26.031
ALY: So for us, it makes absolutely no sense.

00:22:27.791 --> 00:22:32.271
VIRGINIA: But some people like the quote unquote convenience of it.

00:22:33.791 --> 00:22:36.451
VIRGINIA: I am such a value.

00:22:36.451 --> 00:22:40.271
VIRGINIA: I'm always trying to assess what the value is.

00:22:40.271 --> 00:22:44.671
VIRGINIA: For me, I cannot set it and forget it when it comes to the dining.

00:22:44.671 --> 00:22:49.131
VIRGINIA: I'm not going to sit there and just be like, well, I paid for the dining plan, it's all paid for, whatever.

00:22:49.131 --> 00:23:09.711
VIRGINIA: I'm literally going to be sitting there and either doing one of two things thinking about money that I'm losing, or I'm going to be sitting there ordering the most expensive thing I can, which is probably not what I wanted to order in the first place, because I rarely want the most expensive thing on the menu, just based on my taste.

00:23:09.711 --> 00:23:10.711
VIRGINIA: I don't know.

00:23:10.711 --> 00:23:14.931
ALY: It's funny you say that because way, way, way back in the day, I don't remember the year.

00:23:14.931 --> 00:23:18.271
ALY: I mean, we're talking 2010, 2011, maybe.

00:23:18.271 --> 00:23:24.891
ALY: Before it was Regal Eagle, when it was just the American, whatever, walk up, they used to serve a steak for the quick service.

00:23:25.071 --> 00:23:28.671
ALY: I can remember me, my mom, my brother.

00:23:30.071 --> 00:23:31.491
ALY: I don't know if my husband was with us.

00:23:31.491 --> 00:23:33.571
ALY: He was with us on the trip, but I don't know if he...

00:23:33.571 --> 00:23:36.511
ALY: It was like this, we went into Epcot to get that steak.

00:23:36.731 --> 00:23:38.511
ALY: It was not a good steak.

00:23:38.511 --> 00:23:39.451
ALY: We'll just leave it at that.

00:23:39.451 --> 00:23:44.411
ALY: But it was the most expensive thing on the dining plan at the time, and it was a quick service.

00:23:44.411 --> 00:23:45.331
ALY: So we went there.

00:23:45.331 --> 00:23:51.511
ALY: And yeah, it's just that's what you do on the dining plan, which can be frustrating for some, if you're like a numbers kind of person.

00:23:52.711 --> 00:23:52.891
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:23:55.211 --> 00:23:55.631
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:23:55.631 --> 00:24:02.911
VIRGINIA: Well, it sounds like it will make your trip with this particular group a little bit easier because they won't have to be thinking about it.

00:24:02.931 --> 00:24:10.291
VIRGINIA: And if you are a numbers person, you'll just have to sort of sit back and let it play out the way it's going to play out.

00:24:10.291 --> 00:24:12.811
ALY: It's worth it because again, it's just me, right?

00:24:12.811 --> 00:24:19.451
ALY: It's not me and my husband and my son who I'm paying for and I'm like, you know, it's a lot easier if it's just you.

00:24:19.451 --> 00:24:20.751
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:24:20.751 --> 00:24:21.411
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:24:21.411 --> 00:24:26.751
VIRGINIA: Well, so Tuesday the 24th, Magic Kingdom.

00:24:26.751 --> 00:24:28.951
VIRGINIA: What about Wednesday the 25th?

00:24:28.951 --> 00:24:29.931
ALY: Epcot.

00:24:29.931 --> 00:24:36.411
ALY: So and the reason for this specifically is because After Hours is at Hollywood Studios that night.

00:24:36.411 --> 00:24:40.531
ALY: It's when they switch from the Magic Kingdom to Hollywood Studios.

00:24:40.531 --> 00:24:42.231
ALY: And we want to do the After Hours.

00:24:42.651 --> 00:24:46.131
ALY: So we're going to a park this day, regardless.

00:24:46.131 --> 00:24:48.391
ALY: So we need a park ticket.

00:24:48.391 --> 00:24:49.591
ALY: So I'm thinking Epcot.

00:24:49.591 --> 00:24:52.511
ALY: Maybe we can do a virtual queue for Guardians.

00:24:53.891 --> 00:24:58.471
ALY: And my parents, my mom specifically wants to go visit Coronado Springs.

00:24:58.471 --> 00:25:00.131
ALY: She's never been there.

00:25:00.131 --> 00:25:08.791
ALY: So we're thinking about maybe going to Epcot for a little bit, go to Coronado Springs, then go back to the hotel, and then go to After Hours at Hollywood Studios.

00:25:09.411 --> 00:25:09.611
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:25:09.611 --> 00:25:17.651
VIRGINIA: And this is the After Hours for Deluxe Guests, just for not one of those special paid events.

00:25:18.131 --> 00:25:20.571
VIRGINIA: What does she really want to see at Coronado Springs?

00:25:20.571 --> 00:25:23.711
VIRGINIA: Are you planning on going and having a drink or something?

00:25:24.671 --> 00:25:24.931
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:25:25.331 --> 00:25:27.231
ALY: She just really wants to see the hotel.

00:25:29.251 --> 00:25:34.211
ALY: She, when I went there last time we did the DIY nachos, she was like, that sounds so funny.

00:25:34.431 --> 00:25:36.131
ALY: So she wants to see that.

00:25:36.131 --> 00:25:37.311
ALY: I hopefully we'll go there.

00:25:37.311 --> 00:25:38.731
ALY: It'll be three bridges.

00:25:38.731 --> 00:25:41.771
ALY: I can't remember when they open if it's four.

00:25:42.211 --> 00:25:44.051
VIRGINIA: I think it is four.

00:25:44.051 --> 00:25:44.271
ALY: Yeah.

00:25:44.271 --> 00:25:48.271
ALY: So maybe we could do a three bridges thing.

00:25:48.271 --> 00:25:57.911
ALY: just walk around, look at the resort, and then head back to our resort for a little bit, rest a little bit, and then head to Hollywood Studios.

00:25:57.911 --> 00:25:59.351
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:25:59.351 --> 00:26:01.171
VIRGINIA: Thursday the 26th.

00:26:02.111 --> 00:26:07.591
ALY: This is the day we are going to, it's going to be a resort day, but we're going to do a monorail crawl.

00:26:07.591 --> 00:26:11.471
ALY: So we're going to do drinks and snacks all around the monorail.

00:26:11.471 --> 00:26:13.291
VIRGINIA: Oh, that's fun.

00:26:13.291 --> 00:26:17.891
ALY: Probably Wilderness Lodge too, because my dad's never been to Wilderness Lodge.

00:26:17.891 --> 00:26:19.071
VIRGINIA: Oh, he hasn't.

00:26:19.071 --> 00:26:20.291
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:26:20.291 --> 00:26:20.711
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:26:20.711 --> 00:26:22.811
VIRGINIA: So you're going to take the bus over there.

00:26:22.811 --> 00:26:24.291
VIRGINIA: excuse me, the boat.

00:26:24.291 --> 00:26:24.831
ALY: Yeah.

00:26:25.071 --> 00:26:26.271
ALY: We're going to take the boat over.

00:26:27.011 --> 00:26:33.491
ALY: And we'll probably try to time that we're at Geyser Point Open.

00:26:34.971 --> 00:26:39.991
ALY: Even if we just eat out next to it, it's not a big deal, but he's never been.

00:26:39.991 --> 00:26:43.571
ALY: So we did a family Christmas trip years ago.

00:26:43.571 --> 00:26:48.171
ALY: I think it was 2010, 2009.

00:26:48.171 --> 00:26:53.371
ALY: And my dad didn't go because my youngest brother at the time couldn't get off work.

00:26:53.371 --> 00:26:55.951
ALY: And so he didn't want him to be alone for the holiday.

00:26:56.131 --> 00:26:58.991
ALY: So he stayed home with the dogs and my brother.

00:26:58.991 --> 00:27:01.171
ALY: because we went over Christmas.

00:27:01.171 --> 00:27:02.691
ALY: So he didn't get to go on that trip.

00:27:02.691 --> 00:27:04.111
ALY: And we stayed at Boulder.

00:27:04.111 --> 00:27:09.231
ALY: Well, it was just the Wilderness Lodge, the villas at Wilderness Lodge at the time.

00:27:09.231 --> 00:27:15.371
VIRGINIA: Well, where do you think you will be hitting up at, let's say, the Contemporary?

00:27:15.371 --> 00:27:21.431
VIRGINIA: Are you going to go to, what is it, the Outer Rim Contemporary Cafe?

00:27:25.571 --> 00:27:35.371
ALY: I don't think we'll do stakehouse 71 Lounge only because, I mean, that's a great place, but it's like opens at four.

00:27:35.371 --> 00:27:39.671
ALY: And I'm trying to kind of time it where we'll probably end up at the Contemporary first.

00:27:39.671 --> 00:27:40.831
ALY: So I don't know.

00:27:40.831 --> 00:27:44.551
ALY: I think the pool bar down at the Contemporary opens earlier.

00:27:44.551 --> 00:27:47.471
ALY: We might end up just at a pool bar.

00:27:47.471 --> 00:27:52.391
ALY: The one that's at the Contemporary, not Bay Lake, because that's behind a locked gate.

00:27:53.631 --> 00:27:55.531
ALY: But I don't know.

00:27:55.531 --> 00:28:01.931
ALY: Contemporary is kind of, I like the Contemporary, but I can't really think of what to do there.

00:28:01.931 --> 00:28:04.351
ALY: So we'll come up with something.

00:28:04.571 --> 00:28:07.671
VIRGINIA: I don't know what time top of the, not top of the world.

00:28:09.171 --> 00:28:12.671
VIRGINIA: California Grill opens because they do have the walk up for the bar.

00:28:14.311 --> 00:28:21.671
VIRGINIA: So maybe that, and then I would probably just make a point to go, what is it on the fourth floor?

00:28:21.671 --> 00:28:25.091
VIRGINIA: There's that little deck that you can see Magic Kingdom.

00:28:25.091 --> 00:28:29.851
VIRGINIA: I would probably make sure to just go out there and take some photos and that sort of thing.

00:28:29.851 --> 00:28:31.631
ALY: Yeah, that's a good idea.

00:28:31.631 --> 00:28:39.611
ALY: And I mean, we can get a snack at Contemporary Cafe regardless, even if it's just like a cupcake or something.

00:28:39.611 --> 00:28:40.431
ALY: We'll make it work.

00:28:40.431 --> 00:28:41.071
ALY: We'll make it work.

00:28:41.071 --> 00:28:41.511
ALY: It'll be fun.

00:28:41.711 --> 00:28:43.671
ALY: I love the little area at the Contemporary.

00:28:43.671 --> 00:28:55.791
ALY: My favorite area is if you go outside, like towards the water, the pool's on the right side, and then there's this circle where there's these low sitting chairs, and they're kind of covered in trees.

00:28:55.791 --> 00:28:56.951
ALY: I love sitting out there.

00:28:56.951 --> 00:28:57.611
ALY: I love it.

00:28:57.611 --> 00:29:00.531
ALY: I love just, it's like, I don't know, it's such a vibe.

00:29:02.651 --> 00:29:12.711
ALY: We usually will get a coffee at the, my husband and I will get a coffee at the Joffreys in the lobby, and we'll go out there and sit and just kind of enjoy the sounds of Bay Lake.

00:29:12.711 --> 00:29:22.291
VIRGINIA: So there's something about that lake that I think there's, it's cool to have a theme park view from contemporary or from Bay Lake Tower.

00:29:22.291 --> 00:29:28.791
VIRGINIA: But if I couldn't have a theme park view, I'm just as happy having a lake view because that lake, there's just something about it.

00:29:28.791 --> 00:29:30.271
VIRGINIA: It's the vibes.

00:29:30.291 --> 00:29:32.271
ALY: I'll be perfectly honest.

00:29:32.271 --> 00:29:33.851
ALY: Bay Lake, I like Bay Lake Tower.

00:29:34.131 --> 00:29:39.091
ALY: I really do, but that lake view is superior to the theme park view.

00:29:39.091 --> 00:29:42.731
ALY: because you just look at the park and lot, 99 percent of the time.

00:29:44.811 --> 00:29:48.871
VIRGINIA: Are you going to take the boat over to Wilderness Lodge directly from the contemporary?

00:29:49.891 --> 00:29:51.031
ALY: I don't know.

00:29:51.031 --> 00:29:54.071
ALY: Maybe, but that doesn't start till 3.

00:29:54.071 --> 00:29:56.651
ALY: I've got to really work on my timing for this.

00:29:56.651 --> 00:29:58.531
ALY: The last time we were there, it didn't start till 3.

00:29:58.871 --> 00:30:01.491
ALY: I don't know if they've expanded it.

00:30:01.491 --> 00:30:07.811
ALY: Maybe we'll start at the Grand Floridian and just hang out, because I love the Grand Floridian Pool Bar.

00:30:07.811 --> 00:30:11.051
ALY: The one that's at the quiet pool.

00:30:11.051 --> 00:30:11.751
ALY: Yeah.

00:30:11.751 --> 00:30:12.631
VIRGINIA: I love that one too.

00:30:12.691 --> 00:30:13.711
ALY: Yeah.

00:30:13.711 --> 00:30:18.851
ALY: Since we're staying there, we might maybe we'll start there and go from there.

00:30:18.851 --> 00:30:20.771
ALY: We also do want to do Enchanted Roos again.

00:30:20.771 --> 00:30:23.711
ALY: We did that a couple of years ago.

00:30:23.711 --> 00:30:26.631
ALY: We had to do the Polynesian, of course.

00:30:26.631 --> 00:30:30.811
VIRGINIA: At Polynesian, are you thinking you'll go up to the bar that's right outside of Ohana?

00:30:33.591 --> 00:30:40.271
ALY: The Tambou Lounge, I think so, depending on the time and then we're definitely going to do the Dole Whip thing, I think.

00:30:40.271 --> 00:30:43.251
ALY: because I don't know if my parents have ever had a Dole Whip.

00:30:43.251 --> 00:30:44.471
ALY: Oh, okay.

00:30:44.471 --> 00:30:45.071
VIRGINIA: Well, it's time.

00:30:45.071 --> 00:30:46.771
ALY: Definitely do that.

00:30:46.771 --> 00:30:55.951
ALY: Last time I was with them, we went to the Trader Sam's outside at night and listened to the lead music certain times of night.

00:30:56.711 --> 00:30:58.951
ALY: And so we did that before.

00:30:58.951 --> 00:31:00.631
ALY: So we might do that again.

00:31:00.631 --> 00:31:02.311
ALY: I don't know what times we're going to do these.

00:31:02.311 --> 00:31:08.011
ALY: Maybe we'll start a little later and start at Wilderness Lodge and then maybe go to the Contemporary.

00:31:08.011 --> 00:31:13.771
ALY: The problem with the Contemporary going directly between the two is they have the little tiny boat.

00:31:13.771 --> 00:31:21.471
ALY: And with two scooters, we might have to go back to Magic Kingdom and then either Monorail or probably just take the path.

00:31:23.211 --> 00:31:26.131
ALY: because you can't get the scooters on the small boats.

00:31:26.131 --> 00:31:26.751
VIRGINIA: That's true.

00:31:26.751 --> 00:31:27.871
ALY: We'll see.

00:31:29.151 --> 00:31:29.731
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:31:29.731 --> 00:31:32.471
VIRGINIA: Friday, September 27th.

00:31:32.471 --> 00:31:34.891
ALY: Epcot.

00:31:34.891 --> 00:31:36.631
VIRGINIA: Back to Epcot.

00:31:36.631 --> 00:31:38.211
ALY: Epcot all day.

00:31:38.431 --> 00:31:40.471
ALY: I don't think we're going to do it.

00:31:40.471 --> 00:31:43.971
ALY: I think we're just going to do World Showcase this day.

00:31:43.971 --> 00:31:50.351
ALY: I kind of highlighted a few things for Food and Lime that we might want to try and just hang out.

00:31:50.351 --> 00:31:52.211
ALY: Probably get a couple of drinks.

00:31:52.211 --> 00:31:54.431
ALY: Some of my favorites.

00:31:55.551 --> 00:32:00.931
VIRGINIA: Are you going to try to hop out of International Gateway and go to your favorite pool bar?

00:32:00.931 --> 00:32:02.871
ALY: That's the next day on Saturday.

00:32:02.871 --> 00:32:06.111
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:32:06.111 --> 00:32:06.391
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:32:06.391 --> 00:32:08.551
VIRGINIA: We'll get there.

00:32:08.551 --> 00:32:13.431
VIRGINIA: Question for Food and Wine and because you mentioned the cheeseburger spring rolls.

00:32:14.731 --> 00:32:22.391
VIRGINIA: For your parents and your brother, are they doing any watching of reviews of food or anything?

00:32:22.391 --> 00:32:30.551
VIRGINIA: Are they just getting all of their Disney information about the latest and greatest snacks from you?

00:32:30.551 --> 00:32:40.351
ALY: Well, so my mom, I think Kristen from right down Main Street, she's like her biggest fan, but probably silent, never says anything or likes or videos.

00:32:41.651 --> 00:32:45.351
ALY: But she gets all of her ideas from Kristen and she writes them down.

00:32:45.351 --> 00:32:48.691
ALY: And she really enjoys collecting snacks.

00:32:48.691 --> 00:32:56.251
ALY: And then she'll look them up on the internet and she'll tell me or she'll send it to me and say, I want to try this or I want to try that.

00:32:56.251 --> 00:33:01.631
ALY: So my brother and dad, they're just along for the ride.

00:33:02.771 --> 00:33:04.671
VIRGINIA: They'll enjoy whatever is put in front of them.

00:33:04.791 --> 00:33:05.971
VIRGINIA: I'm sure.

00:33:05.971 --> 00:33:07.591
ALY: It's food.

00:33:07.591 --> 00:33:07.931
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:33:07.931 --> 00:33:15.011
VIRGINIA: So Saturday, the 28th, are you doing a resort crawl over around the other lake?

00:33:15.011 --> 00:33:15.911
ALY: Skyliner.

00:33:16.331 --> 00:33:18.191
ALY: Skyliner crawl and then Boardwalk.

00:33:18.191 --> 00:33:20.191
ALY: So my parents love the Boardwalk.

00:33:20.191 --> 00:33:21.931
ALY: That's their favorite resort.

00:33:23.311 --> 00:33:26.851
ALY: Even before, like they've stayed at the Boardwalk.

00:33:26.851 --> 00:33:32.811
ALY: But even before that, when they would go to Orlando and stay off-site, they would visit the Boardwalk.

00:33:32.811 --> 00:33:34.531
ALY: So they're huge Boardwalk fans.

00:33:34.611 --> 00:33:36.871
ALY: So we're going to hang out at the Boardwalk all day.

00:33:36.871 --> 00:33:42.471
VIRGINIA: For your Skyliner crawl, are you doing all of the Skyliner resorts?

00:33:42.471 --> 00:33:42.791
ALY: Okay.

00:33:42.791 --> 00:33:45.911
ALY: So we're definitely going to do Caribbean Beach and Riviera.

00:33:45.911 --> 00:34:06.231
ALY: I don't know if we're going to go to Pop Century and those ones, but we're probably start at Hollywood Studios and then get off at the Riviera because, honestly, Banana Cabana is closer to the Riviera stop than it is the Caribbean Beach stop.

00:34:06.231 --> 00:34:07.291
ALY: And that's a fun one.

00:34:07.291 --> 00:34:11.231
ALY: I love Banana Cabana too, so that's a fun pool bar.

00:34:11.231 --> 00:34:12.811
VIRGINIA: And I know you love Riviera too.

00:34:12.811 --> 00:34:14.571
ALY: Riviera is my favorite.

00:34:14.611 --> 00:34:17.191
ALY: I mean, we just got back from a stay there.

00:34:17.191 --> 00:34:19.911
ALY: Oh, I love the Riviera.

00:34:19.911 --> 00:34:24.631
VIRGINIA: Yeah, I am dying to stay there, but have not been able to yet.

00:34:24.631 --> 00:34:25.911
VIRGINIA: It's the seven-month thing.

00:34:30.031 --> 00:34:31.831
ALY: That's why we own at multiple resorts.

00:34:31.851 --> 00:34:33.431
VIRGINIA: I know, I know.

00:34:33.431 --> 00:34:39.111
VIRGINIA: I'm so tempted to add on, but it's going to take a lot of convincing.

00:34:39.111 --> 00:34:41.091
ALY: Yeah, it takes time.

00:34:41.411 --> 00:34:43.111
ALY: It did not happen overnight.

00:34:43.111 --> 00:34:43.631
VIRGINIA: Yes, yeah.

00:34:43.631 --> 00:34:44.811
ALY: You just know that.

00:34:44.811 --> 00:34:46.231
VIRGINIA: I know, I know.

00:34:46.231 --> 00:34:48.411
ALY: 20 years in the making, so.

00:34:48.411 --> 00:34:52.531
VIRGINIA: Yeah, so what year did you join DVC for your first contact?

00:34:52.531 --> 00:34:55.231
ALY: I believe it was 2007.

00:34:55.231 --> 00:34:56.331
ALY: Okay.

00:34:56.331 --> 00:35:03.811
ALY: My husband says it's 2008, so it was either, I believe it was the beginning of 2007 in May.

00:35:03.811 --> 00:35:05.031
ALY: I think that's when it was.

00:35:05.031 --> 00:35:09.691
ALY: I just have to find my original card because we still have the old card and it says membership.

00:35:09.711 --> 00:35:11.131
VIRGINIA: Oh, okay.

00:35:11.131 --> 00:35:12.471
ALY: I need to find that.

00:35:12.471 --> 00:35:21.111
VIRGINIA: We joined in 2018, and at the time that we joined, the expiration date felt so far away, and I don't even know what it is.

00:35:21.111 --> 00:35:29.691
VIRGINIA: I put it out of my mind, but literally yesterday, I was thinking about DVC as I am want to do most days of the week.

00:35:30.991 --> 00:35:45.531
VIRGINIA: I was just thinking with how fast time is going lately for me, I think that that expiration date is probably going to feel much closer than it did when I originally, and the contracts are what, 40?

00:35:45.531 --> 00:35:47.471
VIRGINIA: Is it 40 years or 50 years?

00:35:47.471 --> 00:35:50.811
ALY: They're 50 years originally, but then depending on when you buy into them.

00:35:50.811 --> 00:35:58.851
VIRGINIA: Yeah, so we bought Copper Creek, and it had only been out for a year, so I think our contract was 49 years.

00:35:59.431 --> 00:36:09.371
VIRGINIA: Literally, Aly, the thought that popped into my head was, okay, when am I going to get to the point where we're about to expire and I need to consider replying?

00:36:09.371 --> 00:36:17.471
VIRGINIA: I'm thinking, I'll probably be 90 years old, but I don't know, it's just something I started thinking about.

00:36:17.471 --> 00:36:18.391
ALY: You got to know.

00:36:18.391 --> 00:36:20.811
VIRGINIA: I'm a planner, right?

00:36:23.251 --> 00:36:24.111
VIRGINIA: Oh my goodness.

00:36:24.111 --> 00:36:25.811
ALY: DVC is for planners.

00:36:25.811 --> 00:36:37.631
ALY: If you are not a planner, it's probably not the right product for you, but if you are a planner and you can just organize all these points and put your trips strategically throughout the year, it's just so nice.

00:36:37.631 --> 00:36:38.671
VIRGINIA: It is, it is.

00:36:38.671 --> 00:36:41.931
VIRGINIA: And I don't use all of my points.

00:36:41.931 --> 00:36:53.911
VIRGINIA: I use our points mostly just for our week in February, and I'd like to roll over points so that I have access to them should I need them in a Disney emergency.

00:36:53.911 --> 00:37:04.191
VIRGINIA: So I do a lot of little cash days too, which is how I flip back and forth between Pop Century and the DVC properties.

00:37:04.191 --> 00:37:05.131
ALY: That's how we started.

00:37:05.131 --> 00:37:08.291
ALY: When we started, we bought our first contract.

00:37:08.291 --> 00:37:15.631
ALY: We did have a bigger contract, but we would use the points and we would, like you said, I have no problem borrowing points.

00:37:15.631 --> 00:37:19.271
ALY: My problem is the next year when the next year comes, you know what I mean?

00:37:19.271 --> 00:37:19.751
VIRGINIA: Right.

00:37:19.751 --> 00:37:20.011
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:37:20.011 --> 00:37:23.471
VIRGINIA: I haven't borrowed yet and it scares me.

00:37:23.471 --> 00:37:25.031
ALY: I borrow all the time.

00:37:25.451 --> 00:37:30.091
ALY: Well, because what we do is we have our first contract we bought with Saratoga.

00:37:30.091 --> 00:37:33.471
ALY: That one we've sold because I just didn't like the seven-month thing.

00:37:33.471 --> 00:37:34.671
ALY: When we first bought it, it was fine.

00:37:34.771 --> 00:37:40.551
ALY: Seven-month, I literally got the, well, what's now Boulder Ridge.

00:37:40.551 --> 00:37:45.271
ALY: I got that over Christmas week at seven months back in the day.

00:37:45.271 --> 00:37:48.971
ALY: I mean, you could get anything and it just became, you just can't do that anymore.

00:37:49.731 --> 00:37:51.471
ALY: I just do not like split stays.

00:37:53.371 --> 00:37:57.851
ALY: I'll do one, but we sold that one and bought smaller contracts.

00:37:57.851 --> 00:37:59.111
ALY: We'll reverse them.

00:37:59.111 --> 00:38:01.911
ALY: This stay is taking two years worth of points.

00:38:03.491 --> 00:38:08.091
ALY: Then we won't have points for the next year, but we'll have other resorts that fill in.

00:38:08.091 --> 00:38:09.891
VIRGINIA: Right.

00:38:09.891 --> 00:38:11.491
VIRGINIA: It's all a game, but you're right.

00:38:11.491 --> 00:38:22.811
VIRGINIA: If you're a planner, then you can definitely, just like there's that high that you get when you perfectly plan your lightning lanes or things like that.

00:38:22.811 --> 00:38:27.171
VIRGINIA: There is that high of perfectly planning a DVC trip.

00:38:27.171 --> 00:38:29.671
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:38:29.971 --> 00:38:31.131
VIRGINIA: It's a little addictive.

00:38:32.331 --> 00:38:33.251
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:38:33.251 --> 00:38:36.031
VIRGINIA: Sunday, September the 29th.

00:38:36.031 --> 00:38:37.491
ALY: Animal Kingdom.

00:38:37.491 --> 00:38:39.571
ALY: I think it's the first time we're going to go to Animal Kingdom.

00:38:39.571 --> 00:38:50.671
ALY: We might hop over to Epcot at some point, depending on the day or how we're feeling, or we might start in Epcot and then go to Animal Kingdom for the last, you know, hour or two.

00:38:50.671 --> 00:38:55.051
ALY: I think that's such a good hack now, because Animal Kingdom, everybody goes in the morning.

00:38:55.051 --> 00:38:55.431
VIRGINIA: Right.

00:38:55.431 --> 00:38:56.791
ALY: Like everyone's like, oh, rope drop.

00:38:56.791 --> 00:38:58.411
ALY: No, don't.

00:38:58.411 --> 00:38:59.891
VIRGINIA: because it opens the earliest.

00:38:59.891 --> 00:39:00.311
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:39:00.311 --> 00:39:02.931
ALY: It does, but you're sitting in line.

00:39:02.931 --> 00:39:08.791
ALY: If you're not in the front of the pack, which makes you have to get there, like you have to get up two hours before.

00:39:08.791 --> 00:39:11.511
VIRGINIA: It opens at 8 AM, so that's early.

00:39:11.511 --> 00:39:15.711
ALY: Two or three hours, that park is open, that place is dead.

00:39:15.711 --> 00:39:16.011
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:39:16.451 --> 00:39:19.231
ALY: Place is dead, so I think that's early.

00:39:19.231 --> 00:39:21.131
VIRGINIA: Monday, the 30th is your departure day.

00:39:21.131 --> 00:39:23.731
VIRGINIA: What time is your flight?

00:39:23.731 --> 00:39:32.571
ALY: We fly out at 10 AM, so we really have nothing, 10 or 1030, so we will literally get up and go to the airport.

00:39:32.571 --> 00:39:35.611
VIRGINIA: You mentioned that you have an owner's locker.

00:39:37.391 --> 00:39:45.991
VIRGINIA: What kind of things do you keep in your owner's locker that you would recommend for somebody like me who's constantly reconsidering whether I should get one or not?

00:39:46.671 --> 00:39:49.251
ALY: Do the owner's locker and don't think you're going to save money.

00:39:49.251 --> 00:39:54.791
ALY: Okay, it could save money because I used to pack a big bag and check it and all the other things, right?

00:39:54.791 --> 00:39:55.471
ALY: It could save.

00:39:55.471 --> 00:39:58.631
ALY: Do it because it's so freaking convenient.

00:39:58.631 --> 00:39:59.971
ALY: just that's why I do it.

00:39:59.971 --> 00:40:01.091
ALY: just eat the cost of it.

00:40:01.091 --> 00:40:04.351
ALY: It's not that expensive and I keep everything in there.

00:40:04.351 --> 00:40:06.531
ALY: My husband sleeps with a fan, so we keep a fan.

00:40:06.531 --> 00:40:09.771
ALY: I keep an electric blanket in there because those rooms are freezing.

00:40:11.751 --> 00:40:15.991
ALY: I keep a regular blanket in there too because they don't give you regular blankets.

00:40:15.991 --> 00:40:20.051
ALY: We keep a Keurig coffee, like the little mini Keurig coffee maker.

00:40:21.311 --> 00:40:24.591
ALY: We keep that in our room or in our owner's locker.

00:40:24.591 --> 00:40:26.691
ALY: I keep all of the toiletries.

00:40:26.691 --> 00:40:33.971
ALY: I went on Amazon, bought a toiletry, like a hanging toiletry organizer, and I just keep them in the owner's locker.

00:40:34.171 --> 00:40:43.051
ALY: So I keep shampoo, I keep everything you need, like conditioner, razors, band-aids, first-aid stuff.

00:40:43.051 --> 00:40:49.651
ALY: Then if I need to refill it, like for ibuprofen, I just order it on Amazon when I'm there.

00:40:49.651 --> 00:40:51.551
ALY: Then I'll just refill the thing.

00:40:51.731 --> 00:40:58.371
ALY: Q-tip, I order the little shower, cushions, what do you call them?

00:40:58.371 --> 00:40:59.571
VIRGINIA: Bath poop is what I call them.

00:40:59.571 --> 00:41:00.751
VIRGINIA: I don't know what they're actually called.

00:41:01.051 --> 00:41:03.391
ALY: Yeah, I guess a bath poo.

00:41:05.371 --> 00:41:08.271
ALY: I keep resort clothes there.

00:41:08.271 --> 00:41:18.211
ALY: I keep all of my sports athletic wear, like athletic skirts, athletic shorts, tank tops, things that I would wear to the park.

00:41:18.211 --> 00:41:20.251
ALY: I keep that there.

00:41:20.251 --> 00:41:22.631
ALY: I keep personal fans in there.

00:41:22.631 --> 00:41:24.511
ALY: I keep sunscreen.

00:41:24.511 --> 00:41:25.211
ALY: I keep everything.

00:41:25.211 --> 00:41:26.171
ALY: We have two.

00:41:26.171 --> 00:41:29.531
VIRGINIA: I was just about to ask, this sounds like more than one owner's locker.

00:41:29.551 --> 00:41:30.191
ALY: Yeah, we have two.

00:41:30.551 --> 00:41:33.931
ALY: And I will tell you, this trip, I am not bringing a suitcase.

00:41:33.931 --> 00:41:34.651
ALY: You're not?

00:41:34.651 --> 00:41:35.731
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:41:36.151 --> 00:41:39.251
ALY: I stocked my owner's locker this last time I went.

00:41:39.251 --> 00:41:45.611
ALY: because I figured with my parents' suitcases, it'd be easier if I could help do suitcases.

00:41:45.611 --> 00:41:50.931
ALY: So I organized it enough that I have enough down there, that I don't need to bring.

00:41:50.931 --> 00:41:56.211
ALY: I'm just going to bring my backpack with like my iPad and phones, and things for the plane.

00:41:56.211 --> 00:41:57.691
ALY: But yeah, I love it.

00:41:57.691 --> 00:42:04.771
ALY: I love it for convenience because literally my husband and I walk off the plane and we go straight out to like an Uber or Lyft and we're on property.

00:42:04.771 --> 00:42:10.731
VIRGINIA: Do you have the unlimited plan or do you have the one where you pay per trip that you're using it?

00:42:10.731 --> 00:42:12.311
ALY: I pay per trip.

00:42:12.311 --> 00:42:19.411
ALY: So I priced out the unlimited and if I was to go, I think I had to go there like six times.

00:42:19.411 --> 00:42:25.211
ALY: We don't typically go six, we go four, although this year it's getting close.

00:42:28.171 --> 00:42:36.731
ALY: So yeah, I might up it next year depending on our plans, but I still pay per time and it's still less than the unlimited.

00:42:36.731 --> 00:42:37.091
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:42:37.091 --> 00:42:43.491
VIRGINIA: I keep toying around with it because I think they do give you a discount for DVC during the first year for sure.

00:42:43.491 --> 00:42:44.231
ALY: They do.

00:42:44.231 --> 00:42:44.891
ALY: It's worth it.

00:42:44.891 --> 00:42:46.691
ALY: It's just worth it for a peace of mind.

00:42:46.691 --> 00:42:47.671
ALY: It's so easy.

00:42:51.151 --> 00:42:53.231
ALY: Basically, my husband doesn't bring his carry-on.

00:42:53.231 --> 00:42:56.291
ALY: I will typically bring a carry-on with clothes.

00:42:57.091 --> 00:42:58.871
ALY: We're going and we go out to dinner.

00:42:58.871 --> 00:43:00.911
ALY: I don't want to wear part clothes.

00:43:00.911 --> 00:43:04.031
ALY: I want to wear something a little more like clothes.

00:43:04.031 --> 00:43:05.351
ALY: I don't know.

00:43:06.371 --> 00:43:07.631
ALY: I'll bring clothes with me.

00:43:08.011 --> 00:43:09.471
ALY: He keeps all of his clothes there.

00:43:09.471 --> 00:43:10.791
ALY: He doesn't care.

00:43:10.791 --> 00:43:11.411
VIRGINIA: Wow.

00:43:11.411 --> 00:43:12.891
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:43:12.891 --> 00:43:14.531
VIRGINIA: I keep speaking to people that have them.

00:43:16.211 --> 00:43:21.471
VIRGINIA: It's definitely something I am getting closer to biting the bullet on.

00:43:21.471 --> 00:43:33.551
VIRGINIA: I think that your advice of don't think of it as a saving money thing, because that's how I kept looking at it, was I'm going to do this and I'm going to save money on paying for luggage.

00:43:33.551 --> 00:43:35.591
ALY: just look at it as convenience.

00:43:35.591 --> 00:43:38.651
ALY: You'll get to a point, you'll figure out what you need and what you don't.

00:43:38.651 --> 00:43:48.751
ALY: When I started, I started out with things that I don't necessarily need, and I've refined it over time, and what I do need and what I don't need, but do it as a convenience thing.

00:43:48.751 --> 00:43:51.731
ALY: Where else can I go on vacation and get on a flight?

00:43:51.731 --> 00:43:54.011
ALY: I'm literally there in two and a half hours.

00:43:54.011 --> 00:43:57.811
ALY: There's free transportation everywhere I want to go.

00:43:57.811 --> 00:44:00.911
ALY: If I want it, my stuff is already there.

00:44:02.191 --> 00:44:05.791
ALY: It requires very little brainpower if you want it to.

00:44:05.791 --> 00:44:07.371
ALY: I mean, obviously, I don't.

00:44:08.971 --> 00:44:11.191
ALY: I go fast, fast as I can do all the stuff, but.

00:44:11.191 --> 00:44:11.691
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:44:11.691 --> 00:44:12.851
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:44:12.851 --> 00:44:13.231
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:44:13.231 --> 00:44:29.851
VIRGINIA: Well, Aly, this is going to be such a fun trip, introducing your family to all of the things like cheeseburger spring rolls and trying to enjoy some downtime in the Disney area, enjoying all of those different resorts.

00:44:29.851 --> 00:44:35.491
VIRGINIA: I hope that you have a fantastic time and I hope that you travel safely and can't wait to hear all about it.

00:44:36.251 --> 00:44:37.251
ALY: Thank you.

00:44:37.251 --> 00:44:38.891
ALY: I can't wait to tell you.

00:44:40.411 --> 00:44:43.871
VIRGINIA: Thank you, Aly, for joining me to talk through all your plans.

00:44:43.871 --> 00:44:48.111
VIRGINIA: Listeners, the Post Trip Report episode is up and ready for you now.

00:44:48.451 --> 00:44:51.691
VIRGINIA: Please make sure you add that to your podcast queue.

00:44:51.691 --> 00:45:02.231
VIRGINIA: If you like what you hear, please don't forget to leave a rating or a review on the podcast platform of your choice or directly through my website, which is whereilongtobepodcast.com.

00:45:03.111 --> 00:45:07.131
VIRGINIA: And with that, as always, keep daydreaming about where you long to be.