Pre-Trip Report: Elizabeth’s Disney/Universal Extended Family Trip (July 2024)

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VIRGINIA: Welcome back to the penultimate episode of season two of 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: I hope that everyone has been having a wonderful summer so far, and that you've gotten a chance to get away to wherever you long to be.

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VIRGINIA: I was lucky enough to have my mother-son trip in June with Alex, and a spontaneous long weekend getaway with Charles while Alex was away at camp in July.

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VIRGINIA: And in less than a week, we will be on our long-awaited trip to London.

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VIRGINIA: We are so excited, and listeners can look forward to a special episode about that trip sometime around the year's end.

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VIRGINIA: On today's episode, I am happy to introduce you to Elizabeth, who is a travel client of previous podcast guest Amy Belfi.

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VIRGINIA: Amy's episodes were released in early April, and you'll find the links to them in the show notes.

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VIRGINIA: Now, let's get into the heart of this pre-trip episode.

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VIRGINIA: Here's Elizabeth.

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VIRGINIA: Elizabeth, welcome to the podcast.

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ELIZABETH: Thank you, Virginia.

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ELIZABETH: I'm excited to be here.

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VIRGINIA: I'm excited to have you here.

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VIRGINIA: I'm already loving your energy.

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VIRGINIA: You're wearing your mini shirt, you've got your bow in your hair, and you're ready to rock and roll with a trip report.

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ELIZABETH: I'm ready.

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ELIZABETH: The vibe is here.

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VIRGINIA: Well, tell me a little bit about yourself because you are somebody who was referred to me, but I don't even know if you're on Instagram.

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VIRGINIA: So we were meeting for the first time.

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VIRGINIA: All I know is your name, really.

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VIRGINIA: So who are you?

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ELIZABETH: Yes.

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ELIZABETH: Nice to meet you.

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ELIZABETH: So my name is Elizabeth and no, I'm not on Instagram in an official capacity.

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ELIZABETH: I have a very lame Instagram account with nine pictures that five people see, but I will tell you half of those nine pictures are Disney.

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ELIZABETH: So I'm honestly just a Disney fan who loves taking my family, and loves listening to podcasts like this, and watching the YouTubers, and just planning Disney vacations in between the trips that we take.

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ELIZABETH: I am a teacher.

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ELIZABETH: I teach eighth grade.

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ELIZABETH: So I really enjoyed listening to your podcast with Alex, because he's like my people, right?

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ELIZABETH: So yeah, so that's what I do, you know, 185 days of the year.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: And where are you in the world?

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ELIZABETH: I am in Omaha, Nebraska.

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ELIZABETH: So right in the middle of the country.

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VIRGINIA: Omaha, somewhere in middle America, to quote The Counting Crows, and to Show My Age.

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ELIZABETH: Right, that's right.

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VIRGINIA: I love that song.

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VIRGINIA: That album specifically just really reminds me of like the middle of high school.

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ELIZABETH: Yes.

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VIRGINIA: You know, I don't know.

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VIRGINIA: It just, anytime I hear any of those songs, I'm immediately taken back to about like sophomore year.

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ELIZABETH: That's accurate.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah.

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VIRGINIA: All right.

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VIRGINIA: So how often do you go to Disney?

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ELIZABETH: That is a great question.

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ELIZABETH: You know, before we started this, I kind of made a calendar of the times we've gone since October 2021, which is the first time my husband and I took our little kiddos as a family.

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ELIZABETH: And since then, we have been eight times.

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ELIZABETH: So we average about two to three times a year.

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ELIZABETH: We're not Disney vacation members for people who are wondering, but that's just something that I need more information on.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: Well, if you ever want to talk about it.

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VIRGINIA: I have the details.

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VIRGINIA: In fact, today was my seven month mark.

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VIRGINIA: So I've been on the computer checking all day long to be like, has anything changed?

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VIRGINIA: Has anything changed?

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ELIZABETH: I don't even know what that means, but like your listeners will.

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VIRGINIA: So well, for DVC members, you can book your own home resort at 11 months out from your trip.

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VIRGINIA: But at the seven month mark, you have the option to rebook at any other DVC resort that's not your home resort.

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VIRGINIA: So I love my home resort.

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VIRGINIA: Everybody knows Wilderness Lodge is my favorite.

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VIRGINIA: But I'm also on a quest to try all of the resorts.

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VIRGINIA: And so I'm like, what can I get?

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VIRGINIA: Yeah.

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ELIZABETH: We've stayed some more different each time.

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ELIZABETH: And that's kind of like this fun challenge we've established for ourselves, I guess.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah.

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VIRGINIA: Do you have a favorite of all of the ones that you've stayed at so far?

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ELIZABETH: I was prepared for you to ask that, Virginia.

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ELIZABETH: And so if I had to say.

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VIRGINIA: I know.

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VIRGINIA: It's like Sophie's Choice.

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ELIZABETH: I'm so sorry.

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ELIZABETH: I would say Animal Kingdom Lodge, but each situation is different.

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ELIZABETH: And that was just, I just think it's such a beautiful resort.

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VIRGINIA: Were you in Jumbo House?

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ELIZABETH: Yes.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: All right.

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VIRGINIA: Yes.

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VIRGINIA: That is one of the ones that I have yet to stay at.

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VIRGINIA: And it's on my list because I'm DVC.

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VIRGINIA: And I was kind of waffling back and forth.

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VIRGINIA: And I've come to the conclusion that when I do stay there, I want to stay in the Jumbo House side.

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VIRGINIA: As opposed to Kadani Village.

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ELIZABETH: Yes.

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VIRGINIA: So, I don't know.

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VIRGINIA: I like being where the action is.

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ELIZABETH: Yes.

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VIRGINIA: And it just seems like the bigger side.

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VIRGINIA: So I should do that.

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ELIZABETH: Absolutely.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: And who is in your traveling party most of the time when you go?

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VIRGINIA: Are you always going as a family?

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ELIZABETH: Yes.

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ELIZABETH: So my husband and my daughter Hope, who is nine, and my son Dean, who is seven.

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ELIZABETH: So we started taking them around like ages four and six.

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ELIZABETH: We've done a couple small trips.

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ELIZABETH: Like Hope and I did the Princess 5K in February, where it was just me and her, and we brought my mom along and my sister along.

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ELIZABETH: We have done like a grandparent trip on both sides.

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ELIZABETH: So we've brought a few different people along, but most typically, it's the four of us.

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ELIZABETH: And this upcoming trip is really special because it's going to be 13 people.

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ELIZABETH: It's going to be the four of us.

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ELIZABETH: I know.

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VIRGINIA: What?

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ELIZABETH: It's going to be the four of us and my cousin and her family of six and my sister and my parents.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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ELIZABETH: Wow.

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ELIZABETH: Yes.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: So many questions.

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ELIZABETH: Yes.

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VIRGINIA: Number one, have you all as a group traveled together anywhere before?

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ELIZABETH: Yes.

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ELIZABETH: One of our other, I would say, favorite spots in Florida is Anna Maria Island, which is not too far from Tampa, not too far from Sarasota, and we have, I think, done three or four trips together.

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ELIZABETH: So we are familiar with traveling together and compromising and having a good time.

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ELIZABETH: But obviously, Disney brings a whole different element to the crazy in a good way.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: Do you think that on a trip to Disney like this, that you all will stay together and kind of do most things together, or do you, will you plan to break up into smaller groups, or do you think that maybe it'll just evolve into smaller groups based on the size?

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ELIZABETH: Right.

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ELIZABETH: Right.

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ELIZABETH: So that's a great question.

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ELIZABETH: This is my cousin and her husband and her kiddos' first time together in Disney as a family of six.

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ELIZABETH: So I actually think the way we have it staggered is ideal.

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ELIZABETH: So they will actually arrive on Sunday and do some parks, just the six of them by themselves, figure it out for a few days.

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ELIZABETH: And then my little family arrives on Wednesday with my sister, and then my parents arrive on Thursday.

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ELIZABETH: So I kind of think it's nice that we're staggering so that they can kind of figure things out.

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ELIZABETH: Because obviously for your first trip, there are some things to figure out in terms of pace and priorities and all of that.

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ELIZABETH: And then we'll come in and we're really excited to do Animal Kingdom with them, because that's my family's favorite park.

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ELIZABETH: And I just think that there's opportunities at that park to obviously do some of the banger attractions at Disney World, but also luxuriate and just kind of slow down.

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ELIZABETH: And I just like the pace.

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ELIZABETH: So I'm excited to do that all together.

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ELIZABETH: But then I do think we'll feel the freedom to do different things and break up into groups.

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ELIZABETH: And we have a couple of kiddos who won't be tall enough to ride rock and roller coaster or tron.

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ELIZABETH: And so it'll be fun to be able to split up.

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ELIZABETH: And hopefully that happens really well, you know, last minute.

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VIRGINIA: OK, what are the ages of the kids in your cousin's family?

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ELIZABETH: Yeah, so in total, there will be six kids ages six to 12.

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ELIZABETH: And so hers are 6, 8, 10, 12, and mine are 7 and 9.

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VIRGINIA: 6, 8, 10, 12.

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VIRGINIA: OK, so she has a pattern there.

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VIRGINIA: OK.

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VIRGINIA: OK, cousin and her family and sister and grandma and grandpa.

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VIRGINIA: Yes.

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VIRGINIA: Where are they all coming from?

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VIRGINIA: Do they all live in the same area as you?

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ELIZABETH: We do.

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ELIZABETH: We all live in a 20, like 20 minute radius of each other, which is really nice.

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ELIZABETH: It hasn't always been that way, but it's been that way for the past few years, which is really awesome.

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VIRGINIA: Your sister, your parents, are they Disney fans as well?

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ELIZABETH: They are.

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ELIZABETH: They've been with us since that first trip in 2021.

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ELIZABETH: They certainly haven't been as many times as we have, but not many people have.

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ELIZABETH: So I know that's kind of an anomaly, but they do enjoy it.

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ELIZABETH: So they're looking forward to it.

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ELIZABETH: My mom is familiar with my Disney experience and all of that.

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ELIZABETH: My sister loves being a self-proclaimed passenger princess, so she's kind of up for anything.

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VIRGINIA: Oh, my goodness.

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VIRGINIA: Yes, I have a passenger princess and it's my husband.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah, that's about right.

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VIRGINIA: So he's just like, wait, where do I show up?

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VIRGINIA: What do I do?

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ELIZABETH: Right.

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VIRGINIA: All right.

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VIRGINIA: And where are you going to be staying for this trip?

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ELIZABETH: Yep.

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ELIZABETH: So my husband and I and our kids will be staying at All-Star Sports.

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ELIZABETH: This will be our third All-Stars that we've stayed at.

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ELIZABETH: And like I said, we try to stay somewhere different.

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ELIZABETH: So this will be the first time we stay there.

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ELIZABETH: My sister will have a conjoining room to us.

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ELIZABETH: And my nine-year-old daughter is super excited to be roommates with her aunt.

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ELIZABETH: And then since my cousin's family is bigger, she'll be at an All-Star Music family suite.

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ELIZABETH: And my parents are going to be staying at All-Star Music as well.

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ELIZABETH: So we'll be, I mean, hopefully, if everything works out and we get the baseball section of All-Star Sports like I requested, we'll all be within like a five-minute walk of each other.

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ELIZABETH: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: That will be perfect.

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ELIZABETH: Yes.

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VIRGINIA: Do you think that in the mornings when it's time to take the buses, that you will go to one or the other of the resorts so that you can all be on the same bus?

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ELIZABETH: I have thought of that.

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ELIZABETH: And I don't know.

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ELIZABETH: You want to be planned and prepared and organized, but you also don't want to put pressure on a situation that was a lot of people and a lot of different kids like prepares you for disappointment.

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ELIZABETH: So I would love on that first day, we're all together when we're headed to Animal Kingdom for that to be the plan.

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ELIZABETH: And hopefully we have the energy to make that happen and be excited about potentially rope dropping, flight of passage and getting on that whatever bus it is early.

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ELIZABETH: So hopefully at least the first day.

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VIRGINIA: I have in my notes that you are going to be doing some universal time as well.

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ELIZABETH: Yeah, for the first time.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: So let's just kind of walk through all of your days.

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VIRGINIA: We'll find out where you're headed, what your priorities are.

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VIRGINIA: So am I correct that your dates are Sunday, July 21st through Sunday, July 28th?

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ELIZABETH: That is correct.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: So listeners, we are talking here today on July the 16th.

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VIRGINIA: So we're getting very close.

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ELIZABETH: Yes.

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VIRGINIA: All right.

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VIRGINIA: So Sunday, July 21st, what time are you getting in to the Orlando area?

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ELIZABETH: We are flying in from Allegiant, from Omaha.

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ELIZABETH: It's a direct flight, which is wonderful.

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ELIZABETH: So we'll leave here about 9.25 in the morning, and we're due to arrive at SFB in Orlando at 12.15.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: That is the Sanford Airport.

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VIRGINIA: Yes.

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VIRGINIA: I have never flown into Sanford.

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VIRGINIA: Have you?

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ELIZABETH: Yes.

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ELIZABETH: One other time.

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ELIZABETH: We don't often fly Allegiant.

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ELIZABETH: We usually fly Southwest because that's a direct flight as well.

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ELIZABETH: But this Allegiant flight, I got for $97 a person.

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ELIZABETH: I know.

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VIRGINIA: What?

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ELIZABETH: So we are adding, whatever, 25 minutes to our ground transportation because that was pretty irresistible.

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ELIZABETH: So yeah, we've done it one other time, but we mostly fly into MCO, but certainly don't mind doing SFB for that price.

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VIRGINIA: Okay.

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VIRGINIA: Wow.

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VIRGINIA: Yeah.

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VIRGINIA: I honestly always forget to tick the box to say that I'm willing to look at the other airport as well.

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VIRGINIA: I'm just on forgive the pun autopilot and going into MCO.

00:13:24.545 --> 00:13:25.885
VIRGINIA: So okay.

00:13:27.105 --> 00:13:29.545
VIRGINIA: For the first day, you said that you're going to Animal Kingdom.

00:13:29.545 --> 00:13:31.385
VIRGINIA: So you're hitting that out of the gate?

00:13:31.505 --> 00:13:31.965
ELIZABETH: Okay.

00:13:31.965 --> 00:13:36.225
VIRGINIA: So dropping your bags off, heading straight over to Animal Kingdom.

00:13:36.225 --> 00:13:36.685
ELIZABETH: Yeah.

00:13:36.745 --> 00:13:37.465
ELIZABETH: Kind of.

00:13:37.465 --> 00:13:46.225
ELIZABETH: So actually, because we're doing Universal first, we'll get there on Sunday and we're going to Lowe's, Royal Pacific.

00:13:46.225 --> 00:13:46.705
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:13:46.705 --> 00:13:47.065
VIRGINIA: Got it.

00:13:47.065 --> 00:13:47.285
ELIZABETH: Yeah.

00:13:47.285 --> 00:13:51.685
VIRGINIA: That's why I was asking, because you said Animal Kingdom first and I was like, I really thought she was going to be there first.

00:13:51.825 --> 00:13:55.405
ELIZABETH: Like Animal Kingdom in the Disney portion.

00:13:56.725 --> 00:13:57.305
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:13:57.305 --> 00:13:59.185
VIRGINIA: So Lowe's, Royal Pacific.

00:13:59.185 --> 00:14:00.345
VIRGINIA: I have actually stayed there before.

00:14:00.565 --> 00:14:02.685
VIRGINIA: It is very nice and convenient.

00:14:02.685 --> 00:14:04.425
VIRGINIA: So I hope that you enjoy it.

00:14:04.425 --> 00:14:12.365
VIRGINIA: And that is one of the premier resorts at Universal that allows you access to the Unlimited Express Pass.

00:14:12.365 --> 00:14:13.765
ELIZABETH: That is exactly right.

00:14:13.765 --> 00:14:23.325
ELIZABETH: So as much as I do feel like I've learned and have figured out Disney, I feel like I know so little about Universal because we've never done it before.

00:14:23.325 --> 00:14:30.865
ELIZABETH: But I did have someone wonderful helping me plan this, which is our travel agent, Amy Belfi.

00:14:30.865 --> 00:14:33.805
ELIZABETH: And so she was the one who helped me navigate this universal stuff.

00:14:33.805 --> 00:14:39.085
ELIZABETH: And she was the one who recommended Lowe's Royal Pacific because of that Express Pass situation.

00:14:39.085 --> 00:14:42.865
ELIZABETH: And I think that's going to be something that we are so thankful for.

00:14:42.865 --> 00:14:43.165
VIRGINIA: Yes.

00:14:43.165 --> 00:14:46.965
VIRGINIA: And for listeners, you will recognize Amy because she has been on the show before.

00:14:46.965 --> 00:14:52.585
VIRGINIA: So I will make sure to link to her previous episodes in the show notes, if anybody's interested in doing that.

00:14:52.585 --> 00:14:54.585
VIRGINIA: And Amy is amazing.

00:14:54.585 --> 00:15:03.905
VIRGINIA: So if anybody is looking for a good travel agent to help plan their magical vacation, then I'm sure she would love for you to reach out to her.

00:15:03.905 --> 00:15:04.345
ELIZABETH: Yes.

00:15:04.345 --> 00:15:07.225
ELIZABETH: She is fabulous at so many things.

00:15:07.225 --> 00:15:09.165
VIRGINIA: Yes.

00:15:09.165 --> 00:15:11.545
VIRGINIA: How many park tickets do you have for Universal?

00:15:11.545 --> 00:15:17.905
ELIZABETH: We have the two-day, I don't think they call it Park Hopper, but like park to park.

00:15:17.905 --> 00:15:18.225
VIRGINIA: Yep.

00:15:18.225 --> 00:15:19.225
VIRGINIA: They call it park to park.

00:15:19.225 --> 00:15:21.725
VIRGINIA: You got it exactly right.

00:15:21.725 --> 00:15:23.245
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:15:23.245 --> 00:15:33.085
VIRGINIA: To me, two days with the park to park access, with an express pass, you will be able to do everything you want to do at Universal in that amount of time.

00:15:33.085 --> 00:15:34.125
ELIZABETH: That sounds awesome.

00:15:34.125 --> 00:15:35.445
ELIZABETH: Thank you for that.

00:15:35.445 --> 00:15:35.805
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:15:35.805 --> 00:15:48.865
VIRGINIA: And it's going to feel insanely flexible compared to what you're used to at Disney where you have to book things because you will see a ride, see an attraction and say, let's go do it and you'll just go do it.

00:15:48.865 --> 00:15:50.865
VIRGINIA: And there won't have to be any thinking.

00:15:50.865 --> 00:16:03.785
VIRGINIA: You can be very efficient with your park touring, which kind of brings me to my next question is, I believe that during your trip is when the Genie Plus is changing over to the multi-pass.

00:16:03.785 --> 00:16:12.725
VIRGINIA: So are you going to be utilizing any multi-pass or Genie Plus depending on what the dates are for your time?

00:16:12.725 --> 00:16:14.485
ELIZABETH: Yes, you are exactly right.

00:16:14.485 --> 00:16:22.785
ELIZABETH: So we will travel from Universal to Disney on Wednesday, which is July 24th, which is when the new system goes into place.

00:16:24.305 --> 00:16:27.445
ELIZABETH: So we have used Genie Plus almost every trip.

00:16:27.445 --> 00:16:33.005
ELIZABETH: That first trip in 2021, they were in the original Fastpass system and starting Genie Plus.

00:16:33.005 --> 00:16:35.485
ELIZABETH: So we had a lot of experience with Genie Plus.

00:16:35.485 --> 00:16:47.365
ELIZABETH: So to figure out something new is a little daunting, but I've heard from people who are longer Disney goers than we are that this is kind of a hybrid of Disney Plus and what they used to have.

00:16:47.365 --> 00:16:57.525
ELIZABETH: So we will be utilizing it as best as we can, but we won't be able to because we're arriving on the first day of the entire new system, we won't be able to do advanced reservations.

00:16:57.905 --> 00:17:00.265
VIRGINIA: Did they tell you that specifically?

00:17:00.265 --> 00:17:05.985
VIRGINIA: Have you gotten that question answered either from Amy or from someone directly at Disney?

00:17:05.985 --> 00:17:06.285
ELIZABETH: Yes.

00:17:06.285 --> 00:17:11.005
ELIZABETH: So Amy has confirmed that a few different times, I think in a few different ways.

00:17:11.005 --> 00:17:17.285
ELIZABETH: And interestingly, my mom got an email from Disney yesterday that said, you can actually reserve your stuff.

00:17:17.725 --> 00:17:20.605
ELIZABETH: You know, July 20th or something.

00:17:20.605 --> 00:17:24.985
ELIZABETH: But then she got an email today and she said the heading was correction.

00:17:24.985 --> 00:17:32.845
ELIZABETH: And then clarified that she could not reserve anything until what will be the first day of our trip, which is the first day rolls out.

00:17:32.845 --> 00:17:33.905
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:17:33.905 --> 00:17:38.665
VIRGINIA: This is good to know because I actually interviewed a couple of people together last night.

00:17:38.665 --> 00:17:41.145
VIRGINIA: And they are in the same situation.

00:17:41.145 --> 00:17:42.945
VIRGINIA: And they were like, we don't know.

00:17:42.945 --> 00:17:45.205
VIRGINIA: I guess we'll see when we get to the seven day mark.

00:17:46.165 --> 00:17:52.585
VIRGINIA: And so I was saying, and I still stand by this, even hearing what you've said, that is not fair.

00:17:52.585 --> 00:17:59.405
VIRGINIA: If you're rolling out a new system, you should let the people book seven days before that first day that it's in use.

00:17:59.405 --> 00:18:00.825
ELIZABETH: I mean, I agree.

00:18:00.825 --> 00:18:01.645
ELIZABETH: I agree.

00:18:01.645 --> 00:18:10.245
ELIZABETH: But then I think, but if it does open, then do we have an advantage because like we're the only people in those next three days?

00:18:10.245 --> 00:18:13.125
VIRGINIA: I think you have an advantage for the first part of your trip.

00:18:13.125 --> 00:18:13.445
ELIZABETH: Yes.

00:18:13.945 --> 00:18:25.685
VIRGINIA: I think typically once this is fully rolled out, people will always have an advantage for the later days in their trip because they can do the seven days and maybe other people haven't started to book yet.

00:18:25.685 --> 00:18:30.905
VIRGINIA: But you will be the unique group who will not have an advantage for the end of your trip, but instead the beginning.

00:18:30.905 --> 00:18:32.845
VIRGINIA: So I think you're right.

00:18:32.845 --> 00:18:35.745
VIRGINIA: Do any of your must-do items towards the beginning.

00:18:35.745 --> 00:18:37.485
VIRGINIA: All right, back to Universal.

00:18:37.485 --> 00:18:46.425
VIRGINIA: So Sunday, July 21st, you're going to check in at the Royal Pacific, and then your two-park days for Universal are Monday and Tuesday?

00:18:46.425 --> 00:18:47.525
ELIZABETH: Correct.

00:18:47.525 --> 00:18:48.965
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:18:48.965 --> 00:18:50.365
VIRGINIA: What's your plan for that?

00:18:50.365 --> 00:18:52.945
VIRGINIA: Do you have something that you're aiming for first?

00:18:52.945 --> 00:18:54.945
VIRGINIA: Are you going to go into Islands of Adventure first?

00:18:54.945 --> 00:18:57.105
VIRGINIA: Are you going into Universal Studios first?

00:18:57.105 --> 00:18:57.725
ELIZABETH: Yes.

00:18:57.725 --> 00:19:03.385
ELIZABETH: So my daughter, who is nine, is very into Harry Potter.

00:19:03.385 --> 00:19:06.765
ELIZABETH: So that is definitely a priority for her.

00:19:07.245 --> 00:19:10.045
ELIZABETH: And, you know, we have the shirts.

00:19:10.045 --> 00:19:12.445
ELIZABETH: Like each of us have a different house.

00:19:12.445 --> 00:19:18.385
ELIZABETH: So I definitely know that all things Harry Potter and Diagon Alley will be a priority.

00:19:18.385 --> 00:19:22.185
VIRGINIA: Funny, because I randomly am wearing on my Ravenclaw shirt today.

00:19:22.185 --> 00:19:23.885
ELIZABETH: Yes, you are.

00:19:23.885 --> 00:19:27.685
ELIZABETH: That's my husband's house, allegedly, according to our Google quiz.

00:19:27.685 --> 00:19:28.665
VIRGINIA: Allegedly.

00:19:28.665 --> 00:19:30.205
VIRGINIA: What are you?

00:19:30.205 --> 00:19:31.385
ELIZABETH: Hufflepuff.

00:19:31.525 --> 00:19:34.605
ELIZABETH: Which feels very accurate.

00:19:34.605 --> 00:19:35.445
VIRGINIA: And what about the kids?

00:19:37.105 --> 00:19:43.825
ELIZABETH: You know, my daughter is Gryffindor partially because she's great, and partially because she wants to be.

00:19:43.825 --> 00:19:48.345
ELIZABETH: And my son is Slytherin because his sister told him he is.

00:19:48.345 --> 00:19:49.045
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:19:49.045 --> 00:19:52.945
VIRGINIA: Well, I mean, that's kind of cool that you have all four houses represented.

00:19:52.945 --> 00:19:54.965
ELIZABETH: So we say, yeah.

00:19:54.965 --> 00:19:57.045
VIRGINIA: You're just going to roll with it.

00:19:57.045 --> 00:19:58.265
VIRGINIA: Remember what they say.

00:19:58.265 --> 00:20:01.925
VIRGINIA: The sorting hat, you can also give your input.

00:20:01.925 --> 00:20:05.165
VIRGINIA: So I feel like that's totally, totally legit.

00:20:05.725 --> 00:20:06.905
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:20:06.905 --> 00:20:13.245
VIRGINIA: So, I mean, like I said, with the Express Pass, you're going to be able to get everything done that you want to do there.

00:20:13.245 --> 00:20:27.045
VIRGINIA: And I don't know, as a Harry Potter fan, my desire when I did it for the first time was to walk through Diagon Alley first, because I felt like, why would I go to Hogwarts before I've done Diagon Alley?

00:20:27.045 --> 00:20:28.465
VIRGINIA: And so I did it in that order.

00:20:28.465 --> 00:20:38.865
VIRGINIA: But because you'll have two days, you could do that and then the next day, go to Hogwarts in Isle of Aventer first, and do the reverse if you want.

00:20:38.865 --> 00:20:39.485
ELIZABETH: Yes.

00:20:39.485 --> 00:20:51.965
ELIZABETH: And along those lines, I have wondered if it's imperative to ride the train very first thing, like the Hogwarts Express, like to get that full experience if we should do it that way.

00:20:51.965 --> 00:20:54.105
ELIZABETH: Although I guess you could do Diagon Alley still first.

00:20:54.105 --> 00:20:57.465
VIRGINIA: I think you have to do Diagon Alley first and then take the train from there.

00:20:57.465 --> 00:21:04.665
VIRGINIA: First of all, because I don't know, it just makes sense to me because Diagon Alley is in London.

00:21:04.665 --> 00:21:05.025
ELIZABETH: Yes.

00:21:05.025 --> 00:21:09.625
VIRGINIA: And then they take the train from London to Hogwarts.

00:21:09.625 --> 00:21:11.745
VIRGINIA: So that's the order I did it.

00:21:11.745 --> 00:21:12.785
ELIZABETH: I wrote that down.

00:21:12.785 --> 00:21:13.105
ELIZABETH: Thank you.

00:21:13.105 --> 00:21:17.125
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:21:17.125 --> 00:21:20.145
VIRGINIA: And what about you and the kids?

00:21:20.145 --> 00:21:22.245
VIRGINIA: Are you all thrill seekers?

00:21:22.245 --> 00:21:28.665
VIRGINIA: Are you going to be doing something like Velocicoaster or Hagrid's, things like that?

00:21:29.305 --> 00:21:31.705
ELIZABETH: We are really excited for Hagrid's.

00:21:31.705 --> 00:21:37.505
ELIZABETH: Some of our favorite Disney slash Universal vloggers are big fans of Hagrid's.

00:21:37.505 --> 00:21:39.425
ELIZABETH: And so we're really excited to try that.

00:21:39.425 --> 00:21:51.885
ELIZABETH: But my son, who is seven, is 48 inches tall, which was super exciting last trip because he got to ride Tron at Disney World for the first time, but he's too short for Velocicoaster.

00:21:51.885 --> 00:21:58.505
ELIZABETH: So we'll have to do some kind of rider swap if that's possible there, or just let my husband and daughter do that.

00:21:58.605 --> 00:22:02.545
ELIZABETH: But the kids will ride anything short of Tower of Terror.

00:22:02.545 --> 00:22:05.025
ELIZABETH: So I think they'll be OK with most things.

00:22:05.025 --> 00:22:07.065
VIRGINIA: I'm pretty sure they do have rider swap there.

00:22:07.065 --> 00:22:12.125
VIRGINIA: And from what I've heard about it, I think it works a little bit differently there.

00:22:12.125 --> 00:22:19.925
VIRGINIA: I think that the place that you wait with the child who is not tall enough is pretty close to the front of the ride.

00:22:20.065 --> 00:22:23.885
VIRGINIA: Whereas with Disney, you like check in and then you go wait somewhere else.

00:22:23.885 --> 00:22:26.645
VIRGINIA: And it can take a long time.

00:22:26.925 --> 00:22:36.265
VIRGINIA: It can really slow down your touring, which I only found out in February when I went with my sister and her family, because we never used rider swap with Alex.

00:22:36.265 --> 00:22:37.065
VIRGINIA: We just didn't.

00:22:37.065 --> 00:22:39.425
VIRGINIA: So it was good to have.

00:22:39.425 --> 00:22:40.705
VIRGINIA: I was glad we had that option.

00:22:40.705 --> 00:22:45.145
VIRGINIA: But at the same time, it was just like, wow, this takes a really long time to get everything done.

00:22:45.145 --> 00:22:45.745
ELIZABETH: For sure.

00:22:45.745 --> 00:22:50.785
VIRGINIA: But like the express pass, I feel like there are things that Universal is just doing right.

00:22:50.785 --> 00:22:54.085
VIRGINIA: And I wish that Disney would take some notes from them.

00:22:54.085 --> 00:22:57.185
ELIZABETH: It will be interesting to have that experience and be able to compare.

00:22:57.185 --> 00:23:01.505
ELIZABETH: And I'm sure that'll be, I think my husband will really enjoy processing that and thinking through that.

00:23:01.505 --> 00:23:05.005
ELIZABETH: He's an analytical thinker and that'll be interesting to see.

00:23:05.005 --> 00:23:05.805
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:23:05.805 --> 00:23:09.025
VIRGINIA: Anything else at Universal that you're excited about?

00:23:09.025 --> 00:23:14.265
ELIZABETH: I mean, this might sound silly, but my son has been really into King Kong.

00:23:14.265 --> 00:23:16.905
ELIZABETH: Like we just watched that Kong Godzilla movie.

00:23:17.085 --> 00:23:20.665
ELIZABETH: And so they have that Kong Skull Island attraction.

00:23:20.665 --> 00:23:25.285
ELIZABETH: So I'm excited for that because it's something outside of the world of Harry Potter.

00:23:25.305 --> 00:23:29.465
ELIZABETH: And I'm excited for their new DreamWorks land.

00:23:29.465 --> 00:23:31.105
ELIZABETH: Is that right?

00:23:31.105 --> 00:23:33.485
VIRGINIA: I don't remember what it's called.

00:23:33.485 --> 00:23:36.365
ELIZABETH: But it's like with Trolls and Shrek, right?

00:23:36.365 --> 00:23:37.285
ELIZABETH: And Kung-Fu Panda.

00:23:37.285 --> 00:23:39.005
ELIZABETH: That looks just really cute.

00:23:39.005 --> 00:23:47.065
ELIZABETH: So again, I think most of our experience will be centered around Harry Potter, but I think those will provide some really interesting, different experiences as well.

00:23:47.065 --> 00:23:48.225
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:23:48.225 --> 00:23:48.605
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:23:48.605 --> 00:23:56.525
VIRGINIA: So you're checking out of Universal on Wednesday, the 24th, and heading over to All-Star Sports.

00:23:56.525 --> 00:24:00.085
VIRGINIA: Are you doing any Disney part-time on that Wednesday?

00:24:00.085 --> 00:24:01.645
ELIZABETH: We're not.

00:24:01.645 --> 00:24:03.685
ELIZABETH: We're not doing part-time on Wednesday.

00:24:03.685 --> 00:24:13.845
ELIZABETH: I don't want to rush us out of Universal if that happens, because it's a really great pool day, because our hotel, Louis Pacific, is supposed to have a really beautiful pool.

00:24:13.845 --> 00:24:23.325
ELIZABETH: But if we're done with the hotel and want to head over to Disney, my kids love the All-Stars arcades, and we get to pool time there with the cousins.

00:24:23.325 --> 00:24:28.525
ELIZABETH: So there's definitely got to be obviously the family draw motivating us to get there.

00:24:28.525 --> 00:24:34.905
ELIZABETH: But that night is actually when my husband and I go to Victoria & Albert.

00:24:36.745 --> 00:24:37.885
VIRGINIA: Oh my goodness.

00:24:39.665 --> 00:24:43.505
VIRGINIA: I am so excited to live vicariously through you.

00:24:43.505 --> 00:24:51.445
VIRGINIA: So has this been sort of a, for lack of better words, lifelong dream to go to Victoria & Albert?

00:24:51.445 --> 00:24:52.365
ELIZABETH: I would say yes.

00:24:52.365 --> 00:25:05.505
ELIZABETH: I would say from the time we started taking our young family to Disney, it's a name we've been hearing because we have some very good friends who are lifelong Disney Park fans and goers as well.

00:25:05.505 --> 00:25:16.365
ELIZABETH: They met at Disney, they worked at Disney, and from the time we first took that first trip, my husband's friend has been saying, Victoria & Albert is the place you have to go sometime.

00:25:16.365 --> 00:25:30.885
ELIZABETH: So it's something that's been on our radar, and because we have family going with us this time, and sister is coming with us and has said that she's happy to be travel nanny, which is so wonderful, we decided this would be a great opportunity to try it.

00:25:30.885 --> 00:25:31.765
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:25:31.765 --> 00:25:47.285
VIRGINIA: Well, when you have a reservation at Victoria & Albert, I know from listening to podcasts that are sort of centered around Disney dining, that they do take the time to really understand who you are, who the guest is that's coming in.

00:25:47.285 --> 00:25:50.105
VIRGINIA: So can you just tell us what that is like?

00:25:50.105 --> 00:25:51.865
VIRGINIA: Are they having you fill out a form?

00:25:51.865 --> 00:25:54.085
VIRGINIA: Are you talking to somebody on the phone?

00:25:54.085 --> 00:25:59.965
VIRGINIA: Are they researching you as if they're in, I don't know, the Secret Service or something?

00:25:59.965 --> 00:26:01.405
VIRGINIA: How did they know?

00:26:01.405 --> 00:26:03.105
ELIZABETH: Wouldn't that be interesting?

00:26:03.105 --> 00:26:05.945
ELIZABETH: I'll have to let you know on the post-show report.

00:26:05.945 --> 00:26:06.185
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:26:06.185 --> 00:26:06.425
VIRGINIA: No.

00:26:06.425 --> 00:26:10.725
VIRGINIA: If they know anything about you that you did not tell them, I want to know.

00:26:10.725 --> 00:26:12.305
VIRGINIA: I definitely want to know.

00:26:12.325 --> 00:26:13.105
ELIZABETH: I will take notes.

00:26:13.105 --> 00:26:13.705
ELIZABETH: I promise.

00:26:13.705 --> 00:26:24.425
ELIZABETH: But for now, we've just been, we just recently received some communication through our travel planner, Amy, and she sent some questions that they had asked her.

00:26:24.745 --> 00:26:31.625
ELIZABETH: And it was obviously more details than you would typically get from another advanced dining reservation.

00:26:31.625 --> 00:26:36.905
ELIZABETH: They wanted to know exactly how we want to be addressed.

00:26:36.905 --> 00:26:39.125
ELIZABETH: So my name is Elizabeth.

00:26:39.125 --> 00:26:42.785
ELIZABETH: Sometimes people just decide to call me Liz, and I don't love that.

00:26:42.785 --> 00:26:46.165
ELIZABETH: So they're very thoughtful about that.

00:26:47.265 --> 00:26:53.705
ELIZABETH: They wanted to know what we're celebrating, what we were looking forward to about Victoria and Albert.

00:26:53.825 --> 00:27:00.945
ELIZABETH: So kind of trying to gauge our interests and what we'd potentially be most enthralled by.

00:27:00.945 --> 00:27:04.605
ELIZABETH: Of course, the allergies and dietary stuff, per usual.

00:27:04.605 --> 00:27:07.565
ELIZABETH: But it definitely was, how do you want to be addressed?

00:27:07.565 --> 00:27:08.885
ELIZABETH: What are you looking forward to?

00:27:08.885 --> 00:27:10.685
ELIZABETH: What are you celebrating?

00:27:11.065 --> 00:27:17.225
ELIZABETH: And then, of course, just reminding us of the expectations of the experience, because it is really special and upscale.

00:27:17.225 --> 00:27:19.525
ELIZABETH: And so I thought appropriate as well.

00:27:20.465 --> 00:27:21.245
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:27:21.245 --> 00:27:24.065
VIRGINIA: Do you have a special outfit planned?

00:27:24.065 --> 00:27:26.145
ELIZABETH: Oh, Virginia, that's such a good question.

00:27:28.405 --> 00:27:29.145
ELIZABETH: I do.

00:27:29.145 --> 00:27:37.365
ELIZABETH: You know, I've done plenty of shopping for this trip in terms of like Hogwarts t-shirts and new Animal Kingdom shirts.

00:27:37.365 --> 00:27:39.165
ELIZABETH: So I didn't want to get anything.

00:27:39.165 --> 00:27:41.665
ELIZABETH: Oh, I did want to get anything, but I restrained myself.

00:27:41.665 --> 00:27:46.965
ELIZABETH: But I have a dress, like just a blue dress that I wore to Hawaii a couple years ago.

00:27:47.365 --> 00:27:53.945
ELIZABETH: But I got some bobble bar sparkly Mickey earrings to go with it.

00:27:53.945 --> 00:28:00.565
ELIZABETH: So I will try to get a picture of those for you to include in our in our post trip report.

00:28:00.565 --> 00:28:01.425
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:28:01.425 --> 00:28:01.965
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:28:01.965 --> 00:28:05.445
VIRGINIA: I love an opportunity to dress up for a nice meal.

00:28:05.445 --> 00:28:16.125
VIRGINIA: So I hope that you will, in addition to, you know, any photos that you're able to take, you know, at Victoria and Albert's, make sure to do like a photo shoot around the Grand Floridian.

00:28:16.805 --> 00:28:17.625
ELIZABETH: Right.

00:28:17.625 --> 00:28:18.205
ELIZABETH: Yes.

00:28:18.205 --> 00:28:29.225
ELIZABETH: We did a mini monorail crawl a couple trips ago and with the kids, went to the Enchanted Rose and we didn't really explore the Grand Floridian too much.

00:28:29.225 --> 00:28:41.025
ELIZABETH: It was under construction and I'm not sure to what extent it is currently, but still just being there, there's so much obviously history and grandeur that it was just really special to walk around and see.

00:28:41.025 --> 00:28:45.605
VIRGINIA: I'm trying to recall, I don't think that the last time I was there, there was any construction going on.

00:28:46.045 --> 00:28:58.405
ELIZABETH: Okay, and I think, I don't remember, I think that trip that we did that mini monorail crawl was like Roll 2023, so it was over a year ago, so hopefully they wrapped up the majority of that.

00:28:58.405 --> 00:29:06.965
VIRGINIA: I remember you would walk into the lobby and it was like everything was boarded up or some stuff covering up all the different levels there.

00:29:06.965 --> 00:29:08.185
VIRGINIA: I think that is all done.

00:29:08.185 --> 00:29:14.265
VIRGINIA: I think the construction you're going to notice mostly is on the Polynesian side where they're building the new DVC tower.

00:29:14.505 --> 00:29:16.785
VIRGINIA: So that's going to be going on.

00:29:16.785 --> 00:29:19.765
VIRGINIA: But just don't look off to the right.

00:29:19.945 --> 00:29:22.285
VIRGINIA: Take your pictures with the left in the background.

00:29:23.685 --> 00:29:25.025
VIRGINIA: Exactly.

00:29:25.025 --> 00:29:25.785
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:29:25.785 --> 00:29:31.585
VIRGINIA: So Thursday, July 25th, is this your Animal Kingdom Day?

00:29:31.585 --> 00:29:32.545
ELIZABETH: Yes.

00:29:32.545 --> 00:29:33.325
VIRGINIA: OK.

00:29:33.325 --> 00:29:36.925
VIRGINIA: I don't think I asked you at the beginning, what kind of Disney tickets do you have?

00:29:37.665 --> 00:29:38.725
ELIZABETH: Oh, yes.

00:29:38.725 --> 00:29:44.805
ELIZABETH: We have two-day, well, we have two-day Park Hopper days for that as well.

00:29:44.805 --> 00:29:47.645
ELIZABETH: So my cousin's family is leaving on Saturday.

00:29:47.645 --> 00:29:52.405
ELIZABETH: My sister is still going to be with us, still going to be embracing travel nanny role.

00:29:52.405 --> 00:29:58.005
ELIZABETH: My parents are going to Epcot Saturday morning, which would be our third ticket day.

00:29:58.005 --> 00:30:05.245
ELIZABETH: So I decided to add tickets to Epcot for my husband and I, so we can enjoy an adult morning at Epcot with my parents.

00:30:05.905 --> 00:30:07.285
VIRGINIA: Oh, that's exciting.

00:30:07.285 --> 00:30:08.165
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:30:08.165 --> 00:30:09.665
VIRGINIA: I love that.

00:30:09.665 --> 00:30:10.505
VIRGINIA: No, no, no, no.

00:30:10.925 --> 00:30:12.585
VIRGINIA: Happy to hear that.

00:30:12.605 --> 00:30:17.765
VIRGINIA: And this will be a period in time where there's no festival going on, correct?

00:30:17.765 --> 00:30:21.245
ELIZABETH: That's correct, which we experienced a couple trips ago.

00:30:21.245 --> 00:30:29.185
ELIZABETH: And now I know not to hype my kids up for a scavenger hunt at Epcot because those happen with the festivals.

00:30:29.585 --> 00:30:35.505
ELIZABETH: I made that a couple trips ago where we just love those scavenger hunts during the festivals.

00:30:35.505 --> 00:30:38.105
ELIZABETH: I realized that those are only festival specific.

00:30:38.105 --> 00:30:41.685
ELIZABETH: So we went to the gift shop just expecting a generic scavenger hunt, I guess.

00:30:41.685 --> 00:30:43.365
ELIZABETH: And they told us they didn't have one.

00:30:43.365 --> 00:30:44.865
ELIZABETH: But that's OK.

00:30:44.865 --> 00:30:58.225
VIRGINIA: Well, I think that without a festival, if you're looking for activities for kids, the two things I would for sure recommend would be the KitKat stations, because that will feel like a scavenger hunt, like looking for the table and where's the person sitting.

00:30:58.805 --> 00:31:02.825
VIRGINIA: And then also the DuckTales Adventure.

00:31:02.825 --> 00:31:06.265
ELIZABETH: And I had not heard of that until your podcast.

00:31:06.265 --> 00:31:08.165
VIRGINIA: Yeah, it's fine.

00:31:08.165 --> 00:31:10.345
ELIZABETH: I had never heard of that, so we've never done that.

00:31:10.345 --> 00:31:15.245
VIRGINIA: So this will be a spoiler alert for anybody who doesn't want to hear about DuckTales.

00:31:15.245 --> 00:31:18.785
VIRGINIA: So maybe just fast forward for like two minutes ahead or something.

00:31:18.785 --> 00:31:21.645
VIRGINIA: But basically, I'll tell you about the one that I did in Germany.

00:31:22.345 --> 00:31:34.425
VIRGINIA: So you do it on Play Disney and it gives you a storyline, basically, of the Huey Dewey and Louie and Scrooge McDuck, or whoever the characters are.

00:31:34.425 --> 00:31:39.225
VIRGINIA: And within that pavilion, like it knows what pavilion you're in.

00:31:39.225 --> 00:31:46.765
VIRGINIA: So it will tell you, go over to this thing and like, you'll enter an answer and that will activate something.

00:31:46.765 --> 00:31:48.725
VIRGINIA: So I don't remember exactly how it works.

00:31:48.845 --> 00:31:57.025
VIRGINIA: But in Germany, for example, there's that shelf that has sort of like bells, no, it has steins on it.

00:31:57.025 --> 00:32:02.825
VIRGINIA: The steins when you're playing the game, that's one of the things that activates and they will sing and play a song.

00:32:02.825 --> 00:32:15.745
VIRGINIA: And if you don't know that that's something that's happening, it is so magical to see things come alive in a pavilion that you've been in a million times, and not realize that that was always there, you had just never seen it.

00:32:16.385 --> 00:32:24.845
ELIZABETH: Absolutely, no, I'm so glad to know that, and I don't really know how we've gone eight times and never heard that, but I'm super thankful for that, so thank you.

00:32:24.845 --> 00:32:33.185
VIRGINIA: Yeah, they take like 20, 30 minutes per country, and so you just pick one, just do it, and if you enjoy it, keep going, and if you don't, no harm, no foul.

00:32:33.185 --> 00:32:35.845
VIRGINIA: And if you're not enjoying it, just stop doing it.

00:32:36.285 --> 00:32:38.765
ELIZABETH: Absolutely, that will be very fun.

00:32:38.765 --> 00:32:54.025
ELIZABETH: And my kids also love pin trading, that's something they've only kind of gotten into the past few trips, so they always, that always entertains them as well, because obviously, in Cot stations, you have opportunity to do that.

00:32:54.025 --> 00:32:55.345
VIRGINIA: Okay, back to Animal Kingdom.

00:32:55.345 --> 00:32:58.765
VIRGINIA: Are you going to be at Animal Kingdom for the entire day on Thursday?

00:32:58.765 --> 00:33:11.165
ELIZABETH: I think we will be there most of the day, but that is the day my parents arrive, and they are treating us to Woody's Roundup Barbecue that night at Hollywood Studios.

00:33:11.305 --> 00:33:15.525
ELIZABETH: So I figure we'll hop over there around three-ish.

00:33:15.525 --> 00:33:17.945
VIRGINIA: Okay, sounds good.

00:33:17.945 --> 00:33:21.565
VIRGINIA: Anything else you're going to be doing in Hollywood Studios besides dinner?

00:33:21.565 --> 00:33:24.985
VIRGINIA: Will you be trying to ride anything that day?

00:33:25.005 --> 00:33:43.585
ELIZABETH: I definitely think that Star Wars Rise of the Resistance and Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, which is my favorite ride across all four parks, will be two things that we'll want to do altogether, because they'll be things that we can all do altogether, and then everybody will enjoy.

00:33:43.585 --> 00:33:46.685
ELIZABETH: So I would love to be able to do those two rides together.

00:33:46.685 --> 00:33:59.445
ELIZABETH: And then I also think, and we'll see, if we're rope dropping that first bus that morning, this might happen, but I still think ending our family day with Fantasmic would be really special.

00:34:00.165 --> 00:34:01.065
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:34:01.065 --> 00:34:02.345
VIRGINIA: It would be.

00:34:02.345 --> 00:34:04.645
VIRGINIA: It's late, but I don't know.

00:34:04.645 --> 00:34:05.285
VIRGINIA: It could be later.

00:34:08.285 --> 00:34:10.845
VIRGINIA: There's no tired like Disney tired, right?

00:34:10.845 --> 00:34:11.945
ELIZABETH: Absolutely.

00:34:11.945 --> 00:34:12.365
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:34:12.365 --> 00:34:16.205
VIRGINIA: Friday, July 26th, where are you headed?

00:34:16.205 --> 00:34:27.005
ELIZABETH: Friday, July 26th, we are hopefully going to experience Tiana's Bayou Adventure at the Magic Kingdom for the first time.

00:34:27.505 --> 00:34:32.985
ELIZABETH: So I'd love to get to Magic Kingdom early and do that, and maybe a couple other rides.

00:34:33.865 --> 00:34:37.965
ELIZABETH: And then I will probably leave.

00:34:37.965 --> 00:34:51.825
ELIZABETH: I would like to leave where we go next up to my cousin's family, now knowing that my husband and I will be back in Epcot the next day, and just knowing that it's been their first time, and seeing what they'd like to do again, or what they haven't been able to do yet.

00:34:51.825 --> 00:34:53.085
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:34:53.085 --> 00:35:01.485
VIRGINIA: For Tiana's, this is a day when you would be able to use the new multi-path to get Tiana's, right?

00:35:01.905 --> 00:35:03.765
VIRGINIA: If you were using multi-path.

00:35:03.785 --> 00:35:05.045
ELIZABETH: I think so.

00:35:06.305 --> 00:35:09.125
ELIZABETH: I have to study up on that multi-path thing again.

00:35:09.125 --> 00:35:20.825
ELIZABETH: I do know that there's tiered and categorized rides, and I'm hoping Tiana's will still be an individual lightning lane, so we can take that on.

00:35:20.825 --> 00:35:24.545
VIRGINIA: No, it's not going to be, which is strange to me.

00:35:24.545 --> 00:35:30.185
VIRGINIA: But I believe that the individual lightning lane options, well, I guess they're calling them single pass.

00:35:31.225 --> 00:35:35.585
VIRGINIA: It's still going to be Tron and Seven Dwarfs.

00:35:35.805 --> 00:35:43.305
VIRGINIA: So Tiana's should be included in the multi-pass, and don't quote me on this, people.

00:35:43.305 --> 00:35:44.585
VIRGINIA: This is me going off memory.

00:35:44.585 --> 00:35:46.625
VIRGINIA: I believe it's a tier one.

00:35:46.625 --> 00:35:56.985
VIRGINIA: So the way the tiers work is with your three that you get in advance, you get one from tier one and then two from the lower tier.

00:35:56.985 --> 00:36:02.405
VIRGINIA: Then once you've used a ride, you can book another one on the spot, and it can be from any tier.

00:36:02.405 --> 00:36:02.985
VIRGINIA: It doesn't matter.

00:36:02.985 --> 00:36:04.745
VIRGINIA: It's just whatever is available.

00:36:04.745 --> 00:36:08.785
ELIZABETH: I do appreciate that feels like genius.

00:36:08.785 --> 00:36:13.385
VIRGINIA: Yeah, it's very similar, but you don't have to wait the two hours.

00:36:13.385 --> 00:36:17.665
VIRGINIA: So in some ways, it's better because you don't have to wait two hours.

00:36:17.665 --> 00:36:25.925
VIRGINIA: In other ways, it's not as good because you can only ever get one more.

00:36:26.605 --> 00:36:29.405
VIRGINIA: The most you can be carrying at a time is three.

00:36:29.405 --> 00:36:31.965
VIRGINIA: So you're not going to be able to stack it.

00:36:31.965 --> 00:36:45.165
VIRGINIA: So in theory, I guess, if you used one of your original three and then the next one you get is not until the evening, that's fine, but you're not booking another one until you've used your second one of the day.

00:36:45.165 --> 00:36:49.205
VIRGINIA: So it might be harder for you to get as many in a day.

00:36:49.325 --> 00:36:56.065
VIRGINIA: So I'm waiting to see what kind of strategies emerge because Disney people are the best for their strategies.

00:36:56.065 --> 00:36:57.325
ELIZABETH: Absolutely.

00:36:57.325 --> 00:36:58.645
VIRGINIA: So we will see.

00:36:58.645 --> 00:37:11.525
VIRGINIA: But my suggestion will be whenever you're able to do the multi-pass for the days that you're going to be there, I think that probably Tiana should be your first thing that you try for.

00:37:11.525 --> 00:37:12.865
ELIZABETH: I mean, I agree.

00:37:12.865 --> 00:37:20.225
ELIZABETH: There's so much to love about Magic Kingdom, but that is one of the only things there that we've ever done before.

00:37:20.325 --> 00:37:26.465
ELIZABETH: And I think most of your listeners and obviously most Disney guests haven't done before, so that'll be a really something experience.

00:37:26.465 --> 00:37:30.745
VIRGINIA: Were you a family that would typically have ridden Splash Mountain before?

00:37:30.745 --> 00:37:31.765
ELIZABETH: Absolutely.

00:37:31.765 --> 00:37:32.465
VIRGINIA: Okay.

00:37:32.465 --> 00:37:33.345
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:37:33.345 --> 00:37:34.325
VIRGINIA: Yes.

00:37:34.325 --> 00:37:38.585
VIRGINIA: I am very much looking forward to seeing how it's changed.

00:37:38.585 --> 00:37:43.325
VIRGINIA: I loved Splash Mountain, but I also loved Tiana a lot.

00:37:43.325 --> 00:37:47.385
VIRGINIA: So I am really excited to see that storyline play out.

00:37:47.965 --> 00:37:48.605
ELIZABETH: We do, too.

00:37:48.605 --> 00:38:01.305
ELIZABETH: We love Tiana and I think I'm a big fan of the way that they've incorporated that representation and the way that they've turned it into more than just a ride, too.

00:38:01.325 --> 00:38:04.145
ELIZABETH: I, for one, am super excited to try Tiana's beignets.

00:38:04.145 --> 00:38:07.065
ELIZABETH: So that will be exciting as well.

00:38:07.065 --> 00:38:10.745
VIRGINIA: I will take any opportunity to try a beignet.

00:38:12.065 --> 00:38:17.885
VIRGINIA: So leaving the afternoon of the Friday up to your cousins, which is very nice.

00:38:17.885 --> 00:38:19.265
VIRGINIA: I love to hear that.

00:38:19.265 --> 00:38:22.905
VIRGINIA: Saturday going to Epcot with your parents.

00:38:22.905 --> 00:38:27.645
VIRGINIA: And then anything for Sunday or is it simply Departure Day?

00:38:27.645 --> 00:38:35.705
ELIZABETH: Sunday is Departure Day, but my parents are actually moving Saturday morning to Coronado Springs Resort.

00:38:36.725 --> 00:38:41.665
ELIZABETH: Per our recommendation from our last trip, our last trip we stayed at Coronado Springs.

00:38:41.665 --> 00:38:43.905
ELIZABETH: And I was just so impressed.

00:38:44.065 --> 00:38:46.925
ELIZABETH: I thought it was gorgeous.

00:38:46.925 --> 00:38:48.725
ELIZABETH: We enjoyed the dining so much.

00:38:48.725 --> 00:38:50.065
ELIZABETH: We enjoyed the pool so much.

00:38:50.065 --> 00:38:52.345
ELIZABETH: I mean, just the overall aesthetic was.

00:38:52.345 --> 00:38:53.565
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:38:53.565 --> 00:38:58.165
ELIZABETH: So they're actually, we stayed in Casitas, but they are staying in the tower.

00:38:58.165 --> 00:39:02.005
ELIZABETH: And so they have invited us just to spend some time with them there.

00:39:02.005 --> 00:39:11.025
ELIZABETH: And my mom made a reservation for Maya Grill that night, which is actually the only reservation on Coronado Springs property that we didn't try when we were there.

00:39:11.025 --> 00:39:13.765
ELIZABETH: So we're excited to have that night, Saturday night.

00:39:13.865 --> 00:39:16.505
ELIZABETH: And then, yeah, Sunday is our departure day.

00:39:16.505 --> 00:39:19.965
ELIZABETH: We are flying southwest on the way back, which is great.

00:39:19.965 --> 00:39:21.245
ELIZABETH: And we leave at 1130.

00:39:21.245 --> 00:39:23.885
ELIZABETH: So it's not like we're going to have to leave Disney at the Krakadon.

00:39:23.885 --> 00:39:28.965
ELIZABETH: But it's also not like we've made any reservations or park plans for that day.

00:39:28.965 --> 00:39:32.365
VIRGINIA: And your departure flight is out of NCO?

00:39:32.365 --> 00:39:33.585
ELIZABETH: It is.

00:39:33.585 --> 00:39:34.365
VIRGINIA: OK.

00:39:34.365 --> 00:39:35.665
VIRGINIA: Where does Southwest fly out of?

00:39:35.665 --> 00:39:37.185
VIRGINIA: Is that A and B or?

00:39:38.285 --> 00:39:40.285
ELIZABETH: That's a great question.

00:39:40.285 --> 00:39:43.585
ELIZABETH: And that's something I've heard you ask on some other podcasts.

00:39:43.585 --> 00:39:50.245
ELIZABETH: And recently, one of the ones I was listening to you said something about Terminal C being like a cool experience or something.

00:39:50.245 --> 00:39:51.785
ELIZABETH: And I was like, I love it.

00:39:51.785 --> 00:39:54.005
ELIZABETH: Yeah, I don't think it's Terminal C.

00:39:54.005 --> 00:39:55.485
ELIZABETH: It's OK.

00:39:55.485 --> 00:39:57.285
ELIZABETH: That's not that's not feeling familiar.

00:39:57.285 --> 00:40:03.065
VIRGINIA: But I know JetBlue flies into Terminal C, and I think a lot of international flights do.

00:40:03.065 --> 00:40:11.945
VIRGINIA: I have not grasped whether any other airlines that I don't typically fly fly in there because I don't have good options with Southwest here out of New York City.

00:40:11.945 --> 00:40:14.685
VIRGINIA: And so I just never fly it, so I have no idea.

00:40:14.685 --> 00:40:23.405
VIRGINIA: But yeah, if you get a chance, try Terminal C because in A and B, all of the stores are before you go through security.

00:40:23.405 --> 00:40:32.305
VIRGINIA: And so if you're there a little early, you have you get out to your gate and there's like nothing to see except for the Hudson News or whatever the place is.

00:40:32.305 --> 00:40:37.825
VIRGINIA: In C, you have access to a Universal Store, a Disney Store, a Wine Bar George.

00:40:37.825 --> 00:40:41.805
VIRGINIA: There is a, I think it's a Chef Art Smith's Diner of some sort.

00:40:41.805 --> 00:40:43.685
VIRGINIA: I think it's called Sunshine Diner.

00:40:43.925 --> 00:40:48.065
VIRGINIA: There are so many things to do while you wait for your flight.

00:40:48.065 --> 00:40:49.985
VIRGINIA: And so it's the best.

00:40:51.225 --> 00:40:53.905
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:40:53.905 --> 00:40:58.085
VIRGINIA: All right, well, this sounds like a super exciting trip.

00:40:58.085 --> 00:41:00.505
VIRGINIA: I hope that everything goes well.

00:41:00.705 --> 00:41:08.465
VIRGINIA: This is a huge group of people and I will be sending you good vibes for big group energy.

00:41:08.465 --> 00:41:10.165
ELIZABETH: Yes, I appreciate that.

00:41:10.165 --> 00:41:14.365
VIRGINIA: And we will look forward to talking to you when you get back and hearing how it all goes.

00:41:14.365 --> 00:41:15.245
ELIZABETH: Thank you.

00:41:15.245 --> 00:41:16.085
ELIZABETH: Thanks, Virginia.

00:41:16.085 --> 00:41:17.625
ELIZABETH: It's so exciting to plan.

00:41:17.625 --> 00:41:29.245
ELIZABETH: Your son Alex said something that was so sweet, but also really resonated with me on one of your episodes with him and that is that one of his favorite days in the whole trip is departure day.

00:41:29.245 --> 00:41:36.985
ELIZABETH: Like getting to the airport really early and just have a whole trip laying ahead of him and just the whole vacation.

00:41:36.985 --> 00:41:39.845
ELIZABETH: I think that's something that even I remember as a kid too.

00:41:40.225 --> 00:41:46.945
ELIZABETH: I'm always excited to get there and to start things off, but really just like the days leading up to it too.

00:41:46.945 --> 00:41:47.365
VIRGINIA: Yeah.

00:41:47.365 --> 00:41:59.105
VIRGINIA: That's the great thing about Disney is that you have your trip, but then you've got all of these other ways that you can continue to think about the trip or think about an upcoming trip.

00:41:59.105 --> 00:42:00.285
VIRGINIA: And I don't know.

00:42:00.285 --> 00:42:01.445
VIRGINIA: That's why I like doing this.

00:42:01.445 --> 00:42:07.245
VIRGINIA: I really like connecting with people and I like keeping it going in my everyday life here.

00:42:07.245 --> 00:42:08.245
ELIZABETH: So.

00:42:08.245 --> 00:42:17.285
ELIZABETH: And I think that as a follower, and I would imagine your other followers too, like that's what we love about it too, is it does keep, like you said, that energy going and that excitement going even in between.

00:42:17.285 --> 00:42:18.185
VIRGINIA: We'll talk to you very soon.

00:42:18.465 --> 00:42:20.025
ELIZABETH: Thanks.

00:42:20.025 --> 00:42:22.805
VIRGINIA: Thank you to Elizabeth for joining me on the show.

00:42:22.805 --> 00:42:31.245
VIRGINIA: If you are interested in reaching out to Elizabeth's travel agent, Amy, her information is in the show notes, and she is a top-notch travel agent.

00:42:31.245 --> 00:42:32.705
VIRGINIA: So what are you waiting for?

00:42:32.705 --> 00:42:35.005
VIRGINIA: Amy would love to hear from you.

00:42:35.005 --> 00:42:42.885
VIRGINIA: And now please don't go anywhere, because the next episode is Elizabeth's Post Trip Report and the Season 2 finale.

00:42:42.885 --> 00:42:47.465
VIRGINIA: Thank you all so much for your support, and keep daydreaming about where you long to be.