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Extended Disney World Trip: Phase One Complete

September 15, 2011

I’m looking at this trip in three phases: phase one, with mother. Phase two, with friend. Phase three, with self.  And phase one is already over, as my mom flew home yesterday.

It was an interesting first phase–and probably the most stressful.  First I had to learn my way around, which I’ve never had to do before as I’d always just taken the free Disney transportation.  Plus I had to do all of this learning with my mom watching.  I love her, but she doesn’t seem to understand that I’m not a just-learning-to-drive 16-year-old anymore!

I also had to balance trying to do research with trying to make sure that mom was having fun.  To be fair, it would be really hard for my mom (or anyone) to not have fun in Disney World.  But still–it was something I was aware of.

So how did it go?  Pretty well I think.  I got a lot of things crossed of my ‘to research’ list, my mom had a good time, and I didn’t get a sunburn.  That’s the very best possible scenario that I can think of!

So far I have…

  • Spent a day at Animal Kingdom with my mom, where I got to see the new baby elephant on Kilimanjaro Safari and she got to watch Finding Nemo the Musical…again.
  • Located a Super Target, grocery shopped, and learned my way around the kitchen in my condo.  I made tilapia with sauteed spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes for our first meal here.  It was quite good!
  • Spent one very hot, very sunny day in Epcot.  We planned to stay open to close, but pooped out around 3:00.  It was really, really hot walking around World Showcase in the sun.

    In Epcot's World Showcase with mom--you get why this is funny, right?

  • Showed my mom The Boardwalk Inn, as she’s staying there on her next visit (in a little over a month–she learned it by watching me!)
  • Took my mom to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to ride Forbidden Journey.  We also did the highlights of Universal Studios–Shrek, The Simpsons, and Men In Black.

    Mom in the Wizarding World!

  • Spent a day in The Magic Kingdom, where my mom and I watched Mickey’s Philharmagic twice and checked out The Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor, which I’d never experienced.  It was really cute.  We also rode Buzz Lightyear…

    She said she 'let me win', which I believe...because I suck.

  • Spent a solo day walking around Epcot’s World Showcase taking notes…and having some relaxation time, too.

    You know what they say about 'all work and no play', right?

  • Spent another solo day–supposedly my ‘day off’–taking photos in Animal Kingdom.  I also finally had a meal at Flametree BBQ, which was delicious–even though there is no inside seating area.  Ribs and coleslaw in the 90 degree heat?  Sure!
Which brings us to Phase Two, as my friend Melissa Sue is arriving tonight!  In fact, she’s likely boarding a plane right now.  Yay!  Our schedule is jam-packed for the next four days, but if I have a free moment, I’ll attempt to write a phase two update…or even continue sharing my Epic Road Trip stories.  Up next in that thread is ‘Cape Breton Island’, one of the highlights of the trip (though really, they were all highlights!)
I’m thinking it is kind of funny that I have so much to write about now…but come October or, worse, November and December, I won’t be traveling at all.  Or…will I?