Extended Disney World Trip: My New Travel Buddy!

One of my main complaints about being a grown-up is how difficult it is to make new friends.  Because I don’t sit next to anyone in homeroom anymore, I simply don’t know where to look.  Who knew I’d find a new forever friend…on a Disney message board?!?

Neither Melissa Sue nor I remember exactly when we started being ‘virtual friends’, but we know that we ‘met’ on the Passporter Forums, a Disney message board ‘community’.  I think she found me on Facebook–possibly through my blog–and since then we’ve been friends in the virtual world.  We met once, for lunch, earlier this year–maybe in May?  So she knew that I wasn’t a crazy person when she agreed to join me here in Florida for a long weekend.

Sadly, that long weekend is already over.  But we had a great time!  We spent one day in the Magic Kingdom followed by Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that night.

Day two took us to Animal Kingdom where we spent some time with the animals–including the new baby elephant on the savanna–and then some resort touring (in the photo below we are at Pop Century Resort) and dinner at celebrity chef Cat Cora’s restaurant Kouzzina.

Our last full day was spent at Hollywood Studios.  Neither of us particularly loved this park in the past, but with a little help from an awesome Imagineers guide we both had a blast!

Because Melissa Sue is a trooper–and a true Disney fan–she even managed to log a good deal of park time on her departure day.  We broiled in the sun at Epcot for a good six hours before I had to take her to the airport for her flight home.

So what did I learn?  Get ready for this…that it can be fun to travel with someone else (someone not my husband, that is!)  I have to admit to being a very typical only child–it’s typically my way or…well, there’s just no other option.  But I found a friend that I don’t mind sharing with.  Imagine that!

And more than that, I definitely had a better time than if I’d been by myself.  Why?  Most of the things I listed above simply would not have happened if not for Melissa Sue.  I wouldn’t have been brave enough to conquer the crowds at Fantasmic, I likely would have done little to no resort touring, and I definitely wouldn’t have stopped to watch the parade at Hollywood Studios–which was, I must admit–a highlight of the day for me.

But the best part wasn’t the things we did and saw–it is the things we will do and will see.  Because, you see, it is my hope that now that we’ve successfully ‘traveled’ together, we can do so in the future.  I have hopes that Melissa Sue will accompany me on a short trip to Vegas next summer–and after that, who knows?  We’ve talked about doing a couples trip back to Disney–though don’t tell our husbands because we haven’t shared that plan with them as of yet! I feel truly blessed to have finally found not only a wonderful new friend, but a travel buddy as well.

A travel buddy that doesn’t mind waiting for me to use the restroom every 45 minutes!