Disney Trip Number 487…and a very special trip at that!

Not really number 487. But by now it seems like it!

It’s been far too long since our last visit (three months) so it was time to go again. We do have Annual Passes ya know…gotta get our money’s worth!

This trip our friends Tanner and Sarah joined us.

The day started out very early on Friday morning. As in we departed around 5. We were eating breakfast in Gainesville before we knew it and went from there to the hotel to drop our stuff and head to the parks!

Me and Sarah.

 

Pilot and Co-pilot. David loves feet. Can you tell?

 

I enjoyed getting into Bloom on this trip. Not done yet though!

Oh and the big cam stayed at home, so these not-so-great pics from my baby cam and phone will have to do!

Sarah’s Mom got us the hookup on a room at Rosen Shingle Creek.

We, as in David and I like staying at the Disney hotels, but The Collins’ are (their quote, not mine) “Hotel Snobs”. So like to stay in “nicer” places. Would I prefer a Disney hotel? Yes. Am I allowed to complain if I’m staying at a five star resort instead? No.

So, that’s where we stayed.

 Pulling up to the resort

Me: “Tanner will you please drive slow when we pull in so I can get a picture of the sign?”

Pulls into the resort and I’m pretty sure gasses it past the sign

Me: “Or not.”

Haha!

After we dropped our stuff and changed into “park gear”, we were off!

First up, Magic Kingdom.

When we walked into the park I say what I always say, “Ahh, we’re home!”

It was about 10:30 or 11 by now so we were getting antsy to “do something”. But first, Tanner insisted that they needed their traditional picture in front of the castle.

They got theirs, and we got ours. But I didn’t manage to get a picture of theirs.

The last picture before the surprise!

Then, the next thing I know, David turns to me and says something along the lines of, “Tamara, we’re at the place where dreams come true, will you make mine?” Then he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him

Magic Moment!

Sarah was able to get it on video and I’ll be forever grateful!

I said okay, right after he asked me because I already knew the answer was yes, but all the sudden a million things were running through my mind and I was in shock, but while we’re hugging after, I may or may not have given him a “speech” about what kind of man he needs to be this next time around  

It feels great to have a ring on again, and even more great that it’s to the only man that has put one on my finger in the past

Happy, happy day!

We also booked it over to the concierge place in MK to pick up a Just Engaged pin…I’ve always loved seeing those on people and we got to get some

Next stop was Animal Kingdom.

There’s a water ride where one lucky person gets SOAKED. That would be Sarah! Haha

We all got a delicious treat. I got a Coke float. And my first and only coke since January 2012.

Top of Mount Everest, right before going backwards!

After lots of fun at AK and not many pictures, we headed back to check in to our Executive Suite. This 2 bedroom 3 bath place was a little too rich for my blood. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it!

     

I may or may not have been caught jumping on the extra fold down bed that resided in the living room that no one slept on because we each already had our own bedrooms! I don’t know how to behave in these types of places.

After we got settled and semi unpacked, we headed to the 14th floor to the VIP lounge. Desserts, appetizers and breakfast at different parts of the day awaited us, for free.

Sweet.

View from the top and appetizers.

My dessert tray.

Sarah’s dessert. A devastating accident.

And…what my jeans did when I tried to fit into them before heading to Downtown Disney that night…Wahhh!! One of my favorite pairs.

Ladies, you know the drill. Pull them on and do the giant jump/pull up on belt loops/lunge at the same time trick?

Yeah well all that equaled a BLOWOUT!

Boo

By this time our 4 am wakeups were catching up to us so we headed back to our royal quarters the hotel for some shut eye.

Then it was up early on Saturday to Hollywood Studios!

One disadvantage to staying in a non-Disney resort is that driving and parking can be a bit cumbersome. We’re used to hopping on a bus right from the hotel and being dropped off right in front of a park. But we eventually got the hang of it.

On the Tram.

Our Donald Duck drawings. I wish you could see them all. Sarah was the winner for sure. Mine was good too, at least I’d say so.

Tanner’s and David’s…well let’s just say we got a good laugh or two at their expense!

Sarah and I found TOMS lovers in line with us for Tower of Terror.

Yeah, we’re those girls asking others to take pictures with us. Of their shoes.

Mine are on the far left and Sarah’s top left.

Rockin’ Roller Coaster!

After more fun at Hollywood Studios, it was back to the resort for an evening change and more appetizers.

It’s like the golf channel! Haha

Twinnies. Waiting on the ferry to MK.

We’re pretty into our TOMS if you can’t tell already. It’s what we wore all weekend.

Fun times

We were at MK late Saturday night.

It’s possible that I was pooped. And Sarah took a picture.

I know, it’s embarrassing. But it’s what I do on this blog. Embarrass myself. Keepin’ it real folks.

As Sarah’s caption read, “Long night”.

I’d say so friends!

The next day, it was a little more relaxed in the morning. The boys were going golfing at the resort, and the girls were going shopping!

Now, let me just preface this a little bit. Last IKEA trip, the car looked like this after shopping.

October 2011, loaded.

So this trip we planned ahead.

We booked a U-Haul! Hahahahaha

Now I’ll say the main reason for this was we were getting some big ticket items this time and knew we’d need the room.

So the boys went golfing…

And the girls went and picked this up with Tanner’s truck…

Ready to do some damage!!

After a long day of shopping at IKEA (3.5 hours worth), we headed back to the hotel and got ready to go to Epcot for the night!

  

David was absolutely starving. So he got a pretzel to hold him over. He thoroughly enjoyed it!

Margaritas in Mexico! Yummm

We shut down Epcot then it was off the the hotel. We departed Monday and it was back to the real world today. We had an awesome trip though, and as always, I can’t wait to go back!!

PS- In case you’re like my friends and said their congrats then proceeded to say something along the lines of “Congrats and all, but we wanna see the bling!”. Here’s my gorgeous new ring. I can’t stop staring  

It’s a cushion cut solitaire in white gold.

Swoon!