Magic Mirror's Pre-Trip Work Conference & Disney Time Report!

This didn't go unnoticed by the Chief but he agreed to send us with the understanding that the department was only going to pay for what they would normally pay for if we were going to a local training. He also said he would grant us vacation or move our days off to accommodate us being able to spend some extra days in Disney. He is pretty awesome!

So Julie and I are flying out Saturday July 18th and returning home on Saturday July 25th. The conference is Monday thru Thursday. The department is paying for the hotel starting Sunday night thru Wednesday night. They also cover our wages, food, conference fees and certification fees. We are responsible for the hotel Saturday, Thursday and Friday plus our food during those days. I was able to move my days off and not have to use vacation time. We are also responsible for our airfare and any transportation while in Florida. Another dash of pixie dust came our way when Julie was able to use her frequent flyer miles to pay for our airfare and our additional hotel fees. So now we are down to just food & entertainment for our extra days!

The conference is being held at Downtown Disney's Hilton Hotel which honors Disney's Extra Magic Hours and is within walking distance of Downtown Disney.

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As we won't qualify for Magical Express and Hilton doesn't offer transportation from the airport to the hotel, I hired Orlando Airport Towncar Service. They are charging $115 total (not including gratuities) for a round trip private sedan from the airport to the Hilton and back to the airport. I have never used them before so I am hoping they are good!

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We arrive on Saturday and should be to the Hilton around 4pm. We will get settled into the Hilton and have reservations at Bongo's restaurant at 6:30pm.

Julie has only been to Disney a handful of times, the last time being last year. Her sister is a DVC owner and took the entire family on vacation last year. While they were there they ate at Bongo's and Julie really enjoyed it. I have never tried it, so we thought it was a great place to start our vacation work week!

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Disney has a Conference Ticket plan that they offer to conference guests. There are a variety of choices but we opted for a two day park ticket with the hopper with a 2pm park entry. The price per person including tax was $188. I know July is going to be hot and we felt it would be better to hang out at the pool or do some resort hopping so we are fresh for the parks at 2pm.

The first day we are starting at 2pm at Animal Kingdom with Fast Passes for Kilimanjaro Safari, Mt Everest and Dinosaur. The park closes at 7pm so we have reservations at Boma at AKL at 7pm. Neither of us have eaten there before. From there we will probably hop to Magic Kingdom till they close.

Julie and I had talked about fast passes but this is where I am starting to stress. She hasn't bought her ticket yet and has been putting it off so I had to make fast passes for myself and hope she can get an overlapping time. I need to book the next set of fast passes this Thursday night so I am hoping she buys her ticket this week!! My Disney OCD is going crazy right now!

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Monday starts the conference and we are taking an all day certification class in Keychain Defense using a tool called a Kubaton. I don't have a schedule for the conference yet but I am assuming it will wrap up between 5-6pm. I hope to spend the evenings after the conference in downtown Disney. I want to check out the Mr Potato head parts at Once Upon a Toy and do some pin buying.

Tuesday and Wednesday are conference days. We have no specific classes signed up for so we will just attend whatever round table discussions sound interesting. We have no dinner reservations but I assume I will end up back in Downtown Disney and hope to hook a boat to PORFQ for Beignets!

Thursday is a conference day and we are signed up for a Domestic Violence Awareness Class as it pertains to our students and to teaching. This day we also have a banquet dinner as the conference wraps up. Downtown Disney or resort hopping.

Friday is park days after 2pm. I think we will start at Epcot and work our way back to Magic Kingdom. I am debating on squeezing in some Hollywood Studios time somewhere this day.

Saturday our limo picks us up at 8am to head back to the airport.

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Saturday night after we arrive I'm looking forward to a WDWFG meet up with JoAnn!

I also might get to meet up with my friend Jenny who lives in Orlando and has met up with
us in prior trips.

Julie and I could have taken our spouses with on this trip, but Amy said no way was she doing the heat and humidity of Florida in July , not even for Disney! And Julie's husband wasn't excited about it either, so this is a total girls trip!

It is going to be a whole different trip! I haven't stayed at a hotel other than Disney's hotels in decades....and to be there without my other half is going to be strange...I feel like I'm cheating by going to "our place" without her ~ she has been very supportive and told me to go live it up- but...I feel out of sorts about it !

Julie has her parks ticket and she was able to overlap her Fast Passes with mine by at least 15 minutes.. Shrew! I will make the next fast passes for us both Friday morning at 0001 hrs.

Only five days till we fly to Orlando~
The tenative sketch:

Saturday- Arrive in Orlando International at 2:49pm- get picked up by Sedan Service head to Hilton in Downtown Disney
Check in Hotel, Head to pool, grab a drink with an umbrella in it

Shower, Change - head to dinner at Bongo's 6:30pm.
Meet JoAnn for a birthday drink
Shop, Shop - and - ? Shop ! ? !

Sunday- Morning is free, maybe more pool time-
2pm- AKL
This is where Julie & my FP overlap:

Kilimanjaro Safaris(r)
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Kilimanjaro Safaris(r)
2:55 PM - 3:55 PM

Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain(r)
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain(r)
4:20 PM - 5:20 PM

DINOSAUR
5:15 PM - 6:15 PM
DINOSAUR
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Head to AKL- Dinner 7:30pm Boma's
Head to MK and party till it closes!

Monday- R.A.D. Conference Check in between 7:00-7:45am. Opening address is 8:00am.
Tuesday- R.A.D. Conference
Wednesday- R.A.D. Conference
Thursday- R.A.D. Conference & Dinner Banquet

Friday-Morning is free
2:00pm MK

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad(r)
3:35 PM - 4:35 PM
Haunted Mansion(r)
4:40 PM - 5:40 PM
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
5:55 PM - 6:55 PM

Then park hop to Epcot

Saturday morning- head home

I am hoping so! Probably Sunday night ... Depends on our stamina... Monday morning we will be in an intensive self defense training class....