Newsies

Headlines don't sell papes.
Joined
Oct 25, 2013
Hi, I'm Kaitlyn, and I'll be the first to admit I have a problem.

A pumpkin problem.

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I can't get enough of them! Jack-o'-lanterns, pumpkin patches, pumpkin pie, pumpkin scented candles, pumpkin cookies, and more than anything: pumpkin spice lattes! This basic witch is ready for fall to start, but up here in the Northeast, fall hasn't started yet. There are no pumpkins to be found anywhere in NJ. :sad:

Thankfully, I just returned from a week at Walt Disney World... and there were plenty of pumpkins to be found everywhere you looked on Main St, USA! Yes, they were artificial pumpkins, and yes, it was still 100 degrees in the shade. But it is officially spooky szn at Disney and my family and I have spent the last 7 days living our best, spookiest lives.

Therefore, I am so very excited to start my latest Trip Report here on the DIS!

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I'll throw some quick and dirty details at you before I introduce our travel party. We were at Disney from August 18-24, 2019. We stayed at a Standard View Suite at the Villas at the Grand Floridian, where we utilized the Disney Dining Plan. We drove from NJ, but we exclusively used Disney's provided on-site transportation during our vacation. Our theme park tickets and Memory Maker were both included in our Gold-Tier Annual Passes. Besides our ADRs and FP+ plans, we booked three experiences for this trip that were not included in the cost of park admission:

-Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
-Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic at Disney's Animal Kingdom
-Private poolside cabana rental

Now, let's meet the cast of characters that make up this trip!

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We are a party of four from NJ. In 2010, we took our first trip to Walt Disney World Resort as a family. We didn't return after that until 2014, but have been going back every year since then! In 2017, we stayed at the Polynesian Village Resort for the first time, and that was that for that: we became DVC members at the Poly during our August vacation that year! We shortly thereafter decided to take advantage of our DVC status to become Gold-level Annual Passholders. We always travel in the summer due to my sister and I's school schedule, but we really wanted this trip to be all about experiencing Halloween at Disney, so we opted for a late August trip to fulfill our pumpkin obsession!

Thomas/"Dad"

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Truck driver, town hall employee, friend to all and my best friend. I always mention something in these intros about how he will stop to talk and befriend any stranger he comes across, and he was on a roll this trip! He met a total stranger this trip at Geyser Point bar and 10 minutes later, and five minutes later, he was making an appointment to get discounted tires from said stranger's tire shop. More on that later. Dad is obsessed with Halloween at Disney, so I was extremely excited to bring him to his first MNSSHP!

Favorite snack: Rice Krispie Treat
Favorite character M&G: Kevin
Favorite ride: Slinky Dog Dash
Favorite restaurant: Chef Art Smith's Homecomin'
Favorite souvenir: Pumpkin Mickey Light Necklace
Favorite memory: Having breakfast at The Wave

Susan/"Mom"

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Mom is a real estate agent who went to Disney twice every year with her family until she was 20 years old. Today, we're both crazy for Disney-- but I don't know if I got the Disney bug from her, or if she got it from me! Mom and I are best friends and always come to each other for advice. We're like two peas in a pod, except when it comes to touring the Parks! When she's at Disney, she loves to relax by the pool during the morning and visit the parks at night when it's cooler out.

Favorite snack: S'mores Tart
Favorite character M&G: Kevin
Favorite ride: Flight of Passage
Favorite restaurant: Chefs de France
Favorite souvenir: Haunted Mansion Doom Buggy
Favorite memory: Having breakfast at The Wave

Grace

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Grace is my 18-year-old sister. She just graduated high school, and is going off to her freshman year of college this week! She's just as crazy about Disney as the rest of us are, and will "go with the flow" and follow whatever mom and dad are doing. She's also an absolute clown. She's almost as funny as I am. There were lots of memes shared between us this past week!

Favorite snack: S'mores Tart
Favorite character M&G: Chicken Little
Favorite ride: Flight of Passage
Favorite restaurant: Chefs de France
Favorite souvenir: Dole Whip Ears
Favorite memory: Meeting Kevin

Kaitlyn

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I am your host... your ghost host. I'm Kaitlyn, also known as Newsies! Also known on some other parts of the internet as tinkerkait.

I'm a 22-year-old college student currently living in NYC, ready to finish her degree in December. I'm a Disney College Program alumni from the Fall 2016 program, where I worked as an attractions hostess on Peter Pan's Flight/"it's a small world." I'm typically the "rogue" one of the family-- I like to get up early and rope drop the parks while my family sleeps in. That changed a little this trip, but I still spent the most amount of time in the parks! I like to get up early, grab a latte from Joffrey's, and meet as many characters as I can! This is my 6th TR here on the DISboards. Writing TRs has become one of my favorite parts about going to Disney! My non-Disney, non-Pumpkin interests include Riverdale, writing, big t-shirts, scrunchies, Glossier, and putting way too much effort in my weekly planner spreads.

Favorite snack: Strawberry Glazed Donut from Joffrey's
Favorite character M&G: Vanellope Von Schweetz & Wreck-It Ralph for the pictures, Jack Skellington & Sally for the interaction!
Favorite ride: Slinky Dog Dash
Favorite restaurant: Chefs de France
Favorite souvenir: Briar Rose Gold Crocs
Favorite memory: Our first morning together at Magic Kingdom!


Also appearing in this TR are my two very close friends, Emily and the DISboard's own @PlutosRHM55 , Timmy! (Emily is also on the DIS, but she mostly lurks. Hey Emily!)

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The three of us are friends from the Fall '16 DCP. Timmy and I met on the DISboards a few years prior, but Emily and I were lucky enough to be placed as apartment-mates! Timmy did his first program in Custodial at MK, and Emily did her first program in QSFB at the Contempo Cafe. They're now both back in Orlando on their next CPs! Timmy is the latest Batuuan working with scrap metal at SWGE, and Emily is a Seater at Tony's Town Square Ristorante. Be sure to say "hi" and tell them I miss them if you see them between now and January! Also, follow Timmy's own DCP TR
here!


That just about covers it for introductions, which means we're just about ready to start the TR! Be sure to hit that "watch" button if you are interested in hearing about the following...

-Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
-Storybook Dining with Snow White at Artist Point
-Private poolside cabana at the Grand Floridian
-Moonlight Magic at Disney's Animal Kingdom
-A whole host of ADRs, including Storybook Dining, Skipper Canteen, Chefs de France, and more
-Many, many, many character M&Gs
-A rant about my new favorite park snack, the humble Strawberry Iced Joffrey's Donut
-Buying too many popcorn buckets
-A Rose Gold Croc saga
-PUMPKINS!!!!!!!


And away we go!
:tink:

(click HERE to begin!)
 
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Hello. I've arrived.

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Wow. So honored to be featured in this TR. I'd like to thank all the little people and my fluffy puppy Schuyler because she is all that's good in the world. Also, Max Goof for... reasons.
 


I’m here! Can’t wait to read all about it!

YAY YAY YAY!!! So excited to have you here!!!

Hello. I've arrived.

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Wow. So honored to be featured in this TR. I'd like to thank all the little people and my fluffy puppy Schuyler because she is all that's good in the world. Also, Max Goof for... reasons.

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Max Goof looked GREAT on Friday night. Also, little Keightleaux is a little offended that you didn't thank him. You know he has daddy issues.

I'm here I'm here I'm heerree!!

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I am so so excited for this one!!

YAY!!! So happy you're here!!!

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Yeah! I can't wait to hear about your family's adventures! Love the photos so far!

Thank you so much!!! So happy you're here!!!
 


I'm here and ready to go!!! popcorn:: And yes, I lurk more than I post... But I can't wait to read all about your Pumpkin Spice adventures!!! And if I see your friends, I'll tell them HI... I'm headed "home" in 76 more days!!!
 
I'm here and ready to go!!! popcorn:: And yes, I lurk more than I post... But I can't wait to read all about your Pumpkin Spice adventures!!! And if I see your friends, I'll tell them HI... I'm headed "home" in 76 more days!!!

Thank you so much for joining!!! I'm so happy to have you here!!! Definitely say "hi" to Emily and Timmy if you see them. November is such a great time to visit the resort, I hope your trip is amazing!
 
Great intro, but there's already too much pumpkin spice. :duck:

Gotta hear about this story with the hook up on the discounted truck tires. That's the type of information I look for in a good TR.

Can't wait to read about your trip! Fall is a season that is impossible for us to get away and enjoy the parks, although I love seeing pictures of all the decorations and it looks like it would be a fun time to go!
 
So excited to read all about it!

So happy to have you here!!!

Ooo I'm excited to read more about this!

Thanks for joining in!!!

Great intro, but there's already too much pumpkin spice. :duck:

Gotta hear about this story with the hook up on the discounted truck tires. That's the type of information I look for in a good TR.

Can't wait to read about your trip! Fall is a season that is impossible for us to get away and enjoy the parks, although I love seeing pictures of all the decorations and it looks like it would be a fun time to go!

Too much pumpkin spice? Never!

It's a short story. :laughing: It's attached to our Wednesday ADR at Storybook Dining!

I can't wait to start updating! Fall is also nearly impossible for us, so we tried to time it perfectly before Grace and I moved back to school. The decorations were awesome!

Fellow all things pumpkin lover here! Pumpkins are going to be huge part of my wedding decor next October! Can't wait to follow along, sounds like a great trip :D

Yay!!! #PumpkinSpiceSquad!!! You'll have to share photos of your wedding decor afterwards, I bet they'll be gorgeous! So happy to have you here!
 
Ummm...I already NEED more...:rolleyes1

Great start! I can't wait to hear all about your trip!
 
Popping over from your PTR . Looking forward to reading more about your adventures.

Also , where do you get the S’mores tart ? I loooooove S’mores. Have they tried the handmade one you can watch being made at the Ganachery?
 

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