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View Full Version : Trey's 1'st Trip To WDW....or the trip I have been planning for 5+ years


TammyBell
10-16-2007, 11:21 AM
Yes, it is going to happen. I have been planning this trip for over 5 years now, every since I found out that my niece was pregnant. I knew that for this blessed child's 5'th birthday, he would be going to my favorite place on earth (soon to be his favorite as well).
A little background: my niece is 6 months younger than me. We were each other's playmates growing up and we roomed together in college. So when I found out that I was going to be a great aunt, I was ecstatic. I actually was able to be in the delivery room when he was born and stayed with her for a week afterwards. The same week he was born, my mom was diagnosed with Stage IV renal cancer. Within six months, my niece was divorced, my mom was unable to live alone and I had purchased a house for all of us to live in.........which is next door to my niece's parents (my DSis and DBIL). Since then, my mom passed away and we are still living together.

This year was THE YEAR. 5 Years old and he's going to Disney. I mentioned it to my DSis and she decides that we will ALL go to WDW. :scared1: We went on the Disney Magic 2 years ago and had a blast, so it shouldn't be too bad...............as long as I get to plan it all. :woohoo:

You have already met some of them, but here is the cast of characters:

Dodey (36) me - Trey calls me Dodey or some version of it. I am the Disney Freak. I ahve been giving him Disney things since before he was born and my goal is to be the best aunt in the world.

T-Rey (5) - The reason for the trip. I want him to love WDW as much as I do and be begging to go back as soon as we come home. His favorite characters are Peter Pan and Tink, Mary Poppins and the Power Rangers.

Grumpy (36) - This would be T-Rey's mom. We have actually bought a Grumpy hat for whoever needs to wear it and we refer to it as hers. She is looking forward to going, but has no idea what we are doing or when we are doing it. I just tell her what she needs to know and everyone is much happier.

ZaaZaa (53) - My DSis - She was once referred to as Queen, but now that the grandson has come along, she is forever ZaaZaa. She was diagnosed with breast cancer a little over a year ago and is now treatment and cancer free. She was once the trip planner but has given up the reains.

PaPa (55) - My DBIL - the best brother in law in the world. He is more like my 2'nd dad and my co-conspirator. And he loves T-Rey.

That's the five of us. We leave in 46 days and I can't wait. The best part is, T-Rey doesn't know that we are going yet. I have been trying to prepare him for it, but I always add the "If we ever go to Disney World...." to it.

I'll add more later, ADR's, packing lists, park schedules......most of you know the routines. I have a few questions to ask as well.

disneyfanforlife
10-16-2007, 03:55 PM
I just found your report. I love that you are thating your nephew to Disney. I love you are so close to your niece. Can't wait to read more.

Avivasmom
10-16-2007, 07:18 PM
How COOL...:cool1: we leave in 41 days.....surprise trips are great...I have done 3 with my DD...this trip she knows about.

She now gets on buses and talks to people and tells them where to go and what rides to go on...she is a riot.

Cannot wait to read more..love the closeness of your family.

TammyBell
10-18-2007, 09:27 AM
disneyfanforlife - :wave2: Thanks for tagging along. And it is great that we are so close........most of the time.

Avivasmom - :wave2: It is getting very hard to keep it a secret. My sister will talk about the trip and forget that he is around.:sad2:

TammyBell
10-18-2007, 12:50 PM
You've met the who. Now for the when. I actually voiced the plan to go to WDW around the first of May. My DSis was in from the beginning. After a discussion with my DBIL, we had decided on the first week in December (doesn't interfere with family Christmas' or Thanksgiving) to plan our trip. The only question remaining was whether my niece would be able to go with us. She is alotted 3 personal leave days as a school teacher, so we decided to make a short 5 day trip so that everyone could go. We would leave early Saturday morning (12/1), spend the day getting checked in, going to DTD, general goof off.....spend 3 days in the parks.......take our time on 12/5 checking out and driving home.
On June 3'rd, I called to make reservations for the 5 of us. We decided on POR, since we were all planning on staying in the same room and it slept 5. After booking the room, the CM asks if I need to make any ADR's. Imagine my surprise when he tells me that I called to make my reservation at the 180 day mark. I already knew some of the ADR's I wanted, so we tried for those and yes, I did get them all.
12/1 - dinner - Chef Mickey's
12/2 - dinner - 50's PTC
12/3 - dinner - Kona Cafe
12/5 - breakfast - 1900 Park Fare

So, we have a room and ADR's :cool1: Life is good.

As time passed, I kept pushing back the time to leave. What started out at 6AM kept getting earlier and earlier. I was having to plan around the possibility of high school football playoffs being played on Friday night. For that handful of you that may read this and keep up with HS Football, I live in Foley, AL - Home of Julio Jones- and my DBIL doesn't miss a game. So, I have now decided that we can leave right after the playoff game if we are playing. If not, it's after work. My DBIL and I are planning to take off 1/2 a day on Friday to pack the car, so that all we have to do is wait for the 5 yo to get home.
This plan has messed up my scheduling. Where we weren't going to spend any time in a park on Saturday, we will now be staying off site the night before, so why not. And we weren't really going to go to EPCOT this trip with the limited time frame and trying to make it all about the 5 yo. So, as it stands now, the schedule is as follows:
12/1 - AK - leaving after the parade for dinner
12/2 - MGM
12/3 - MK
12/4 - Epcot for EMH in morning, back to hotel, MVMCP that night

ADR's still work with these days and I have since added the following:
12/3 - breakfast - Crystal Palace
12/4 - early dinner - Maya Grill

We are on DDP and are planning on paying OOP for Crystal Palace and 1900 Park Fare. Since my great nephew is in love with Mary Poppins, we HAD to go to breakfast with her. Also, getting in to MK a little early and getting Main Street mostly to yourself makes CP all the more better.

Next Installment - Getting Ready...........SO much to buy.

TammyBell
10-23-2007, 01:36 PM
Well, we have changed our hotel from POR to Beach Club so that we are close to Epcot and MGM. Also, this is one of the hotels that I have been wanting to stay in for awhile and it sleeps 5 in a room :cool1: . I was also able to get the Illuminations cruise for our first night there. :banana: :banana: Another of the things that I have always wanted to do and am now able to share with T-Rey.

I have been looking through the Creative DISigners designs and have been able to narrow the selections down so that we have matching shirts to wear most of the days that we are there. Now I just need to get them all made. I have also printed out mousekeeping envelopes and You've been Tinked messages for each day of the trip. And I am now in the process of making T-Rey an autograph book.

Since our plans have changed and we are not going to have Saturday to go shopping, hang out at DTD or whatever, I was able to call Disney's Days of Christmas and order Mickey ears for everyone in the group. They were delivered to our house yesterday and have already been put in a suitcase away from little eyes that see everything.

I keep having the feeling that I am forgetting to do something. Any ideas on what it may be? Let's go over the checklist:
Reservations - check
ADR's - check
MVMCP tickets ordered & received - check
Illuminations cruise - check
Mickey Ears - check
T-shirts - check
Mousekeeping envelopes - check
Tinked messages - check
Autograph book - check.

Anything else that I need to do ahead of time?

TammyBell
10-25-2007, 02:09 PM
A very good friend of the family's leaves today for WDW with her family. One of the DISigners was kind enough to personalize a shirt for her DD5 that I delivered to them this morning. They are so excited to be going and I can't wait until it is us.

T-Rey and I discuss the "rides at Disney World" just about every night now. He still hasn't been told that he is going, but he "would like to go there very soon".

Only 37 more days :cool1: :cool1:

Now if I could just convince them to add on a couple more days.:rolleyes: