The One Where They're Actually Going To WDW!!! TWO MORE SLEEPS!!! 9/30/08 [Archive] - The DIS Discussion Forums

dis75ney

02-13-2008, 11:33 PM

Chapter One: Introduction

Hi! :wave2: My name is Stacy, and I have finally decided to try my hand at this trip-report thingie! I have to thank Mr. Fauntleroy and Mr. Yosh for inspiring me to get on this pre-trip/trip/baby report bandwagon...thanks! If you haven’t already, you should go check out their reports. Just come back here, okay? ::yes::

And now, without further ado, the cast!

Me: Stacy (Tigger)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/HighHairHop.jpg
(I'm the one on the right...)

Age: 32 (this makes me sad...)
Occupation: Benefits Coordinator, part-time nursing student, Mommy
Likes: WDW (duh!), Guitar Hero, Tom Hanks :love: *sigh*, my iPod, pain medications (as of late – darn broken wrist!), Chicago Bears, anything 1980s related
Dislikes: Not being in WDW, snow/ice, heights, mayonnaise :scared: , creepy crawly slimy things (thanks for reminding me, Natepoo!)
Favorite Disney character: Tigger :tigger:, Stitch :stitch:, Figment :figment:
Previous WDW Trips: 3. 1983-ish (offsite with parents), 1990 (offsite with high school choir tour), and 2000 (Caribbean Beach)

DH: Dean (Goofy)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/192463332_m.jpg
Ain't I a lucky girl??? :lmao:

Age: A recent 37 (this makes me laugh...mainly at Goofy)
Occupation: Computer programmer, Daddy
Likes: Legos, Star Wars, Lego Star Wars, computers, pianos/organs, math, reasoning how unhealthy foods can in fact be healthy
Dislikes: Hearing his DW chatter on about WDW trip planning, cold temperatures, being awake, hearing his DW scream obscenities at the TV during Bears games
Favorite Disney character: Goofy :goofy: , Genie :genie:
Previous WDW Trips: 1. 2000 (Caribbean Beach)

DS: Nathan (Natepoo)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/m_d154c420768ee297affe479df332ce32.jpg
"How YOU doin'?" (I expect to see a lot of this when Natepoo meets the Princesses - he has a thing for blondes)

Age: 7 going on 30
Occupation: Full time student, full time monkey
Likes: Video games, swinging from the bars on his bunk bed, Transformers, counting down the days until our WDW trip, Chicago Bears
Dislikes: Anything green and edible, going to bed, waking up early
Favorite Disney character: Donald :donald: (“Because when he gets angry, he just quacks! And he doesn’t wear pants! That’s funny!”)
Previous WDW Trips: 1. 2000 (In utero)

Some general info about the cast: Formed by Tigger and Goofy in 1998. Natepoo joined the cast in 2000. We have two supporting cast members, Linny and Snoopy.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/SnoopyandLinny2.jpg

Linny is the brown and white pig, and Snoopy is the black and white pig (how appropeaux). We all belong to our local community theater and have been in two shows as a family (in one show, we actually played a family!). Goofy and I are also part of our church’s worship team.

It’s a small cast, after all...

I got you singing it, didn’t I??? YAY ME!!! Oh, wait...now I’m singing it, too!!! That wasn’t supposed to happen!!! *Grabs iPod and desperately hits shuffle...ah, the soothing sounds of Tommy Tutone* :music:

Speaking of cheese, I’d like to share some memories from my past WDW trips...mainly for filler material...

1983: It was summer. And HOT!!! Morocco was the newest pavilion in the World Showcase. Riding on the Skyway. That’s about it. (Hey, I was only seven! What do you expect me to remember?)

1990: Spring-ish. Singing with my high school choir in Downtown Disney, which didn’t really exist. Getting VIP treatment at the Wonders of Life pavilion because my mom worked for the sponsoring company. Getting snickers and laughs as we walked through WDW while wearing our 70s-era choir costumes. Providing No-Doze to several choir members who made a bet to stay awake the entire four days (they were all out by day two). DHS only had two rides open...Backstage Tour and the Great Movie ride.

2000: Winter. Florida was in the middle of a cold snap. Temps ranged from 40s at night to upper 60s during the day. Me actually walking around in short sleeves while Goofy searched high and low for a sweatshirt to keep him warm (remember, he doesn’t like cold temperatures). Getting upgraded to first class on our flight to Florida and not realizing it until we were halfway there. Goofy memorizing the monorail speech in both English and Spanish. Goofy reciting the monorail speech for several weeks after we got back. Gorillas scaring the stupid kid who pounded on the glass after the cast member said “Don’t pound on the glass!” Goofy having to stand in the corner at 50s Prime Time...I think it was because he was caught with his elbows on the table...

I am going to search my basement this weekend and see if I can’t dig up some pics from the 2000 trip. Until then...

Up next: Chapter Two: “Make up your mind!!!”

randy4au

02-14-2008, 02:07 PM

dreamer17555

02-14-2008, 02:14 PM

popcorn:: Count me in!

-Becca-

dis75ney

02-14-2008, 02:36 PM

Love the photos of you guys (especially Dean's...LOL)! I've had four guinea pigs during my liftime (only one at a time), and they are awesome! Linny reminds me of my first one (Ben), and Snoopy reminds me of my last one (Mike).

I'm on the worship team at my church. My wife used to be but took a leave of absence after our second son was born a year ago. Hopefully, she'll rejoin the team eventually.

Our other son will turn 7 next month (so we have something else in common).

Ain't Dean a keeper??? I have other good blackmail photos I'll have to post here sometime...

I love being on the worship team...there's just such an awesome comradery betweeen everyone that was seriously lacking at other churches.

Aren't kids fun at this age??? Of course, they're fun at any age, but as my mom likes to say, "They're becoming like real people now!" :lmao:

dis75ney

02-14-2008, 02:37 PM

popcorn:: Count me in!

-Becca-
Yay! Another reader!!! :welcome:

randy4au

02-14-2008, 03:18 PM

Aren't kids fun at this age??? Of course, they're fun at any age, but as my mom likes to say, "They're becoming like real people now!" :lmao:

:rotfl2:

Yes, 6-7 years old is a fun age. They act like grown ups one minute and toddlers the next. ;)

FauntleroyFAN07

02-15-2008, 09:28 AM

im here, coming back later to read it...way to go randy on helping out a disser in distress:thumbsup2

dis75ney

02-15-2008, 01:15 PM

im here, coming back later to read it...way to go randy on helping out a disser in distress:thumbsup2

More readers for me to corrupt...oh boy!!! :woohoo:

I will attempt to write another post tonight, but Natepoo just came down with a nasty stomach virus and we both may end up spending the night getting better acquainted with the porcelain throne...poor thing...if not tonight, then definitely tomorrow. I need the happy thoughts after the NIU tragedy. I was in Biology class last night and spent the first 20 minutes scouting out places to hide in case someone came through the front or back doors brandishing weapons. We shouldn't have to be scared to go to school...it's one of the few places we should expect to be safe!!! I guess this is one of those things I will never understand...

76 days and counting until I'm back in my happy place...can't come soon enough!!!

randy4au

02-15-2008, 02:14 PM

More readers for me to corrupt...oh boy!!! :woohoo:

I will attempt to write another post tonight, but Natepoo just came down with a nasty stomach virus and we both may end up spending the night getting better acquainted with the porcelain throne...poor thing...if not tonight, then definitely tomorrow. I need the happy thoughts after the NIU tragedy. I was in Biology class last night and spent the first 20 minutes scouting out places to hide in case someone came through the front or back doors brandishing weapons. We shouldn't have to be scared to go to school...it's one of the few places we should expect to be safe!!! I guess this is one of those things I will never understand...

76 days and counting until I'm back in my happy place...can't come soon enough!!!

Sorry to hear about Natepoo. A stomach virus is NEVER fun. And I was both saddened and outraged to hear of yet another shooting on a college campus. I'm in grad school, and I feel less and less safe with each report I hear. Then again, are we really safe anywhere? We've heard of people going "postal" in the workplace for years, and then there have been shootings in malls within the last year. God help us! :sad2:

dis75ney

02-15-2008, 03:10 PM

God help us! :sad2:

Amen to that!!!

dis75ney

02-15-2008, 09:16 PM

Hedy

02-15-2008, 10:54 PM

Can't wait to hear more.

randy4au

02-16-2008, 12:02 AM

OK, I had a nice chapter going, and then the Disboards kicked me out before I could post it!!! :mad:

I'll have to re-write the whole darn thing, but I've learned my lesson for next time...type out in Word first, then copy and paste the text...

And Goofy wonders why I hate computers...

I feel your pain. That has happened to me many times in the past on other forums. Even if I'm typing a simple reply, I copy it before posting it, and when I'm typing a long message, I type it in Notepad (to avoid the formatting that Word adds to the text such as line breaks) then copy and paste it to the forum.

dis75ney

02-16-2008, 12:23 AM

OK, so I had this freakin' AWESOME chapter going, and then the DISboards went and logged me out for no apparent reason!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR... :mad:

But, since I'm currently downstairs waiting for my son to fall asleep (he hasn't puked up his saltines and Gatorade! Woo hoo!!!), I have time to try and remember the awesomeness that was my next chapter. So here goes...

CHAPTER TWO: MAKE UP YOUR MIND!!!

This phrase will be uttered quite a bit throughout this report by the entire cast. Well, Linny and Snoopy don't say it...not in English, anyway...but I'm sure in their little cavie minds they're thinking, "I wish they'd make up their minds!" Translation: "Squeak squeak!"

I will be keeping a running tab of how many times someone in the cast uses the phrase "Make up your mind!" It's fun, and I'm on painkillers. I can do whatever I want. So there!!!

So, Goofy and I have finally decided that we can afford to go to Disney with Natepoo out of the womb this time! Life has a funny way of saying, "You ain't going to Disney until I say you're ready!" Although life was pretty obvious with us...Goofy was out of work for about three years before finally finding a job in his field of computer programming. Goofy's been at his job for about a year now, and we finally feel like we can afford to take the vacation we haven't had in five years! So, yay us!

We sit down with the Unofficial Guide and the Passporter while having dinner at Culver's one night back in November. After I attempt to explain to Goofy why a salad covered with croutons, cheese, bacon bits, and Ranch dressing is, in fact, NOT healthy (remember, this is one of his likes!),we start discussing dates...

I'm shooting for late January/early February. This was when we went the last time, and I thought it was a wonderful time of the year to go. Cool weather, low crowds, value season...

Goofy: "But I want to go swimming this year..." *Insert puppy dog eyes here*

I have to explain that the last time we went to WDW, Florida was in the middle of a cold snap like the one a few weeks ago. Perfect weather for me, but it's been theorized amongst my family that the stork switched my parents' actual child with a polar bear. Goofy, however, is a wuss and will complain about the cold when it's 80 degrees outside. I digress...

Me: "OK..."
Goofy: "Besides, we should go in the summer."
Me: "Are you freakin' insane?!?!?!" (This phrase is also used frequently in our home. I like to switch it up with "Are you on crack?!?!?!?!?")
Goofy: "What's wrong with summer?"
Me: "Gee,let me think. It's hotter than Hades..."
Goofy: :banana:
Me: "People are packed in there like friggin' sardines..."
Goofy: "Oh, come on. Disney World is 47 square miles! (I must say, I was rather impressed with this retainment of WDW knowledge. Usually Goofy can't remember what he ate for dinner the previous day. I guess WDW knowledge is more important than food!)"
Goofy (cont'd): "Surely there'd be enough room..."
Me: (wiping the tears that are streaming down my face) "You're funny, dear...real funny."
Goofy: "It can't be THAT crowded!"
Me: "Hey, honey, remember when we went to the Taste of Chicago when I was eight months pregnant and had to scream that I was in labor in order to get the crowd moving?" *That's another good story - you don't mess with a pregnant woman who needs to find a bathroom!
Goofy: "Yeah?"
Me: "Imagine 47 square miles of THAT."
*Insert Jeopardy theme here*
Goofy: "So what are our other options?"

We discuss while consuming mass quantities of Butterburgers (mmmmmm)...

Goofy: "Well, you decide when we should go. I trust your judgement. Just as long as I can go swimming this time."

Man's got a one track mind.

So I do my research like a good little Diser, and decide a couple of weeks later that we should go in May...

Goofy: "May! That means we'd have to take Natepoo out of school!"
Me: "Good one, Einstein." I really do love my husband!!! :love: Besides, he can also dish it out with the best of them...
Goofy: "But we can't take Natepoo out of school!"
Me: "Well, make up your mind, then! Are you going to help me pick a date or what?"

MUYM Count: 1

Goofy: "Why May?"
Me: "Well, you want to go swimming, I don't want to go when it's too hot, and crowds are manageable in May..."
Goofy: "But Natepoo..."
Me: "...will be fine missing a week of school."
Goofy: "But what about his perfect attendance?"
I simply stare at Goofy.
Goofy: "What?"
Me: "Perfect attendance? Dear, that was ruined when his eardrum burst back in November and I had to take him to the ER."
Goofy: "Oh..."
Me: "And it'll be cheaper than going there in the summer..."
Goofy: "Really? Oh, OK. May it is!"

So I've gotten approval from Natepoo's first grade teacher and we are set on that front. She's even going to make a special appearance on the day that Natepoo gives his trip presentation, as she will be on maternity leave when Natepoo is gone. I guess she REALLY wants to hear about the trip!

Now, the next big question:

Drive or fly?

I am a big proponent of road trips. I love being able to see the scenery of this great nation from ground level. Plus, heights and I don't mix. I will make concessions in regards to flying - for example, I flew from Chicago to California in October last year. I was quite proud of myself for not going completely ballistic. I first thought that we should fly to Orlando...shorter trip, Natepoo's first airplane ride...

Then I looked at the airfare. And had to be resucitated at my desk. HOW MUCH??? That's more than my car payment!!! And multiply that by three???

Me: "We're driving to Disney World."

Goofy: "Make up your mind, already!"

MUYM Count: 2

Me: "Airfare is freakin' ridiculous!"
Goofy: "How ridiculous?"

Helpful hint - CPR classes really DO pay off!

Goofy: "We're driving down."

Yay! I get my way again!

So, our small cast will be leaving earlier than the buttcrack of dawn on Friday, May 2, and will be spending the night at either Chattanooga TN, Atlanta GA, or Cocoa Beach FL...

Goofy: "Make up your mind!"

MUYM Count: 3

Me: "Huh?"
Goofy: "How can we stay in all three of those places at once?"

* As you may have noticed, Goofy seems to have some selective memory issues and missed the word "either" in the previous sentence *

Me: *sigh* "OK, honey, we head to Chattanooga. If we're tired, we can stop there and cancel Atlanta and Cocoa Beach. If we are okay driving, we head to Atlanta and cancel Chattanooga. If we get to Atlanta and decide we need to rest, we spend the night in Atlanta and cancel Cocoa Beach. If we are good to go..."
Goofy: :confused:
Me: :laundy:
Goofy: "...then we can cancel Atlanta and drive down to Cocoa Beach?"
Me: "Very good!"
Goofy: :blush:

...arriving at our resort on May 3rd. We will be leaving my favorite place in the world on May 11th, staying at the Chattanooga Choo Choo overnight (we're keeping this part of the trip a surprise for Natepoo - we'll be sleeping in an actual train car!) and returning to the land of frozen tundra and never-ending road construction on May 12th, at which point severe post-Disney depression will sink in, causing me to fail all my final exams that week...

No, wait...that was one of my nightmares. The failing of finals, anyway...

Up Next: The Great Hotel Debate...and possibly ADR info...we'll see how tired I am...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/n1323750011_30028929_5889.jpg

dis75ney

02-20-2008, 09:52 AM

Sorry about the delay in getting a new post up...my bout with the stomach flu is finally over. Just in time for tests in each of my three classes!!!

I have a test to take tonight, and then biology lab tomorrow night, so hopefully Friday night I'll be able to take a brain break and post a nice little piece of frivolity here on the boards. My brain needs a rest! :laughing:

stagemomx3

02-20-2008, 10:06 AM

we'll be sleeping in an actual train car!)

Great update, and sleeping in an actual train car should ease the pain of leaving DW a little!:thumbsup2

dis75ney

02-20-2008, 11:20 AM

Great update, and sleeping in an actual train car should ease the pain of leaving DW a little!:thumbsup2

Yay! I'm up to two pages!!! :cheer2:

It's the little things that keep me going... :dance3:

ssmerdel

02-20-2008, 11:40 AM

I am on board. I am enjoying your pre-trip report so far.

I cannot wait to read more. I am starting my pre-trip report this weekend. (Hopefully):surfweb:

dis75ney

02-21-2008, 11:34 AM

OK, I'm not ready yet to write Chapter 3 of my pre-trip saga (hopefully tomorrow night!), but I'm so excited I have to insert an update before I move on to the Great Hotel Debate...

Random Update #1: "You May Now Bow Down Before The Queen Of Discounts!"

It's been said by my family that if you ever want something for WAY cheaper than the MSRP, call me. My parents are still shaking their heads as to how I managed to buy a 30gb iPod from Best Buy for $40 (they haven't heard of the wonder that is the Thank You network). Just don't ask me to haggle on car prices, though. My dad's the king at that.

Moving on...

Thanks to the wonderful Disers on these boards :disrocks: , I read that the Disney Visa discount was going to be opening up for the general public today. I warned Goofy last night over dinner at Culvers (we really should own stock in that place) that if he heard me singing Disney tunes at 6am, I would be on hold with Disney trying to save money. :music:

I ended up taking pity on Goofy and called Disney after dropping Natepoo off at before-school care. I spent the next 20 minutes on hold singing along to the wonderful hold music while driving to work (ask me how I got my Bluetooth from Best Buy for $20!). If only hold music was like Disney's on every phone line...one can dream...:cloud9:

I finally speak to a wonderful cast member named Bob. I ask him about the discount code, and he works his Disney magic pixiedust: to save us $600 on our package!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:maleficen :ccat: :simba: :donald: :stitch: :dumbo: :sulley: :tigger: :figment: :goofy: :hmghost: :mickeyjum

I also have him:
1. Add a birthday notation to our reservation (we'll be celebrating Natepoo's birthday a little early while on vacation) and...
2. Confirm that we do have a refrigerator added to our room for no charge (yes, we're staying at a value resort, and Goofy is diabetic, so because the fridge is for medical purposes, it's free!!!). :woohoo:

Bob confirms that Goofy and my anniversary is also noted on the reservation (we're celebrating our anniversary several weeks after the fact due to Goofy's performances for a local theater group falling the week before through the week after our actual anniversary).

Bob assures me that the updates will be available on the web within a few hours.

I try to call Goofy, but there's no answer. So I run to the vending machine for my early morning dose of caffiene. Goofy calls as I'm entering my little 6x6 sanctuary of cubedom. I answer the phone as follows:

Me: "You may now bow down before the Queen of Discounts!" princess:

Thankfully, as one of the more senior members on staff, I was upgraded to a phone with caller ID...

Goofy: "No way!"
Me: "Tee hee!" princess:
Goofy: "How much did you save?"
Me: "About $600"
Goofy: "How do you DO that?" :scared1:

Goofy is also amazed at my discounting/sales shopping ability...

Me: "If I tell you, I'd have to kill you. I'd prefer not to kill you. You're handy to have around the house."
Goofy: "Because I get rid of creepy crawlies for you?"
Me: "Exactly." *sigh* I really do love that man... :love:

So we now have more room in the WDW slush fund! I now do the Meeposian dance of joy!!!
party:

I'm showing my age, aren't I? I can't help it - I loved Perfect Strangers! :hug:

Up Next: The Great Hotel Debate (I Promise!)

Hedy

02-21-2008, 11:57 AM

:cool1: :cool1: :cool1: :cool1: :cool1:

Now, how to fuzzy WDW math that $600.....

dis75ney

02-21-2008, 12:51 PM

:cool1: :cool1: :cool1: :cool1: :cool1:

Now, how to fuzzy WDW math that $600.....

I'm sure I will find a way... :lmao:

CruisingCamper

02-21-2008, 03:18 PM

I have enjoyed reading your report. I can't wait to hear more.

dis75ney

02-21-2008, 04:03 PM

I have enjoyed reading your report. I can't wait to hear more.

:welcome:

Only 17 more days until you go to WDW??? Lucky...I'm so jealous...

CruisingCamper

02-21-2008, 05:24 PM

:welcome:

Only 17 more days until you go to WDW??? Lucky...I'm so jealous...

Yes, and we are getting very excited and a little nervous at the same time, due to the fact that we will be taking a 16 month old!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope he can handle the trip!! We don't really have a lot of downtime planned.

I feel like he'll be fine...he is a traveler already. He has been to about 10 states, flown twice and been on a cruise!!!! And he has been great on all of these trips, so I am praying that WDW is no different.

lazidazi07

02-21-2008, 09:45 PM

I'm in and loving your report!popcorn:: Looks like you'll be leaving a week before we arrive..awww shucks. :goodvibes Cant wait to hear more.

dis75ney

02-22-2008, 02:00 PM

Yes, and we are getting very excited and a little nervous at the same time, due to the fact that we will be taking a 16 month old!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope he can handle the trip!! We don't really have a lot of downtime planned.

I feel like he'll be fine...he is a traveler already. He has been to about 10 states, flown twice and been on a cruise!!!! And he has been great on all of these trips, so I am praying that WDW is no different.

Sounds like he's a little trooper. Just remember that the TTA and the Hall of Presidents make great napping spots - and not necessarily for the baby! :thumbsup2

I'm in and loving your report!popcorn:: Looks like you'll be leaving a week before we arrive..awww shucks. :goodvibes Cant wait to hear more.

:welcome: I should have another update tonight - I am imposing a well-deserved brain break before I go on major school mode this weekend...

3princesses+aprince

02-22-2008, 02:30 PM

I can't wait to hear how your trip goes. We are going next May and as of now plan on checking in on May 3rd too.
Loving the pre trip report!!!!!!!!!!

CruisingCamper

02-22-2008, 04:12 PM

Sounds like he's a little trooper. Just remember that the TTA and the Hall of Presidents make great napping spots - and not necessarily for the baby! :thumbsup2

:welcome: I should have another update tonight - I am imposing a well-deserved brain break before I go on major school mode this weekend...

Yes, he's a great baby!! I just hope he likes WDW as much as DH and I do.

dis75ney

02-22-2008, 10:57 PM

I have just been hit by a sudden wave of exhaustion. I guess my first full meal after last weekend's bout with the stomach flu would make me tired. So if I seem a bit disjointed in the writing of this chapter...well...you know why...

Chapter Three: The Great Hotel Debate

I had long thought about Natepoo's first trip to Walt Disney World. I want this to be an experience he'll remember forever. Our hotel was a big part of this dream. I wanted something along the lines of...oh, shall we say...deluxe? Come on, it's our first family vacation to WDW. Shouldn't we do it up big?

Goofy: "How much is that going to cost us?"

I should have mentioned that one of Goofy's dislikes is spending money. On anything. Well, except food. Between Goofy and Natepoo, I'm going to be bankrupt within the next ten years, based soley upon food costs.

Me: "Oh, about $200.."
Goofy: "For the whole trip?"
Me: "No, that's per night."
Goofy: :scared1:

I'm silently poring over my Passporter, trying desperately to find some plausible reason (to Goofy) to stay deluxe - and hopefully Contemporary - this time around...

Goofy: "Why would we pay that much for a place to sleep? We only need a room with two beds and a shower!!!"
Me: "Well, there's the convenience factor!"
Goofy: "Huh?"
Me: "Think about it. If one of us gets tired, we can just hop on the monorail and be back at the hotel with 30 minutes..."
Goofy: "That defeats the purpose of driving, doesn't it?"

Damn, he's right...

Me: "But don't you think we should splurge a little bit? This IS our first vacation in six years..."
Goofy: "We're splurging by even taking this vacation, aren't we?"

Damn, he's right again. I feel my hopes for luxury and a castle view slipping away...until Goofy says:

Goofy: "Since you're so insistent on making this a big deal for Natepoo, why don't we let him decide?"
Me: "Huh?"
Goofy: "There are pictures of the hotels in that...thing...aren't there?" as he gestures to the Passporter
Me: "Well, no...but we could hop online and look at the pictures there!"

So we pull up allears.net (wonderful site, by the way) and start going through the pictures. I copy one or two pictures from each resort from All Stars to Polynesian (Goofy and I decided that Natepoo wouldn't really enjoy Grand Floridian at this time. Maybe, when he's a bit older...) and paste them onto several Powerpoint slides. We then call downstairs...

Goofy: "Hey, Natepoo!"
Natepoo: "What?!?"
Goofy: "Can you come here for a few minutes?"
Natepoo: "But it's not bedtime!"

Natepoo thinks that whenever we ask him to come upstairs, it's bedtime. Doesn't matter what time it is...it could be 9 in the morning with sun streaming through the windows and he'll still think it's bedtime if we ask him to come upstairs...

Goofy: "We know, Natepoo. Mommy and I need you to see something and let us know what you think."
Natepoo: "Oh, OK."

Natepoo comes upstairs and joins me at the computer.

Me: "OK, Natepoo, we need you to make a very important decision. We're going to let you decide which hotel we stay at for when we go to Disney World."
Natepoo: "Really?"
Me: "Yep! So I want you to look at all these pictures and let us know where you want to stay."

So Nate flips through the slideshow, passing resort after resort after resort, ending each slide with...

Natepoo: "Hmmmmm...nope. I don't think so."

My hopes are starting to rise...most of the deluxe resorts were positioned near the end of the slideshow. Goofy and I wait with bated breath..

Well, okay, Goofy was playing Guitar Hero at this point...I was waiting with bated breath...until...

Goofy: "Make up your mind, Natepoo!"

MUYM Count: 5

Natepoo continues clicking and making his thinking sounds, until...

Natepoo: "I want to stay there!!!"

Both Goofy and I whirl around (I had turned around to laugh at Goofy while he failed miserably at Guitar Hero) to see which resort Natepoo had chosen. Was it my dream resort? Natepoo points proudly at...

A steel-framed bowling pin.

Goofy: "What the he** is that one?"
Natepoo: "Yeah, Mom, what the he** is that one?"

After a reprimand from me to Natepoo:

Me: "We don't use that word in this house!"
Natepoo: "Sorry, Mom."

And to Goofy:

Me: "We don't use that word in this house!"
Goofy: "Sorry, dear."

I inform Goofy and Natepoo that Natepoo has chosen to stay at the Pop Century Resort.

Goofy: "Looks expensive. How much does that one cost?"
Me: "Less than $100"

Goofy looks immensely relieved at this cost.

So, it's not my dream resort. But we're staying on property, so I suppose I can't complain too much. Plus, this means more spending money!!! Fuzzy WDW math, here I come!!!

So, four days before Christmas, I make the reservation for Pop Century from May 3 through May 11. :woohoo:

I also made reservations for hotels in Chattanooga TN, Atlanta GA, and Cocoa FL. We hope to drive straight through to Cocoa Beach on May 2, sleep there, and visit Kennedy Space Center on the 3rd before arriving at Pop Century, but have built in contingency stays in case Goofy and I are dropping from exhaustion and need to stop earlier than planned.

Speaking of dropping from exhaustion, I'm going to hit the hay. Natepoo has a dentist appointment in the early morning tomorrow, and afterwards I plan on taking him to the longest-running train car diner in the country for breakfast.

Up next: ADRs and hopefully pics!

dis75ney

02-22-2008, 11:08 PM

I can't wait to hear how your trip goes. We are going next May and as of now plan on checking in on May 3rd too.
Loving the pre trip report!!!!!!!!!!

:welcome: I've heard that May is a great time to go...I'm sure I'll be posting a report during/after our trip. Thanks for the compliment!

Yes, he's a great baby!! I just hope he likes WDW as much as DH and I do.

How could he not??? It's WDW!!!

Spoken like a true Disney freak...

MomofCKJ

02-22-2008, 11:13 PM

lovesdumbo

02-23-2008, 02:31 PM

Hi! Enjoying your pre trip report!

I'll be at Pop May 4th to 10th with my youngest DD(5). I saw you on the ADR thread and looks like we may be doing a few of the same meals. I have an AP discount on my Pop room and have added DDP. Here's what we're doing:
5/5 Tusker House breakfast 10:30
5/6 Crystal Palace 8:05 (my birthday)
5/6 California Grill 5:30
5/7 Garden Grill 6:10
5/8 O'Hana 10:50

This will be my 3rd early May trip. It is a great time to go. Temps in the high 80's/low 90's and the crowds are very managable. This will be my 5th trip to Pop. It is a really fun place! My heart belongs to the Poly but I just can not justify those prices now that the kids are older and the discounts are smaller.

I was just at Pop in January with my DS celebrating his 7th birthday. He LOVED Pop!!!

Lemming_of_the_BDA

02-25-2008, 05:45 AM

I'm in, I'm thinking of starting my own trip report and am trying to get inspired.

We'll be at Pop May 27-June 1, our 2nd trip to Pop, you will love it!

Courtney

dis75ney

02-27-2008, 10:12 AM

I'm sorry I haven't posted an update recently - Saturday I fell on the skating rink that is usually referred to as the City of Kenosha Public Parking Lot and bruised my tailbone (OUCH!!!) - so that laying me up plus school work is causing me to fall behind. Good thing, I only have one more lab report to write up and a quiz on Monday to study for, then things start to lighten up a bit for SPRING BREAK!!! 3 1/2 weeks and counting!!!

Depending on how motivated I feel tonight, I may post an update after I finish my lab report...otherwise I'll post an update tomorrow. Which reminds me...I need to get more batteries for the camera so I can upload pics of my trip stuff (so far)!

Until then...

dis75ney

02-27-2008, 10:31 AM

Enjoying your report! And you'll enjoy Pop, we stayed there last trip and it really is very fun and colorful! We loved it! Great food court, friendly CMs and good bus service if you are using it at all. :)

Allyson

We'll probably use the bus service a good chunk of the time...but it's nice to have our car available. Especially for our date night when Natepoo will be at Simba's Cubhouse and Goofy and I celebrate our anniversary with dinner and Pleasure Island.

Hi! Enjoying your pre trip report!

I'll be at Pop May 4th to 10th with my youngest DD(5). I saw you on the ADR thread and looks like we may be doing a few of the same meals. I have an AP discount on my Pop room and have added DDP. Here's what we're doing:
5/5 Tusker House breakfast 10:30
5/6 Crystal Palace 8:05 (my birthday)
5/6 California Grill 5:30
5/7 Garden Grill 6:10
5/8 O'Hana 10:50

This will be my 3rd early May trip. It is a great time to go. Temps in the high 80's/low 90's and the crowds are very managable. This will be my 5th trip to Pop. It is a really fun place! My heart belongs to the Poly but I just can not justify those prices now that the kids are older and the discounts are smaller.

I was just at Pop in January with my DS celebrating his 7th birthday. He LOVED Pop!!!

Ooooo, yay!!! I'm hearing great things about May at WDW - I'm getting pumped!!! Looks like we have the same reservation time for Crystal Palace - pretty sweet!

I'm in, I'm thinking of starting my own trip report and am trying to get inspired.

We'll be at Pop May 27-June 1, our 2nd trip to Pop, you will love it!

Courtney

Go ahead and start a pre-trippie! It's fun and makes the time pass a little more quickly (not much, but anything is better than letting time drag until the single digit dance commences!

lovesdumbo

02-27-2008, 07:37 PM

Ooooo, yay!!! I'm hearing great things about May at WDW - I'm getting pumped!!! Looks like we have the same reservation time for Crystal Palace - pretty sweet!
It is one my favorite meals at WDW!:thumbsup2

Hope your tailbone heals fast. Doesn't sound fun.:wizard:

dis75ney

02-27-2008, 08:02 PM

It is one my favorite meals at WDW!:thumbsup2

Hope your tailbone heals fast. Doesn't sound fun.:wizard:

It's actually healing a lot faster than I thought it would. My niece bruised her tailbone and couldn't walk right for several months. I can walk just fine - I have to be careful with getting into and out of seats. I look like a woman about to give birth trying to get up! :lmao:

dis75ney

03-03-2008, 08:59 AM

My countdown has changed to "1 month, 4 weeks, and 1 day!!!" It's getting ever closer! :woohoo:

And as my family's trip gets closer, my school load gets more and more heavy. :teacher: I have a biology quiz tomorrow, but after that things start lightening up a tad, so I'll be able to post the latest update I've been promising my faithful readers... :banana:

Or, if work keeps going the way it has been, I may be able to post sometime during working hours. We shall see... :rolleyes1

dis75ney

03-06-2008, 09:25 AM

All that studying has PAID OFF!!!

I got 48/50 on my last Biology test (25 questions worth 2 points each) - class average was 31!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:cool1: :banana: :woohoo: :dance3: :cheer2: :yay: :hyper:
party: :jumping1:

Yes, that's one of my catch phrases...

So, I only have one more assignment due before Monday, which shouldn't be too hard, then I can look forward to SPRING BREAK!!! And term paper research!

Today is a slow day at the office for me (I alternate between slow and fast days), so I may have an update posted sometime today. If not today, then hopefully tomorrow, as Friday nights are my self-imposed brain rest nights where no studying is allowed...

stagemomx3

03-06-2008, 09:35 AM

stagemomx3

03-06-2008, 09:36 AM

All that studying has PAID OFF!!!

I got 48/50 on my last Biology test (25 questions worth 2 points each) - class average was 31!!!

:woohoo: Congratulations!

ssmerdel

03-06-2008, 11:53 AM

I got 48/50 on my last Biology test (25 questions worth 2 points each) - class average was 31!!!

Nice Job!:thumbsup2

ssmerdel

03-06-2008, 11:55 AM

We'll be at Pop May 27-June 1, our 2nd trip to Pop, you will love it!

We will be at POP from May 30 to June 8. We will also have our LGMH with us. If you see it, say hi.

FauntleroyFAN07

03-06-2008, 12:22 PM

My countdown has changed to "1 month, 4 weeks, and 1 day!!!" It's getting ever closer! :woohoo:

stop rubbing it in, i still have at least a year before my next trip that is not schedule yet, but scheduled in my head.
:mad:

dis75ney

03-06-2008, 04:17 PM

Ouch! I hope your not to sore!

Soreness is starting to go away...just don't ask me to lift anything heavy. I guess this means Goofy will have to move all the luggage, huh? :woohoo:

:woohoo: Congratulations!

Nice Job!:thumbsup2

Thanks, guys! I was stressing over this last quiz, especially since my grade on the last one was not one of my better ones. Grades were so low on that quiz that the professor knocked ten points off the total value so the curve would be higher...

Now I have the midterm to worry about... :scared:

DisMomAmy

03-06-2008, 06:07 PM

Hi! I thought I'd join in on your PTR. I'm going to Pop in April with my mom. Sorry to hear about your tailbone - glad to hear it's healing up quickly - I fell backwards in a chair when I was a teenager and hurt my tailbone - it still hurts once in a while if I sit on the floor just right for too long. :headache:

FauntleroyFAN07

03-07-2008, 08:23 AM

dis75ney

03-07-2008, 08:29 AM

okay i actually went back and read all the updates...they were really good, you have a good writing style, fauntleroy approves and likes it.

great way to pick a resort, but i would have been a little more persuasive, and only picked out the resorts that i wanted to stay at and hammed up the pictures, so the kids would have picked what i wanted to stay at.
:thumbsup2

like you should have shown 10 pictures of chef mickeys and hte monorail going through the hotel, and that way it would have increased your odds of getting the contemporary.

:thumbsup2

keep up the good work, cant wait to read more

Why, thank you sir for those kind words! :worship:

I tried to only put the resorts that I really wanted into the slideshow, but Goofy was too smart for that. He read each of the hotel descriptions, so he would have known which ones were missing. Darn him... :mad:

And actually, I put up pics of Chef Mickeys and the monorail for the Contemporary - Natepoo wasn't having any of it. Growing up in Chicago, he likens the monorail to the CTA/Metra trains, and he thought the monorail was going to be too loud, even though I assured him that the monorail was very quiet... :lmao:

stagemomx3

03-07-2008, 08:30 AM

great way to pick a resort, but i would have been a little more persuasive, and only picked out the resorts that i wanted to stay at and hammed up the pictures, so the kids would have picked what i wanted to stay at.

:lmao: That's the way I got the kids to choose the resort I wanted.

dis75ney

03-07-2008, 08:36 AM

:lmao: That's the way I got the kids to choose the resort I wanted.

I don't mind the Pop...that was my value resort of choice, so I was happy. Would have been happier with a deluxe, but oh well...

Leave it to Goofy to actually pay attention to the planning process when it comes to spending money...next update gets interesting as we discuss dining options! :scared1:

dis75ney

03-07-2008, 07:33 PM

dreamer17555

03-07-2008, 08:07 PM

Oh I am so sorry for your loss. Hugs. :hug: You and your family will be in my prayers.

-Becca-

MomofCKJ

03-07-2008, 08:20 PM

I am so sorry for your loss.....:hug:

Allyson

Hedy

03-07-2008, 10:58 PM

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: I'm so sorry for your loss.

ssmerdel

03-08-2008, 06:19 AM

:grouphug: Sorry for your loss. You and your family will be in our prayers.

DisMomAmy

03-08-2008, 08:05 AM

Sorry for your loss. You'll be in my thoughts.

dis75ney

03-08-2008, 11:40 PM

Thank you all for your kinds words and thoughts. As much as we expected my grandmother to pass any day, it still came as a bit of a shock, considering that she didn't pass from the damage that 50+ years of chain smoking did to her body. She passed from an aneurysm that ruptured during a bad coughing fit (she had been getting over a cold)...

Good thing, though. Uncle Sam came through with our tax refund, so Stacy went out and got herself a bright shiny new laptop so she can do her homework without hearing Goofy sigh obnoxiously in the background because he wants to go online for Lego Star Wars walkthroughs!!! I'm actually typing this on the new toy!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!

But we now have a dilemma, and I need some assistance from my fellow DISers. Not thinking ahead, I rebooked our Disney trip for Dec 13-21. Well, guess when finals are for the fall semester??? You guessed it...Dec 16-19.

So, what do I do? I'm debating between pushing the trip up a week, or going in October for my birthday and Halloween (which is my favorite holiday). Natepoo wants to go during Christmas, and Goofy just wants to go when it's warm. What do you think? October or December? Help!!!

Hedy

03-09-2008, 10:25 AM

Up as in earlier in December? You'd be hitting Pop Warner, so I'd be inclined to say October.

DisMomAmy

03-09-2008, 11:25 AM

We had a blast in October. MNSSHP was fun and it was nice and warm too. :goodvibes

lovesdumbo

03-09-2008, 10:03 PM

We have decided to postpone our Disney trip after hearing that my grandmother passed away this afternoon. We may have to help pay funeral expenses, and the money we've saved for our trip will help my mother and uncle take care of final arrangements.

We will be rescheduling our trip for sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas and I'll update as more information becomes available. Please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers as we go through this difficult time...

Thanks...
Stacy

Thank you all for your kinds words and thoughts. As much as we expected my grandmother to pass any day, it still came as a bit of a shock, considering that she didn't pass from the damage that 50+ years of chain smoking did to her body. She passed from an aneurysm that ruptured during a bad coughing fit (she had been getting over a cold)...

Good thing, though. Uncle Sam came through with our tax refund, so Stacy went out and got herself a bright shiny new laptop so she can do her homework without hearing Goofy sigh obnoxiously in the background because he wants to go online for Lego Star Wars walkthroughs!!! I'm actually typing this on the new toy!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!

But we now have a dilemma, and I need some assistance from my fellow DISers. Not thinking ahead, I rebooked our Disney trip for Dec 13-21. Well, guess when finals are for the fall semester??? You guessed it...Dec 16-19.

So, what do I do? I'm debating between pushing the trip up a week, or going in October for my birthday and Halloween (which is my favorite holiday). Natepoo wants to go during Christmas, and Goofy just wants to go when it's warm. What do you think? October or December? Help!!!

I'm so sorry for your loss.:hug:

I think I would choose October. December can be VERY cold. I've been in Dec with it in the 80's and I've been with night time temps in the 30's.:scared1: If moving it up meant 12/6 to 12/14 that would mean you'd be worrying about final exams (I would if it were me). If it meant 12/20 - 12/27 it will be very crowded.

December is really nice with all the holiday stuff but I think October would work better for you and it is nice too. The Food & Wine fest is lots of fun and if you love Halloween you will love MNSSHP!

dis75ney

03-11-2008, 12:03 AM

Howdy all!

You can tell how tired I am by the use of the word "howdy."

Things are going okay here...for the moment anyway...my mom and uncle had their first big fight since my grandmother's death and both came out alive, so that's a good thing... :) We'll see what happens as the memorial date draws closer. Looking at Monday night now...gee, I have to go to court in the morning to give testimony in my best friend's sister's murderer's trial (I have to talk about what a great girl she was, so hopefully the judge will give the max sentence to her killer), then go to my grandmother's memorial service that night. Sounds like a fun day to me!!! :rolleyes2 *Insert raspberry sound here*

So, we decided to reschedule our trip (again!), but this time for October 4-12. Same plan as last time...but this will be more fun, since A. Halloween equals MNSSHP and B. my bday is Oct 5, so I'll be spending my bday in the happiest place on earth!

You know what's coming, right???

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:maleficen :ccat: :simba: :donald: :stitch: :dumbo: :sulley: :tigger: :figment: :goofy: :hmghost: :mickeyjum

I will be making the phone call to WDW tomorrow while Natepoo is at school. We're going to try and keep this trip quiet until about a week beforehand. He was quite agreeable when we told him we were postponing the trip because of Gram's health (not knowing that she had already passed), but he was a little sad when I took the countdown calendar off the wall of his room. I'd hate to get his hopes up and then have something come up to knock them down again... :sad1:

DisMomAmy

03-11-2008, 07:54 AM

dis75ney

03-19-2008, 12:07 AM

OK, I'm staying up WAY later than I really should, but I've been lax in posting updates here and I'm starting to feel guilty... :guilty:

So, anyway, as my title suggests, life sucks. It's not sucking as bad now as it was yesterday or last week, but sucking still sucks.

I really should cut down my use of the word "suck."

Since I last left my adoring audience :lmao: I was persuaded by office to take three days off for bereavement leave. I have to say, my company has one of the best bereavement polices around. They give you time off with pay if your father's-second cousin-four times removed-roommate dies. Can't complain, though...three days off with pay and without being charged absences? Count me in!

I also had to testify for my best friend in her ongoing battle with DCFS over custody of her daughter. Long story short...ex-boyfriend is being a massive ********* and telling DCFS that my friend is addicted to drugs and alcohol (nothing of the sort!), that she has mental health issues (well, sorry dude, but you'd have mental issues if your sister was brutally murdered, too), that her daughter has been left in the care of incompetent people (yours truly included), etc. So I went to DCFS and spent six hours waiting in uncomfortable chairs to be called in for five minutes of testimony confirming that Courtney is not, in fact, crazy or addicted to any kind of substances (with the exception of cigarettes, which I have been nagging her about since I've known her). Results from that hearing should come back within 45 days.

Then, I had part I of my biology midterm the night that same night (well, the DCFS thing was during the day - midterm was at night). Didn't tank as badly as I thought I did...so yay me!!!

Then yesterday...the day from hell and back with a couple of road trips to pergatory thrown in there. Was up bright and early for the sentencing hearing for my best friend's sister's murderer. She was stabbed to death almost four years ago and the guy was supposed to stand trial, but thanks to the incompetent legal system in Illinois, he did an Alford plea. This means that he gets to maintain his innocence, but concedes that if the case were to come before a judge or jury, then evidence presented would be enough to convict him. I like to call this a wuss's plea bargain...

Moving on...

Making an extremely long story unfairly short (but it is past my bedtime and I'm sure you don't want to hear details about the hearing), the dude gets 48 years in prison with credit for time served since his arrest. Max sentence he could have gotten (thanks to the stupid Alford plea) was sixty years. So that painful chapter is over...

I had my grandmother's memorial service last night after court. Wasn't too bad...made it through without crying. I think most of my tears were used during the hearing. I couldn't wait to get home and take my contacts out...

And today, I had part II of my Biology midterm. It sucked, but it didn't suck as bad as we thought it would suck...this was the general concensus amongst the students. Hopefully, the professor will have our grades up shortly...

So, I have some free time until Easter...yay! Hopefully, I'll be able to post more updates as the week goes on. I will hopefully keep all the same ADRs as last time (with a slight change in scheduling on one of them) when I call for the new dates, so I may just go until ADR details in my next post...

DisMomAmy

03-19-2008, 07:03 AM

Yikes! :scared1: It sounds like you need the next 6 months to go by lightening fast! Sorry to hear about your rough week(s). :grouphug:

dreamer17555

03-19-2008, 07:11 AM

That really is a very tough week. :hug: Here is hoping things are looking up in the coming days.

-Becca-

dis75ney

03-19-2008, 08:33 AM

Yikes! :scared1: It sounds like you need the next 6 months to go by lightening fast! Sorry to hear about your rough week(s). :grouphug:

Thanks for your kind words. Yes, I do need the next six months to fly by!!! We're in the beginning stages of planning a weekend getaway sometime soon, just to decompress and get away from it all...not sure where we'd be going yet, though...

That really is a very tough week. :hug: Here is hoping things are looking up in the coming days.

-Becca-

Thanks, Becca. Things are already starting to look up...I get to pick up Girl Scout cookies today! Mmmmmmm...peanut butter patties...

dis75ney

03-24-2008, 05:03 PM

Or should I say..."winter break." :cold:

Snow! Eight inches!! On the first day of spring!!! What is this world coming to, I ask??? Get me to Florida!!! :beach:

Moving on...

Since I'm bored at work and need something to keep me awake, I thought I'd post another quick update. No ADR info yet, as I left all that stuff at home, but just life in general...

First off: School
I somehow managed to pull an 80% on my Biology lab midterm (scary part - I was one of two people with the highest scores in the class! :scared1: ), and then somehow managed to pull an 84% on my lecture midterm! Don't ask me how I did that, as midterms happened to fall directly on my week from hell, where I got 0 studying done thanks to court, funerals, and more court... :confused3

But it gets better...oh yes it does...

I get to lab last Thursday, which is the last class I have before spring (winter) break starts. Professor starts the class by announcing that the scores on BOTH tests were WAY below what she expected (class average for both was around 69%). Bear in mind, this is her first semester teaching after getting her PhD, and it doesn't look good for a first-time teacher to have such low grades at midterm. So she tells us three things:

1. She is adding five points to everyone's lab midterm grade! :woohoo:
2. She is knocking down the value of the lecture midterm to 96 points, rather than 100 points! :yay:
3. She is offering extra credit in the form of crossword puzzles! 20 points available! :cheer2:

You know what's coming...

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

So I spent a good chunk of the weekend researching answers to the crossword puzzles :surfweb: :badpc: and finally completed them last night after recruiting hubby to help. 20 extra points, here I come! :dance3:

Second: Life in general

Life is definitely taking a swing upward since I last updated. We opted to skip Easter festivities with my family...since my grandmother's passing, I knew it was just going to dissolve into massive chaos, which it did. My sanity held together much better after lunch at Boston Market (Natepoo MUST make a commercial for them someday) and a viewing of Horton Hears a Who... :cloud9:

Thanks to the tax rebate stimulus, we will be receiving $1500 on May 9th, plus I will get my tuition reimbursement about two weeks later, so if all continues to go well in my classes, I'll be getting back around $900 (we are reimbursed 90% of we get an A or B in our classes). We could certainly use the cash...I'm trying to get us settled into a budget plan and this gives us a nice little cushion to fall back on. Plus...I think Disney might be getting a decent chunk of that money as well! :mickeyjum

I have taken up a new pasttime. The guy in the cube next to me has a tendency to do one of three things:
1. Belch.
2. Curse very loudly.
3. Do both of the above at the same time.
Goofy has taken it upon himself to have me notify him whenever one of the three aforementioned things happens and has compiled a spreadsheet breaking down the statistics of said occurences. I've joked to Goofy that one's watch could be set by the belching, and it turns out I wasn't that far from the truth! :laughing:

Other than that, not much else is going on. How's 'bout you all???

dis75ney

03-27-2008, 03:33 PM

Snowing AGAIN!!!

What is this world coming to, I ask?

And Goofy wonders why I want to move to Florida... :lmao:

dis75ney

04-17-2008, 11:36 AM

Good morning, my loyal and faithful readers! :lmao: :rotfl2: :rotfl:

I'm not laughing at you guys, I'm laughing at myself. I'm going a little loopy at the moment, so if I seem really off or disjointed, please feel free to call the authorites to put me in a pretty white coat with no zippers....if anything, it'll get me out of finals...

First, CONGRATULATIONS to FauntleroyFan07 and his DW on the birth of their DS! Start planning his first trip to WDW now!!! :woohoo:

Let's see...when I last left you, I was complaining about the lack of spring. Spring has FINALLY decided to...SPRING...itself on the Windy City, as evidenced by the first wasp to make it into our house this season, along with the first ants. We really need to replace the screen windows one of the these days...

Counting down the days until the end of the spring semester...only 30 days left!!! And I have to try and cram two Biology tests, two Sociology tests, one Communications test, one Biology paper, and three Communications papers into those 30 days. It'd be nice if my Communications professor would get back to me about changing one of my paper topics, especially considering that I can't really drop in during office hours, as she's in Ohio...gotta love online classes! *Insert raspberry sounds here* At least I've learned my lesson for the fall...only two classes, and my online class has a local professor this time... :cloud9:

But on to happier things...DISNEY WORLD!!! :cool1:

Chapter Four...Where the He** Did I Leave Off? Oh, Yeah...Food Stuffs...

I have no idea where I left off on my PTR, so I'll just discuss what's happened since my grandmother's illness and resulting death forced the postponement of our May trip. If I repeat any information, as I tell Natepoo all the time, too bad. Deal and move on.

I'm such a bad mommy... :laughing:

Natepoo wanted to go to WDW during the holiday season. Goofy still wanted to swim. What to do? :confused3

Thanks to the freakingly AWESOME people here on the Dis :disrocks: , I discovered the horror that is Pop Warner week (further research confirmed that Pop Warner would be held the week we would be down there). Also, several Disers pointed out that the dates for the suggested trip coincided with the week before finals for the fall semester, and did I really want to be thinking about final exams while in Disney World? No, siree, Bob!!! Who is Bob, anyway?

So I made the executive decision to push up our trip to October 4-12. I made this decision for four reasons:

1. Staying away from Pop Warner! :scared1:
2. It'd be easier for me to miss classes earlier in the semester - it'd be easier on Natepoo as well, since we'd be pulling him out of school for our trip and I'd rather pull him out earlier than later...plus he's already got Columbus Day off, so one less day off on his record... :upsidedow
3. Halloween! Not So Scary Halloween Party! My favorite holiday!!! 'Nuff said... :dance3:
4. My birthday just happens to fall within our trip dates! I'd be spending my birthday in the happiest place on Earth! :bday:

Goofy: "So I don't have to buy you anything for your birthday, right? The trip's going to be your present..."
Me: "All it means is that I can buy whatever I want in Disney and you can't yell at me, because it's my birthday and those are the rules!"
Goofy: :furious:
Me: :rotfl:

I like making my own rules...

We will still be driving down to Florida :drive: , starting before the butt crack of dawn on October 3 :scared: . Plan is to get to Cocoa Beach sometime during the evening of October 3, spend the night at a local hotel, and then spend October 4 at Kennedy Space Center before driving down to Orlando. Both Goofy and Natepoo want to see "space stuff" (as Goofy so technically put it), and we will be taking Natepoo to dinner at the McDonalds with the world's largest PlayPlace (we saw that on the Travel Channel, and Natepoo was utterly fascinated by it). We'll take it easy the first night...explore the resort (we're still staying at PopCentury), maybe hit DTD...and be ready and raring to hit Epcot for my birthday the next day!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Goofy: "Why aren't we going to the Magic Kingdom on our first day?"
Me: "It's my birthday, and I can do whatever I want! Since Epcot's my favorite park, we're going there the first day. Deal!"

And we went back to playing Phase 10...otherwise known in our house as Damn It! :lmao:

I've heard that it's not the best idea to start school-age kids at WDW with the Magic Kingdom - makes them think the rest of the parks are all fantasy and fun, and they may not get all the educational things that Epcot and Animal Kingdom have to offer. Since we're pulling Natepoo out of school, we need to try and force as much education into that child as possible before we - GASP! - have fun!

Onto Goofy's favorite thing - FOOD!

Me: "We're going on the Dining Plan."
Goofy: "How much will that cost us?"
Me: :headache:
Goofy: "I just want to make sure we get our money's worth!"
Me: "We will, dear...I'll have my bottomless pits at my disposal."

Goofy just stares for a few seconds until he realizes that I'm talking about him and Natepoo...

Me: "I'm leaning toward the deluxe plan..."
Goofy: "Isn't that more expensive?"
Me: "Yes, dear, but we get three meals a day with appetizer included, so for you being diabetic, it works out better for you."

I'm not fond of one change in the regular dining plan - that's the elimination of the appetizer. I would have been ecstatic if the dessert were eliminated rather than the appetizer (I'm not a big sweets fan) or a choice was given between appetizer or dessert, since Goofy REALLY should limit his sweet intake because of the diabetes. Or allow for medical exceptions for people that can't (or shouldn't) have dessert...but I'm getting on my soapbox again...

Goofy: "So I get the choice of appetizer or dessert?"
Me: "No...you get both."
Goofy: "And I get an entree too?"
Me: "Yep."
Goofy: "And a beverage??"
Me: "Yep."
Goofy: "And it's already paid for?"
Me: "Yep."
Goofy: "So I could get whatever I want???"
Me: "Well, I don't think sushi is included..."
Goofy: :sick:
Me: "And alcoholic beverages are separate, but everything else should be included..."
Goofy: :banana:

Hence our decision to go with the deluxe dining plan. I think this is the one spot of our vacation where Goofy is actually happy to spend money...well, this and the Lego store. :rolleyes1

Next chapter: ADRs!!!

dis75ney

04-17-2008, 12:09 PM

Chapter Five...The Places That Will Assist In Our Gaining Ten Pounds On Vacation - AKA ADRs!

I had a massively huge post at first, but then decided to split it into two shorter (but still long) posts...I think I would have gotten lynched if I posted something HUGE with no pictures involved...

So, here's the ADRs that we have planned, and the reasoning behind them (as long as it's interesting and makes for a good story):

October 5:
Breakfast - Chef Mickeys 8:35am
Me: "One of my faves from our last visit, and not just because I was pregnant and could only eat breakfast and World Showcase foods without feeling nauseous. Very fun atmosphere and AWESOME breakfasts!"
Goofy: "Is this the place where they swing the napkins? I never understood the point of that..."
Natepoo: "Can we meet Mickey here?"

Lunch - Counter Service
Me: "I'm thinking Sunshine Seasons...I've heard good things about this spot..."

Dinner - Yachtman Steakhouse 6:30pm
Me: "Happy birthday to me!"
Goofy: "MEAT!" *Insert Tim Allen-esque manly grunt noise here*
Natepoo: "Puzzle dessert? That sounds fun...oooo, Mickey pasta!"

October 6:
Breakfast - Tusker House with Donald 8:05am
Me: "This one's for you, Natepoo!"
Goofy: "Buffet? Count me in!"
Natepoo: "DONALD!!!" :donald:

Lunch - Counter Service
Me: "I want Flame Tree!"
Goofy: "OK..."
Natepoo: "It won't be as good as Grandpa's barbeque..."

*I have to interject that my parents used to own a barbeque restaurant, and that my dad makes the best freakin' barbeque pulled pork sandwiches EVER!!! Grandpa's barbeque is the only barbeque Natepoo has ever known...except for a place called Russell's (AKA The Weathers Family Hangout), but I digress. Let's just say Flame Tree has some big shoes to fill...*

Dinner - Jiko 5:30pm
Me: "Date night!!!"
Goofy: "Can we go to the new karaoke place at Universal?"
Me: :thumbsup2
Natepoo: "But what about me?"
Me: "You're going to Simba's Cubhouse to have fun with other kids."
Natepoo: "Am I spending the night there?" :guilty:
Me: "Nope - we'll come get you after we're done." :hug:
Natepoo: "OK!"

October 7:
Breakfast - Counter service
Me: "I may change this to Boma after hearing some rave reviews..."

Lunch - Sci Fi Dine In 11:30am
Me: "Burgers and shakes!!! Mmmmmmmmmmmm..."
Goofy: "Science fiction! Mmmmmmmmmmm..."
Natepoo: "We can eat in a car! Mmmmmmmmmmmmm..."

Dinner - 50s Prime Time Cafe 5:30pm
Me: "I hope Goofy has to stand in the corner again..."
Natepoo: "Mommy said Daddy has to stand in the corner last time...I hope Daddy has to stand in the corner this time..."
Goofy: "I hope I don't have to stand in the corner again..."

October 8:
Breakfast - Crystal Palace 8:05am
Me: "TIGGER!!!!" :tigger:
Goofy: "BREAKFAST LASAGNA!!!" :goofy:
Natepoo: "You guys are weird..." :sad2:

Lunch - Counter Service
Me: "We're playing this one by ear..."

Dinner - Whispering Canyon Cafe 6:10pm
Me: "I have to figure out a way for Natepoo to ask for ketchup..."
Goofy: "Self - do not ask for ketchup."
Natepoo: "Do they have ketchup?"

October 9:
Breakfast - Counter Service
Me: "We should eat in our resort's food court at least once during our trip...right?"

Lunch - Teppan Edo 12pm
Goofy: "Is this the Benihana place?"
Me: ::yes::
Natepoo: "Wonder what kind of trouble I can get myself into here..." :idea:

Dinner - Rose & Crown Dining Room 7:30pm
Me: "Maybe they'll give us a good seat for my birthday...?"
Goofy: (while looking at the menu) "What is this crap? Ooooooo...mushrooms..."
Me: "You realize you won't be able to kiss me for several hours afterwards if you eat those..." (I am highly allergic to mushrooms)
Natepoo: "Grandma says British food isn't good..." :snooty:

*Another note - my mother is OBSESSED with British history and skips over to the other side of the pond every year (Her outgoing message on her cell says she cannot answer her 'mobile' at the moment). She then comes back and complains about how she didn't eat anything in England because their food sucks...*

October 10:
Breakfast - O'Hanas 8:15am
Natepoo: "LILO AND STITCH!!!" :stitch:

Lunch - Counter Service
Me: "Again, playing by ear..."

Dinner - Liberty Tree Tavern 5pm
Goofy: "What's family style?"
Me: "Like a buffet, except the servers bring the food to the table rather than us getting up to get food."
Goofy: "So it's all you can eat?"
Me: ::yes::
Goofy: :banana:
Natepoo: "Mac and cheese!!!" :banana:

**Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party tonight!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

October 11:

I HAVE NOTHING PLANNED FOR THIS DAY!!!

I'm thinking about making this a water park/DTD day, but I feel like I should add a TS in here somewhere. Anyone have any thoughts?

October 12:
Breakfast - Cinderella's Royal Table 8:10am
Me: "Our last morning tradition..." :sad1:
Goofy: "I get to flirt with princesses...cool..." *Insert Beavis and Butthead laugh here...
Natepoo: "I get to flirt with princesses...cool...I hope it's not too girly..." :scared:

So that's it...our dining in a nutshell. Any thoughts or suggestions (especially on the open day)?

DisMomAmy

04-17-2008, 12:44 PM

I have to go back and read your two new posts, but just wanted to say "Hi" and that I'm glad your back with some new updates! Amy

Hedy

04-17-2008, 01:09 PM

I'm eating at tusker House in august-I'll report back!
Why did Goofy need to stand in the corner?

dis75ney

04-17-2008, 01:14 PM

I have to go back and read your two new posts, but just wanted to say "Hi" and that I'm glad your back with some new updates! Amy

Glad to be back...and to have a not so busy day at work! :hug:

I'm eating at tusker House in august-I'll report back!
Why did Goofy need to stand in the corner?

Oooo...yes, please do!

If I remember correctly, Goofy was caught with his elbows on the table and then proceeded to smart off to our "aunt"...I just sat back and watched Goofy make a fool of himself... popcorn::

randy4au

05-27-2008, 11:20 PM

dis75ney

05-30-2008, 01:51 PM

Hey Stacy! I haven't visited your report in a while (or anyone else's for that matter). I see your trip is only 4 months away. I'm sure you're getting excited. Wish I was going back this year, but it will probably be another year or two before we make it back to WDW.

Well, darn you Randy! You should be ashamed!

But then, what does it say about me when I haven't visited my own pre-trippie in several weeks...shame on me! :blush:

dis75ney

07-11-2008, 01:47 PM

Hello, my loyal and faithful readers!

Since nothing exciting has been happening in the world of WDW trip planning (well, something has happened, but it's more irritating to the Obsessive Disney Planner that I am, and I will detail in a later post), I thought I would start sharpening my typing hands and write up a mini trip report from the Griffiths Family Trek to the Taste of Chicago on June 28.

But first, an apology for the size of the pics...I'm trying to get the rest sized down a bit...

And now, a brief re-introduction of the cast:
Me
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00048.jpg
Should now be known as a chameleon...if a chameleon can turn several shades of red in a span of six hours...

Dean (AKA Goofy)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00010.jpg
Has a fascination with shiny things...

Nathan (AKA Natepoo)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00009.jpg
Points out Crocs wherever he goes...

Flat Jordan
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00076-1.jpg
Makes a brief appearance later in the TR - mainly because I was a bad person and left him in the car (I'll explain later)...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/tastelogo08_4.gif
For those of you unaware of the Taste of Chicago, this is an annual event held sometime in a ten day period surrounding the Fourth of July. There are approximately one million booths (I counted!) lining a several-city-block long stretch of Chicago's Grant Park offering tasty morsels of food Chicago is famous for (deep-dish pizza, Italian beef, Chicago-style hot dogs) and not-so-famous for (beignets? sauteed goat?). There's also extremely expensive carnival rides and nightly entertainment that we always plan to stick around for but never make it (Stevie Wonder was performing the night we were there).

I figured that June 28 would be a perfect day to go to the Taste. Not only was it opening weekend, but this weekend was also Chicago's Umpteenth Annual Pride Weekend AND the second installment of Chicago's Crosstown Classic (in which my beloved Cubbies lost in a most spectacular fashion to the evil White Sox :sad1: ). I thought, with the three big events going on in the city, that the crowds would be less than standing-room-only and we should be in good shape...

Goofy: "Does this mean I don't get to go to the Container Store this weekend?"

As I have mentioned previously in cast introductions, Goofy hates spending money on most things. Food and anything Lego related are the two exceptions to this rule. And in order to keep his ever-growing Lego collection from overtaking the house, Goofy has been fixated on organizing his millions of Lego pieces with something from the Container Store. Why said organizational thingie cannot be purchased at Home Depot or Wally World is beyond me.

Me: "Well, where would you rather go? The Taste or Container Store?"

*Insert Jeopardy theme song here* (Side note: I think Goofy is still pondering this question)

While Goofy ponders his answer, I make the executive decision to go to the Taste. Container Store will still be there next weekend...

Saturday, June 28, 2008

My goal for this morning was to leave our house by 9:30am in order to make the 9:52 train (we live about 20 minutes from the train station). You would think in the 10+ years that I've been married to Goofy that I would have learned one thing: In order for us to be on time anywhere, I need to tell Goofy that the event starts 15 minutes prior to the actual start time. Case in point - I should have said we needed to leave the house by 9:15am rather than 9:30am. Since I have not learned said lesson, we end up BOLTING out of the house at 9:35am. This forces me to break posted speed limits in the hopes that I can shorten the 20 minute trip to 15 minutes. Did my breaking the law work in our favor?

After 13 minutes of praying that a cop was not around the corner on radar duty and/or cursing the two red lights that stopped us en route, I swing into an empty parking space at the Metra station with just enough time to pull out Natepoo's sunglasses from our box o' Disney crap and snap this picture:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00008-1.jpg
Sweet! Just saved $1.50!

We clambor onto the train for the hour long journey into the city.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00011.jpg
$5 adult weekend tickets! Double sweetness! I then realize I left Flat Jordan in the van... :mad:

Natepoo entertains himself with his Autobot Jazz:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00015.jpg

Goofy entertains himself with Natepoo's sunglasses:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00014-1.jpg

While I bone up on Disney knowledge:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00013.jpg

I must also mention that this trip was the first trip for my newly purchased Baggalini. How does it rate? It's the best bag EVER (except that it leaves weird sunburn lines on one's chest). Definitely coming with us on future trips! :thumbsup2

At each stop, Natepoo makes mention of any Crocs he sees on fellow travelers. I don't know what his recent fascination is with Crocs...could be that I just bought two pairs myself, maybe?

We make it into Chicago at 11:10am - just after the Taste opened. After a brief stop in the Grand Hall of Union Station, we make our way out into the city. As we're crossing the Chicago River, I whip out the camera for these pics:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00016.jpg
I was actually more intrigued with the river - still looks green after the traditional St. Patrick's Day dying, doesn't it?

We continue walking down Jackson Street, and Goofy spots his first shiny thing:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00019-1.jpg
Shiny thing count: 1

We also happen to be next to the tallest building in the US:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00021.jpg

After the obligatory shot, we continue down Jackson, with Goofy stopping to smell the spearmint:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00022.jpg

New party game! Find Goofy and Natepoo!
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00025.jpg

Goofy spots more shiny things:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/dis75ney/Taste%20Pics/DSC00028.jpg
Shiny thing count: 2 & 3

CONTINUED IN NEXT POST...

Hedy

07-11-2008, 01:52 PM

Oh, sounds like fun.

dis75ney

08-29-2008, 12:15 PM

I am reminded of Peter Boyle's character on Everybody Loves Raymond...loved that guy...

Anyway, yes, I know I've been lax in putting up updates on a regular basis. I hang my head in shame and ask for your forgiveness as I repent of my sin against my loyal and faithful readers... :guilty:

My computer (where I happen to have all of my Taste of Chicago pics) has been acting up BIG time. So I've pretty much given up on getting that part of the PTR completed. I have now learned my lesson and will make to sure load all pictures onto my laptop, rather than our POS desktop. DH is attempting to move stuff from our regular C drive to a separate storage hard drive in preparation for a new computer, but guess what??? Trouble, she is a-brewin'! :mad:

I should also add to my dislikes from my first post: Computers

So, my loyal and faithful readers, you may be asking, "Why has Stacy not posted anything in her PTR since...the beginning of time?" Well, let me tell you why!

August sucks. It seems like everybody and their grandmother-in-law-five-times-removed has a birthday in August. Niece, cousin, grandfather, dad, uncle, Natepoo, mom, grandmother, ex-stepmother-in-law (no, I'm not making that title up!), and countless others...it's insane!!! My entire August budget tends to go to birthday cards and various giftage...

OK, maybe not my entire budget, but pretty darned close... :mad:

Another reason August sucks? Vacations. No, not my own...that's coming up in 34 sleeps. Coworkers just felt like they HAD to take vacations this month. Let me tell you, it's no fun being short-staffed and having two to three people out per day. Stacy's in-box was not a pretty sight. But thankfully, people are back now and shouldn't be out until the end of September/beginning of October... :woohoo:

Aside from birthdays galore, there was also wedding galore. I didn't perform any duties this time around except as page-turner-extraordinaire for Goofy, but Goofy was asked at the last minute to be the musician for the wedding - not because someone fell through, but because the bride forgot to ask him earlier :headache: . Bride was a wee bit stressed out...she was such a mess before the rehearsal that I was glad I was so laid-back about my wedding that I forgot to order the wedding cake until a week before the wedding. The bride and groom are now happily honeymooning in San Diego and our lives are somewhat back to normal...

OK, so those have been the icky things about August. Now the happy things (I can see the bright side of things, too...I don't just rant all the time...Goofy would tend to disagree with me, though):

Natepoo is now 8 years old! Goofy, Auntie April (my best friend), and I took Natepoo to Rainforest Cafe for a most delicious-if-overly-salty lunch, where Natepoo was showered with a Toys-R-Us gift card, a Best Buy gift card, a new Lego Indiana Jones set, and (possibly the coolest thing on the planet) a Lightning Glass! Seriously, this thing rocks. Word of warning, though...make sure you lift the glass straight up to turn the lights on/off, instead of tipping the full glass over. :rolleyes1 We then went to Toys-R-Us to spend said gift card, where Natepoo chose another Lego Indiana Jones set. We then went home and all watched Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. :3dglasses

Methinketh Natepoo is obsessed with Indiana Jones... :rotfl:

Natepoo is also a second-grader! He is super excited about starting a new grade. His teacher is currently on maternity leave and will return the same day Natepoo returns from our trip, but the substitute is an absolute doll. She wholeheartedly approved of us taking Natepoo out of school and may arrange to come in the day that Natepoo gives his presentation on what he learned while at Disney. Natepoo is most excited about his student planner. Yes, the second graders get student planners/assignment notebooks this year. They felt like such grown-ups... :rotfl:

And - in the grand tradition of saving the best for last...

My workplace has decided to let some of us peons work from home starting next week! Wait for it...

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, rather than having an hour commute each way to the office, I will only have to commute two flights of stairs. SWEET!!!!!!!!!! :banana:

So that amounts to the rest of my summer. These next few days will be a flurry of packing up my cubicle and transitioning to a home office, packing up stuff that I won't be needing over the next few weeks in order to get a head start on packing for Disney, and reminding Goofy just how many days we have left until we leave. :stir:

Goofy is stressing out about leaving the office for a grand total of six days...however will the company survive without his expertise? He has been Jonesing for a Crackberry specifically for this trip, so he can check his email and take any emergency calls. I feel like MissCammie (who has an awesome trip report, BTW) in having to limit his office calls to one per day...the company survived for many, many years before he joined, I'm sure they can make it for six days (he gets Yom Kippur off thanks to the owners being Jewish)...

OK, since we are now talking about Disney things (Happy place!), there have been some changes to our Disney trip...not many, just to try and save money here and there...

1. At this point, we have decided to forgo the DDP. This may make a reappearance, though...if my mother's brother decides to stop being a buttinsky and give me my grandmother's inheritance ("I don't have to give it to you yet! The terms of the will aren't up until December! You never visited your grandmother and aren't entitled to anything!" Well, guess what, dummy...what you say doesn't matter! The will is a legal document, dorkwad! *Clears throat* Moving on...)

2. I was able to apply the GP code for fall/winter and saved another $500...adding in the cancellation of the DDP, I saved about $1100 more than before! You may now bow down before the Queen of Discounts!

3. Slight change of itinerary. Instead of leaving before the butt crack of dawn on October 3, we will be leaving after dinner on October 2 and driving straight through the night. All of us really want to eat at the Varsity in Atlanta after seeing it on a Travel Channel special, so we're going to try and time things so we get to Atlanta after the morning rush hour, spend a little time at the World of Coca Cola, and then have lunch at the Varsity before heading to Cocoa Beach and Kennedy Space Center.

My little laptop has been bustling with activity in preparation for our trip. I've created a picture itinerary, am working on sorting Tshirt transfers for eventual shirt-making, and have created (with the assistance of various DISigners) autograph pages and a travel journal for Natepoo to complete while in WDW. I also took a page from MissCammie and started carrying around a small notebook to jot notes in...Lord knows I won't be able to remember everything from day to day...

And possiblly the most scary thing to ever happen in my financial lifetime...

I PAID OFF THE TRIP!!! :scared:

I honestly think that this is the most I have ever put on a debit card in one purchase. I tend to wince if I put $100 on this card, and Goofy had to take control of the mouse and hit "Submit Payment"...my hand was shaking so badly. Not fun, in my opinion. But at least the trip is paid off, and we can go to Disney knowing we won't have any bills to come home to... :thumbsup2 Now to save up the spending money... :idea:

I hope everyone had a great summer! Fall looks to be even more fun!!!

Hedy

08-29-2008, 12:24 PM

It's so close! I can't believe it!

1hero2princesses

08-29-2008, 02:19 PM

I just started reading your stuff. Very funny. I live in the very distant suburbs of chicago although I have lived in like 8 different suburbs over the years.

dis75ney

09-02-2008, 10:05 AM

It's so close! I can't believe it!

I know! I'm getting so excited...if anything for the fact that I can now work on Disney-trip-stuff when I'm supposed to be working! Just don't tell my boss that...I'd get into trouble...

And on a side note, I love your tag about the burnt popcorn! One of the things I'll be ecstatic about when working from home is that I no longer have to smell burnt popcorn every day on my way out of the office. That darned "Popcorn" button was the worst thing to ever put on a microwave, IMO. Pushing said "Popcorn" button does NOT allow you to leave the microwave for five minutes while your afternoon snack takes on the appearance of charcoal and leaves those of us near the breakroom nauseated!

*Clears throat* Moving on...

I just started reading your stuff. Very funny. I live in the very distant suburbs of chicago although I have lived in like 8 different suburbs over the years.

Thank you very much! I always enjoy being able to corrupt new readers...

Which distant suburb do you live in? I'm up in the WAY northern suburbs by the WI border (seriously, you could throw a baseball and hit a Cheesehead)...

dis75ney

09-11-2008, 05:14 PM

Hello my loyal and faithful readers!

Well, since my last update, our lives are in the process of turning completely upside-down (in both a good and somewhat-bad-but-good-in-the-long-run way)...let's start at the beginning, shall we? :thumbsup2

Goofy informed me last Thursday that he is being let go from his job effective Friday. :scared1: He will continue to be paid through the end of September, though, and his boss is helping him find another job quickly (hopefully by the time we come back from vacation). Keep your fingers crossed that Goofy finds something quickly!!!

Now, normally I would say "Scrap the trip!", call Disney for an immediate refund, and hunker down until Goofy is working again. :sad: However, Goofy and I talked it over, and we've decided that we are going to go ahead with our plans. Natepoo has been looking forward to this trip for so long, and since it's paid off in full, and Goofy is still going to be paid for the last two weeks of this month, we decided to throw caution to the wind and go! :banana:

OK, not throwing caution to the wind, exactly, but you get the general idea... :lmao:

Here's the exciting part. Goofy has finally realized that he is not cut out for the business part of the computer world. :rolleyes: I roll my eyes because I knew pretty much from the moment I met Goofy 12+ years ago that he wasn't cut out for the business world. Don't get me wrong, Goofy is awesome wth computers. He can take one apart and put it back together like nobody's business (while I would be seconds from chucking the darned thing out the window :badpc:), but he can't deal with people not getting their act together and sending him info he needs to get his job done. :mad: So, with this knowledge, Goofy will be going back to school in January for his teaching degree! :yay: He has such a great way with kids, and also loves science and math, so he'll be going for his Masters in Elementary Education with a concentration on science for middle school. :teacher: :stir:

We have found a program offered through an area university that allows Goofy to take classes on Saturdays and online, so he will be able to find a job in the meantime. He is actually looking into working retail at this point...he reasons that with the holidays coming up and his availability during the day, he shouldn't have a problem finding a position relatively quickly. And now that I'm working from home, we don't have to pay as much for daycare, either! :cheer2:

So while I was upset and crying over this a few days ago, I feel like God is telling me to calm down and that everything will work out according to His plan. Yes, this puts my plans for a nursing degree on the back burner, but that doesn't bother me so much. Heck, my grandmother went back to school to get her RN degree at 65...another two years shouldn't be a big deal for me, right? ::yes::

That's what I thought, too...

So, that's where we stand right now. We have decided to scrap our plans to go to Kennedy Space Center - tickets for the three of us would run over $100 for a bus tour and looking at old rockets. :faint: We have Adler Planetarium and the Cernan Space Center here in the Chicagoland area...and both are a heck of a lot cheaper to get into... :3dglasses

We are now considering driving to Atlanta and spending the night there on October 3, arriving in the World on 10/4. I'm also debating whether to add an extra day onto our tickets...or just taking it easy our first afternoon/night there and be raring to go on the 5th...

I'm also attempting to make dinner reservations for 1900 Park Fare on the 5th. I think this would be a blast for my birthday dinner (and a possible hit-up to MNSSHP - another fun birthday treat! Yes, still $120 for the three of us, but we don't have a Disney World around Chicago).

Decisions, decisions...wonder what will happen next? :confused3

Hedy

09-11-2008, 05:17 PM

Well, I'm glad Goofy's found his passion.
And normally I'd be in the cancel wagon, but given how many times you've rescheduled, I say go for it!

dis75ney

09-23-2008, 11:19 AM

Hello my loyal and faithful readers!

Well, we are officially at the single digit mark!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:banana:

Natepoo wants to see the dancing banana when he gets home from school today...

Anywho, T-minus 9 days and counting until our road trip! Things have been a-flyin' in the Tigger/Goofy household...mainly clothing and papers as Goofy and I attempt to pack at the same time while I'm printing journals, passports, and t-shirt transfers. My poor printer has been working overtime, so I've been doubling its salary... :laughing:

And on that note, I must apologize for my massive goofball-ness. It seems that my office chair was possessed with the spirit of my ex-boyfriend, who was quite the prankster while on this earth. My office chair just so happened to roll out from under me while I was attempting to sit down after fixing my office phone, which resulted in my tailbone having direct, forceful contact with my very hard concrete basement floor. :headache:

And 12 days before Disney!!! :mad:

Darn you, Eric!!! :angel:

So I have been hopped up on Advil for the past three days, which is alternately making me loopy and sleepy (go figure). I am starting the weaning process today, and so far I must say I'm actually doing okay. Keep your fingers crossed that my backside can handle a 15 hour road trip...

ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP!!!

Speaking of, we have made a slight change in our schedule. Goofy's mom has been making a gradual move to an assisted living facility over the past several weeks, and while most of her stuff is at her new apartment, there is still some cleaning to be done, along with a lawn mower that needs to be picked up for Goofy's sister-in-law. So, Goofy will be heading down to southern IL on October 1 to help with the cleaning and final moving of possessions. Goofy will be driving our trusty Jessi and spending the night there. I will be pulling Natepoo out of school around noonish on October 2 in order to make the 12:54pm train to Chicago. Natepoo and I will then be train-hopping and taking the 4pm train to Centralia, IL, which is one town away from Goofy and his mother. Goofy will pick us up around 8pm (I'm assuming that Amtrak will be on time :rotfl: ), and we will spend the night in the old house. October 3, Goofy, Natepoo, and I will take Goofy's mom out to breakfast and from there head out on our magical adventure! We will pick up the previously mentioned lawn mover on our way back from Chattanooga...

We have also made the decision to spend the night of October 3rd in Marietta, GA. With the Natepoo being awake for most of the trip, we figured we'd knock driving down to a reasonable 8 hours per day. We still get to eat at the Varsity :yay: , and we get a decent amount of sleep before FREE BREAKFAST at our hotel and the remaining 8 hours of driving...

Of course, I'll be so excited I might make that journey in six hours rather than eight... :drive:

In addition to being allowed to do the single-digit-dance, today is also the "Day of Reckoning" regarding my grandmother's will. As you may not recall (mainly because I didn't say anything about this), my mother's brother (henceforth known as "Butthead" :mad: ) and my mother are to split my grandmother's estate - with some amounts set aside as special gifts to my two cousins and myself - down the middle. The estate is composed pretty much only of my grandmother's house, which Butthead has lived in since he was born. Butthead, as executor of the will, had 180 days from the date of my grandmother's death to either sell the house or buy out my mother and us special gifters. If he does not prove to my mother and our attorney that he is ACTIVELY looking for a mortgage (and not going to a mortgage lender today to attempt to get one), the house goes on the market tomorrow. Now, given the state of the housing market, I would normally worry about this, but given the house's location, this sucker will probably sell within the week it goes on the market. Yes, the location is THAT good. ::yes::

Now, normally I wouldn't wish bad things on anybody, but for Butthead I'll make the exception... :mad: He's not a very nice man, Butthead. I'm hoping that the house goes on the market, sells, and I get my inheritance, mainly so I never have to deal with Butthead again. He's no longer my family, as far as I'm concerned. I won't go into details, but let's just say that he lives up to the more vulgar version of his nickname...

OK, away from the family drama...on to engagement drama!!! :headache:

My best friend and her fiance have been convinced (by me, of course) to honeymoon at Disney World! Tee hee!!! We (Goofy, my DBF April, her DF Randy, Natepoo, and myself) went to dinner at the Olive Garden - where breadsticks were violated - and then came home to watch the planning video and see where April and Randy wanted to stay. Hence commenced the drama...

I will excuse April because she has pregnancy brain-and-emotions...

Their conversation basically went like this:

April: "So do you want to do this?" (Referring to putting down the deposit:scared: )
Randy: "Do you?"
Natepoo: "Do you want to look at my DS, Randy?" :hyper:
Me: "Natepoo, we're trying to discuss Disney World. Can you give us a few minutes?"
Natepoo: "Hmpf!!!" Stomps off...

A few moments of silence, then...

Repeat above conversation...word for word. :upsidedow

*Le sigh*

So finally, April and Randy, the big music freaks that they are (and also the cheap people that they are), decided on All Star Music. They put down the deposit and have until tomorrow to make the final decision - even though we all know that's not really true... :rolleyes1

So anyway, my plan for this afternoon (aside from working :badpc: ) is to bring my camera down to my office and take pics of all the fun stuff I've been making for our trip. I have to do this before Natepoo comes home from school, since most of this stuff involves surprises for him... pixiedust: I will be sure to post said pics so you may see what I have been doing instead of working...

Oops...should have said "in addition to working." Yes, that's right. ::yes::

Up next: PICS!!!

Hedy

09-23-2008, 11:24 AM

:cool1: :cool1: :cool1:

dis75ney

09-30-2008, 12:51 PM

Good morning, loyal and faithful readers!

We are T-minus three days and counting to our Disney trip!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :banana:

And in the less-than-a-week time span since I last updated, woooo doggie, have things changed! :rotfl:

Fasten your seat belts...it's gonna be a bumpy ride!

(Yes, I know I promised pictures. But since I am the author of this PTR, I can change things at will...::yes:: )

(Also, Goofy took the pictures off my camera and I have NO idea where they went. Darn technology...:badpc: )

First off, I need to introduce two members of our supporting cast:

Mom - AKA Hippie :hippie:
Loves all things related to British history, but does not love the food from across the pond. Was supposed to spend two weeks in England last month, and had to come back early because she was starving. I swear, the woman lost about 20 pounds in the week and a half she was there! Truly believes that if life were to go back to the times of free love and Woodstock, that all will be right with the world, economic crisis be damned! Just became eligible for AARP membership on her last birthday (a fact I greatly enjoy rubbing in her face), and is starting to go senile in her old age...

Dad - AKA Beast :chewy:
Takes after his nickname. Big, huge, stocky brunt of a man, but such a teddy bear. Do NOT insult his family in front of him...he will rip you limb from limb. Enjoys bargain hunting and would LOVE to beat me to a bargain one day (sorry to say that I will never let that happen!). Is responsible for pulling the Hippie back down to Earth at least once daily. His wish is to one day win the big event at the World Series of Poker. Has also taught my 86 year old grandmother how to play poker and was responsible for holding up her skirt while she did her annual headstand at her birthday party in June. What can I say - my grandmother rocks hardcore!

So, onwards with the story!

I also need to mention that I have been cast as Mrs. Potts in a community theatre production of Beauty and the Beast. If I did not mention this, the beginning of my story would make no sense whatsoever...

I come home from rehearsal last week to this:

Hippie: "Why didn't you tell us you were in another show?"
Me: "You didn't ask." Duh!
Hippie huffs away and flips to her DVR of Dancing with the Stars...she doesn't like it when I'm logical and stuff... :mad:

Beast: "Were you still planning on driving to Florida?"
Me: "Last time I checked. Why?"
Beast (puffs out his chest): "I found a great deal on airfare that would probably save you guys money instead of driving..."
Natepoo: "Hi Mom!!!" Runs full speed at my knees. I slide out of the way, so Natepoo slides on the carpet-that-is-older-than-dirt and crashes into the couch. This is a favorite activity of his lately...that, and climbing on Daddy...

I hop onto Susie the downstairs computer (we currently have five computers in the house and counting, so we have nicknames for them all) and log onto Orbitz. I pull up our dates, and prices are running into the $300s...

Me: "How is THIS a good deal?"
Beast: "Here, let me try something..." Beast switches to the flexible fare finder and punches in dates...we wait with baited breath...and the matrix pops up...with...

$166 round trip airfare! From O'Hare!!! On American!!! :eek:

HOLY CRAP!!! :dance3:

But, there is always a catch, and this is no different. Beast had plugged in October 2nd to October 14. We had not planned on staying for that long...

But $166 round trip? Too good a deal to pass up, right? ::yes::

So I booked that puppy. However, because I was determined to outdo my dad, I booked directly through the American Airlines website and saved an additional $20! :cool1:

The Beast was subsequently humbled, but determined to beat me at my own game next time!

So, driving is now nixed. We are flying into MCO October 2, with our flight leaving from O'Hare at 7pm and arriving at 10:30pm. We are leaving from MCO October 14 at 7:05am, arriving at O'Hare at 8:55am.

The Tigger clan is SO not looking forward to coming back home...especially at that time! :scared:

But we are now left with a dilemma. Our WDW package is for arrival on 10/4 and departure on 10/12. What to do? :confused3

Call 407-WDISNEY!!! :thumbsup2

I spoke with the most wonderful cast member named Angela (which reminds me, I must write a compliment letter for her). After several agonizing minutes - OK, more like 30 minutes - I was informed that I could extend my Pop package from 10/2 to 10/12 for an additional $155.

I jump on that baby, and Angela goes to work, determined to find something for 10/12 through the 14th.

She comes back on the line, I thank her for saving me from the awful hold music (am I the only person that can't stand the modern-day remakes of the Disney songs that sometimes come up on the hold music?), and Angela informs me that the only resort open for our remaining dates was Animal Kingdom Lodge. She can book a room-only reservation for $300, with the rest due upon check in.

I think for several seconds and remember that I originally was going to shoot for AKL before the lure of the monorail tugged me over to Contemporary. We only live once, right? I jump on AKL, and Angela gets cracking on her keyboard of destiny. Several minutes later, I have confirmation of both the extension of Pop and room-only at AKL!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!! :banana:

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

I loves me some David Bowie! *Turns on iPod and starts jamming to "China Girl." :music:

So that's the rundown as far as our vacation plans go. I should have learned that NOTHING is ever set in stone when it comes to vacation!

On the home front, however...

Guess who managed to come down with the sinus infection from H-E-double-hockey-sticks on Saturday, RIGHT BEFORE WE LEAVE??? :mad:

Yep, that would be me... :sick:

I swear, this allergy season has got me begging to move to a desert location where there is no such thing as rain! My doctor, who was gracious enough to work me into his schedule on Saturday, said that this has been one of the worst allergy seasons on record for those of us allergic to pollen and mold. We had an extremely rainy spring, and all the standing water did not help any of us at all. Then throw in remnants from Ike (yep, we got hit by Ike up in Chicago!), which adds more standing water, and you get the general idea. Thanks to this, I suffered my third sinus infection of the summer! :headache:

I SO did not need this to happen right before flying...

I flew with a raging sinus infection once, which resulted in my head exploding and me chasing someone out of the plane because he was delaying my exiting and finding a bed. I refuse to do that again - mainly because I would probably be arrested for bioterrorism...and that is NOT how one should start their vacation!

I highly doubt the cops would give me Sudafed to deal with the sinus congestion, anyway... :rotfl:

Oops, I digressed...

So my wonderful, caring, humanitarian doctor gave me a prescription for a KILLER dose of antibiotics. So powerful were these horse pills that within 30 minutes of taking the first one, I was on the floor in WalMart declaring that I was perfectly fine...the room was spinning and THAT was what was wrong! :faint:

I also declared this last night after a dance rehearsal that involved lots of spinning...

I got these wonderful drugs on Saturday, and I am proud to say that I woke up today with NO cotton stuffing up my sinuses! I can actually breathe through my nose again!!! I still have a little chest congestion, but that should be resolved with the remaining seven days of antibiotic goodness...and my inhaler... :upsidedow

But Natepoo has now come down with the stuffies...thankfully, he has an immune system like his daddy's and those white blood cells will detroy anything that comes in their path. I swear, between the two of them, I've known them to catch approximately 3.92 colds since I've known them.

Darn those boys and their killer immune systems...why can't I have a killer immune system??? :sad1:

So combine sore tailbone from last week with violent fits of coughing from post-nasal drippage (TMI, right?), and it makes for a not-very-happy Mommy...and add in packing, and Mommy becomes especially miserable!

But packing is done (except for last-minute things...glasses, contacts, laptop...the essentials), and Goofy has volunteered to carry all of our bags to my mother's van for our train ride to the airport, so all is well in the Tigger household. :yay:

We'll see how well this holds out...we still have three days until our trip...leave it to me to break a bone or something... :sad2: