A cruise, a birthday, and a little bit of Disney World...April 20-26th..UPDATED 5/17

[momto2inKC]

Hey everyone, welcome to my pre-trip report!
There will be a little bit of Disney World and a cruise, along with celebrating a birthday, and 2 different Disney hotels....lots of stuff to talk about here!

I guess i'll start off with the cast of characters-

Jamie (that's me)- I'm the Disney nut of the family. I'm a stay at home mom, which gives me way too much time to plan trips to Disney I'm always looking for deals on the next trip. We had no intention of taking a Disney cruise or even going back to Disney so soon since we were just there in September. But when I plugged in some dates for the kids free I about fell over at how cheap it was. I tend to drive my husband especially crazy with all this Disney stuff. But, he understands it's my 'thing'.

Kenny (my husband)- He won't be joining us on this trip. He's a union laborer and is not able to take time off from work on the current job he's working on. So he gets to take care of the house and pets, fun stuff!

Tristan (11...turns 12 next week!)- He's the one celebrating a birthday at Disney, lucky kid! I never got to do anything nearly as cool as going to Magic Kingdom for my birthday. He's my little gamer. I'm wondering if he's going to have seperation anxiety from his xbox and that darn head set he wears to 'chat' with his xbox friends

Madison (10)- My challenging child. She's not into Princess's, not into HSM, not really into anything 'girly'. She, however, like me, LOVES her Disney trips She'll sit with me for hours with her little Birnbaum for kids and plan, it's good to have a partner in crime She's a tad jealous that her brother gets to be in Disney during his birthday and has let it be known that she expects the same for her birthday next year.

The plans-
We fly into Orlando Monday, April 20th. We're taking Magical Express to CBR, then we'll rent a car for the week at the CCC. The kids don't know it, but we're staying in a pirate room! They are going to be shocked when they open that door!!!
Monday we're planning on going to Downtown Disney to do the Characters in Flight hot air balloon ride. We'll probably grab dinner there too.
Tuesday our plans are up in the air at this point. We might go to Sea World or Universal, or we just might hang out at the pool all day.
Wednesday we'll spend at Magic Kingdom. We will also be checking out of CBR and into a studio villa at AKV!!! So excited!
Thursday to Sunday we'll be sailing on the Wonder!
Sunday we'll spend at Downtown Disney, then heading home that night.

 

[momto2inKC]

Figured I could share some pics of us

Here we are last September

An Easter pic of the kids...it's never easy to get pics of them together, smiling...thank goodness my sister in law uses live animals each year for her Easter photo sessions, works quite well to get the kids smiling, together

Be forewarned...I take a LOT of pictures And i'm one of those who takes pics of food too

 

[wannabeinfl]

Jamie,
I have been so ready for this trip to get here already. I am living through you guys right now. I will be glued to the waiting on each update and pictures! I want to see a pic of the bathroom on board. Is it tiny? Would I fit?
You guys are gonna have the best of times. I am so jealous but so excited at the same time. I want a room too. LOL
Oh and I want to know the weight limit on the balloon ride. I know it will hold up to 30 people.. but is that 30 skinny people?? In other words if my family went up would they say okay this flight has only room for 3???
If you think of it grab me some disney maps for my crew to look at over the next 10 weeks. We are ready to go and I need to do more planning ..
Angela

 

[momto2inKC]

Jamie,
I have been so ready for this trip to get here already. I am living through you guys right now. I will be glued to the waiting on each update and pictures! I want to see a pic of the bathroom on board. Is it tiny? Would I fit?
You guys are gonna have the best of times. I am so jealous but so excited at the same time. I want a room too. LOL
Oh and I want to know the weight limit on the balloon ride. I know it will hold up to 30 people.. but is that 30 skinny people?? In other words if my family went up would they say okay this flight has only room for 3???
If you think of it grab me some disney maps for my crew to look at over the next 10 weeks. We are ready to go and I need to do more planning ..
Angela

I'll get lots of bathroom pics, just for you! lol I don't think the balloon goes by weight, just by passengers. But i'll check anyway
And i'll definitely grab one of each of the park maps at the hotel. Your trip will be here before you know it!!!!!!
Thanks for jumping on board

 

[momto2inKC]

Just some random info I forgot to add....
For the cruise we booked a Cat 12 gty. We received some pixie dust though and were upgraded to a Cat 9, deck 1 We'll have 2 small port holes (yay, one for each kid!).
We have only booked 1 excursion. My son picked it, the stingray excursion at Castaway Cay. We have fed them for free at the zoo but it is part of his birthday gift, so.....
I'm still not certain our plans for Nassau. It's such a hard choice, stay on the boat and take advantage of it's offerings....or get off the boat and experience a different culture. If we get off, we'll just do something around the port. Maybe Ardastra or the Pirate Museum. We might check out the Harley and Del Sol shops. Who knows, we'll decide that day when we get up!

 

[wilma-bride]

Sounds like you have a great trip planned - and I'm jealous that your DS gets to spend his Birthday at MK too - my DD spent her Birthday at the MK last year and was treated like a star all day

Thanks for the pictures, it's nice to put faces to names - you're a cute looking family. I hope you have a fantastic trip and look forward to reading your trip report on your return.

 

[3SillyKids]

Jamie,
I have been so ready for this trip to get here already. I am living through you guys right now. I will be glued to the waiting on each update and pictures! I want to see a pic of the bathroom on board. Is it tiny? Would I fit?
You guys are gonna have the best of times. I am so jealous but so excited at the same time. I want a room too. LOL
Oh and I want to know the weight limit on the balloon ride. I know it will hold up to 30 people.. but is that 30 skinny people?? In other words if my family went up would they say okay this flight has only room for 3???
If you think of it grab me some disney maps for my crew to look at over the next 10 weeks. We are ready to go and I need to do more planning ..
Angela

LOL I had the same thought of the balloon, do we get weighed? lets hope not. Love all your plans & cant wait to read your updates & see all the pics

 

[Priorityonecb]

Woo hoo!! Will you be updating while there? I am so excited for you three!!

 

[momto2inKC]

Sounds like you have a great trip planned - and I'm jealous that your DS gets to spend his Birthday at MK too - my DD spent her Birthday at the MK last year and was treated like a star all day

Thanks for the pictures, it's nice to put faces to names - you're a cute looking family. I hope you have a fantastic trip and look forward to reading your trip report on your return.

I've made sure to have his birthday noted on all of our ADR's, both hotel reservations, and on the cruise info We'll see how much attention he gets, I can't wait LOL
Thanks for the compliments on the family

 

[momto2inKC]

LOL I had the same thought of the balloon, do we get weighed? lets hope not. Love all your plans & cant wait to read your updates & see all the pics

Oh stop it Kim! lol You have nothing to worry about. If they don't ground the balloon because of me, you'll be just fine LOL

 

[momto2inKC]

Woo hoo!! Will you be updating while there? I am so excited for you three!!

Hey Tammy, thanks for following along I will be able to update up until we get on the boat. But i'm turning my Iphone off then and won't turn it back on until we debark Sunday.

 

[frdeb1999]

Great start and pics!! Can't wait to read the actual reivews!

 

[momto2inKC]

Great start and pics!! Can't wait to read the actual reivews!

Thanks for joining in

 

[MomlvsGoofy]

WoW..I am so happy I found your TR. This is what I want to do with my kids on April vacation next year. I would like to hear your opinion on the the crowds in the parks and on the cruise. Have Fun!

 

[RallyMonkey]

I can't wait to see your trip report when you come back!!! I know you will take lots of pictures to share, but don't forget to take pictures while you are up in the air in that balloon ride! I bet the view will be fabulous!
Brandy

 

[Momof4girls]

Okay, fellow picture maven - will you do me a HUGE favor and take pictures of the current menus while you're on the Wonder?

I'm dying to read them for our upcoming trip!

Can't wait to hear all about it!

 

[wannabeinfl]

Jamie.. I have another picture request. I want each of you to take a picture of something on the boat or at the motel that you think we may not think of. You cant help the kids decide. They have to take their own. Would you hurry and leave and update us with a report. LOL

 

[GoofyTraci]

Tristan (11...turns 12 next week!)- He's the one celebrating a birthday at Disney, lucky kid! I never got to do anything nearly as cool as going to Magic Kingdom for my birthday. He's my little gamer. I'm wondering if he's going to have seperation anxiety from his xbox and that darn head set he wears to 'chat' with his xbox friends

I so understand what u r talking about. My son is on it right now and dissed me for his xbox friends for a mission they needed him for. I dont know.. I am excited to read your trip report and hope you guys have a blast.

 

[momto2inKC]

WoW..I am so happy I found your TR. This is what I want to do with my kids on April vacation next year. I would like to hear your opinion on the the crowds in the parks and on the cruise. Have Fun!

Thanks for reading my pre-trippy! I'm a tad bit nervous about the crowds at the park. Hopefully now that Easter is over and most spring breaks should be done, it won't be too bad!

I can't wait to see your trip report when you come back!!! I know you will take lots of pictures to share, but don't forget to take pictures while you are up in the air in that balloon ride! I bet the view will be fabulous!
Brandy

Hiya Brandy!! I'm still dreading the balloon But it will definitely be such a cool experience!

Okay, fellow picture maven - will you do me a HUGE favor and take pictures of the current menus while you're on the Wonder?

I'm dying to read them for our upcoming trip!

Can't wait to hear all about it!

Menu pictures...got it!

Jamie.. I have another picture request. I want each of you to take a picture of something on the boat or at the motel that you think we may not think of. You cant help the kids decide. They have to take their own. Would you hurry and leave and update us with a report. LOL

ROFL...okay, this could get interesting!

I so understand what u r talking about. My son is on it right now and dissed me for his xbox friends for a mission they needed him for. I dont know.. I am excited to read your trip report and hope you guys have a blast.

LOL...so you definitely understand! Thanks for reading along!

 

[momto2inKC]

Okay, in 10 short minutes, my countdown will be 2 days!!!! That calls for some dancing bananas!!!

So, I get a call this morning. Madi is running a fever at school Fudge! So I get her and call the dr's office. Took her in this afternoon and it's basically just a virus that has to run it's course We went through this last month. She had a fever that would not go away for an entire week. I'm freaking a bit to say the least! So i'm feeding her Tylenol/Motrin, Mucinex, allergy meds, and doing the nasal spray. Cross your fingers that she's better by Monday!!!

I came to the realization tonight while attempting to finish packing that it's going to be impossible to fit everything in the 3 suitcases I have pulled out for the trip. I hoped to not have to use the HUGE ones, but i'm running out of room I decided to stop trying for the night. I'll work on it again tomorrow.