"I've Waited A Long Time for a Mother/Daughter Extravaganza" 9/8 Update!

[MomofCKJ]

Hi!

I've written 3 trip reports so far. The link to my solo is down yonder at the bottom of the post. The other two are somewhere out there in DIS cyber space. One was our first trip with our kiddos.That trip was a suprise and was documented here. It was a great trip! And besides that it relit my Disney Fire! I couldn't stop thinking of Disney after that.

We soon booked the March 2008 trip. We left Grumpy and went with my parents to celebrate my Mom's 60th. That trip is found here. A fun trip but certainly had its challenges.


So who are we?

Well I am Mom. MomofCKJ. My name is Allyson, I am clinging to 39 for a few more months. I am a Disney FREAK! I share a birthday with the World and my first trip was back in 1972 for my 3rd birthday. Yes my Mom raised me right. Disney trips, Disney movies, Disney on Ice, Disney encyclopedias, Sunday nights with The Wonderful World of Disney.

I am married to Grumpy and you may know him from past reports. He does not love the Mouse, he does not love the amount of money spent on the Mouse, he doesn't get the magic. He did however run the Disney Half Marathon in January with me because he loves me. We spent 4 days in Disney at a super cool upgrade to the Yacht Club from CSR and we ran our first Half Marathon with our best friends. It was something special!

He however won't be on this trip. Can't have a Mother/Daughter Extravaganza with Grumpy! He would take the "extra" out of extravaganza!

Not joining us this trip are Bashful (my 9yo dd) or Goofy (my 6yo ds). No they have other plans. Bashful is spending the week with her Mema. She is doing Mema time and that includes swimming in the pool, eating lots of mashed potatoes (her favorite!) and playing with the kittens. While she is away that will leave Grumpy and Goofy. They are counting down the days till "Man Week". Yes it will be just the boys and the dog. They are looking forward to a week of Guitar Hero, sitting around in boxers and eating cereal out of the box by the handful. I imagine it will be a like a frat party tamed down for the week.

Which leaves Belle, my soon to be 12 year old, heading to 7th grade and junor high dd. It is she who is the daughter of the Mother/Daughter Extravaganza. I am anxiously looking forward to this trip. I think this is a special time in her life and some serious quality time as we embark on new chapters will serve us well. And really what better place to do this than Disney?

Here are Belle, Bashful and Goofy last fall:

Coming up: "Grumpy, it'll just be for a long weekend"---right! And what I hope to gain from this trip!

Hope you'll stick around for the ride!


Allyson:

 

[MomofCKJ]

Table of Contents!

1.So how did this idea come to be anyways?
2. Where and when?
3. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32408403&postcount=25"]More Where and When!
4. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32444846&postcount=30"]Free Dining?
5. Food Glorious FREE Food
6. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32613495&postcount=42"]Officially officially official!
7. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32744311&postcount=51"]38 days and Counter Service!
8. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32816192&postcount=62"]33 days and what have we been up to?
9. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32832189&postcount=69"]Day One of the Jan 2009 Half Marathon Trip!
10.[URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32901898&postcount=75"] Day Two of the Jan 2009 Half Marathon Trip
11.[URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32942446&postcount=81"]The Race-Part One!
12. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32992315&postcount=87"]The Race- Part Two!
13. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=33123858&postcount=96"]12 Days To Go!
[URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=33203511&postcount=107"]14.Post Race Festivities and 6 days to go!
14. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=33242872&postcount=111"]Uno, dos, TRES!
15. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=33268478&postcount=117"]Leavin' in the Mornin'!
*******************************************************************************
16.[URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=33422594&postcount=122"]We are back! Day One Part One
17. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=33519618&postcount=136"]Day One Part Two
18. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=33660674&postcount=142"]Day Two Part One Discovery Cove!
19. [URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=33832290&postcount=152"]Day Two Part Two
20.[URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=37905003&postcount=174"]How Many Times Can You Ride EE?
21.[URL="http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=38136995&postcount=178"]Dinner for a Princess and a Whole Lot of Rain[/URL]
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[Charleston Princess]

I'm here and very excited to read all about your mother/daughter trip! It has made my own wheels start turning so I will be paying close attention to what you end up planning and doing.

Your Belle and my Chelsea are so close to the same age. She will be 12 in July and is going into the 7th grade. How did our babies grow up so quickly?

 

[4boysrus]

I'm here!

 

[Becky521]

Hey Allyson, thanks for the notice. Your trip reports a re always so fun. I have to admit I will miss Goofy this time around. I think a mother/daughter trip is great!!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I cannot wait to hear all about this trip. It will be so special, I'm sure. Can't get over how much your kids have grown since the last pictures I saw! Time flies!

Looking forward to more!

 

[ILuvCrush]

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

I'm sooo excited to hear all about this trip





Paula

 

[MrsSpratt]

I can't wait for more!

 

[DWGal210]

Hi Allyson! Great start so far! That's very cool that you get to take just your oldest for a trip - those are special times and I'm sure it's a memory she'll treasure!

 

[ellebeegee]

I'm here, too!

 

[ajax897]

Checking in too.

 

[MomofCKJ]

I'm here and very excited to read all about your mother/daughter trip! It has made my own wheels start turning so I will be paying close attention to what you end up planning and doing.

Your Belle and my Chelsea are so close to the same age. She will be 12 in July and is going into the 7th grade. How did our babies grow up so quickly?

Welcome CP! Nice to see you here! Thank you! Yes they are close, mine will be 12 in August and also heading to 7th grade. It is an "interesting" time with some of this and some of this .

I'm here!

Hey Melissa! Welcome!

Hey Allyson, thanks for the notice. Your trip reports a re always so fun. I have to admit I will miss Goofy this time around. I think a mother/daughter trip is great!!

Thanks for coming! I am sure I'll have some Goofy updates in here and there. He is counting down as well as he can't wait for "Man Week".

I cannot wait to hear all about this trip. It will be so special, I'm sure. Can't get over how much your kids have grown since the last pictures I saw! Time flies!

Looking forward to more!

Thanks for coming, so nice to have old friends here!

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

I'm sooo excited to hear all about this trip





Paula

Welcome, welcome! So glad you made it!

I can't wait for more!

Hello and welcome! Thanks for coming! My great Aunt Agnes is a Mrs Spratt, your screen name popped out at me!

Hi Allyson! Great start so far! That's very cool that you get to take just your oldest for a trip - those are special times and I'm sure it's a memory she'll treasure!

Let's hope so, that is the plan. With a hormonal almost 12 year old one never knows what direction this could go in.

I'm here, too!

Hey Lydia! So happy to see you!

Checking in too.

Hi! Thanks for coming along for the ride!


Now on to the show!

Allyson

 

[MomofCKJ]

Well back as the December 2006 trip was coming to a close I was feeling so sad. I think it was in the airport or plane ride home that this idea was hatched. I will fully admit, part of it was very selfish. I wanted a couple of guaranteed trips back. Yeah, I'll say it, part of it was all about me. However, a bigger part, yes bigger, was that I think it is SOOOO important to have one on one time with each child. I do it at home on a smaller scale. I have taken just one child to the circus, one child to a special movie and lunch, a couple of months back I suprised one child with a day at Six Flags. Do the others moan? A little but truly just a little. They know they get their time too and they all enjoy when it is their time.

I'm an only child. I had my Mom all to myself. With 3 kids it is different for them. So I have always tried to make sure we get those one on one times where you aren't competing for the attention, you aren't at the mercy of compromise between the whole family and for a few hours it is just your turn. I think it is important and I've enjoyed those times with my kids. With Belle it is just good for us. With Bashful it is nice to see her blossom more and not play the part of the suffering, shy middle child that she does so often. With Goofy, well any time spent with Goofy is just usually a hoot.

So on the trip home I made an announcement.
"Family, I am making a rule. For your 12th birthday you get a Mom and Me trip".

*insert crickets*

I think the kids were thinking "is she for real?" and Grumpy was saying "What are you talking about woman?".

I explained just as I did to you my reasoning and sort of left it at that. Grumpy thought it was a ridiculous scheme to get back to the World. Hmmmphf.

Well time marched on and soon it was early 2009. Belle would be turning 12 later in the year. I had been all along referencing this trip, talking about it, etc. When it came time to figure out dates Grumpy was like "You are really doing this?" Ummmm, yeah. Eye roll, head shake "This is crazy to be going again so soon".

"But it is a rule" and you know I am a rule follower.

So in true Grumpy fashion he just went along with my long weekend to Disney with Belle.

And that was the initial intention. A long weekend. Maybe a Thursday to a Sunday. But gosh, when you are flying all the way from MA isn't it smarter to make it more worthwhile? A few more days? How can we pick which parks to spend such little time in? We want some relaxation time? We can't do that all in 4 days. Maybe 5? Hmmmm. 6 might be nicer. We do have that lovely little PIN code..........


Next up, more on the planning and why Belle and I specifically need some good Mother/Daughter time and how we are planning to cheat on our boyfriend the Mouse and venture to some non Disney locations this trip. *gulp*


Allyson

PS Maybe somewhere in here I'll throw in a super mini TR from our January Disney Half Marathon trip!

 

[Charleston Princess]

I really like the special trip for each of their 12th birthdays!!! I am anxious to see how many days you decided on, and where else you might be headed!

 

[princess&her4princes]

Hi!! I'm joining in, too! Followed you over from my PTR-- looks like we're going about the same time and doing Mother/daughter trips!!! What a great idea you have for your kids!! Hmm...makes my wheels spin a bit...anything for another excuse to go to Disney!! Can't wait to hear more, so I'm subbing!!!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I LOVE the idea of special one on one time with mom. What lucky kids you have! Hmmm... maybe I'll implement that retroactively with my mom.

You're right. Coming all the way from MA you might as well make it worth your while. And you DO have a pin code!

Oh, Grumpy...don't you roll your eyes at us

I would adore some pics from your half marathon trip. I'm trying to get in better shape and one of my motivators is possibly walking/running in a WDW race so am really anxious to hear more about it!

 

[Becky521]

Hey, Allyson I don't know MA at all so you may not know what I am talking about. Kalyn just arrived at Williams College this week as a wardrobe intern for Williamstown Theater Festival. When you mentioned being from MA (I had forgotten) I thought "Oh, someone else to brag to!!""

OK, back to your show.....

 

[ILuvCrush]

yay mommy and me time!! I made the same promise to my kids...but they had to be 13!! kyle didn't want to do ANYTHING... silly boy. Ellie will be 13 in 2011... so that's her big trip. tentitively adventures by disney to Paris I'm so glad she's a diva...I can hardly wait to take her

It's wonderful that you get to do 'little' things every so often in the mean time with one or the other they sound like so much fun!!

paula

 

[MomofCKJ]

I really like the special trip for each of their 12th birthdays!!! I am anxious to see how many days you decided on, and where else you might be headed!

I'll let you know soon! I'm actually quite excited about it myself!

Hi!! I'm joining in, too! Followed you over from my PTR-- looks like we're going about the same time and doing Mother/daughter trips!!! What a great idea you have for your kids!! Hmm...makes my wheels spin a bit...anything for another excuse to go to Disney!! Can't wait to hear more, so I'm subbing!!!

Anything for another trip to the Mouse right?

I LOVE the idea of special one on one time with mom. What lucky kids you have! Hmmm... maybe I'll implement that retroactively with my mom.

You're right. Coming all the way from MA you might as well make it worth your while. And you DO have a pin code!

Oh, Grumpy...don't you roll your eyes at us

I would adore some pics from your half marathon trip. I'm trying to get in better shape and one of my motivators is possibly walking/running in a WDW race so am really anxious to hear more about it!

I'll throw some up soon. It is an amazing race to do, especially for your first big race. I will never ever forget it. At the end I really felt like I could do anything! I ran/walked it as well. I used a John Bingham Run/Walk training program that I liked a lot.

Hey, Allyson I don't know MA at all so you may not know what I am talking about. Kalyn just arrived at Williams College this week as a wardrobe intern for Williamstown Theater Festival. When you mentioned being from MA (I had forgotten) I thought "Oh, someone else to brag to!!""

OK, back to your show.....

That is great! I think Williamstown is out in the Berkshires right? We vacationed out that way once and it sounds familiar though I have not been. We are several hours away. That is awesome!

yay mommy and me time!! I made the same promise to my kids...but they had to be 13!! kyle didn't want to do ANYTHING... silly boy. Ellie will be 13 in 2011... so that's her big trip. tentitively adventures by disney to Paris I'm so glad she's a diva...I can hardly wait to take her

It's wonderful that you get to do 'little' things every so often in the mean time with one or the other they sound like so much fun!!

paula

Oooh la la! Paris sounds great! I offered no option, just Disney or bust! LOL! I think it is a special thing you can do with your kids. What is up with your son? He didn't want to go at all? Silly boy is right!

Allyson

 

[MomofCKJ]

So it was actually the night before Grumpy and I left on our January trip (4 days in Disney for the Half Marathon, 4 days in Sandals Bahamas) when the email from Disney Destinations arrived. I don't know about you but when I see an email from them I think my heart skips a beat.

I opened it up and guess what it was? The 40% PIN code I had been reading about! Yes for me! Wooo Hoooo!

We went on our trip and when we got home and got settled I got down to business. Where to stay? I had visions of a deluxe, AKL to be exact. I thought it was a place Belle would like and would be something new for us. I got quotes from my favorite TA Jessica for AKL using my PIN as well as Pop Century. I really, truly enjoy Pop. I am familiar with it, I like the food court and gift shop, I like the way it is set up, I have had luck with the busses. I like the slushies in the refillable mugs and hearing groovy music as I walk to and fro.

Here was the deal however. Belle had one request. One very special, something she has always wanted to do, something that would be very cool, but alas quite expensive request. She wanted to spend a day at Discovery Cove and swim with dolphins. I thought this would be a pretty amazing experience for her. Then I priced it out at the website.

So I had to play a little Let's Make a Deal with her. Do you take Door Number One: A stay at AKL with no Discovery Cove or Door Number Two: A stay at Pop Century with Discovery Cove. As much as she wanted AKL with Discovery Cove there is no fuzzy Disney math that was going to make that work for me. She thought for a short time and the desire to swim with the dolphin trumped the desire to go Deluxe.

So Pop Century won out as did a day at Discovery Cove, gulp. It is a lot of money but all I have read points to the fact that it should go down as a day we will never ever forget. I have read nothing but glowing reports about the service, the facility, the experience, all of it. The good news is they have a special right now if you book 45 days out for $50 off per person so that will help a smidge. I need to book in the next couple weeks, just waiting on a check that should be arriving soon that will cover 75% of it.

So Pop Century again. We requested the 70s or 80s section. I stayed in the 50s on my solo trip and just felt so far away. We were in the 70s for our family trip and liked it. Whatever we get I am sure will be fine. Really it is just a spot for us to sleep, take an afternoon nap and store our stuff.

I emailed Jessica to book it and therefore had to come up with dates. Well since we were now doing Discovery Cove that was a day to itself. And it comes with a ticket to Sea World so we shouldn't let that go to waste right? So there are 2 days right there. How could we possibly not hit all 4 Disney parks? I don't know how that would be possible. I mean we have something we love at each, be it Splash or Everest or Soarin' or ToT. How could we have a trip and miss one of those? How does one fit all that in a long weekend? Impossible.

And we have the PIN so the room is some insane amount like $49 a night or something like that. Really, that is like the price of a cheesy/scary motel around here and for an onsite Disney property? At that price of course we can tack on a few extra nights right?

August 23-29 is what we landed on. Arriving on a Sunday and departing on a Saturday. I had checked with the school months ago and was told the first day of classes would be Sept 2 so this would be fine. I would learn months later that the first day was changed to August 31 so PHEW we just made it!

So there you have it: August 23-29 at Pop and a day at Discovery Cove and a day at SeaWorld thrown in the mix as well. Did I mention I won 7 day Universal passes during the Super Bowl commercial contest???

Coming up: Universal too? And what about Tickets? Food? Transportation?