So let me get this straight, you're 30 and you've NEVER been to WDW? We'll fix that!

[Crisgw]

We have an upcoming trip in September (yay I can now say "next month"!) from the 16-25th at Animal Kingdom Villas Jambo House (We stayed at Kidani in May and loved it but wanted the "wow" factor for the family we are taking who have never been to AKL).

He're the short version of how this trip came to be. Last September, we were in WDW, my DH, my sons and myself, and we were staying at AKL. We took the tour of DVC and DH said "I won't buy that ever". We took our $100 gift card, fast passes and went on our merry way. On the third to last night of our trip, I got the "FD offer" for the following year. I knew we wanted to take a big Grand Gathering trip with our family, my mom, my dad and my sister and her new DH so FD was a great time to do that. I called and booked 3 rooms at the Poly...well, needless to say, the cost of those 3 rooms were half of the cost of the 200 points I wanted to buy with DVC sooooo long story short, we are owners of 200 points at AKL (Already considering adding on!).

So, that leads us to the present. We have booked 3 studios for our upcoming trip. DH, the boys and I will be there fro September 16-25, my parents will be there Sept 20-25 and my sister and the Disney virgin will be there from Sept 20-24. All compliments of our DVC! I love DVC! So, we call it the "unwanted wedding gift" to them, we paid for their resort stay. I think it's a great gift but the Disney Virgin (we'll call him DV from here on out) isn't so sure....

Up next, I will introduce all of the cast of our Grand Gathering complete with pictures!

 

[Crisgw]

So, even though I have no followers, I will press on I had a PTR for our May surprise trip and that unveiling turned out to be a FIASCO so needless to say, no more surprises! Here is the Youtube of that unveiling...it's a train wreck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZKJD6S7kxc

Okay, so on to the CAST

Me I'm a 30 year old Education Administrator and mom to 2 boys (trying to make that 3 kids!) that is truly obsessed with WDW. I love it. It's the only place I want to vacation. This trip will be my 4th since September 09. I just love everything about WDW.

DH: He's a 32 year old finance guy that swore he'd NEVER buy DVC...whoops. He's come around and converted to a WDW lover as well. Recently, when the city income tax went up he looked at me and said "that's as much per year as round trip air to WDW, maybe even twice!" so I know how he really feels

DS#1: He just turned 7 and is a huge book worm and PS3 addict. He is a fan of anything that goes fast and is crazy for WDW.

DS#2: He is 4.5 and loves WDW. He is still really into the characters and is just adorable to watch at WDW.

My sister: She is a 27 year old MPH that works for the health department. I'd say she's an idealist.. We went to WDW all of the time as kids and have great memories together. She came with us on our boys' first trip to WDW in 2005. She was just married in June of this year.

My BIL: He's a 30 year old computer engineer that has NEVER, I repeat, NEVER been to WDW or ANYWHERE on property He's a bit of an over thinker and is in for a treat going with us to WDW

My mom: She is a 56 year old retiree that is my right hand man in life. I see her almost everyday. She has bad rheumatoid arthritis so will be using a wheelchair to get around WDW. She has accompanied us on 5 out of 6 WDW trips with our boys.

My dad: He is a 61 year old "retiree" that owns his own General Contracting company. he has also accompanied us on 4 out of 7 of the trips with our boys. This past year he got both knees replaced (titanium!) and is really looking forward to using them at WDW.


Pictures to come later today!

 

[deslynnpatterson]

i am your first follower woohoo!! my hubby is the same way he says he would never buy DVC!! but i want him to go take the tour this year just in case! We always stay at value resorts but would love to stay deluxe!! How does the tour work? do they pick the resort to go to ? or do they pick? and do you really get a 100 gift card if you take the tour? WOW! is that something you can use right away too? I might take the tour and then try talking to DH later too about getting the dvc!!! it sounds exciting we are going sept too of this year sept 10-20th and staying at all star music you should stop by my PTR too!! I can't wait to read more of yours!!!

 

[Crisgw]

So, I'm scouring my computer for pictures...so I'll put up a few recent ones then we can take a trip down WDW memory lane starting with the boys' first trip in 2005.

So, here I am with the boys this past June at my sister's wedding:

Here is my sister with her new husband, DV (aka Disney Virgin):

Here is my sister and I at her wedding:

Here is DH from September (and the rest of us):

Now to find pics of my elusive parents....

 

[Crisgw]

So, this is a hilarious photo. I will preface it by saying, I do NOT know what we were doing taking a 3.5 year old on TOT...he WAS tall enough so, we bought the picture and we now call this face the TOT face. He has yet to go back on TOT...we're going to try again this trip next month since DV will be with us....
Far away...

Close up...

 

[Crisgw]

ADR's........a trek for the perfect line up of ADR's.....especially for the DV!

So, here they are and in ( ) is the party size. I set my alarm for 7am the day that our first day was 90 days out and got EVERYTHING we wanted! Woo
9-16 Boma (4)
9-17 Le Cellier (4)
9-18 The Wave (4)
9-19 San Angel Inn (4)
9-20 Ohanas (8)
9-21 Ohanas character breakfast (8)
9-21 Le Cellier (8)
9-22 Boma (8)
9-23 Tutto Italia (8)
9-24 Coral Reef (6)

So, I'm just over the moon on getting all of the ADR's I wanted. We will be celebrating my dad's birthday (12-12) at our Le Cellier and I can't wait for him to go! Even with FD going on, I got all the ADR's. Sweet!

 

[Microcell]

Sounds like fun.. oh how I am wishing we were going on our normal September trip, but not this year .

I shall try to live through you!


Good luck with your virgin.. you never can tell how someone might take to Disney, but hopefully he will love it like the rest of you do!

 

[Crisgw]

So we are now 3 weeks out and I called MS to ask why we haven't gotten our ME luggage tags and they said they have NO record of our flights and I *know* I gave them the info so I'm super glad that I called! Geez. ME is a lifesaver for us, especially when traveling with kids.

As for the Disney virgin...I bought him the Passporter so he could read it on the plane and before we go. I'm hoping that he uses it, it's pretty sweet.

I'm really excited about the food. Honestly I LOVE the food. I feel so gluttonous when I'm at WDW! Packing lists to come

 

[SilverL]

So, this is a hilarious photo. I will preface it by saying, I do NOT know what we were doing taking a 3.5 year old on TOT...he WAS tall enough so, we bought the picture and we now call this face the TOT face. He has yet to go back on TOT...we're going to try again this trip next month since DV will be with us....
Far away...

Close up...

It's very similar to my family's Splash Mountain Face:

(note the three little girls!)



That surprise video was HILARIOUS! I felt bad for the kids who didn't understand why the adults were all laughing at them, but I would've been in hysterics. Especially when the second balloon blew away. That would've done it in for me.

Perhaps with surprises, the simpler the better!

 

[Crisgw]

It's very similar to my family's Splash Mountain Face:

(note the three little girls!)



That surprise video was HILARIOUS! I felt bad for the kids who didn't understand why the adults were all laughing at them, but I would've been in hysterics. Especially when the second balloon blew away. That would've done it in for me.

Perhaps with surprises, the simpler the better!

I'm at your girls' faces! Priceless.

We got our ME tags today so it's "REAL" now! Woo! I SO need a break. Work has been honest to God insane. I need this trip!

 

[Beauty & the Best]

I also have someone in my group who is 27 and NEVER been to Disney - it's madness!!!

 

[SilverL]

I'm at your girls' faces! Priceless.

We got our ME tags today so it's "REAL" now! Woo! I SO need a break. Work has been honest to God insane. I need this trip!

That picture is really old. The one in the red jumper is actually ME!

But yes, it is hilarious.

 

[Crisgw]

Ok, so we are now about 14 days out. I am debating on whether or not to do MNSSHP....anyone have any input? I almost don't want to because I'd have to cancel one of my amazing dinners....hmm.

So, I haven't even STARTED packing. I'm going to tomorrow though. I'll be posting some pictures of the mess. I need to buy sunscreen and some other toiletries but I'm pretty well prepared. Maybe a few more bottles of Purell.

Anyone going to be at the World when we're there? What would your suggestions for the Disney Virgin be? Please share!

 

[Crisgw]

Ok, so we are now about 14 days out. I am debating on whether or not to do MNSSHP....anyone have any input? I almost don't want to because I'd have to cancel one of my amazing dinners....hmm.

So, I haven't even STARTED packing. I'm going to tomorrow though. I'll be posting some pictures of the mess. I need to buy sunscreen and some other toiletries but I'm pretty well prepared. Maybe a few more bottles of Purell.

Anyone going to be at the World when we're there? What would your suggestions for the Disney Virgin be? Please share!

 

[Crisgw]

So, in BIG NEWS updates...we just found out we are expecting baby #3 (we hope it's just one in there!) mid-May of next year and we are now 9 days from the trip!!! I have to pass on some of my favorite rides (EE anyone!?!?!) but it's well worth it. Plus, I already got DH to start planning a January 2010 pre-baby trip back to the World!!

 

[Crisgw]

So, in BIG NEWS updates...we just found out we are expecting baby #3 (we hope it's just one in there!) mid-May of next year and we are now 9 days from the trip!!! I have to pass on some of my favorite rides (EE anyone!?!?!) but it's well worth it. Plus, I already got DH to start planning a January 2010 pre-baby trip back to the World!!

 

[Crisgw]

Okay, I've decided to live Tweet and TwitPic my trip. I'll start a new thread next Thursday since this one is well...slow