The Disney Finale: We're Cancelling Christmas PTR (Updated 10/4)

[pixleyyy]

I have to admit, for $500, staying ON property, with FREE dining...I'd pick WDW in a heartbeat. I always price out DLR...we could drive if we really wanted to and it would cost us as much to stay there as it would WDW. I don't know, I guess I expect b/c it's close, and smaller, for it to be less. And staying on property is so incredible, and the food options are amazing versus DLR.

Don't get me wrong, I love DLR, but to me it's a shorter, smaller trip. I kept looking at it with the kids fly free and it still didn't cost any less if I stayed at a DLR property.

I like your choice

That's nice to hear! I keep thinking I've made the right decision and then doubt myself a little, thinking that we should go to DLR. But honestly, a week at WDW beats the heck out of 5 days at DLR.

 

[pixleyyy]

Last time I left you we had just decided to book WDW. Much hemming and hawwing in that decision but I think DH and I are happy with the decision.

I've been watching flights like a hawk and it's giving me fits. Flights are running about $238 from here to Florida, which I think is pretty good considering we're clear on the other side of the country. But I haven't yet plunked down the money for those tickets, hoping some big sale would come up and save us a little extra money.

We're watching 2 airlines in particular - Delta and Frontier. Both offer early-morning flights that get us into FL by mid-afternoon. They also both offer a red-eye that gets us in first thing in the morning the next day. Those are the two flight schedules we're considering. Went back today to check and Frontiers rates had gone WAY up... an additional $500 for the 5 of us. OUCH! So now I'm debating whether to just suck it up and buy the tickets from Delta or give it time and see if they happen to go down. But then if Delta tickets go up my budget is going to suffer. *sigh* Why does it have to be so difficult?

On a side note, I think I need a little pixie dust today. I'm teaching dinosaur camp this week and all the roaring is draining my happy-happy-joy-joy.

 

[pixleyyy]

We bought our plane tickets so there's no turning back now, we're headed to Disneyworld!!! Making the vacation ressies was fine but buying the non-refundable plane tickets make is so real, especially considering we nearly decided to cancel (I had a panic moment about pulling so much money from our savings up but I got over it ).

We did decide NOT to do a red-eye. Hate that night of flying so we're leaving very early in the morning and arriving in the afternoon FL time. Because we're giving up a day flying we decided to add a day onto our reservation. Now we'll have 1 evening when we arrive, 7 full days in the park and 1 half day the day we leave. I think we can make that work.

Right now I'm trying to plan our days. I want to see the crowd calendar to help decide which park to go to which day, but I hate to buy the 2009 Unofficial Guide, especially since I have the 2008 book. I'm still deciding on that one.

The other thing I'm deciding is what to do that first night. I was thinking a nice sit-down dinner might be in order, sort of a "Welcome to the Magic" dinner. I was thinking Chef Mickey's. Or something in Downtown Disney. Or a place we could see the fireworks from (though they would have to pipe the music in too). We could go to MK that night for dinner and then fireworks too. Lots of options and I'm not sure which to do...

 

[pixleyyy]

I've been struggling with how to tell the kids that we are going to Disneyworld. I know we can't keep quiet forever, as I'm on the DIS ALLLLLL the time lately and they have to be thinking that something is up. So I figure we should just break it to them sometime soon.

Last time we went to WDW I made a little treasure hunt with clues to Disney things around our house. At each item was a piece to the puzzle. Once the kids put it all together it announced that we were going and the dates. Sounds fun, right? It was a huge flop! The oldest was excited, but that was probably moreso because he knew that was the expectation. The other two just wanted to go back to whatever they were doing before we rudly interrupted them with said treasure hunt. So I've really been giving this a lot of though in hopes of having a better outcome than the first.

Yesterday I finally hit on an idea that I think would be great. Since this is our Christmas gift to the family and it is July, I was thinking about doing a "Christmas in July" party. Maybe get out the Santa hats, watch "The Santa Clause" (one of our fave Christmas movies) and then present them with a big present (wrapped in Christmas paper, of course). Once unwrapped they would find 3 small presents, one for each kid, inside. The little presents would each contain 5 trader pins (I just ordered these and hope they arrive in enough time), a personalized Disney t-shirt and a note announcing that we're going to WDW.

Soooooo ... that's the plan. Any other ideas of what I could put inside their little boxes? Any hints on ways to make this more fun? I'm all ears...

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

Soooooo ... that's the plan. Any other ideas of what I could put inside their little boxes? Any hints on ways to make this more fun? I'm all ears...

I read part of your trip report and just now finsished up when I saw you had an update. I think your way of telling them is going to be so great! I am sure you have checked out the DISigns page. They have so many different invitations and shirt designs there. I am sure someone would be able to help you if you posted about your idea! Not only am I fan of all Disney but I am also a huge Christmas fanatic..lol..It drives my family crazy but I love it! So when I saw your idea I was so excited for your kids! I can't wait to hear more!!

 

[pixleyyy]

I read part of your trip report and just now finsished up when I saw you had an update. I think your way of telling them is going to be so great! I am sure you have checked out the DISigns page. They have so many different invitations and shirt designs there. I am sure someone would be able to help you if you posted about your idea! Not only am I fan of all Disney but I am also a huge Christmas fanatic..lol..It drives my family crazy but I love it! So when I saw your idea I was so excited for your kids! I can't wait to hear more!!

Yes, I've posted a few requests on the DISigns board and can't wait to get them! I've been searching for solid colored t-shirts for us all so I can do iron-ons and I'll be printing out the invites too. I can't wait! Suddenly, it seems REAL!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

Hi! First off, yay for WDW! We are staying in POR in (checks ticker) 44 days! So great choice!

Anyway, I think your way of telling your kids will work great. If nothing else, you'll have fun with it and that's a chunk of it.

BTW, try to authenticate your account on touringplans.com with your 2008 book. I have heard it works for some people.

 

[pixleyyy]

Hi! First off, yay for WDW! We are staying in POR in (checks ticker) 44 days! So great choice!

Anyway, I think your way of telling your kids will work great. If nothing else, you'll have fun with it and that's a chunk of it.

BTW, try to authenticate your account on touringplans.com with your 2008 book. I have heard it works for some people.

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try with my 08 version. (crossing my fingers that it works!!!)

 

[cmfranklyn]

Yesterday I finally hit on an idea that I think would be great. Since this is our Christmas gift to the family and it is July, I was thinking about doing a "Christmas in July" party. Maybe get out the Santa hats, watch "The Santa Clause" (one of our fave Christmas movies) and then present them with a big present (wrapped in Christmas paper, of course). Once unwrapped they would find 3 small presents, one for each kid, inside. The little presents would each contain 5 trader pins (I just ordered these and hope they arrive in enough time), a personalized Disney t-shirt and a note announcing that we're going to WDW.

LOVE this idea! Sounds great!

 

[pixleyyy]

Hi! First off, yay for WDW! We are staying in POR in (checks ticker) 44 days! So great choice!

Anyway, I think your way of telling your kids will work great. If nothing else, you'll have fun with it and that's a chunk of it.

BTW, try to authenticate your account on touringplans.com with your 2008 book. I have heard it works for some people.

Holy moly, it worked!!! Didn't work the 1st time I tried but the 2nd time it gave me the whole calendar. YEAH!!! Thanks for the tip. I'm anxious to get started planning which days we'll be spending at which parks and mapping out which meals we'd like to make ADR's for. THANK YOU!!!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

You are totally welcome! I am so glad it worked for you! Can't wait to see what you decide - we definitely used it to plan our trip!

 

[pixleyyy]

Well, today was the big reveal. We finally told the kids we are going to Disneyworld.

Now DH is the kind of person that just can't keep a secret, can't hold a present until a holiday, just can't wait. So I knew we'd be telling the kids soon. And now that I've we've bought our plane tickets and emptied our bank account and sent it to Disney, we knew the vacation was a "sure thing". That's all it took --- he couldn't wait any longer!

We just got back from a few days away at the beach so we decided to take the kids out for ice cream and have a "talk" with them about Christma. DH explained about the recession, how it's hitting our country hard, how that makes it harder for some people to afford things, etc. (We have been very lucky and haven't had any economic issues to contend with personally, but it was his little "get their attention" tactic.) Then we explained to them that they wouldn't be getting many presents for Christmas this year, that it just wasn't going to be possible for us (true, since we're spending our wad on WDW) so we wanted to give them a little something now.

I had a big box that said "Merry Christmas" on it and they tore it open to find 3 identically wrapped boxes with their names on them. On the count of 3 they opened their boxes to find some trading pins and a little invitation that invited them to spend a magical Christmas vacation in Disneyworld.

Well, we know how these things go. They just don't get it right away. They're like "Oh, we're going to Disneyworld. But these pins are COOL! Thanks!!!" Yes, the pins were the high point. We went to the park afterwards and the kids starting talking about WDW, how cool it was going to be, how much fun, etc. Then they started getting excited and thanking us. That was nice.

So, now they know. And now my Disney-obsessed 12yo is already reading his Disney travel guides trying to figure out the best places to have meals together. LOL

Let the detailed planning begin...

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

That's so great that your kids are getting excited! Can't wait to hear your detailed plans!!

 

[DWGal210]

What a neat way to tell the kids! I think that is a great idea. I also think switching to DW was a great choice! I would love to visit DLR soon, but with free dining, you can't beat that!

Sounds like a fun time!

 

[KGH]

Hey there, hopping over to your PTR

What a geat way to tell the kiddos. I've always wondered what happens when the big suprise reveal doesn't go as planned... I love watching youtube videos of parents suprising their kids, and every once in a while I stumble across one where the kids hear the big news, give their parents a blank stare, and ask if they can go play.

And I love your daughter's name... it's always been one of my favorite names!

 

[pixleyyy]

Welcome to my PTR. Thanks for stopping by!

I really wasn't expecting a huge, screaming thing from the kids. That's just not how they react. But it was nice to see the slow progression ... the realization of what was going to happen, how it would be fun for us all, how we were going to get to spend Christmastime in WDW. So they are excited, just not screaming with it. It's very much what I expected so there's no diappointment.

I will say that the kids have talked about it 10 or 15 times today. They have lots of questions, lots of requests, lots of hopes for our trip. Now if December would just get here already...

 

[pixleyyy]

I'm an obsessive planner. Always have been when it comes to Disney. Since the moment we paid for the plane tickets and I was assured that this trip was happening I have been obsessed with the DISboards. It's not like I couldn't figure it out on my own, but that the DISboards get me so excited for our trip! I just love spending hours on the boards reading about parks, rides, restaurants, etc.

I love it so much that I really given up my other pasttime, scrapbooking. I used to scrapbook hours each day and made about half of our trip money by selling rights to my designs to scrapbook magazines. I sure could use more of that money to start my next vacation account, but I just can't make myself scrap right now when I'm so excited about WDW.

I can't entirely blame this all on WDW or the DIS though. It's summer and therefore harder for me to scrap with the kids around. Plus I'm teaching summer camps this summer (this week it's science camp ) so my time is a little harder to come by. Yet when I have free time I find myself here on the DIS or writing, analyzing and rewriting our park and ADR schedule for the trip (I've written it 4 times already - and park hours aren't even released yet! LOL).

The obsession will pass, won't it? Eventually? Someday???????

 

[pixleyyy]

OK, I take it back. I have done something scrappy this summer.

Oh wait, that's Disney too! I just can't get away!!!

 

[pixleyyy]

Today I'm doing my little happy dance. See...

... because I just paid off the rest of our trip! We have airline tickets, room and free dining taken care of. Now we just need spending money. I have 3+ months to get that in order and I'm sure it won't be a problem. I am sooooooooo looking forward to this trip!

Now I'm looking forward to planning. Which park for which day... which ADR's do I need to make... when are we taking down time... what are we doing the day we fly in and the day we fly out? I've been mulling all of this over, planning and replanning, thinking and rethinking.

Yet in the end I know it all comes down to what the schedule says and it won't be out for a few weeks yet. I only have 16 days until my ADR date, so I'm hoping the schedule comes out soon!!!

 

[pixleyyy]

Just a quick post to celebrate that we're finally in the double digits. Only 99 days left until our trip! I'm soooooooo excited!!!