Where Pixie-Dusted Birthday Dreams Come True! A July Trip Report! PTR Link! Pg. 116

[Mommy2BnB]

9 stops......yikes. I bet you thought you were never going to get there! Went back and read the pre-trippie. Loved it!!! Going...not going...going....not going.... of course since you are writing a Trip Report, I knew the outcome, but still. Glad everything worked out. For anyone else who hasn't read it, it is a quick read using the chapter links, and it is great!

 

[mermaid764]

Great update!

It's good to see she was making good use of her birthday present already

 

[*dreamit*doit*]

Oh Jackie, don't feel bad about all those stops. On our way back from Disney in December we stopped 5 times in what is a 3 1/2 - 4 hour ride. We stopped at EVERY rest stop on our stretch of the turnpike! Of course, we left WDW at midnight and just kept stopping for coffee or ice to crunch on to keep us awake.

I love Connor's happy Disney dance!!

Can't wait to hear about CBR, we stayed there in 2003 just me and Ramon (and Miren in my belly) but haven't been back since. I booked us there for October with the bounceback we got last month at POP, but dates might change and we are thinking we might go back to POP, as well. Decisions, decisions...

 

[addictedtothemouse]

WOW! That's a lot of stops. Think of how much faster you could have been there without all of the stops. On our trips when the driver (me) stops for gas the passnegers refresh their drinks and use the restroom. Any other stops are if the driver needs coffee, so we stop about every three to four hours and usually drive 12 to 14 hours per day. (Although our last trip to MI we drove 20, with Dh and I switching off about every seven.)
I love Connor's happy dance, that's exactly the way I feel when we get to Disney.
Sometimes it's hard to admit when we should have listened to the kids.

 

[yinyanggirls]

I, like your other readers, am appalled at the number of stops! I demand to know who was behind such foolishness!

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

I love the pictures along the way! I can't get over it...... 9 stops

I'm a bit jealous that you actually made it with only 9. If we ever drove the potty queen (me) would have Joe stopping every freaking hour!

 

[kschafer]

Loving the TR through the eyes of Chelsea's new camera!!

I always was of the mind that once I got in the car, I only stopped every 5-6 hours but my hubby can't go more than 2 (that nasty cycle of... stop to get a drink, stop to empty bladder and purchace next drink, repeat!) It used to bother me but I have adjusted to the slower pace.

McCafe is the best!!!


Hooray for arrival, love Connor's happy dance

 

[Happydog]

Okay! That does it! I will definitely be utilizing my preteen/teen one day for my TRS!!! taking all these pictures along the way!! I felt like I was with you at all those random car stops!!!!!!!!


MCD's does have good coffee drinks, says DH, but I like their breakfast burritos!

I LOVE how Chelsea insisted on sitting in the back only to recognize she couldn't participate!!! FUNNY!!!

I also loved how Charles was awake and talking about flying the whole time... THAT was too funny also!


Now I am really curious where you ended up, and what Chelsea thought of the resort!!! Can't wait!!!

 

[Native NYer]

That's a lot of stops! But it's also a long drive. So, it balances out.
Would you ever consider flying to Orlando?

 

[momof2TNboys]

Great update!! It cracks me up that Charles did not sleep this time. Has the world turned upside down? Love the pics of the purple signs. I just love them so much!!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

I really enjoyed the "on the way" pictures! I personally think that the journey to the destination is also a fun part of vacationing! Love all the pit stop shots! And WOW, CB looks beautiful already and we haven't even gotten checked in!!

 

[miprender]

Joining in... we are planning two weeks next July. But DH is worried about the heat. We have been in the summer before but the older we get it seems the harder it is to deal with the heat.

Though this summer we are getting a taste of Disney right here in RI.

 

[MEK]

If I could drive to Disney in 8 hours with 9 stops I would be the happiest person alive! I would go 4X a year. Fly? Heck - why??????

I love all Chelsea's pictures. I can see who is going to be the photographer this trip. Nice job, Chelsea.

Disney Happy Dance - that was so cute!

 

[MeMom]

Finally! We’re here!!!

Out of the car at last, Connor did a happy Disney dance to celebrate!

Our first Disney line…

The arrival and first few minutes of the trip are so exciting, so surreal, so fabulous!!! Definitely dance-worthy!

 

[DWGal210]

9 stops, huh? . Sounds like me!!!

Connor is so cute doing his dance & Chelsea is taking some great pictures!!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Charles stayed AWAKE?!

I find it pretty funny that he finally realizes how long the drive is (now that he's AWAKE during it!) and commented about how you guys should fly next time!

The McCafe drinks are very good!! Back in MN we had one right down the road from us - and not many dining options in our town - I frequented the McDonalds so Henry could play there. A fruit & yogurt parfait + a vanilla latte = yummy!

Connor's happy dance is so great!!!

Looking forward to finding out where your room is, if it's ready and what you should have listened to the kids about!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Oh, oh! I forgot to tell you...last night Joe and I went shopping (for the September trip! ), we were in the Queens Mall and ate at the food court. About 3 tables away was a kid who looked EXACTLY like Connor, so much so that I did a double take!!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Great update! That is an extreme amount of stops!

Thanks! It did seem like we were stopping a lot. LOL!

9 stops huh? During our recent drive to St Louis (which is about 7 1/2 hrs) we stopped twice - I think Don would come unglued if I asked him to pull over 9 times!

Regardless, you're in WDW!!!!

Oh, trust me, most of those stops were Charles' doing.

Next time Benadryl for Charles!!!!

Glad you made it! Yes, I have heard McDonald's coffee drinks are good but I made the mistake of looking up the calorie count.

Loving Connor's happy disney dance.

No kidding! He was worse than the kids! Oh, don't tell me the calorie count -- I want to live in ignorant bliss. LOL!

Love the pictures along the way! Everyone at work was talking about how good the coffee is now at McDonalds and it really is...I was quite impressed!

Love Connor's happy dance....that's normally what Jasmine does when she gets off the plane

I can't wait for pics ar CB, I really really really want to stay there

I was so surprised that McDonald's could make a good coffee drink.

Connor was so happy to be back on Disney property!

I have lots of pictures of CBR (Chelsea took a lot, too!). You would love staying there!

Yay!! You made it!!

I love that you'll have Chelsea's pictures to add to the trip report!

Chelsea's pictures really helped this update since I almost never take pictures on the drive down -- I just want to get there.

Great update. Chelsea seems to have done a pretty good job with her picture taking.

Thanks! She had that camera glued to her hand most of the trip.

LOL! Chelsea is too funny keeping herself busy by taking pictures! I do the same thing sometimes!! haha

I can't wait to hear about CBR since we probably are staying there in February.

Oh yes, tomorrow is the big day!! Woo hoo!

Good luck today! Chelsea was having a lot of fun! You would love CBR -- we really enjoyed our stay there.

Wow! That's a lot of stops! I'm glad you finally made it there! I can't wait to hear if the room was ready or not.

It was a lot of stops, but we still made it in eight hours so I wasn't complaining too much.

I am so NOT going on a road trip with you! 9 stops? Someone buy this family a cooler!!

If I lived that close I'd be driving down every couple months!

Well, you know Charles likes his drinks "gas station cold."

That drive is so boring, though -- I dread it more and more every year.

I enjoyed how Chelsea documented your stops. I am more like Conner on our trips, my DH drives and I read. WE are usually good for at least 5 stops.

Chelsea was also the one keeping count. LOL! I was surprised we still made it in eight hours despite all those stops. They were quick ones.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Oh my ... what a great update. So many things I want to comment on.

Are you the designated driver for the whole trip? God bless you, if so.

Yes, I hate being the passenger in the car. I do much better behind the wheel.

Glad Charles is comfy with his pillow. So next time you are flying, huh? Speaking of next time, did anyone book bounceback??

We'll see about the driving. I really like having the car and being able to bring down water, drinks, and lots of snacks for the room. Not to mention, it costs us only about $150 in gas to drive down -- I don't think that would even cover the cost of one plane ticket.

No bounceback for us.

Looks like the camera was the perfect gift for Chelsea! She's making good use of it!

9 stops seems like a lot. But also seems like you made good time, in WDW by 2:30pm.

Oh, yes! She was in love with her camera.

They were fast stops -- Mapquest says the drive should take about seven and a half hours, and we made it in eight.

Love the happy Disney dance.

Connor was very happy to be at Disney!

9 stops?! I think DH would most certainly murder me if I asked him to stop that many times. Can't say that I blame him on the Blizzard stop, though.

Trust me, Charles was the force behind most of the stops.

McDonalds does have good coffee drinks, but I prefer their sweet tea!

Gotta love that Mickey D sweet tea!

Chelsea cracks me up with her teenage-ness. Glad to hear that she is enjoying her camera so much!

LOVE that Walt Disney World sign!! I take a picture of it every time.

Connor's happy dance - too cute!

The kids were in a great mood!

I'm betting that your room was ready, but was located in a less-than-ideal location. And I'm curious as to what the kids suggested that you didn't heed...

YAY! You started your TR!

Love all the pictures of Chelsea's birthday meals! Rachel got the same camera, same color, for her 13th birthday!

It's a great camera! I have been impressed with it.

Waiting patiently to find out where your room was, if it was a good location and why do you need to listen to your kids?!?!?!

Great update! I have a feeling it's going to be very interesting to see the Disney trip through Chelsea's eyes.

Just you wait!

I see Connor was wearing his Teva Mush Flippies, did they make it into the parks?

It was interesting -- both kids wanted to wear their tennis shoes to the parks every day; Charles wore his everywhere all the time; I alternated between my Tevas and my tennis shoes. I had to laugh because the kids were always complaining that I never let them wear flip flops to the parks beofre the trip, but once we were there, they insisted on wearing their tennis shoes.

GOOD LORD, 9 STOPS?!? Bryan and I are so commando, we drove almost 1,100 miles in one shot and stopped 4 times over 17 hours and our stops totaled 1 hour and 10 minutes.......but you made it to WDW Loved Connor's happy dance photo!!

Wow! There is no way we would survive with only four stops in seventeen hours. LOL!

wow....i gotta say that chelsea is doing a great job of documenting the trip with pictures so far. she even got one of her sprite zero!

Wasn't that funny? I had to include it when I saw it! LOL!

i hear ya, connor!

It's always a cause for celebration when we reach our resort.

Yeah you're there, even though it took 9 stops. DH does the driving for us and he's very stingy with the stops.

I only wish Charles was stingy with the stops. LOL!

Chelsea did a good job of documenting your drive down. Did she take any self portrait pictures? That's what Michelle always did and now Danielle is doing it.

Chelsea does take a lot of self portrait pictures, but I noticed she deleted most of them. She is her own worst critic.

Love Connors dance! That's the way I feel when we finally get there.

Me too!

just started reading sounds like u had a great trip

Welcome! We had a great time!

The purple sign looks so much happier in your pictures then it did in ours. Oh well we get a do over in October!

October will be here before you know it!!!

9 stops. Are you kidding me! We made 4 from our house to Ocala!

Glad you are there though!

Only four stops between Ohio and Ocala??? I wish! We had made four stops before we even reached Valdosta!

 

[eandesmom]

I was going to say, you made quite good time considering nine stops! I love Connor's happy dance and am at Chelsea from the back seat.

You are there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's all that matters