Part of the Ship, Part of the Crew: A CBR Christmas Adventure for 2 plus 2-New 1-9!

[Roxychica7]

Hi there!! And welcome to my latest Pre Trip/Trip Report!

I am SO excited about this report for a few reasons...

But first, introductions are in order!

I'm Jess, 27 who loves Disney. This will be my 12th visit to WDW. I had several stays at CBR with my mom and dad in 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th grade. Then I've been going with Blake, my now fiance staying at All Star Music, Sports and Pop every year at Christmas time since 2005. So, this is our 6th year in a row going together in December.

I'm an Aquatic Biologist at an Aquatic Ecotoxicology lab. We recently moved back to my homestate of Maryland from Virginia Beach this past May for our new job. I have my Master's in Biology, which I just graduated this past May as well! So, obviously I love the Little Mermaid and Finding Nemo..my past job I was an Aquarist and did stuff like this for a living...

I miss it, but definitely love being closer to home (about an hour away now).

Next up, there's Blake. We've been together for 7 1/2 years. He also has his Master's in Biology.

And you will most always see him in pictures more like this

Or this

And this too

The boy likes to fish, what can I say...

Thankfully, when we moved in May, we both were accepted as Aquatic Biologists at the same company, so we work with fish, and then we fish and then we eat fish. We love fish..almost as much as we love Disney

Last year, our 2010 Christmas trip, the link can be found here Blake proposed to me at the Boardwalk Resort in front of the lake at sunset..here was our first picture together.

So needless to say, Disney holds an extra special place in our hearts now.

So what's up with the Trip title? Two plus two?
Well two, being the two of us. But this trip, we have two extra guests!

The first one being...my mom!

My mom and I have had a rough go the last 7 or 8 years. Unfortunately she has had some addiction problems (prescription) and we were not civil for a while and it was a very rough time in college for me. Thankfully, she has straightened herself out the last 2 or 3 years and we decided to invite her along! The best part is that, she hasn't been in 9 years, since my 12th grade graduation trip and has never been at Christmas time, so I am so excited for her to experience it!

And finally, we have...Stuart! Also known as Stu..this is Blake's stepbrother.

I love Stu to death, he is the biggest little kid ever! He hasn't been with us since our 2006 trip. He has never stayed on property at a Disney resort before. And so that mom and I can have time alone and Blake will have time with his step brother, it's a perfect fit! And my mom loves Stu too, completely drama free and just a fun guy to be around!

So....the resort details, dates, etc...up next!

 

[Roxychica7]

Saved for Chapter links:

Pre-Trip Report
1. The who
2. The where and when
3. ADR Game
4. 50 Days
5. 47 days and last chance ADR guesses!
6. The ADR's are Revealed!
7. Day 1 Plans
8. Day 2 Plans
9. Day 3 Plans
10. Day 4 Plans and a little Mail
11. Day 5 Plans
12. Day 6 Plans
13. Day 7 Plans
14. Single digit dance and this time next week Day 1
15. 3 days to go and some Christmas stuff

Trip Report
1. Computer Woes

 

[disneydusted]

Hi Jess! I just subscribed to this new thread! I enjoyed your last TR... Hey, have you two set a wedding date yet?

 

[Roxychica7]

Hi Jess! I just subscribed to this new thread! I enjoyed your last TR... Hey, have you two set a wedding date yet?

Hey! I hope your summer was great!! Thanks for reading along on the last one, even though I was a slacker and took my sweet time to finish it! I know I'll finish this one since I'm starting early!
We don't have a wedding date set, just relaxing with having no school and no stress for once! It'll probably be late next year though or early 2013

 

[MEK]

Yeah - you started! Great introductions!!!! Who is your photo hosting site, because I can see all your pictures at work?

How cool that you both got jobs at the same company doing the same thing. Interesting work.

How nice that your mom is coming on your trip and that she is recovering from her addiction. What a great opportunity to rebuild your relationship.

Can't wait to see your plans and if we have an overlapping park days!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Woo Hoo!! Excited for this new PTR!! I saw the link when I finished up reading your TR.

 

[Roxychica7]

Yeah - you started! Great introductions!!!! Who is your photo hosting site, because I can see all your pictures at work?

How cool that you both got jobs at the same company doing the same thing. Interesting work.

How nice that your mom is coming on your trip and that she is recovering from her addiction. What a great opportunity to rebuild your relationship.

Can't wait to see your plans and if we have an overlapping park days!

Thanks MEK!! I just use facebook, since most of my photos are on there anyway

I am really excited to have my mom come, I've got a few special things planned with her while the boys go off and do their thing. And I am SO excited to see if we have overlapping park days too!

Woo Hoo!! Excited for this new PTR!! I saw the link when I finished up reading your TR.

YAY! I'm stoked for this PTR too! I'm starting one early for once and finally have the chance to do all the fun PTR lists and games

 

[Roxychica7]

So now that we know who is going, we need the dates and where!

I thought long and hard about where I wanted to stay. Blake and I had always stayed either off site with family friends (that's where Stu stayed with us in 2006) or we stayed at Value resorts, All Star Music, All Star Sports and just last year, Pop Century.

When I started planning this trip this summer, my mom kept asking me, "why haven't you booked yet? They're going to sell out!" She being used to use planning a year in advance. Blake and I, like last year if you remember, planned the trip in less than 2 weeks! I told her, "don't worry, trust me, I'm an expert"

What was I waiting for? That beloved pin code. Thankfully we have been lucky enough to have received either free dining, and paid for the upgrade from the counter service (staying at a value) or getting the 40% off room rate each year we've stayed on property. Around the end of August, I got it.....FREE DINING!!!

So I knew that confirmed it...moderate it would be!

Next up...which resort? Well you know we all have that dream where we want to try out every single Disney resort. A part of me wanted to stay some place different than we've already stayed. I thought of Riverside and Coronado Springs and French Quarter. But, I kept going back to Caribbean Beach for sentimental reasons. I knew Blake would love it either way, the hammocks, the beach, the seperate pools. But, this is where my mom and I stayed during our good years during middle and high school. We've stayed in Aruba, Martinique, Jamaica and Trinidad South (which was senior trip 2002, and horrible mind you. We were in the back and it rained the ENTIRE trip) So I've had that in the back of my mind. But..still wanted to try something new.

Then the dates. We have always had our Christmas trip sometime between December 10th and December 21th, just depending on when the weekend fell. Blake and I have never had vacation time (UNTIL NOW!), so we have always had a small 5 day, 5 night or 5 day, 4 night trip. Due to finals or lack or funds and always no vacation time. So we knew that we could do it longer this year.

When the dates came out, it perfectly fell between our normal days.

So, we decided, Monday December 12th until Sunday December 18th.

This is significant because December 16th is exactly one year from when Blake proposed to me IN Disney!

With our work, since we deal with living animals, we all have to rotate on a weekend shift, ends up being about once a month. December 10th and 11th is Blake's weekend.


But wait.


What's that?

You talked Blake into switching with someone so that you can extend your trip another day?? Let's pull out the Disney calculator.

One extra park day...equals $8 a person. One extra resort night equals $41 a person. SOLD!!

So, ladies and gentlemen...I announce, this year's trip is:

Sunday December 11th-Sunday December 18th at

A week long trip!!

Flights are secured, ADR's had been booked back in August, overlapping as many possible combinations as humanly possible, not knowing the exact trip dates yet. And we are good to go!!

53 days left!!

Up next, your favorite...the ADR's!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

WOO HOO!! A whole week!! That is VERY exciting!

 

[MEK]

Nice long trip! I can't wait until I can start taking longer trips during the off season. 5 nights is as much as we can swing with taking Nicholas out of school (which we probably shouldn't be doing at all )

I really like CBR. Its a very pretty resort and its great for running because there are so many paths and so much to look at. Plus that whole tropical theme is great for beating the winter blues.

OK - bring on the ADRs!

 

[Roxychica7]

WOO HOO!! A whole week!! That is VERY exciting!

I know!! I'm so freakin excited!!

Nice long trip! I can't wait until I can start taking longer trips during the off season. 5 nights is as much as we can swing with taking Nicholas out of school (which we probably shouldn't be doing at all )

I really like CBR. Its a very pretty resort and its great for running because there are so many paths and so much to look at. Plus that whole tropical theme is great for beating the winter blues.

OK - bring on the ADRs!

I love CBR so much. Even when I was younger, I used to rent a bike every trip and just ride through the back trails. I love how you can see Illuminations at night too, we always sit in the hammocks and watch!

I still have to eventually shake my christmas mood, cause I'd love to travel during the other seasons! I think Nick should be ok, a lot of the material they do online now, just definitely tell him to keep up on those reading assignments!

 

[disneydusted]

Ahhhh very nice!!! Won't that be a fun time! You were smart to hold out and wait for the PIN!! Good job!

 

[Roxychica7]

Ahhhh very nice!!! Won't that be a fun time! You were smart to hold out and wait for the PIN!! Good job!

There's part of you that wants to book that trip right away...but inside, the oh so smart Disney expert says wait..there's money to be saved..a pincode awaits!!

 

[NancyLuvsMickey]

Just found your PTR...

We've stayed in CBR and we loved it... We were in building 52 (Aruba) so we were close the the bridge to walk over to the food court and we were the 2nd stop for the bus so there was always room for us...

By the time the bus got to Trinidad North & South, it was either full or standing room only... Glad we didn't have a room there...

 

[Roxychica7]

Just found your PTR...

We've stayed in CBR and we loved it... We were in building 52 (Aruba) so we were close the the bridge to walk over to the food court and we were the 2nd stop for the bus so there was always room for us...

By the time the bus got to Trinidad North & South, it was either full or standing room only... Glad we didn't have a room there...

Hi there! Thanks for reading along!

I think I'm just biased toward CBR because I know it the best. We also had a year where we walked across the bridge to get to the food court, I hope we get it again!

But I totally understand, Trinidad South was horrible, particularly in the rain because it took SO long to get to get drinks or food and the same with the bus stop. Hope we luck out!

 

[Roxychica7]

Before I reveal the ADR's..who's up for a little guessing game??

I've made 9 ADR's.

Well...if you count how many ADR's I totally made due to not knowing the dates or prior park days of our trip, that number would be 25.

So you want some clues? Clues are always good. Here you go.


We have no ADR's scheduled at the Magic Kingdom
1 of our ADR's are at: Epcot
4 of our ADR's are at Disney Resorts


Any guesses?

 

[Charleston Princess]

Here, Jess! So exciting that you get a whole week at Disney! You will love CBR!

 

[Roxychica7]

Here, Jess! So exciting that you get a whole week at Disney! You will love CBR!

I haven't stayed there in 9 years, so I was 18 at the time..I'm excited to see all the changes and what I remember from it!

 

[Roxychica7]

50 Days left!

I wanted to share a Disney morning with you! Blake woke me up from a dead sleep to present me with breakfast in bed with a little something like this:

You've heard of Mickey waffles, this is Blake's Mickey french toast!

So I enjoyed some keurig coffee in my Beauty and the Beast mug and my Mickey french toast. Great way to start the morning!

Back at the 60 day mark, I made Blake a paperchain. I thought it would be fine to count down and when I heard he had never made a chain before, even to count down the end of the school year, I claimed it ridiculous and marked right upstairs and made him one...complete with Disney trivia on each one!

I hung it on our lamp in the kitchen, here's a picture of it:

And a close up:

Today was day 50!
The trivia question for today was:
Where in WDW can you hear the saying, "Did you remember to turn off those robots?"

Blake got it right, I was so proud! He was truly become the Disney trivia expert in-training!

And remember, don't forget to cast in your ADR guesses!

 

[ZehnJahren]

I'm joining in; read through your last (engagement) TR and enjoyed it - looking forward to another trip myself so it's nice to have PTRs and TRs to look forward to as well!

We love our Keurig around these parts, and I'd love it if my DBF would be into WDW enough to make a countdown chain. Lucky girl!