It's Family-moon time!

[DLFan123]

I finally had a chance to catch up. Your balloon story is the best! I wonder what they would think of a 34 year old walking through security with a Mickey balloon. I would love to try that. Now I just wonder how long those things will actually last.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

I finally had a chance to catch up. Your balloon story is the best! I wonder what they would think of a 34 year old walking through security with a Mickey balloon. I would love to try that. Now I just wonder how long those things will actually last.

Lol. Thanks! And yes, I think you should try it and please take pictures! Had I had any idea how funny the whole ordeal would later become I would have been photo journaling all the way!

Have a fantastic trip to DL! I have never been, but I am planning to do the Tinker Bell 1/2 next January. Do you just do Disney when you are there or do you do other things as well?

 

[momto3gr8boys]

Now that we've narrowed down our dining choices and I have the final list of ADRs I will be making next week, I ran our numbers again using this:

http://seeyareelsoon.wix.com/seeyareelsoon#!dining-plan-calculator/cxc0

The first time I ran these numbers with guestimated dining choices we came out about $300 ahead by paying OOP. This time with a more realistic list, we came out $600 ahead of the DDP! I am all for convenience, but we are definitely going out of pocket on this trip. I suppose I can still cross my fingers for FD, but based on what we've seen so far this year, I'm not counting on it.

If you haven't spent time playing around with this calculator, do so! I browse the dining boards a lot and it seems like so many people just blindly go with the DDP, assuming they will save $, and stress over where to spend their last TS credit, when realistically, you may do much better without it! Several years ago when you could get it for $30 something dollars and it included the appetizer it was a great deal. And even before that it used to include gratuity as well. But now, there's no way I'm going to hit $55 a day x 5 without appetizers and alcohol. I will probably end up spending that amount or more, but on items not covered, which I would buy whether we were on the plan or not.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

Today was my 180 day . I had been doing a lot of reading on people trying to book at 180+10 online. For the most part, people were unable to do so, but a few could do it on an iPad. I tested my iPad, and sure enough, it was showing the +10 dates highlighted blue, when MDE was not.

I set the alarm for 5:40, got up (on a day off!), made coffee and got ready for 6 am. Well, so much for the iPad experience. I was able to make my first ADR, but none after that. It asked me to confirm my resort reservation #, but then it would say that they couldn't link the reservations. I tried several different ways - the disneyparks.ca site, going int through the map link to get to the old site (they apparently fixed that sometime in the past few weeks), downloaded a new browser, but nothing worked. So I finally resolved the fact that I was going to have to wait until 7.

At 6:57 I started hitting redial until the phone line opened. I was on hold for about 10-12 minutes, and GOT ALL MY ADRs

So, here they are!!:

Sunday 8/18 - Le Cellier (7:25pm)
Tuesday 8/20 - Tusker House (12:30pm)
Tuesday 8/20 - Sci-Fi (6:30pm)
Wednesday 8/21 - Chef Mickey's (7:10pm) - later than what I wanted
Thursday 8/22 - Cape May (8:40am)
Thursday 8/22 - Raglan Road (7:15pm)
Friday 8/23 - 50's PT (12:30pm)
Friday 8/23 - BOG (8:15pm) - later than I wanted, but happy to get it on my day of choice!
Saturday 8/24 - Kona Cafe (10:15am)
Saturday 8/24 - Ohana (6:30pm)
Sunday 8/25 - HDDR (6:15, Cat. 1)
Monday 8/26 - Saana (5:30pm) - this was actually the most difficult to get - had to go with two tables - will request together when we get there.
Tuesday 8/27 - 1900 Park Fare (9:40am)

I am so happy that we got everything on the dates we wanted. Only three of the times were off.

I was also able to book massages at the GF for Sunday the 25th (this was bookable through dining)

I then called WDW-TOUR to book the WAT, and got our choice of times for the day we wanted as well. We have that booked for Wednesday, 8/21 at 9:30am.

Woohoo!! Now the hard part comes - not much to do and look forward to until the time gets closer!

 

[OregonMomToWDW]

Today was my 180 day . I had been doing a lot of reading on people trying to book at 180+10 online. For the most part, people were unable to do so, but a few could do it on an iPad. I tested my iPad, and sure enough, it was showing the +10 dates highlighted blue, when MDE was not.

I set the alarm for 5:40, got up (on a day off!), made coffee and got ready for 6 am. Well, so much for the iPad experience. I was able to make my first ADR, but none after that. It asked me to confirm my resort reservation #, but then it would say that they couldn't link the reservations. I tried several different ways - the disneyparks.ca site, going int through the map link to get to the old site (they apparently fixed that sometime in the past few weeks), downloaded a new browser, but nothing worked. So I finally resolved the fact that I was going to have to wait until 7.

At 6:57 I started hitting redial until the phone line opened. I was on hold for about 10-12 minutes, and GOT ALL MY ADRs

So, here they are!!:

Sunday 8/18 - Le Cellier (7:25pm)
Tuesday 8/20 - Tusker House (12:30pm)
Tuesday 8/20 - Sci-Fi (6:30pm)
Wednesday 8/21 - Chef Mickey's (7:10pm) - later than what I wanted
Thursday 8/22 - Cape May (8:40am)
Thursday 8/22 - Raglan Road (7:15pm)
Friday 8/23 - 50's PT (12:30pm)
Friday 8/23 - BOG (8:15pm) - later than I wanted, but happy to get it on my day of choice!
Saturday 8/24 - Kona Cafe (10:15am)
Saturday 8/24 - Ohana (6:30pm)
Sunday 8/25 - HDDR (6:15, Cat. 1)
Monday 8/26 - Saana (5:30pm) - this was actually the most difficult to get - had to go with two tables - will request together when we get there.
Tuesday 8/27 - 1900 Park Fare (9:40am)

I am so happy that we got everything on the dates we wanted. Only three of the times were off.

I was also able to book massages at the GF for Sunday the 25th (this was bookable through dining)

I then called WDW-TOUR to book the WAT, and got our choice of times for the day we wanted as well. We have that booked for Wednesday, 8/21 at 9:30am.

Woohoo!! Now the hard part comes - not much to do and look forward to until the time gets closer!

I am so happy you got the ADRs you wanted. My ADR day is this Saturday. I am so ready. I had already decided I would just have to call in, so you confirmed this for me. It means I get to sleep in until 4am! I wasn't looking forward to the 3am time. 4am seems so much better. I really hope I can actually get up that early.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

I am so happy you got the ADRs you wanted. My ADR day is this Saturday. I am so ready. I had already decided I would just have to call in, so you confirmed this for me. It means I get to sleep in until 4am! I wasn't looking forward to the 3am time. 4am seems so much better. I really hope I can actually get up that early.

Thanks! And yes, I vote for sleeping in! I tried EVERYTHING to get the iPad to work...followed step by step what others on the boards said they did, and it just would not allow me to make those reservations. Calling is a bit of a pain and more time consuming, but probably a lot less frustrating than trying to navigate a website that bumps you out and redirects you every time you try to add something.

And my reservations were showing up in MDE before I even hung up the phone. Just make sure the CM takes your phone number so they will link - the woman I had asked for mine, but I have read of others not being asked and then they had to call back to have the reservations linked.

Good luck and let us know what you get!

 

[StitchIsOurHero]

Just catching up!! So excited that you got all of your ADRs! Those look like terrific choices!!

Ooh and massages at GF?? Awesome!

I am still catching up from when you gave DW the surprise. I am just like you--I can never keep a secret with something like that! It's just too much fun to share!!

 

[momto3gr8boys]

Just catching up!! So excited that you got all of your ADRs! Those look like terrific choices!!

Ooh and massages at GF?? Awesome!

I am still catching up from when you gave DW the surprise. I am just like you--I can never keep a secret with something like that! It's just too much fun to share!!

Thanks!!

And it was a good thing I told her because wouldn't you know...she was off from work today and look what came in the mail!!:

That would have been fun to explain, especially since I booked two cabins so one was addressed to me and the other to her

We then decided that we may surprise the boys at Easter. It will be about a 6 weeks ahead of the cruise, but I was thinking the kids get so busy with school and activities, that I don't want them to make plans for that weekend without knowing we will not be around. So I was thinking I will put the pictures in little photo albums, and find a giant plastic egg and stick them inside. Then I am going to have them go on an "egg hunt", which my 12 year old will LOVE and the the other two will roll their eyes and look at me like I'm the un-coolest mother ever. But I was thinking of doing it with a twist - egg hunt, but treasure hunt style where each little plastic egg is a clue leading up to the big egg and then have all three read the photo album together. And then I'll be back to being the coolest mother ever!

 

[momto3gr8boys]

Ok, lots of updates for our trip! It's amazing how I can just keep planning and planning

I am sitting here waiting for a box of fish to arrive. Yes, I said a box of fish. We used to be very involved with aquariums. At one point I had 7 tanks up and running - 3 saltwater and 4 freshwater. Over the years though I downsized as it was like a full time job to keep up with them all - especially the saltwater/reef tanks. I hung on to a 36 gallon bow front corner tank though because it was in great shape. It had been a reef, but I took it down about a year ago. Right after Christmas I set it up as a heavily planted community, with the goal of mainly livebearers and a few other community fish for variety. So the tank has been planted and cycled and today the fish are arriving. Well, there are a few guppies in there now and they are doing well. I usually just buy them at a local fish store, but lately I haven't been impressed. I had ordered my plants from live aquaria and they were so beautiful and in such better shape after spending 24 hours in a dark box being shipped than the ones in the tanks at my local fish stores, so I decided to give them a try on the actual fish. Here's hoping they are ok - I've been tracking them since they left CA last night. They are now at my local fedex and should be out for delivery soon! Of course we are having terrible weather here today, so I was up worried about these poor guys in the middle of the night, checking the weather and fedex, hoping they'd make it and not get delayed.

Clara thinks I'm crazy - but she should be grateful right now I'm focused on $70 worth of fish and not planning another vacation

Ok, so back to Disney!! I was able to change a few of our ADR times. Chef Mickey's is our first night at the MK, despite being our 4th day at Disney - . It's just that according to the crowd calendars, it is really the best way to do it. Additionally, our first stay is at BC, so it makes more sense to do Epcot and HS while we are in walking distance. We will hit all four parks from both hotels, but I figured it would be easier to focus on those at BC and MK from Poly. So anyway, all I was able to get was a 7:10 ADR, which really was not great because it wouldn't give us much time on either end (we are at the AK in the morning that day for the WAT). So, I checked online and was able to get a 5:10 at CM!! That's a little early for us for dinner, but I'm happy because we can eat and then spend the rest of the night at the MK.

I also was able to change two of our breakfast times. The morning we are doing Cape May is our TL day. Originally I could only get 8:40, but was able to switch to 8:00, which will give us a better start to our day at TL.

And then I changed Kona! Originally I had made a 10:15 breakfast there. I figured we would sleep in (it's our resort day at Poly), and have a late breakfast and then hit the pool. I started looking at the pool set up and decided that being we are going to spend the entire day there, I would see if I could get a cabana. I called and was able to reserve one for the whole day!

So, being that I'm paying for this from 10-7, I decided to change Kona to 9:20. This way right after breakfast we can go and get settled in for the day. Now I just have to pray for nice weather that day!

I was going to keep that a surprise, but I blurted it out at dinner last night. What is wrong with me??? lol. Everyone was very excited, most of all my wonderful wife, who requires more pampering than most to make it through a 10 day Disney trip .

But the cruise is still a surprise for the boys, as is the Wild Animal Trek - I am SOOOOOOO excited for that!!

I posted a picture of the whole family on the August FB thread and realized I've posted some of the boys here but not the whole cast together, so here it is:

Top (l to r): Connor (DS16), Me, Clara Bottom (l to r): Aidan (DS14) and Evan (DS12). This was taken in Epcot a few years ago. Clara and I look the same. The boys have gotten taller

Ok, off to stalk the fedex truck!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

Hi, Christine! My kids and I are going to UO/WDW around the same time – Aug 21 to Sept 2 – so I thought I’d sub to your PTR. Your boys are so cute! It looks like you have a great trip planned! You’ve planned a great surprise cruise, too! I just adore your story about your son’s balloon! That’s Disney magic for ya! I really like the planner that you are doing for your family to surprise them with the cruise! Oops, I just read the next page and saw that you told your wife! I’m glad she’s very excited about the trip! I hope you can keep it a secret from your kids until Easter! I love the idea of an Easter egg hunt/ treasure hunt! Your ADRs and other reservations look good. The last picture that you posted of your family is so cute! I can’t wait to hear more about your trip!

 

[Alysa]

Gorgeous photo of the five of you!
I think it is a good thing that you told the boys. I think half the fun is the anticipation. The one time we tried a surprise trip it didn't go over as well as I thought it would. They kids were younger than your boys but they were so stunned and confused and worried about our dog.
Glad the boys were excited!

 

[DMGeurts]

I thought I commented on your picture??? Clearly - I did not. Sorry about that.

Love the picture - your family is just adorable - and it looks like everyone is so happy to be at Disney! As it should be... LOL

I like that even though the boys know you are going - you are still keeping a few surprises for them.

D~

 

[DrMomof3]

I'm subscribing and then I have to go back and catch up!

Amanda

 

[momto3gr8boys]

Hi, Christine! My kids and I are going to UO/WDW around the same time – Aug 21 to Sept 2 – so I thought I’d sub to your PTR. Your boys are so cute! It looks like you have a great trip planned! You’ve planned a great surprise cruise, too! I just adore your story about your son’s balloon! That’s Disney magic for ya! I really like the planner that you are doing for your family to surprise them with the cruise! Oops, I just read the next page and saw that you told your wife! I’m glad she’s very excited about the trip! I hope you can keep it a secret from your kids until Easter! I love the idea of an Easter egg hunt/ treasure hunt! Your ADRs and other reservations look good. The last picture that you posted of your family is so cute! I can’t wait to hear more about your trip!

Hi Erin - thanks for following along! Where will you be staying? We did US last time, so will just be doing all Disney this trip. But your kids are at a great age for US. Are you staying there or just going over for the day? So far the boys still don't know!

Gorgeous photo of the five of you!
I think it is a good thing that you told the boys. I think half the fun is the anticipation. The one time we tried a surprise trip it didn't go over as well as I thought it would. They kids were younger than your boys but they were so stunned and confused and worried about our dog.
Glad the boys were excited!

Actually, I only told them about the cabana - they still don't know about the cruise! But I am going to tell them on Easter, so they will have about 5 weeks to be excited. We did a surprise trip once - literally told them and then got in the car to go to the airport! They handled it fine, but I do think they will be better off knowing this time.

I thought I commented on your picture??? Clearly - I did not. Sorry about that.

Love the picture - your family is just adorable - and it looks like everyone is so happy to be at Disney! As it should be... LOL

I like that even though the boys know you are going - you are still keeping a few surprises for them.

D~

Yes, so far I've managed to keep the WAT from them. I am SO excited for that one! I need to get back over to your PTR - I have fallen so far behind - on yours and mine

I'm subscribing and then I have to go back and catch up!

Amanda

Thanks for following along, Amanda! Fingers crossed your DVC offer makes it through ROFR!

************************************************

I have slacked off on this PTR! But then again, not much has changed. All our ADRs are made, and there's not too much to do at this point. I do have to make a few decisions as I added two ADRs, but they are doubles at the moment.

My original plan was:

Day 2: Epcot all day, no ADRs (I figured SS for lunch and dine around the world for dinner.

Day 6: MK in the evening, dinner at Columbia Harbor House, but then I got an ADR for BOG at 8:15. Later than I wanted, but the only available at the time.

Day 9: AK later in the day until close and then a 5:30 ADR at Saana.

We have attempted to eat at the AKL for several trips now, and I always end up canceling because it's tough to fit in the schedule. But given that we want to keep up some of the African theme, I would really like to keep it. My other wish was to dine with an animal expert, but for now it only seems to be available on Wednesday afternoons, and that's when we have our WAT.

Then BOG opened back up again and I was able to get a 6:40 ADR for Day 9, which is our last night before we go home. I thought it might be a nice last dinner, but it was really the timing that was better. And then we would be able to eat at CHH, which we just really like.

So then I needed to fit back in Saana...I was able to get a 1:00 lunch ADR for Day 2. But that would mean leaving Epcot for lunch and then heading back. We would have left Epcot for a break at some point, but being that we will be at the BC at that point, that was a no brainer.

So now I need to decide whether to keep the original ADRs or switch to the new ones. I like the new times better, it's just that huge chunk of time that Saana will take.

Thoughts?

 

[SixUnderSix]

I'm late to the party but following along too! I love the idea of a Family-moon but am also seriously envious of your honeymoon to Africa - I bet that was amazing!!!

 

[DMGeurts]

I agree that AKL is difficult to fit into your schedule - especially if you aren't staying there. We managed to fit Boma in last year... they had some amazing food that we'd never find anywhere else - some we liked and some we didn't. We have never done Sanaa - I have heard marvelous things about it so I think it's worth trying to make it work for your schedule.

Glad you got a better BoG ADR... Getting any ADR there right now is a good one IMO... Right now, there is NO BoG ADRs available for any of our MK days - so I am happy to have the one I have.

Glad to see you back... No worries about catching up on my PTR.... Just pick up where ever you like - I totally understand that it moves a bit fast. And I'd much rather have people just pop in and say hi, than to stay away because they can't go back and read. It's all good - trust me.

D~

 

[wiigirl]

Following along!

 

[DrMomof3]

We've only eaten at AKL once. We had a date night and took a can to Jiko. It's hard to get to the more off the beaten path resorts!
Amanda

 

[momto3gr8boys]

I'm late to the party but following along too! I love the idea of a Family-moon but am also seriously envious of your honeymoon to Africa - I bet that was amazing!!!

Thanks for following along! Yes, Africa was amazing! A truly once in a lifetime experience that was just so incredible.

I agree that AKL is difficult to fit into your schedule - especially if you aren't staying there. We managed to fit Boma in last year... they had some amazing food that we'd never find anywhere else - some we liked and some we didn't. We have never done Sanaa - I have heard marvelous things about it so I think it's worth trying to make it work for your schedule.

Glad you got a better BoG ADR... Getting any ADR there right now is a good one IMO... Right now, there is NO BoG ADRs available for any of our MK days - so I am happy to have the one I have.

Glad to see you back... No worries about catching up on my PTR.... Just pick up where ever you like - I totally understand that it moves a bit fast. And I'd much rather have people just pop in and say hi, than to stay away because they can't go back and read. It's all good - trust me.

D~

Thanks for understanding! It's hard keeping up with the popular DIS kids
And thanks for the input. I do really want to keep a Saana ADR....I need to take another look at the last few days of our trip and decide. I usually make a few ADRs but keep the end of the trip kind of open so we can go where we want. I'm also thinking that on day two we won't really need a true "lie by the pool" break so it may be a good day to take that out of the way trip. And by day 9 it'll be nicer to be at the MK since we will be at Poly by then. Decisions, decisions.

Following along!

We've only eaten at AKL once. We had a date night and took a can to Jiko. It's hard to get to the more off the beaten path resorts!
Amanda

You know, it may not be a bad idea to take a cab....at least in one direction - or maybe both!. This way we minimize our travel time and then it will be easy to go back to the BC before going back to Epcot for the rest of the night.

**********************************************

Yesterday was Aidan's birthday (I need to switch that DS14 to a 15!). Among his gifts we got him a a new pair of board shorts and water shirt and a Disney gift card. So even though he has no idea about the cruise, Clara and I were practically giddy picking the stuff out because we are getting so excited for it! Less than two months to go!

He, on the other hand, was confused as to why we were giving him stuff for a trip that's still 5 months out But he has gotten so tall this past year I was afraid none of his old bathing suits would fit!

Is anyone else a scrapbooker? I used to scrap a lot when the kids were younger and I had enough supplies to open a craft store. Over the years, I stopped scrapping and then we moved. I was faced with the major decision of whether or not to move all of this stuff I wasn't even using. I chose not to, with the exception of one box. Then I turned to digital scrapping and did a few albums that way (one Disney) and I love the way it came out. But I was starting to miss the hands on aspect. Then just last week I came across a thread on these boards about Project Life, which is a new system of scrapbooking that is much simpler and faster to do. So I jumped onboard and started working on pictures from a trip to Rome and Paris - I thought it was fitting to be scrapping Vatican pictures during the conclave

Anyway, there are some really cute Disney items, and since I have a ton of unscrapped Disney pics, I figure after I finish this one, I will start working on that, and maybe that will help the time until August go by a little faster

Have a great day, everyone!

 

[DMGeurts]

Happy belated birthday to DS... Love that he was confused about his gift. I think it's a perfectly legitimate gift this time of year.

I used to be a big scrapbooker too... I used to be a Creative Memories consultant back when they first started... Well, since I didn't have a dedicated scrapbook room, and the girls were little - you can imagine what a mess this was on my diningroom table... I don't do well with messes. LOL Then, to top it off - I am a perfectionist as well, so everything had to be "just so". One day I was scrapbooking with my bff, and she said she would never scrapbook with me again, because I was such a crab. LOL That was my hint - I did not need a hobby in my life that made me crabby. So, I packed it all away and that was it. Allison now uses all of my old stuff... I like to see it being used, because typically I am not a wasteful person. I much prefer to mess around in Photoshop, because there is no mess to clean up and it's very easy to be precise.

I hope you have lots of fun with your new hobby!

D~