7 Stitches, Now 7 Years Later – We’ve Come A Long Way Baybee!

javamom

<font color=green>Rumored Avatar Fairy<br><font co
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Jan 11, 2006
7 Stitches, Now 7 Years Later We've Come A Long Way Baybee!

Once upon a time almost 7 years ago, I started planning our very first family trip to Walt Disney World. We thought that it was going to be our one-and-only, but it turned out to be the beginning of a tradition of sorts. We made numerous trips since them, even joined DVC for a short-time, and eventually I took all of that passion and knowledge and started putting it to work for me as a Disney Travel Specialist. So, you see, our family has sort of come around full circle. Looking back at the 7 stitches that started it all (if you really want to hear that part of it, I can tell it later), I count each and every one as a blessing (scar and all). For various reasons, it has taken 7 years to make it back to Walt's 47-square miles for Christmas. We have wanted to return for Christmas over the years, but it never worked out that way.

All those years ago I described ourselves as the Kool-Aid Family in our first ever trip report, insinuating that we had drunk the Disney Kool Aid, and we were all-in for a Disney Christmas adventure! I supposed that was truer than we knew at the time! The last 7 years have brought a LOT of change to the world, and our family has been no exception. The simple fact of the matter is that (though we are working harder and making more money than we were) we had more expendable cash in 2006 than we have today. So, we make sacrifices in order to continue to afford our Disney vacations. We don't drive shiny new cars, I don't visit a manicurist or colorist, we rarely buy anything with a designer label, and we canceled small frills like digital cable. For these small sacrifices, we get to watch our kids grow up in images taken with childhood friends like Mickey, Tigger, and Pooh. Grown up they have.

Crystal3sm.jpg


Can't wait to see what this year's pics will look like...::yes::

I suppose now would be the correct point to introduce the family:

Javamom - Steph grew up going to Disneyland, official family travel planner, and now a Disney Travel Specialist. How's that for taking a passion and making it your own?

Crashdad - Mike My personal Mr. Incredible, and all around great guy. Disney is also his Laughing Place, although I suspect he'd like to make me go camping at least once. We all know it would be once, don't we?

Combat Carl - formerly known as Tigger, and then as Jack Skellington. He actually will only be with us in spirit because he is currently a Marine, stationed in Okinawa. Semper Fi, son!

Minnie - 15, formerly our Belle, as she has reached the age where shes not as into the princess thing, but still adores the whimsy of Minnie.

Wall-e - 13, formerly Tigger 2 and Peter Pan. The sweetness, resourcefulness, and curiosity of Wall-e describes him to a T.

Info:

Dates: Dec 18th-25th
Resort: Pop Century


I decided to book the exact same dates that we traveled in 2006. However, those dates had been chosen for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, the 18th is Combat Carl's birthday. Secondly, it was cheaper to fly out of Disney on the 25th than the day before or after. I rebooked those dates this year, mostly out of nostalgia.

Obsessive Disney Planner Spreadsheet:

MVMCP on the 19th
Chip-n-Dale Sing-along on the 23rd

Dining Reservations:

Ohana Dinner
Mama Melrose Fantasmic Lunch
Cape May Clambake Buffet
Gospel Brunch at HOB
Flying Fish (just Crashdad and myself)
Biergarten CP Dinner Package
Chef Mickey's Christmas Brunch

I have had it in the back of my mind, that it would be really neat to try to re-create some of our favorite pictures from that first trip. I purchased a few of those big blown-up heads on a stick of our Marine. I am thinking that we will insert his big giant head as sort of a Flat Stanley approach at recreating the scene. Here is the pic that we are going to use:

Marineface1_zps5f08d972.jpg


Here are a few of the pics that I am going to try to recreate:

#1 Boarding the ME bus, this might be tricky depending upon whether we can get the seating arrangement.


This beauty of a pic where little brother seems to only be able to look at the camera if he is covering big brother's face.

GF3sm.jpg


Actually, it is one of my favorites from the trip because it is soooooo quintessentially Wall-e. You may be wondering why we are wearing Hawaiian shirts at the GF. Its because we had dinner at the Poly, and then took the monorail over to the see the Gingerbread House and tree.

Then later in the trip, I want to see what I can do about updating this sweet shot of my daughter:


Belleclosesmall.jpg

I dont think we will schedule a BBB appointment, or sew another taffeta and tulle gown for her, but we will come up with some sort of updated version of this sweet picture.

PAGE INDEX of report:

Day 1: Cone of Shame!
Day 1 - Ohana

~Steph.. aka Javamom
 
I saw your post on the FB thread and wanted to join in. I'll be back to read the intros later.
 
Hi! I'm checking in too! Loved your intro - it's so fun to re-create a moment - hope Combat Carl gets to join you!
 


So I need some suggestions on re-creating the pic of my daughter.

I am wondering how hard it would be to buy some fabric and make a fitted tunic type thing that she could wear with some black leggings and ballet flats? I figure it's GOT to be easier than the gown was to sew.

Any suggestions as to how to go with this?
 


I'm in! I love the idea of recreating the pictures with Flattie Combat Carl! I can't wait to see the results! Good luck getting packed and out... Departure day is right around the corner!

I've got to say, I think Wall E is maybe my favorite character! I wish you could meet and greet with him! Your son must be a sweetheart to get the moniker!
 
I've got to say, I think Wall E is maybe my favorite character! I wish you could meet and greet with him! Your son must be a sweetheart to get the moniker!

My son loves to do his voice. Waall-eee
 
I'm back as promised, Steph, and have read your introductions. Your children are beautiful and your husband sounds like a lot of fun. I can't wait to hear all about the trip. And yes...camping would ONLY be required once.
 
My Marine is bummed today. I hope that when he see's his Flat Stanley pics, it'll cheer him up a bit, since he is so far away from home for his birthday and Christmas.
 
Minnie has a "code in her nose," of course!

Still haven't figured out what to do about that Belle pic.

Bags are partially packed though!
 
I hope the cold gets better (I have one too and it is driving me crazy).

Your trip is almost here. :woohoo::woohoo:
 
Following along! :goodvibes

I'm in! I love the idea of recreating the pictures with Flattie Combat Carl! I can't wait to see the results! Good luck getting packed and out... Departure day is right around the corner!

I've got to say, I think Wall E is maybe my favorite character! I wish you could meet and greet with him! Your son must be a sweetheart to get the moniker!

Welcome, I am a little behind. Madly packing!! Daughter is all verklempt, hope that we can keep it from developing into something bad.
:headache:

Poor thing's throat is just full of junk.
 
Pack bags: check

House sitter and pet walker: check!!

Magic Bands? Check

See you all after the Holidays!!
:cool1::thumbsup2:cool1::thumbsup2:dance3:
 
Ok so, the mods may move this to the trip report forum instead if they so wish.

I will attempt to do a report, it's been a while.
 
I start at the beginning I suppose.

Day one is titled, "The Cone of Shame."

It is rumored that I am a Disney Travel Specialist. I am not sure that is true. I mean seriously, would a Disney travel specialist fail to get her family to the airport on time? NEVAH. Right?

And yet this is my sad tale of woe, and whoa!:headache::headache:

I drove feverishly through the night to get to the OKC airport on time. I ALMOST succeeded. Got to the ticket counter and waited as patiently as I could for our turn at the kiosk to check our bags. Yay, it was finally our turn!

Typed in my reservation code, retrieved the reservation, then told it how many bags per person. Suddenly the screen went blank on me. Blank, nothing, black, nada.

WTFreak? :scared1:

Started over, nada. This is when Mr. SurlySupervisor came over, motioned at the screen, then informed me that we were too late. "Yeah, I know we are cutting it close, but got here as soon as we could." AKA, "bite me" in my head. He turns to the ticket agent and says, "rebook them" and walks away.

Sidenote: really, really, glad that I booked this through Southwest and not through Airtran. Don't get me started on that hostile takeover. It's been a mess for my some of my clients.


Ticketing agent looks confused and says that although she thought that we would be able to make it to the gate, she can't supersede her supervisor.

So, she verifies that I did indeed book this through Southwest, and proceeds to find us an alternate flight. Finally, she manages to book us on a flight to Denver, that connects to another flight going to Orlando. We only have about 3 hours to wait. Yeah, 3 hours.

We settle in at our gate, and I have a good long time to fume at myself.

Sidenote: This airport has the weirdest bathroom stalls. First off, the seats have automatic plastic wrap machines on them so they look like they are wearing a condom. That was actually a little reassuring. Until I sat down, yeah not comfy. Worse than that, the seat and the paper dispenser were mere inches apart. Any adult person would have to sit at an angle on this toilet in order to still have knees. I started to take a picture of this from directly above the dispenser, but then I would have to explain why I was posting pictures of a bathroom toilet, and I just didn't want to have to go there. Suffice to say, when observed from this vantage point there is exactly a horizontal half-inch from where the edge of the toilet ring ends, and the end of the edge of the dispenser. The vertical space is sufficient if you are a toddler, but anyone else will need to remove their knee caps. So this is the story of the time that I wished that I could pee like a dog, whilst wearing the cone of shame..


Mercifully, we finally get to board the plane. We have B boarding group, so I was hoping that we might be able to sit close to one another. Nope, not a one of us. I stuck the kids next to the least creepy-looking persons that I could find, and Crashdad and I took what was left. It was an uncomfortable flight to Denver.

The kids and I made it out of the plane well ahead of hubby, and located our new gate. It was a couple of gates away from the arrival gate. The problem was that this flight was already starting to board passengers and I have all of the boarding passes. As we frantically try to spot Crashdad and wave him over, they call our boarding group. Awesome, not. I took the kids to the podium and we waited there for hubby. As soon as we saw him, we waved him over and joined the now "C" group in boarding. You guessed it, not a prayer of seats together.

So, I get the kids situated and see an exit row seat that is vacant. Took the seat and stowed my stuff. This was at least a bit more comfortable than the first flight. Crashdad also managed to find an exit row seat on the other side. He was sitting between two some 20-somethings and he was telling me what sharp kids they were after the flight. One of them worked, or interned, as an EMT for Disney and told him a hilarious story about a man that called them from the Grand Floridian because he got a paper cut on his finger.

popcorn::

We arrived at Disney a full 5 hours behind schedule.
:sad2::sad2::sad2::sad2::sad2:

cone-of-shame-dog-funny-pictures-lol.gif


I leave you with this pathetic image, more later.
 
Oh no! That is not a good way to start a trip! Hope it gets better from here!

Jill in CO
 
Aw, don't beat yourself too bad.
In always say, plan and God laughs.
Good to see you back.
 

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