PTR: Van Isle to DLR: Birthdays and Halloween 4-9 Oct 15 *Now with Photos!* Update 03/10/15

Just a bit of an update:

My whole family now has their passport stuff in order so I'm going to the office on Tuesday to get those done.

I applied for and receive a Bank of Montreal Prepaid Travel Mastercard which is now loaded (too bad I'm not) with the money we want to use for souvenirs, food and the two boutiques the girls are going to do. Any extra funds will get plonked on there at the end of the month when there's money. I'm going to kick-up my Mary Kay selling to be able to afford a bit more.

I bought a binder/folder thing to act as the trip folio. I was looking for something about half the size but this has plastic sleeves and paper in the back so it'll be fine. I covered the front with a page of Minnie scrapbooking paper and used some stickers to make it all Disney-fied. It'll hold our travel insurance, travel confirmations, our PH confirmation and meal vouchers, stuff like that. There are 3 plastic envelopes in there too, so any scrapbooky things I find I'll put in there during the trip, and then have them for when I do the scrapbook over the winter. I want three more smaller binders to act as our journals, and I've been printing out stuff from the family forum for those. I just have to find what I'm looking for, which will probably prove to be more difficult than it should be.

I`m waiting to see what`s better - Touring Plan (which I have) or Ridemax. I may end up buying Ridemax in late July for a 90-day version if I read enough positive reviews. I`ve already had two friends tell me about it when I mentioned we were going to DLR.

I haven`t drawn any new autograph pages lately. I am currently on the Mad Hatter, and I don`t know if I want to do his hat or just his card... Anyway, I think they`re turning out well.

So just an update. I went to the passport office today (when I finally found it... long story... but Google Maps steered me wrong), and as I was flipping through the file folder that USED to have my passport and DH's passport in it... there they are gone! I waited in that super-long lineup to be told:
1 - I missed 6 months in my 'where have you worked' section, so I need to put in that I was unemployed.
2 - Bring the passports next time.
3 - I need 'parental' birth certificates for the girls, so I had to walk up to Vital Stats (2 blocks up) and order those ($54 for them) and then when they come in, THEN I can go back and do it all over again.

I'm sending DH as he'll be off with the girls for Spring Break and can take the time.

*sigh*

My passport had fallen out of the folder and was in the bottom of my bag, so at least I found it. Now we just need to get DH's in the pile and we'll be set.

"Let's go to Disneyland," I said.
"It'll be easy and fun," I said.

I just registered for a course to improve my hireability in my chosen field. The program is 9 courses, ranging from 1 1/2 - 3 years to complete. I'm very excited to start this as it's pretty much a prerequisite for any job I want in this area.

Is it bad that I'm already thinking to reward myself with another trip to Disneyland when I'm finished the course? And I haven't even gone yet...?

Well on Friday I played hooky from work and spent the day with DH and the kids. When we finally left the house, it was around 10:30 or so and by the time we got into line at the passport office, it was about 11:15. Naturally, I hit 5 in the elevator and not 4, so we ended up taking the 'downalator' to the 4th floor where the office is located.

It's in a mall right downtown, just off from the food court. The commissionaire at the desk is quite a character... nosy in a way... but kind of doing his job when he bellows to everyone entering, 'HI! HOW ARE YOU TODAY? DO YOU HAVE ALL YOUR PAPERWORK? YES? THEN JOIN THAT LINE THERE. NO? WELL LET ME HELP YOU THEN..." He's quite funny trying to get us to squish together in the queue, "C'mon! There's no need for air to be between you!" I told the girls it was good practice and to consider this our first "Disneyland" lineup. Poor Ray, she was very perturbed by the wait, but didn't do so bad all things considered. It was a 45 minute line just to see the guy at the front... and get a ticket to see someone else.

*sigh*

So we sat. I sent DH and the girls out to get a bite to eat while I waited for the 8 numbers in front of ours.

45 minutes later our number was called. Each number is a 3 digit number preceded by a B, D, E, or G. There were only 3 or 4 wickets open at any given time (probably why the wait was so long, but hey, that's what happens when the government saves money, right? Service levels take a dive.), and the one behind me would say, "Under the G 252!" like she was calling bingo. Gave us a few chuckles.

Finally she called for our number - the girls had just come back a couple minutes earlier - and we all went to the wicket. The lady was a little choked that I chose to do things the 'long' way as she wanted to go on break, but yanno what? I've waited for over an hour, so I'll do things MY way, kaithanx.

DH can get reimbursed for his passport through work, so I paid for mine and the girls separately. It didn't take all that long - maybe 10 minutes for all 4 to be processed. They should be arriving next week or the week after in the mail.

Then I grabbed a gyro from the most gorgeous young man behind the Opa! register (If I were 20 years younger... and single... I would have grabbed him too!) and ate it on the way back to the parkade under the mall.

We left and went to Toys R Us in another mall and tried to decide on a new board game for Family Game Night. The 4 finalists were: Life, Trouble, Bingo, and Clue. We bought Life and carried on.

Our next stop was the local movie theatre where we used some passes I had to see Cinderella! It seems the 2:30 showing is an Imax showing, so I paid for upgrades, popcorn and drinks for me and DH, and after a quick pit stop, we settled in. Next time, I'll need earplugs. I literally spent 3/4 of the show with my fingers in my ears, as did Ray. DH dozed through parts, but enjoyed the set decorations and costuming as much as I did.

Why is it when a movie puts things in every square inch of a room it looks amazing... and when I do it, it looks like an episode of hoarders?

Anyway, stunning show, loved it. Loved it. Loved it.

Then we settled in to rush-hour traffic to get home. But not before grabbing some ice cream and a lottery ticket (our retirement plan).

So happy one more thing is struck off the list!

Canadian Harmony said:

Why is it when a movie puts things in every square inch of a room it looks amazing... and when I do it, it looks like an episode of hoarders?

Click to expand...

Ha! So true! I tried to redecorate our living room "The Great Gatsby" style and it came out looking like someone threw up random fabrics

I totally relate!

Well the passports should arrive sometime this week.

DD8 finally wrangled out of me when we're going. She's had a sore tummy this weekend so I thought I'd try to perk her up. She is pretty excited and has decided to go tick-or-treating at the park as Rapunzel... as a devil! Imagine Rapunzel with devil horns and a tail. She wants to meet the big R in that costume too just to freak her out. What a monkey.

I talked to the family about doing a tour and they've decided on the Discover the Magic tour on DD10's birthday morning. So we're going to do the Early Morning to DCA first thing, then breakfast with Minnie (or Mickey, but I'm hoping for Minnie), and then the tour. I'm trying to figure out how to maximize the rest of our time there, although I'm sure it'll all shake out fine in the end.

Now, if only the bank rate would cooperate and our dollar would rise so I can pay for everything! Good thing we have until August before final payment is due.

Our passports arrived yesterday. DD10 said, "I look horrible in my photo!" I said, "You're supposed to." DD8 said, "I look pretty good!" God love 'er.

This trip has ignited my travel bug again. We're going to the interior of the province this summer for a wedding in August. We're going to drive up and on the way back, we're going to spend 4 days in Vancouver (it's so expensive to get onto the mainland now, we can only afford to go over once every 2-3 years!). While in Vancouver, we're going to go to: Ikea, Safeway (for Airmiles!), Metropolis mall (for the Disney Outlet store - princess dresses on sale I hope!), the Vancouver Aquarium and Science World.

My mother lives in Australia and she's turning 85 this May. I'm going to try to get all my courses done in the program I just started before next June, and then in 2016, take the girls to see their grandmother for a month or so. There's theme parks near her - Warner Bros and Dreamworks - as well as a Seaworld and a waterpark of epic proportions. We're going to the Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin's place), a couple of koala sanctuaries, and the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef too. That trip will cost nearly as much as the Disney trip we're planning this year! DH will be working, so I don't think he can come with us, but we'll discuss it to see. He doesn't like Australia as much as I do, and he will be worried about me handling two kids by myself (which I did twice while he was away for 6 months in the Navy, and they were MUCH younger then, and it worked out, so I don't know why a month away would be any worse), but we'll see what we can do.

Then I'm hoping we'll do a cross-country road trip from Victoria to Florida for Harry Potter World in 2017. I want to see Louisville (for the racetrack), Graceland, Memphis, and Nashville. I'm sure there'll be a drag strip along the way DH can check out while we're on the road. We're going to torture the kids - we don't have a portable DVD player! HA!!

Yup, the travel bug has bitten me and I want to get some trips done before the kids get too old to want to hang out with their folks.

Sounds like you have a great trip planned. We are traveling in October also, part of our 10th Wedding Anniversary & daughters 9th birthday, the plan was to visit for the 60th Anniversary for Disneyland. It has been 10 years since our last USA trip so I can't wait to introduce DL to my babies

I think I'm more excited about seeing DL through their eyes than they are to actually go... and that's REALLY excited!

My kids said, "You're like our Fairy Godmother! We've always wanted to go to Disneyland, and then you're making it happen, so you're making our wishes come true!"

Love those kids

And real life intrudes....

So we have a real-life Mickey in the house. We're calling him NotMickey. He's not a friendly guy though - he's an eater, a nibbler, a pooper-on-stoves. So we've moved everything into cupboards that he can't get into, hoping to starve him out. No such luck - he has a warm place to hang out - usually under the dishwasher or behind the fridge - and he literally JUMPS over the traps I set. He's a smart little so-n-so. We've been trying to get rid of him for months and he won't go into traps at all! In fact, one was sprung and the food was gone...

And my cat... he has ONE job, right?

Anyway, NotMickey has chewed through something at the back of the fridge - an older model, granted and one that I've wanted to replace for about a year now anyway - and yesterday everything started melting in the freezer and things started going bad in the fridge.

I called four or five places for a fridge for TODAY, but most places said Tuesday (Coast), or 7-10 days (Home Depot), or 2 weeks (Trail)! Well, that's fine if I'm remodeling, but I'm not. Fortunately, there's a local place that said today was no problem. In fact, their delivery and take-away charge is lower by FAR than anyone else's AND they'll arrange delivery around my schedule!

There's a lot of good and bad about this whole thing though:
- Bad - $1400!!!
- Good - I have the money on a prepaid card.

- Bad - Prepaid card is my DLR fund!
- Good - Can repay that back with tax refund.
- Bad - Gotta do taxes first.

- Good - Get new fridge with bottom-mount freezer!
- Bad - Gotta move everything out old fridge into coolers.
- Good - Can finally clear out the fridge of science experiments.
- Bad - Ran out of coolers and cold packs.
- Good - Have awesome neighbours.

- Bad - Had to clean up behind fridge. Eeeewwww, ick!
- Good - Back of new fridge is completely covered in a metal case and that will foil NotMickey's attempts at nest making.

- Bad - $1400!!
- Good - FINALLY the stove, dishwasher and fridge will match. Just gotta get the microwave changed out and I'll be one step closer to a kitchen that is coming out of the '90's.

So yes, I was fortunate enough to have the money set aside already on our DLR card and I can replace it - probably with a bit extra too - once tax money comes in. And I get a new fridge to come home today (again, great neighbour will be my stand-in and receive it for me) so that's exciting!

It's a beauty fridge and I had to comfort my youngest who said she loved our old fridge. I told her she'd like this one better because the freezer's on the bottom and it'll be easier to get her Revello's. She seemed happy to hear that.

And then I had to tell her more about Disneyland. Looks like we'll be hitting the YouTube videos this weekend.

Another little update.

I had a nice two-week break before starting work back at the same location but diffferent buidlling than I was over the winter. I'm not too happy with the situation - I get here at 7 and leave at 4 now - so I'm still applying for more local jobs to help with the commute.

At least it's a job and I can't complain too much about that, eh?

The first payment for our daughter's disability from the government came in yesterday, so that's now moved over to the trip fund, and I received a 'free' $343 dollars from a class action lawsuit a mlitary member won against our insurer for lack of cost of living increases, so that's getting put into the trip account as well. I already have a $25 Disney G/C and I'm less than $10 away from another.

I sell Mary Kay and went to a conference this past weekend, and I need to kick-start my business so I can pay off debt faster in order to take more trips to DLR and next summer to Australia. I now need time off work to do some stuff around the house... heh.

The girls are still so very excited to go. We had a 'girl's night' last week where we ate dinner in the living room and watched the planning DVD. The girls were enthralled and I was teary for a few scenes (I'm such a sap). We're so looking forward to the trip. My youngest wants to ride every ride - ToT, spinny rides, roller coasters. My oldest is terrified of most of them, but the videos seem to help, especially for IJ. She REALLY wants to do all the water rides though.

I made them up each a write-in journal and put the pages into a pliable three-ring binder to bring with us. My friend who was just at DLR gave the girls each a POP bookmark - one Mickey and one Minnie. The girls were so happy to get them. I also finished their small journals that they can use as autographs or whathaveyou, and the filled in pages will go into a scrapbook afterward.

I still need to pay back the trip money we used on the new fridge, but we're expecting DH's tax return this week and that'll go toward that.

So, while there's nothing great shakes, at least the dollar's improving and with luck we'll be good to pay our trip on the cut-off in August.

Tell your girls not to be scared the rides somehow look bigger on Televisions and iPads than they are in person

Thanks!

So does Alaska Airlines annually change flight times around? We're leaving 30 minutes later, which means we arrive in SNA later, which means, unless we can haul a$$ to their departure area, in an airport none of us have EVER been in before, we're going to miss the DLE that we pre-booked, and then we get to wait an extra 90 minutes for the next one

Not gonna happen. I emailed my TA, who happens to be my step-sister, and asked if a) can they hold the bus for us for 10 minutes, or b) can we re-book elsewhere. After calling me, "Princess" we decided to go with Karmel and so she's booked us with them. I have NO idea how they work, as she won't give me details until the tickets are paid for in full which won't happen until closer to August. I think you tell them what time your flight arrives, yes?

BUT, our flight home is later, so we don't have to race out of the hotel at zero-dark-thirty. Instead, we can have a leisurely breakfast and leave around 9 to catch our 11 flight. Plus, we're home slightly earlier, so that's all good too!

Girls are so excited. I'm excited. DH is completely uncaring. Mind you, I think that's because he's got a lot of stress going on at work. Once that's taken care of, hopefully he can get in the spirit.

Too bad about your flight change. Just so you know, SNA arrival is very smooth, and the airport is very compact. The arrival gate that we have used in almost all of our trips from Seattle (and we are Island folk like you who usually fly Victoria-Seattle-SNA) is almost directly opposite the escalators down to the baggage area. The baggage carousels for Alaska are usually one of the first two on your right as you come off the escalator. Time from stepping off the plane to the baggage carousel? Five minutes at the most. (If I was on my own and booking it, I could probably shave that to two minutes max)

That is sooooo strange that your TA won't give you shuttle details until you pay in full. That seems a little off to me, but then I have a very helpful TA.You should call or e-mail Karmel before you leave Canada and book your planned shuttle times. Let them know that you will be using pre-paid vouchers. The shuttles all work roughly the same at SNA. Once you claim your baggage you are very near the doors straight out to the ground transportation area (there is a crosswalk outside, and again, it takes about 3 or 4 minutes to get there from the baggage area). Once you are in the ground transportation area, there is a section for the DLR bus, a section for yellow taxis and an section for shuttles. I *think* there are signs in each area telling you which shuttle company stops where, but even if there isn't, you can usually tell from the signage on the cars/vans/buses/taxis etc. Find the Karmel rep (usually the people assigning passengers to the shuttles have a clipboard) and give them your name (they may take your vouchers at that time) and they will set you up with the next available shuttle. You may have to wait until the shuttle is full before you leave, but once your luggage is loaded you can relax.

One caution I will make is to be 100% sure of what time you have booked for your trip back to the airport. I had booked Supershuttle one trip and the driver showed up over an hour early and when I explained that I had booked a specific time, he said too bad, so sad, no promises on whether someone would actually come back at the correct time. Luckily we were dressed (it was zero-dark-thirty at the time) and ready to go, but I was still ticked to be at the airport three hours early. And that is why I won't use Supershuttle (but I do love their Execucar service).

Thank you for that info! Did you clear customs in Seattle on the way in? Where do you clear going back?

You clear customs in Seattle on the way down and in Victoria on the way back.

When we went through Seattle in December they had new ATM-like machines in the customs area. They have replaced the paper customs declaration cards you used to fill out on the flight down. Once you have scanned everyone's passport and answered the declaration questions, you have a final check with a customs agent before you get to the baggage carousels in SEA.

Sounds like a quicker way to get through! That's great.

Nothing new has happened but I need to share how I'm using Disney in every-day conversation with my kids. R needs to take medicine which she hates, and won't swallow a pill, so she takes the powder, which tastes like feet. So she usually takes it in a spoon of ice cream and then has another treat on top of it - more ice cream usually. She always asks me to tell her something new about Disney when she's getting her courage up to take the spoon. I told her the other day about the Cinderella popcorn buckets. It worked! Then we looked them up online to see them. I sure hope they're there in October so she can get one otherwise we may be getting them at eBay!

M always asks me about Disney and what we're going to do. We've seen the ride videos of Little Mermaid, Splash, and Screamin', Snow White and HM so far. She's reallly looking forward to riding everything.

DH just wants to be surprised. I'm hoping to convince him that we need to go for an In N Out burger during the week sometime.

Not knowing about MHP is driving me crazy. We can't make any reservations until August anyway, but it would be nice to know plans a lttle more concretely than they are now.

I'm planning on going as Merida, so I'm going to buy a couple of props at the BBB before the MHP. I don't think DH will dress up, but if he does, I'm hoping to get him as Hook. R wants to be Jasmine and M wants to be Ariel.