A Gem of a Birthday-Celebrating my 40th@AKL(No Kids!)11/03 Link to Next report! - The DIS Discussion Forums

Diamondintheruff · 04-14-2009, 10:55 PM

You won't roll your eyes at me when I say I'm going to Disney again. You won't raise your eyebrows when I tell you I'm going to celebrate my 40th birthday by dining at Cinderella's Castle. You won't laugh at my detailed touring plans that are color coded and lamenated. I won't hear "Are you still talking about Disney?" from you. No, not you.

You might be a little surprised to hear that I'm leaving my three kids behind. That just Dh and I going to recapture some romance and remember our Disneymoon that was what seems like a long 12 years, three kids, one dog, two houses and four careers ago. But once I explain that it is only a weekend, that we have taken our kids to Disney before and that we never took that 10 year anniversary trip we promised ourselves, I think you might understand.

Sure I will miss the kids (not the whole time but I'm sure there will be moments when I wish they were with us) but I know they will be fine with my parents. Plus don't Dh and I deserve a little time alone? What about all those theories where you have to work at your marriage?

After all these years of Mothering and catering to everyone else in the family I am so looking forward to this trip. It's going to be three nights of doing Disney they way we (ahem.. really me) want to do it.

I find myself thinking I can't believe I get to go to Disney for my Birthday all the time.

I can't believe that I get to leave the children behind and make this trip all about me-cause it's my birthday and I get to be the most important person of all on this trip. Not Dh, not my three kids, not my parents. ME ME ME ME!

So if reading about a 40 year old woman celebrating her birthday by leaving her kids and doing disney with her hubby interests you stay tuned. I'd love to have you follow along with me.

I promise to post some pictures and be back with the story behind the trip or how it all came to be.

The next post has the links to each chapter so you can follow along.

Diamondintheruff · 04-14-2009, 10:55 PM

Diamondintheruff · 04-15-2009, 10:02 AM

“Honey, you know my 40th birthday is coming up right?”

“Yeah” Dh replies hesitantly.

“Do you think maybe, we might possibly go away somewhere for it?’

“Like where?”

“Well, I was thinking.. you know, um.. Disney?”

“You want to take the kids back to Disney for your Birthday?”

“No. I want just us to go. We could leave the kids with my parents.”

“Really? You want to go to Disney” (Okay wait for it because this is the word we all hear when we talk about going to Disney to non-Disney obsessed people.) “AGAIN?”

Yup I sure did want to go do Disney. It’s really a silly question. Like I’m ever going to say no. What was the man thinking? He probably thinks I’m crazy to want to go back when we had gone the last two summers with the kids and my parents.

Dh flashes me a look like I’m out of my mind.

“What about the plan?” He asks.

The plan was that we would go back in 2011 with our extended family. In his defense I had promised him we wouldn’t go back again until 2011. In my defense, technically “we” wouldn’t be going back again. The whole family was not coming. It was just going to be the two of us. I hadn’t promised that “us” wouldn’t go again. I said “We”.

Amazingly, once I pointed out that Disney can be romantic, that it would be like re-living our Disneymoon from 12 years ago and that we could eat at restaurants that the kids wouldn’t step foot into and that we could take it at our pace he actually said “YES!”

I was so excited. Planning could begin.

It started with a phone call to my Mom. I had to organize the kids before I could even think of booking. She agreed but used that same word that Dh had.

“Again? You want to go to Disney again?” my Mom asked.

Then I called up my Travel Agent. She’s awesome. I use Christine at Fairytale Destinations. She was the only one who didn’t use the word “again”. She gets it.

So before long we were booked for POP for three nights with three days of tickets and the dinning plan. I re-joined Tour Guide Mike and added a ticker under my Disboard Signature.

I picked out the restaurants we wanted to eat at and waited for the 180-day mark to arrive. Of course as we all know, Disney revamped their reservation system so I had to wait until the 90-day mark. I somehow survived it. In the meantime it gave me more time to play with my plans and I decided to upgrade Dh and I to Deluxe Dinning. The man likes to eat well so it wasn’t a hard sell.

Finally the 90 day mark came and I managed to get all the ADR’s that I wanted. I had my TA Christine call and I slept in. I’ve done the calls before myself and felt okay at letting her handle the reins this time. It’s a big move for a control freak like myself. They should make a hallmark card for such an occasion. Also it should be noted again, that she is awesome.

Around the 45 day mark when it was time to pay, I got an email from Christine. Some deluxe resorts were being offered at a discount. I could upgrade from POP if I so wished.

Once again a silly question. Of course I wished but I didn’t have the budget for it. Then I had an idea. I called my Mom.

She hadn’t decided what to get me for my birthday. So I suggested the upgrade. She agreed and Christine moved us on up from POP to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I was super psyched.

So it will be Animal Kingdom Lodge just Dh and myself from Friday April 24th (my birthday) until Monday April 27th. Not long I know but since we are leaving the kids and I’m a part-time Kindergarten Teacher it was the best I could do.

Dh and I have three wonderful children. I also have a set of wonderful parents who have agree to look after their grandchildren for the weekend so their only daughter can celebrate her 40th birthday at her favorite place.

I told myself I wasn’t going to do another Trip Report. I told other people I wasn’t going to do another Trip Report. But then, I finished (finally) my first report and instead of feeling good about it, I felt kind of… well, kind of empty. So here I am making a liar out of myself and smearing my personal life all over the Internet to boot. Are you sure this is the kind of person you want to read a trip report from? Apparently I have issues setting boundaries and you’ve already seen me prove how I can twist a promise to suit myself.

If you’re still here then let me welcome you to my report. It’s always exciting to have readers. Even more exciting to have posters but then I don’t want to appear too pushy. I suppose a “please post, pretty pretty please ” would fit into that later category.

Up next the pictures I promised and an introduction to the cast.

akayek31 · 04-15-2009, 10:21 AM

Hey I am here. I can't wait to read more. I am having with drawls since TR is done.

Only 36 days til I go.

shellywalker · 04-15-2009, 10:23 AM

I'm tagging along! I'm excited for you to be able to share this time with your DH! As you know, I'm doing the same! It's always okay to leave your kids behind for a little adult disney fun! Looking forward to hearing more!

tinkermamaof2 · 04-15-2009, 10:36 AM

Can't wait to hear about your plans. You are going to love Animal Kingdom Lodge, so nice of your Mom to pay for the upgrade for your birthday! Just so your husband knows, he has to go along with ALL of your plans, it is YOUR bithday trip!LOL

You deserve it!

Patti

lisalonglash · 04-15-2009, 12:10 PM

I'm in - can't wait to read more!

autumnpalm · 04-15-2009, 12:17 PM

I'm in!!!

'

Sounds like it's going to be a great trip.

I think an upgrade to AKL is just about the perfect birthday present. Can't wait to hear about the rest of your plans.

Diamondintheruff · 04-15-2009, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisalonglash

I'm in - can't wait to read more!

Good to hear from you again Lisa! I'm heading out your way on Friday to visit a friend in Langley.

Quote:

Originally Posted by autumnpalm

I'm in!!!

'

Sounds like it's going to be a great trip.

I think an upgrade to AKL is just about the perfect birthday present. Can't wait to hear about the rest of your plans.

You found me! I wish I was going to the Tea at the GF like you. But since it wasn't on the DDP, Dh nixed it. I'll have to wait until I go with my Mom. She'll eat it up.

DearDaisyinDurham · 04-15-2009, 05:15 PM

~I'm in!~

lisalonglash · 04-15-2009, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diamondintheruff

Good to hear from you again Lisa! I'm heading out your way on Friday to visit a friend in Langley.

Make sure you wave to me on your way by

Diamondintheruff · 04-15-2009, 11:52 PM

So I promised to introduce you to the cast. It's quite small. Just Dh and I. We've been married for almost 13 years and have been together for almost 19 years.

We met at University. The Sunday night before our first classes there was a BBQ on the lawn for the freshmen. I saw him leaning in the doorway with the light shining behind him and our eyes locked. It sounds corny but my heart skipped a beat and I just knew he was going to be someone important in my life. We didn't start dating until two years later but we always kept tabs on each other. We were friends of friends and each time we ran into each other the sparks flew.

My 40th birthday trip will not be the first time that Dh and I have been to Disney alone. We went in the early 90's. We were visiting my grandparents in Daytona Beach and drove down for the day. Here are some old pictures I dug up.

Just remember a couple a things while viewing these photos.

1) It was the 90's. Don't judge if you weren't there. Fashion is fickle.

2)These are photos of photos. We have a scanner but if you want to wait until I figure out how to use it the clothes you have on right now will be considered as outdated as the ones I'm wearing in the pictures.

Here is Dh back then just Dboyfriend in front of the castle.

Here I am in front of the castle.

Here is Dh sitting in a stationary car outside the speedway.

Here he is again possibly outside of the enchanted Tiki room. Anyone want to confirm this?

Finally here I am again near the Jungle cruise ride.

Then five years or so after that trip we got married.

We went to Disney for our Honeymoon. I had watched an Oprah show and she did a segment on the Disney Institute. It no longer exists.

I believe it is Saratoga Springs now.

Anyhow we loved our time at the Disney Institute. It was like camp for adults. Each day we had three time periods that you could choose different activities to participate in. We went rock climbing, took cooking lessons, had wine tasting classes, massages, golf lessons and even went on a catered canoe picnic. Here are some pictures to prove it. Notice who is "driving" the canoe.

Actually there is a funny story about how we crashed our golf cart after a wine tasting session. Who knew you were supposed to spit out the wine?

We only went into the actual park twice. We did MK again but sadly I don't have any pictures. I did take some at Epcot.

We had dinner at the original Alfredos' which is also gone.

Once we returned home, we settled down into married life. We got a dog. We got real grown up jobs, bought a house and started having children.

Here is a current picture of us. This was taken by the bartender at the GF while the kids were at the Wonderland Tea party. We lounged, we napped and we shopped. Okay Dh napped. I shopped but we both lounged which this picture is evidence of.

In seven days we will be throwing the kids, the dog, the house, our adult responsibilities to the wind and taking off for WDW. Woo Hoo!

Next up "THE PLAN" otherwise known as things that Diamond wants to do at WDW and Dh will just have to suffer through it!

Hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane.

lazydoxy66 · 04-16-2009, 03:37 AM

Yay!!!!! Great start. You 2 are so cute!

I think I saw you had posted this on Enchanted too. I'll probably follow this over there.

roxannensteve · 04-16-2009, 07:21 AM

Hi - you are reading my PTR so I needed to come check out yours.

We are very much alike. We took our Honeymoon in Disney as well & you are already know we are doing a kid free trip too.

We are staying at POR but I saw the discounts for the deluxes & AKL was a thought. Glad you ugraded from POP, deffinhately a step or 2 or 3 above.

Can't wait to read more...

CanadianWDWfan · 04-16-2009, 11:45 PM

Hi, followed you over here from another TR.

I can't wait to hear how your bday trip unfolds....

04-14-2009, 10:55 PM	#1
Diamondintheruff Thinks she saw a flash! Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,662	A Gem of a Birthday-Celebrating my 40th@AKL(No Kids!)11/03 Link to Next report! You won't roll your eyes at me when I say I'm going to Disney again. You won't raise your eyebrows when I tell you I'm going to celebrate my 40th birthday by dining at Cinderella's Castle. You won't laugh at my detailed touring plans that are color coded and lamenated. I won't hear "Are you still talking about Disney?" from you. No, not you. You might be a little surprised to hear that I'm leaving my three kids behind. That just Dh and I going to recapture some romance and remember our Disneymoon that was what seems like a long 12 years, three kids, one dog, two houses and four careers ago. But once I explain that it is only a weekend, that we have taken our kids to Disney before and that we never took that 10 year anniversary trip we promised ourselves, I think you might understand. Sure I will miss the kids (not the whole time but I'm sure there will be moments when I wish they were with us) but I know they will be fine with my parents. Plus don't Dh and I deserve a little time alone? What about all those theories where you have to work at your marriage? After all these years of Mothering and catering to everyone else in the family I am so looking forward to this trip. It's going to be three nights of doing Disney they way we (ahem.. really me) want to do it. I find myself thinking I can't believe I get to go to Disney for my Birthday all the time. I can't believe that I get to leave the children behind and make this trip all about me-cause it's my birthday and I get to be the most important person of all on this trip. Not Dh, not my three kids, not my parents. ME ME ME ME! So if reading about a 40 year old woman celebrating her birthday by leaving her kids and doing disney with her hubby interests you stay tuned. I'd love to have you follow along with me. I promise to post some pictures and be back with the story behind the trip or how it all came to be. The next post has the links to each chapter so you can follow along. __________________ Precious Gem of a Weekend Report http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2323431 Gem of a Birthday-My 40th with Dh @ AKL http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2149477 Gem of a Trip-quality,clarity,color and"Cut that out!"http://www.disboards.com/showthread....0#post25752950 2013 Jan Offsite, 2012 Aug POR, 2010 July CSR, 2009 Oct CSR MNSSHP Weekend Adult Getaway!2009 April AKL 40th B-Day Trip with Dh only! 2008 August POR,2007Aug ASMu Family Suite, 1997 Off-site,1996 Disneymoon@Disney Institute,92,91,87,85,84 Off-site,84-78 Fort Wilderness Campground Last edited by Diamondintheruff; 11-03-2009 at 10:39 PM.

04-14-2009, 10:55 PM	#2
Diamondintheruff Thinks she saw a flash! Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,662	1) How this trip came to be! http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...36&postcount=3 2) The Cast http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...9&postcount=12 3) The Plans http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...1&postcount=18 4) Thurs April 23-The Day before we arrive in WDW http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...6&postcount=52 5) Thurs April 23-Finally Leaving Home!http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...8&postcount=78 6)Thurs April 23-Crossing the Border!http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...7&postcount=90 7)Fri April 24-My Birthday morning!http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=113 8)Fri April 24-Arriving in Disney! http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=125 9)Fri April 24-Check out our room! http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=138 10)Fri April 24-Our First Park of the Trip! http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=149 11)Fri April 24-Dinning Castle Style! http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=166 12)Fri April 24-A Chocolate Slipper http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=175 13)Fri April 24-We've had dinner now what? http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=...&postcount=183 14)Fri April 24-Rides and Shopping and Savannahs http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=209 15)Saturday April 25 No Pooh for Breakfast double post http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=219 16)Saturday April 25 Breakfast continued double post http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=220 17)Saturday April 25 Touring http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...stcount=296the Kingdom http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=232 18)Saturday April 25 Riding the Wave http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=242 19)Forgotten Photopass Pictures http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=243 20)Sunday April 26 First Tonga & First Test Track ride http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=255 21)Sunday April 26 Epcot=Meltdown http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=269 22)Sunday April 26 Epcot throws us a curb or three http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=280 23)Sunday April 26 Showdown in Mousegearsdouble posthttp://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=296 24)Sunday April 26 Showdown in Mousegearsdouble posthttp://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=297 25)Sunday April 26 Changing the Plan http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=310 26)Sunday April 26 Where's the Beef? http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=317 27)Monday April 27 Early morning departure day humor http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=327 28)Monday April 27 Disney Studios morning http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=333 29)Monday April 27 Transportation Mistake and Departure. http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=338 Plans for my October 2009 Trip http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=306 __________________ Precious Gem of a Weekend Report http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2323431 Gem of a Birthday-My 40th with Dh @ AKL http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2149477 Gem of a Trip-quality,clarity,color and"Cut that out!"http://www.disboards.com/showthread....0#post25752950 2013 Jan Offsite, 2012 Aug POR, 2010 July CSR, 2009 Oct CSR MNSSHP Weekend Adult Getaway!2009 April AKL 40th B-Day Trip with Dh only! 2008 August POR,2007Aug ASMu Family Suite, 1997 Off-site,1996 Disneymoon@Disney Institute,92,91,87,85,84 Off-site,84-78 Fort Wilderness Campground Last edited by Diamondintheruff; 10-14-2009 at 11:12 PM.

04-15-2009, 10:02 AM	#3
Diamondintheruff Thinks she saw a flash! Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,662	1)How this trip came to be! “Honey, you know my 40th birthday is coming up right?” “Yeah” Dh replies hesitantly. “Do you think maybe, we might possibly go away somewhere for it?’ “Like where?” “Well, I was thinking.. you know, um.. Disney?” “You want to take the kids back to Disney for your Birthday?” “No. I want just us to go. We could leave the kids with my parents.” “Really? You want to go to Disney” (Okay wait for it because this is the word we all hear when we talk about going to Disney to non-Disney obsessed people.) “AGAIN?” Yup I sure did want to go do Disney. It’s really a silly question. Like I’m ever going to say no. What was the man thinking? He probably thinks I’m crazy to want to go back when we had gone the last two summers with the kids and my parents. Dh flashes me a look like I’m out of my mind. “What about the plan?” He asks. The plan was that we would go back in 2011 with our extended family. In his defense I had promised him we wouldn’t go back again until 2011. In my defense, technically “we” wouldn’t be going back again. The whole family was not coming. It was just going to be the two of us. I hadn’t promised that “us” wouldn’t go again. I said “We”. Amazingly, once I pointed out that Disney can be romantic, that it would be like re-living our Disneymoon from 12 years ago and that we could eat at restaurants that the kids wouldn’t step foot into and that we could take it at our pace he actually said “YES!” I was so excited. Planning could begin. It started with a phone call to my Mom. I had to organize the kids before I could even think of booking. She agreed but used that same word that Dh had. “Again? You want to go to Disney again?” my Mom asked. Then I called up my Travel Agent. She’s awesome. I use Christine at Fairytale Destinations. She was the only one who didn’t use the word “again”. She gets it. So before long we were booked for POP for three nights with three days of tickets and the dinning plan. I re-joined Tour Guide Mike and added a ticker under my Disboard Signature. I picked out the restaurants we wanted to eat at and waited for the 180-day mark to arrive. Of course as we all know, Disney revamped their reservation system so I had to wait until the 90-day mark. I somehow survived it. In the meantime it gave me more time to play with my plans and I decided to upgrade Dh and I to Deluxe Dinning. The man likes to eat well so it wasn’t a hard sell. Finally the 90 day mark came and I managed to get all the ADR’s that I wanted. I had my TA Christine call and I slept in. I’ve done the calls before myself and felt okay at letting her handle the reins this time. It’s a big move for a control freak like myself. They should make a hallmark card for such an occasion. Also it should be noted again, that she is awesome. Around the 45 day mark when it was time to pay, I got an email from Christine. Some deluxe resorts were being offered at a discount. I could upgrade from POP if I so wished. Once again a silly question. Of course I wished but I didn’t have the budget for it. Then I had an idea. I called my Mom. She hadn’t decided what to get me for my birthday. So I suggested the upgrade. She agreed and Christine moved us on up from POP to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I was super psyched. So it will be Animal Kingdom Lodge just Dh and myself from Friday April 24th (my birthday) until Monday April 27th. Not long I know but since we are leaving the kids and I’m a part-time Kindergarten Teacher it was the best I could do. Dh and I have three wonderful children. I also have a set of wonderful parents who have agree to look after their grandchildren for the weekend so their only daughter can celebrate her 40th birthday at her favorite place. I told myself I wasn’t going to do another Trip Report. I told other people I wasn’t going to do another Trip Report. But then, I finished (finally) my first report and instead of feeling good about it, I felt kind of… well, kind of empty. So here I am making a liar out of myself and smearing my personal life all over the Internet to boot. Are you sure this is the kind of person you want to read a trip report from? Apparently I have issues setting boundaries and you’ve already seen me prove how I can twist a promise to suit myself. If you’re still here then let me welcome you to my report. It’s always exciting to have readers. Even more exciting to have posters but then I don’t want to appear too pushy. I suppose a “please post, pretty pretty please ” would fit into that later category. Up next the pictures I promised and an introduction to the cast. __________________ Precious Gem of a Weekend Report http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2323431 Gem of a Birthday-My 40th with Dh @ AKL http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2149477 Gem of a Trip-quality,clarity,color and"Cut that out!"http://www.disboards.com/showthread....0#post25752950 2013 Jan Offsite, 2012 Aug POR, 2010 July CSR, 2009 Oct CSR MNSSHP Weekend Adult Getaway!2009 April AKL 40th B-Day Trip with Dh only! 2008 August POR,2007Aug ASMu Family Suite, 1997 Off-site,1996 Disneymoon@Disney Institute,92,91,87,85,84 Off-site,84-78 Fort Wilderness Campground

04-15-2009, 10:21 AM	#4
akayek31 DIS Veteran Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 966	Hey I am here. I can't wait to read more. I am having with drawls since TR is done. Only 36 days til I go. __________________ ME 41 DS 20 DD 16 1985-Day trip, 7/08-offsite, 5/09 Pop Century, 2/11-Pop Century,9/11-Pop Century, 2/12-Pop Century, 10/12-Pop Century, 2/13-Pop Century, 2/14-AoA

04-15-2009, 10:23 AM	#5
shellywalker Mouseketeer Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Southeast Wisconsin Posts: 338	I'm tagging along! I'm excited for you to be able to share this time with your DH! As you know, I'm doing the same! It's always okay to leave your kids behind for a little adult disney fun! Looking forward to hearing more! __________________ Shelly (me) Alex (DH) Maddie (DD9) Jackson (DS4) Cooper (DS2) October 2008-Liki Tiki Village, July 2009-Contemporary Resort, December 2009-Caribbean Beach Resort w/ Free Dining!, October 2010 Liki Tiki Village, October 2011 All Star Movies w/Free Dining!

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04-15-2009, 10:36 AM	#6
tinkermamaof2 Mouseketeer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Not too far from Toronto, close enough to shop in the States, Too far away from Disney Posts: 128	Can't wait to hear about your plans. You are going to love Animal Kingdom Lodge, so nice of your Mom to pay for the upgrade for your birthday! Just so your husband knows, he has to go along with ALL of your plans, it is YOUR bithday trip!LOL You deserve it! Patti __________________ Me, DH, DD(16), DD(14), Buddy All Star Movies-2005 AKL Savannah View February 2008 Universal March 2012-Royal Pacific Resort Looking forward to March 2013-Hard Rock Hotel

04-15-2009, 12:10 PM	#7
lisalonglash I have a thing for actors nobody else thinks are yummalicious Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lower Mainland, BC, Canada Posts: 2,205	I'm in - can't wait to read more! __________________ Lisa P. Me and dh Ds#1(14yo) Ds#2(10yo) September 2014 - Disney World w/FD (POFQ) September 2009 - Disney World w/FD(ASMu) October 2008 - Disney World (ASSp) May 2007 - Disneyland Resort Paris (off-site in Paris)

04-15-2009, 12:17 PM	#8
autumnpalm Hates dark rooms, is a big rule follower, & loves repitition When I was a kid, I wanted to be a host on The Shopping Channel I have a secret feeling that butterflies are sinister creatures Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 3,064	I'm in!!! ' Sounds like it's going to be a great trip. I think an upgrade to AKL is just about the perfect birthday present. Can't wait to hear about the rest of your plans. __________________ "Trust the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

04-15-2009, 05:15 PM	#10
DearDaisyinDurham I'm trying not to look at the poutine, it's my weakness Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Currently in the World Posts: 3,256	Hooray! ~I'm in!~ ~I'm in!~ __________________

04-15-2009, 11:52 PM	#12
Diamondintheruff Thinks she saw a flash! Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,662	So I promised to introduce you to the cast. It's quite small. Just Dh and I. We've been married for almost 13 years and have been together for almost 19 years. We met at University. The Sunday night before our first classes there was a BBQ on the lawn for the freshmen. I saw him leaning in the doorway with the light shining behind him and our eyes locked. It sounds corny but my heart skipped a beat and I just knew he was going to be someone important in my life. We didn't start dating until two years later but we always kept tabs on each other. We were friends of friends and each time we ran into each other the sparks flew. My 40th birthday trip will not be the first time that Dh and I have been to Disney alone. We went in the early 90's. We were visiting my grandparents in Daytona Beach and drove down for the day. Here are some old pictures I dug up. Just remember a couple a things while viewing these photos. 1) It was the 90's. Don't judge if you weren't there. Fashion is fickle. 2)These are photos of photos. We have a scanner but if you want to wait until I figure out how to use it the clothes you have on right now will be considered as outdated as the ones I'm wearing in the pictures. Here is Dh back then just Dboyfriend in front of the castle. Here I am in front of the castle. Here is Dh sitting in a stationary car outside the speedway. Here he is again possibly outside of the enchanted Tiki room. Anyone want to confirm this? Finally here I am again near the Jungle cruise ride. Then five years or so after that trip we got married. We went to Disney for our Honeymoon. I had watched an Oprah show and she did a segment on the Disney Institute. It no longer exists. I believe it is Saratoga Springs now. Anyhow we loved our time at the Disney Institute. It was like camp for adults. Each day we had three time periods that you could choose different activities to participate in. We went rock climbing, took cooking lessons, had wine tasting classes, massages, golf lessons and even went on a catered canoe picnic. Here are some pictures to prove it. Notice who is "driving" the canoe. Actually there is a funny story about how we crashed our golf cart after a wine tasting session. Who knew you were supposed to spit out the wine? We only went into the actual park twice. We did MK again but sadly I don't have any pictures. I did take some at Epcot. We had dinner at the original Alfredos' which is also gone. Once we returned home, we settled down into married life. We got a dog. We got real grown up jobs, bought a house and started having children. Here is a current picture of us. This was taken by the bartender at the GF while the kids were at the Wonderland Tea party. We lounged, we napped and we shopped. Okay Dh napped. I shopped but we both lounged which this picture is evidence of. In seven days we will be throwing the kids, the dog, the house, our adult responsibilities to the wind and taking off for WDW. Woo Hoo! Next up "THE PLAN" otherwise known as things that Diamond wants to do at WDW and Dh will just have to suffer through it! Hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane. __________________ Precious Gem of a Weekend Report http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2323431 Gem of a Birthday-My 40th with Dh @ AKL http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2149477 Gem of a Trip-quality,clarity,color and"Cut that out!"http://www.disboards.com/showthread....0#post25752950 2013 Jan Offsite, 2012 Aug POR, 2010 July CSR, 2009 Oct CSR MNSSHP Weekend Adult Getaway!2009 April AKL 40th B-Day Trip with Dh only! 2008 August POR,2007Aug ASMu Family Suite, 1997 Off-site,1996 Disneymoon@Disney Institute,92,91,87,85,84 Off-site,84-78 Fort Wilderness Campground Last edited by Diamondintheruff; 04-16-2009 at 12:33 AM.

04-16-2009, 03:37 AM	#13
lazydoxy66 Live, love, and laugh! Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Central Indiana, rural home Posts: 1,731	Yay!!!!! Great start. You 2 are so cute! I think I saw you had posted this on Enchanted too. I'll probably follow this over there. __________________ Kristel---

04-16-2009, 07:21 AM	#14
roxannensteve DIS Veteran Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 979	Hi - you are reading my PTR so I needed to come check out yours. We are very much alike. We took our Honeymoon in Disney as well & you are already know we are doing a kid free trip too. We are staying at POR but I saw the discounts for the deluxes & AKL was a thought. Glad you ugraded from POP, deffinhately a step or 2 or 3 above. Can't wait to read more... __________________ Dec '07 PTR/TR Dec '08 TR May '09 TR November 2012 PTR numerous other times, no PTR/TR Been there, Done that, Going again

04-16-2009, 11:45 PM	#15
CanadianWDWfan DIS Veteran Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ottawa Posts: 2,050	Hi, followed you over here from another TR. I can't wait to hear how your bday trip unfolds.... __________________

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