Yes Dear, you can bring CRAZY CRAB! A Magical Thanksgiving, SINGLE DIGIT BOOGIE!!

[cascarlet]

This will be different for me this trip since yes, I am a CM answering calls that come in for the main switchboard at WDW. Everyday I speak to guests at WDW and every single day I wish I was there with them! Perhaps you've spoken to me! I also worked Dining for a year so maybe I've assisted you making ADR's.

Last time we went to WDW in July 05 I started a trip report, but never finished it. This year I'm going to be even more ambitious and do a PRE TRIP report and actually finish my trip report. I get so many wonderful tips and ideas here, and you folks are the only ones that really GET my excitement.

Part of the problem last visit is on our first day at MK, my DH lost our camera, so the pictures I got with disposable cameras were not very good at all. I'm SO EXCITED to take pictures with my Canon Rebel so my trip report will be FULL of them.

We are celebrating a great year! Why? Well a few things. My ds17 graduated from HS, My dh's school (he's an elementary school principal) had very good test scores, my dd10 has been in several different theater productions and she did really well in school, and for the most part we are just celebrating being happy & healthy (for the most part..I'll explain the health part later)

The last couple years were a little tough on us. We had planned on going to WDW for my 40th BD, but money wise we weren't able to pull it off. A couple years ago I closed my scrapbooking store that we had for 7 years because people really don't have extra money to spend on paper and stickers. That was pretty difficult emotionally and financially.

So fast forward a few years and we are in better shape and very thankful we are able to be able to go to WDW and ready to CELEBRATE!!

Here is our cast of characters:

Leo (aka my Pop & Pooh Bear) - 44 Principal Extraordinaire, My Disney soul mate, Goofy reincarnated, SF Giants/49er fan, Stanford Alumni, Parrothead and all around great guy and awesome Dad.

Me (Marianne) - 41 CM- When you call Disney I answer *, Papercrafter & Etsy Seller, Mom to 2 awesome kiddos and Mickey FAN

Brandon - 17 Freshman in college, world traveler (went to Korea last summer for 2 weeks), hopes to work in the video game industry, shy, sweet, loving kid. Disney makes him smile and that warms Mom's heart.



Maggie Kate - 10 Drama Princess, actress, loves volleyball, Stitch fan, Sweetheart, ready to take on the WORLD!



and this year joining us for the first time, my Mom which will bring interesting challenges

Babci (Polish for Grandma) - 72 , first trip to WDW, machine shop operator, aka "the Spoiler" (loves to bestow gifts on her grandkids!)

and how can I forget..Crazy Crab? Here is Crazy and my dh. Eh..just call em both Crazy!



Stay tuned for the details of our trip, WHEN, WHERE....and more on how Crazy Crab came about! Thanks for joining our celebration!

[cascarlet]

WHERE, WHEN??

We'll be staying at CSR November 11/21 - 11/28

Our hearts desire really Poly, but we just couldn't afford it. We are huge Hawaii fans and when we went to visit to eat at Ohana's last year we fell iin love with it. Oh well, we'll just have to come back again REALLY soon and stay at Poly right?

We figured for a moderate resort CSR would be our best choice. Since we are from California, the decor is very similar to many of the buildings you would find out here, so we'll feel right at home! The pool seems really fun for the kids, and the transportation doesn't seem too bad and the price with free dining was just right. When we stayed at Movies our biggest complaint was the transportation. We were always the furthest bus at the parks, and the last to be dropped off. Not to mention we went in July and you know what that means at the All Star Resorts!

Another challenge we have this time is we will have two ECV's with us. My mom is not able to walk for a long distance so she will require one, and I just had surgery on my foot a few months ago and ran into a few complications with the healing process SO Dr's orders I will not be able to walk around WDW and I will need assistance. I'm pretty nervous about the bus situation and getting us on and off the buses, but we are early risers, and hope that we get on early enough so it won't be a problem.

We thought about postponing the trip, but it's so difficult to find a week that everyone has off so we are still going for it. We have ordered our ECV's from Randy's Mobility. Reading the boards I found they came highly recommended and their prices were very good. The gentleman I spoke to when I made my reservation was so friendly and helpful.

A first for us is we have never been away from home on Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is always hosted at our house. I am SO excited not to have to fix dinner for a change, I make most of the delicious side dishes and desserts, but my DH is the Turkey man. I sure will be different for us, but we are sooo looking forward to it! You'll see our ADR's where we chose to go for dinner!!

I was searching for a picture of us all together. Here we are at Disneyland! Gotta find a picture of Babci!



Since I'm a scrapbooker I always make my dd's autograph books. Last time at WDW, our camera AND the autograph book that I worked so hard on was lost so I'll be posting pictures as soon as I'm finished.

NEXT...Itinerary and ADR's!

[cascarlet]

Well I think I'm just posting to myself, but that's ok..LOL..it helps pass the time and record our pre trip activities!!

Our Itinerary!! Can I just say part of the fun, for me at least is the planning portion of our vacation. I know Babci thinks I'm crazy, she can't believe how much planning I'm doing. I told her she'll be thanking me when she gets there. I know she has NO IDEA, what WDW is like. She thinks it's like DL and not really sure why we have to go all the way to Florida. Don't get me wrong, DL is very special and unique, WDW is a whole different experience to me.

Since working for Disney, I've gained A LOT of helpful knowledge, but much of your planning comes from experience, and that I have to thank you Dis boarders for!

Sooo...this is what we have planned so far!!

Arrive Sat. 11/21 - we depart on Friday on the red eye. Not sure how that's going to go, hopefully we will all be able to sleep. Any other flights came in so late on Saturday. I figured we can rest if we are too tired when we get there or we can go into Epcot and cruise around the World Showcase, then catch Illuminations!

Sun 11/22 - Back at Epcot. I know Babci is going to love it here!

Mon 11/23 - Kids and Pop to Blizzard Beach if it's warm enough, Mom and I DTD, and GF maybe some spa treatments!

Tues 11/24 - HS, non Fantasmic night, hope it's not too busy. We've seen it so many times, I love it, but I don't know if it's worth it with the crowds this week. Haven't got a chance to ride TSM at CA, so this is a must at rope drop! If I remember right there are no FP at TSM at CA and the lines were soooo looooong. RnR..WHY don't they have this ride in CA??? LOVE IT!

Wed 11/25 - MK - DD10 looking forward to Pixie Hollow. We also have an reservation for the Pirate League, too old for BBB! SM should be finished with refurb so we are ready to blast off!

Thur 11/26 Thanksgiving - Animal Kingdom. I know everyone wants to be at MK or Epcot for Thanksgiving Day. Hoping to avoid crowds.

Friday 11/27 MK or AK - not sure yet..see where everyone wants to go back!

Sat 11/28...go home

Coming up...ADR's!! Don't I wish I could make my own reservations. Nope I had to get up at 3am like every other West Coaster!!

[cascarlet]

ADR's!!

I usually don't go to bed until 1am or so since I'm a night owl, so on my 90th day I just stayed up until 3am to make my ADR's!! I payed for it the next day , but it was totally worth it. I got most everything I wanted online, and then called the next morning for the rest.

After I made my ADR's online I tried to keep myself up until 4am, so I could call for my TG reservation since it wouldn't make it for me online. Cruisin the DISboards while I waited and then I dialed right at 4am. I was afraid to wait to call back because I really did not want to miss out on my TG ADR!! 1/2 wait on for Dining..lol. I crawled into bed, put my iphone and speaker and was lulled to sleep by "Walking right Down the Middle of Main St USA"..and "ALLLLLL ABOARD!!". The poor Dining Agent who finally got my call must have got an earful of snoring..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...because before I knew it I woke up and it was 7am drool all over my iphone! I promptly called back and was able to tweak a few res and get my TG ADR!! Now that was easy!! (insert rolling eye guy here). I know as an agent what you go through, so I try my very best to bring the most pixie dust on every single call!

I let each member of my family pick a restaurant. There is just not enough time during our vacation to go everywhere we want to go. So we most definitely went over our DP TS, but that's ok. We are in WDW!!

11/21 - Brandon - Dinner - TEPPAN EDO. There are plenty other places I would rather go myself, since we have a perfectly great hibachi grill here in town, and plus they don't have fried rice??!! But it's his choice, and he really loves eating there. He's a really fussy eater at almost 18, I wish he would branch out a bit. His grandmother took him to Korea for 2 weeks and she said all he ate was rice. He came back so skinny! Although, with a lot of Korean food you need to be pretty adventerous, I don't know if I would be eating everything that was offered! At least I can order some sushi as an app at Teppan Edo, which I am the only one in the family that enjoys it.

11/22 - Leo - Dinner - LE CELLIER My dh is all about steaks, so we look forward to to a lovely dinner in Canada. Hope it lives up to all the hype!

11/23 - Monday is a free day, we won't be going into the parks, but we have ADR's for all meals. Breakfast - OHANA'S - can't miss Lilo & Stitch. Lunch - GARDEN VIEW TEA for Babci & I. Dinner, we are going to celebrate our anniversary, just Leo and I at CA GRILL and enjoy Wishes. Notice how I work myself into every reservation..haha.

11/24 - last time we went, we really enjoyed 50's PRIME TIME & SCI FI, so we are having Lunch and Dinner there.

11/25 - Dinner everyone's choice on our MK day was OHANA. This was our favorite meal last visit, and if it were up to DH we would be eating here every night. mmm...wingies

11/26 - Thanksgiving was a really hard choice. Do we want buffet or sit down, in a park at at a resort? Babci really wanted to go to CAPE MAY CAFE since she is from New England and she can't NOT go to the NE Clam Bake. So we decided to it would be "THE BEEEST OF BOTH WORLDS" and go for TG dinner. We better not bring Crazy Crab to this meal. I think it may be too traumatic.

11/24 Maggie Kate - Dinner 1900 PF. Maggie Kate has been in several different performances this last year, and one of them was Cinderella where she played Druzella. She could not pass up the opportunity to meet Drizella and the crew!!

Here's Maggie Kate as Druzella...not traditional Disney, but she played the evil step sister none the less!!



I very happy with what I've got, I've been pretty much planning where we are going to dine for our next trip since our last trip!!

Next up..Autograph Book, work in progress!

[cascarlet]

Can I just add that I my iphone apps for WDW. My favorite are Mouse Memo, WDW Dining, and WDW Wait Times. The dining app is pretty up to date as far as menus and the wait times, I hear have been pretty accurate for the most part. Makes it sooo much more fun to plan a Disney vacation!!

Right..where was I? Autograph Book in progess. Let me take some pics!

[eandesmom]

I'm in!

Everything sounds great so far! I know what you mean about wanting one resort but the wallet dictating another. We have challenges as a family of 6, and that's without bringing other relatives!

Until you go to WDW, if you are a westcoaster, people just don't have a clue, do they! We've definitely run into that "what's the big deal or the difference" attitude.

Your kids are adorable.

[cascarlet]

I have a reader!!!

Welcome to my PTR!

Everything sounds great so far! I know what you mean about wanting one resort but the wallet dictating another. We have challenges as a family of 6, and that's without bringing other relatives!

With a little bit of Pixie Dust we are gonna get through these challenges right?

It's all about spending great vacations with our families. My mom is not very healthy right now and she has a hard time getting around as it is. I don't know how much longer we can take a trip like this with her so we are just going for it!!

Until you go to WDW, if you are a westcoaster, people just don't have a clue, do they! We've definitely run into that "what's the big deal or the difference" attitude.

That is so true!! Why are you going to FL when you have DL right here a few hours away?? I have so many wonderful memories at DL and it always has a special place in my heart, it's the original! But there is nothing like a week at WDW!! or more would be nice..lol.

Your kids are adorable.

You are so sweet..TY!!! Proud mom here :D

Thanks for joining our celebration!!

[cascarlet]

Found a picture of Babci! Here she is at the Ren Faire last summer. LOL at the Privies behind her..pew.



Here's the story about Crazy Crab:

A little background to show you how nutty we really are. Leo and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary on July 18th in San Francisco. The plan was to go to the Giants game and then to dinner. We HAD TO GO to the Giants game because it was Crazy Crab bobble head day. After the game we introduced Crazy Crab to some of the wonderful sights in SF. I have never seen Leo so excited about anything. He loves that Crab. You see..Crazy Crab was the official Giants mascot back in the 80's. Crazy was really the anti mascot. Cheering that the Giants SUCK! when indeed they did. It became a tradition to hurl objects at poor Crazy Crab if you went to a game. Crazy Crab was retired in 1985 and this game was one of the first times this legendary crab has been seen. Now there is an underground movement called Rehab the Crab to bring back Crazy and replace the current mascot Lou Seal. After all the fun with our favorite crab, we went to our favorite restaurant in the City, House of Prime Rib, and had the BEST prime rib and dirty martinis. Ahhh..what a great way to spend our 10th anniversary :D. Me, Leo and Crazy Crab.





He loves that crab..



Quoit Tower in SF



Crazy trying to make ADR's



No CRABBING!! Shwew..he's safe. As you can see he's a little nervous (shaky) here.

Leo says Crazy Crab wants to go with us to WDW and take pics at all the sites and maybe with a few characters. Fine as long as he stays in his backpack and you better not loose him like you lost our camera/homemade autograph book that I worked so hard on/and .85 ponchos last time!! (notice how often I mention this, he'll never live it down) I guarantee this will drive Babci insane..hee.hee..and well, Leo lives for that.

Good news ... GIANTS WON TONIGHT!! Hum BABY!

[mousescrapper]

Hi I'm in....

I just found your PTR....

we have several things in common....

we are both Mickey Nuts

we both love scrap-booking /paper crafts!

and we are both going to WDW at Thanksgiving...although my trip is just about 1 yr after yours....

Love the Crab guy and his pics...

We stayed at CSR just this past March, and really enjoyed it, if it is warm enough your kids will really like the Dig Site Pool, very cool! Did you request a specific building or proximity to anything?

Not sure if all the rooms have been refurbed yet, but they are gorgeous...I know the Cabana blding is done and parts of the Casitas. We stayed Casitias 1 in a non refurbed room, but the close proximity to El Centro (bus and food) was great. I thought the bus service here was great for all the different resorts we have stayed in and you don't share w/ any other resorts and most of the pcik up spots are right up front in the bus lines

Can't wait to hear about your trip....

we are going next yr November right now our tenative dates are the 19-27.

[ProPhotoGA]

Originally Posted by cascarlet

Found a picture of Babci! Here she is at the Ren Faire last summer. LOL at the Privies behind her..pew.

Here's the story about Crazy Crab:

A little background to show you how nutty we really are. Leo and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary on July 18th in San Francisco. The plan was to go to the Giants game and then to dinner. We HAD TO GO to the Giants game because it was Crazy Crab bobble head day. After the game we introduced Crazy Crab to some of the wonderful sights in SF. I have never seen Leo so excited about anything. He loves that Crab. You see..Crazy Crab was the official Giants mascot back in the 80's. Crazy was really the anti mascot. Cheering that the Giants SUCK! when indeed they did. It became a tradition to hurl objects at poor Crazy Crab if you went to a game. Crazy Crab was retired in 1985 and this game was one of the first times this legendary crab has been seen. Now there is an underground movement called Rehab the Crab to bring back Crazy and replace the current mascot Lou Seal. After all the fun with our favorite crab, we went to our favorite restaurant in the City, House of Prime Rib, and had the BEST prime rib and dirty martinis. Ahhh..what a great way to spend our 10th anniversary :D. Me, Leo and Crazy Crab.

He loves that crab..

Quoit Tower in SF

Crazy trying to make ADR's


No CRABBING!! Shwew..he's safe. As you can see he's a little nervous (shaky) here.

Leo says Crazy Crab wants to go with us to WDW and take pics at all the sites and maybe with a few characters. Fine as long as he stays in his backpack and you better not loose him like you lost our camera/homemade autograph book that I worked so hard on/and .85 ponchos last time!! (notice how often I mention this, he'll never live it down) I guarantee this will drive Babci insane..hee.hee..and well, Leo lives for that.

Good news ... GIANTS WON TONIGHT!! Hum BABY!

Man that looks like fun. I remember going to Giants games when I was a kid.
I grew up in Sacramento. Always had a blast.

Will be watching this PTR!

Gene

[cascarlet]

Hi I'm in....

I just found your PTR....

we have several things in common....

we are both Mickey Nuts

we both love scrap-booking /paper crafts!

Thanks for joining in!! Isn't Mickey the coolest? Yes, my name is Marianne and I'm a scrapbooking addict. I enjoyed looking at your pages from WDW they are fantastic! When I had the store I was so busy making samples and running classes I had no time to SB my pictures. I am so behind! Let me see if I can find some pages to post here.

We stayed at CSR just this past March, and really enjoyed it, if it is warm enough your kids will really like the Dig Site Pool, very cool! Did you request a specific building or proximity to anything?

I really am thinking of Casitas, close enough to the pool and I really want to be at the first bus stop that picks up. With 2 scooters it would be great to get on first. I'm pretty sure most of the rehab should be done end of October.

we are going next yr November right now our tenative dates are the 19-27.

Have you ever been during the holidays before?? I can't wait to see all the decorations. The weather should be nice too. I don't care if it's cold, I'm just not a fan of the heat!

[cascarlet]

Welcome Gene!!

Man that looks like fun. I remember going to Giants games when I was a kid.
I grew up in Sacramento. Always had a blast.

You must have seen the games at the "Stick". The park downtown is soooo beautiful now. You have a view of the Bay Bridge, it's right on the water. I just love it!

I'm a Bay Area girl, grew up in Oakland, but we've lived just south of Sac the last 10 years!! Thanks for joining in. I'm enjoying your PTR as well.

[cascarlet]

I've been working on my dd's autograph book the last couple of days. I'm just waiting for my camera battery to charge and then I'm going to post a few pics.

DD gave me a list of characters she would like to see at WDW. Of course we know we may not be able to see them all for one reason or another, but it never hurts to be prepared.

Her list is as follows:

Cinderella and friends (no prob, 1900 PF)
Lilo & Stitch (again, easy Ohana breakfast)
Jasmine, Aladdin & Genie (had a really good character experience with them last visit in Moracco, hope to see them there again)
Snow White
Mulan
Aurora
Belle
Alice
Mary Poppins
(all of the above we did see at Epcot last visit, hope to see them there again)
Ariel (Grotto at MK)
ALL of the fairies (Our first visit to Pixie Hollow)
Tiana (Heard around the time we arrive she will be at the steamboat at MK, rumor, but crossing fingers)
The UP gang (HS Animation)
and the Pirates for the Pirates League

So I look at her list and tell her..dd, looks like there is someone missing!! HELLLOOOO it all started with a mouse! I told her she can't have a book w/o Mickey. She said, yes I can, I don't really want his autograph. I said I'm making the book so I am putting in Mickey (after all he's gonna be at Ohana) whether you like it or not. She looked at me and laughed and said..ok.

Now I realized at that moment how completely nutty I must have sounded to my ds17's friend who was visiting. Arguing about Mickey..lol. I'm sure he went home to tell his family about that one.

Pictures coming of my work in progress as soon as battery is charged!

[cascarlet]

Anyone from the WC ever take a red eye and then plan to start your vacation the following day? How did that go for you?

We don't fly a lot, so I'm not sure if we will be able to sleep much. We are playing it by ear, if it seems like we are too tired, we will just hang out at the resort. Either way our vacation will have started right?? Even if we don't go into one of the parks that day!!

[cascarlet]

Crocs!! Bye one pair get one free!! My order came in for WDW!! The funny thing is I got about 4 pairs for myself alone (DH got a really great laugh about this), and right now I can only wear one shoe (boot on the other!). Hopefully I won't be needing a boot when I get to WDW.

I got a few pairs of Athens for me



and of course a MM pair of Mary Janes



Babci has never worn Crocs, but I think she would think they are really comfy and we have to get her into the Disney spirt so I got her these:



and for the little diva a sparkly silver pair



I tried to talk DH into a pair of MM Crocs, but he wouldn't be persuaded.