Resorts, Relatives & Restaurants - and a 3 day cruise!

[Charleston Princess]

I am here, Sheree! Now I need to go back and catch up!

[Mndisneygirl]

Originally Posted by wigdoutdismom

Loved meeting you all! Your girls sound so darn cute! I'll tell you that husband of yours is a keeper too!You can't beat a guy that loves Disney!

Thanks! I'm sure he'd be glad to hear that! (not that I don't tell him once in a while)

Originally Posted by Charleston Princess

I am here, Sheree! Now I need to go back and catch up!

Yay!* *Happy New Year everyone!!

[Mndisneygirl]

Found some pictures of Cody.


This is Sarah and Cody.* She used to say she was married to him.* She has since found a human she wants to marry. Teen years will be interesting.

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

OK, I'm all caught up. Can't wait to hear all the details. I'm in awe of you already for being able to travel with in-laws and other family!

[stace208]

I made it here...all the way from VA and I'm all caught up to boot! Looking forward to more

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

HAPPY 2010!!!!

[Mndisneygirl]

Oops, problems with posting!! Getting **** showing up when I want to hit return!!! Plus I was halfway through my update!Sorry, will keep trying.

[Mndisneygirl]

Okay, let's see if this works.

So I have a party of 12. My ADR day is on Labor Day. Good and bad, I guess. I didn't have to work, but I still had to be up early to call the Grand Gathering number. I couldn't do a party of 12 online.
I had already decided that I was going to go to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. I knew enough that you shouldn't go on a Friday or Saturday. We had the choice of Sunday 12/6 or Tuesday 12/8. I asked everyone if Sunday would be okay. It was a travel day, and I hoped no one would be too tired to stay up late and party. That was the day. I bought the tickets way back when they went on sale in June.

I also had planned to get an ADR for Kona for lunch on Sunday before the rest of the family arrived. I knew I wanted sticky wings!! I also wanted breakfast there, but since we were going to be at AKL, that was too much hassle. So I got the lunch ADR on line while talking with the CM.

So I knew most of our group was on the DDP and would have 4 TS credits to use. I was pretty sure this group would not want to do any signature dining and "waste" a credit. Here's what I hoped to get for our ADRs:
Sunday 12/6 - Dinner at Tony's Town Square before MVMCP

Monday 12/7 - Sci Fi Dine In dinner (DH decided this wasn't worth it and said we should go to Epcot to eat) So then my plan was to get Teppan Edo for dinner and get the Candlelight Processional package. But OH, then they decided the CP would be 2 TS!!!! Okay, no package we'd just wing it for seeing the show.

Tuesday 12/8 - Early dinner at LeCellier (HA!) Backup plan, Tutto Italia so we could go back over to DHS to see the Osborne Lights.

Wednesday 12/9 - none

Thursday 12/10 - breakfast at Ohana before leaving to the cruise

I told the whole clan this is what we were hoping for, but didn't know what we'd get. I referred them all to the menus so they could be sure it would be okay. They all said, oh that's fine, whatever you can get. I'm sure that was a nice way of saying, "as long as you do all the work, we don't care where we eat."

So what did I end up getting?... stay tuned.


PS - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

[Mndisneygirl]

Before I tell you what we ended up with, I should tell you I did what any good DISer would do.*I spent the weekend poring over the newly released (at 90 days!) park hours, EMH, Fantasmic, Wishes, parade schedules. I planned which park we would be at each day. When we would need to hop, what TGM said were the best parks for each day (thanks to a special DIS friend).With one in a scooter(ECV) and at least one "slow walker" I figured we should not bounce around too much. I didn't need that kind of hassle.I informed everyone that I was making a plan for park days to try to include as much of the Christmas stuff as I could squeeze in, but they did not have to do it all. We did NOT have to stay together (and secretly - or not so secretly hoped that we wouldn't) the whole trip. I knew that would make me crazy. **Of course, everyone was VERY agreeable and said, again, that's fine, we trust you Sheree, whatever you decide is okay with us.** Hmmm...this was too easy, I was going to get to pick anything I wanted and do it all MY way! Could it really work? Would I be able to shed the big crowd and go off and do stuff for just the four of us during this "family reunion trip"? Yeah, right. I got a very nice CM on the phone from Grand Gatherings and she searched high and low for a spot at LeCellier and basically got NADA for our group. Amazingly, she also got NADA at Tony's for that WHOLE day.So she found these choice ADRs: (you can decide if I'm being sarcastic)Sunday - Crystal Palace 4:45 dinnerMonday - Teppan Edo 5:20 (two separate ressies for 6 each - actually I think I booked this online while she was searching for Sunday's dinner options)Tuesday - Tutto Italia lunch 2:20** I was able to score LeCellier for 4 people at 2:15 online.Which 4 would get to go??????Wednesday - noneThursday - Ohana - 9:10So not too bad. I really didn't think anyone would be too excited to eat with Pooh (our family had breakfast with him in January), but they were very happy with what we got. Whew. I did NOT want to make changes.* I knew Free Dining had been extended to cover our stay (no, we weren't using it) so it would be tough to change, especially for a large group.We ate at LeCellier with MIL and SIL Sharon in January and loved it.* Could I be a martyr and give up the Mushroom Filet?I knew SIL Donna and family had never been there before.* SIL Debbie might have but she could go anytime since they go to WDW a few times a year.So it was down to my foursome, or the Virginia SIL family.*What to do????Well, DH became the voice of reason. I hate when he does that to me.* As he put it, we had just eaten there.* It was so good, everyone should get to try it.* We would get to go back again someday.* They might not get to go again (HA! They go to FL every year, they could too go back!!).Luckily for DH, I love all things Italian (including him) so I sucked it up and became willing to sacrifice that yummy filet and cream cheese mashed potatoes*for some scrumptulescent (it's a special word) Italian food and decor. (by decor I mean the attractive servers!) And it was settled. The Virginia rednecks would dine at LeCellier and the rest of us would head to Italia.* I can call them rednecks because they (1) generally acknowledge that they are rednecks and are proud of it and (2) they consider it a compliment and (3) I am from the suburbs of a northern state metropolitan area and am no way considered a redneck. Actually I was okay with this as I do someday want to try all the restaurants around world showcase.So here were are, Labor Day, all the basic plans are in place.* I generally don't make detailed touring plans, just say here's where we are going and here's what we would like to do each day.* None of that "ride XXX, then ride XXX, then eat YYY, then go to the bathroom, then look at ZZZ gift shop..." crap. I have two little kids, no one will tell them when it's time to shop. I do tell them when they have to pee.* I hate having to run back to a bathroom when the one kid didn't go 1/2 an hour before while kid #1 and I went. AARRGH!Okay, it looks like most of the stuff that would have been in the PTR is done. * Just a few more things in the planning stages (like shopping and packing and cruise meet planning!) and we will get on the road!

[Mndisneygirl]

I apologize for the mess that was my last post.* I edited it 3 times!!* It wouldn't let me preview it because of a "database error" and then it would not correct it as I had done in edit!!!Can anyone explain why I get an * when I want a space or a new paragraph??
Did I hit something by accident?* How can I reset the format????

You should have heard the stream of foul language that came out of my mouth.* New Year's Resolution #1 - blew it already!
Now watch - this will come out perfectly.

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

You are cracking me up!!!

[Mndisneygirl]

Thanks!

I'm glad to offer some entertainment!

[wigdoutdismom]

Enjoying immensely!
I've heard really good things about Tutto, not that I could have given up Le Cellier.
Next trip, I'll try for LC and Tutto!

[Mndisneygirl]

Maybe the trick is not to edit.This just started happening a day ago.* I'll have to wait to post another update until I cool off, my head stops hurting and my kids are not in the house. They have heard too much from me today.

[praisehisname]

Jumping on board and loving it!