January 2013

[readytogotodisney]

Those wrist bands are cool! And I love the on-ride video photopass! I hope these things become a reality!

[letthewookiewin]

Originally Posted by readytogotodisney

Those wrist bands are cool! And I love the on-ride video photopass! I hope these things become a reality!

Me too!! It would be one less thing to keep up. I just wonder if you can get the customized ones before the trip. If not, I love the green one. I know my youngest DS will love the purple one, and the other two will have to pick a color once we get there.

[ButterflyJen]

I'm late to the group, but we are going! Dates are still up in the air a bit but it'll be the last week of Jan/first week of Feb. DD's 6th birthday is Feb 1st so we'll be in MK for her birthday!! First trip for all of us except hubby Grandmas, Grandpas, uncle/aunt/cousins are probably joining us too!! CAN'T WAIT!!!

Forgot to add - we'll definitely be staying at AoA. Whether we're in a standard room or a suite depends on whether Disney offers free dining again

[UndercoverMama]

Originally Posted by ButterflyJen

I'm late to the group, but we are going! Dates are still up in the air a bit but it'll be the last week of Jan/first week of Feb. DD's 6th birthday is Feb 1st so we'll be in MK for her birthday!! First trip for all of us except hubby Grandmas, Grandpas, uncle/aunt/cousins are probably joining us too!! CAN'T WAIT!!!

Forgot to add - we'll definitely be staying at AoA. Whether we're in a standard room or a suite depends on whether Disney offers free dining again

You are far from late, the countdown fun is just beginning

First trip? Sounds amazing!!

DH really likes the theming at AoA. I think his inner 6 year old wants to stay in the Finding Nemo or Lion King room since they are his favorite Disney movies. Any theme you prefer there?

[letthewookiewin]

Originally Posted by ButterflyJen

I'm late to the group, but we are going! Dates are still up in the air a bit but it'll be the last week of Jan/first week of Feb. DD's 6th birthday is Feb 1st so we'll be in MK for her birthday!! First trip for all of us except hubby Grandmas, Grandpas, uncle/aunt/cousins are probably joining us too!! CAN'T WAIT!!!

Forgot to add - we'll definitely be staying at AoA. Whether we're in a standard room or a suite depends on whether Disney offers free dining again

& added. I just have you as the first person in the last week of January. When you get more specific dates, I'll change it. If you want to join it, we have a secret FB group. In order to join you have to be the friend of one of the Admins. Just send me a PM with the name that you want me to friend and I'll send you a FB friend request and PM you back with the name that it will be coming in. If you don't want to use your personal FB page, just make one with your DIS user name and you can use that.

Originally Posted by UndercoverMama

You are far from late, the countdown fun is just beginning

First trip? Sounds amazing!!

DH really likes the theming at AoA. I think his inner 6 year old wants to stay in the Finding Nemo or Lion King room since they are his favorite Disney movies. Any theme you prefer there?

I agree, the only way ButterflyJen would be late, would be if it was 2013 already.

I love the theme of the AoA rooms. They all look amazing!! I would love to stay there, but the DH has his heart set on the cabins at FW.


As I was trying to get my brain to stop racing so I could sleep, I realized a huge flaw in my spending money spreadsheet. I had used some algebra that I remembered to figure out what percentage that I needed for each section that I divided up the money into. This way, as I count the money, I know how much of it is going toward each and how much I need to go. It went into gas, hotels on the road, food on the road, tips for TSs, gifts for family, Joey, John, and me. I looked at a map and firgured that it's 1,141 miles from our house to Fort Wilderness, but I figured on 1,500. I added a little more to figure for driving around to find gas, hotels, or food. If my car can get 300 miles to the tank, and the tank is 20 gallons, I would have 5 fill ups. I figured $4 per gallon (just b/c I like to over-estimate) and then rounded it up to $500. The problem is, I didn't figure for gas on the way home. Which would be fine, if we were going to move to Orlando. Oh well, I'll just have to redo all of the figures. It's a good thing that I love doing that kind of thing.

[ButterflyJen]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

We have 2 girls, so if we have to stay in the standard Little Mermaid rooms it will be okay I'm really hoping for free dining, though, so we can swing a Nemo suite!

A little envious of your math skills - I suck at math your math worksheets sound fantastic!

[letthewookiewin]

Originally Posted by ButterflyJen

Thanks for the warm welcome!

We have 2 girls, so if we have to stay in the standard Little Mermaid rooms it will be okay I'm really hoping for free dining, though, so we can swing a Nemo suite!

A little envious of your math skills - I suck at math your math worksheets sound fantastic!

Thank you. I love doing them. I'm going back to school and it hasn't been very long since I had an algebra class. If your saving money like I am for spending money, I can make one for you. I just need to know how you want it divided up, and what percentage you want each to have. Then I can email it to you. Actually, I'll make them for anyone that wants one.

[UndercoverMama]

Originally Posted by letthewookiewin

I love the theme of the AoA rooms. They all look amazing!! I would love to stay there, but the DH has his heart set on the cabins at FW.

The problem is, I didn't figure for gas on the way home. Which would be fine, if we were going to move to Orlando.

DH is still dragging his feet on the cabins a bit, because he does not want to give up a hot tub. I just don't know how long it will take to get the 6 of us to get from point a to point b without a golf cart, and if we got a golf cart we'd have to pay extra for the larger size. If they offer a room discount but no free dining, I may split stay between pop and ft. w. So much time, so many potential changes lol

Originally Posted by ButterflyJen

Thanks for the warm welcome!

We have 2 girls, so if we have to stay in the standard Little Mermaid rooms it will be okay I'm really hoping for free dining, though, so we can swing a Nemo suite!

The Little Mermaid rooms look great, I just can't convince my son

[letthewookiewin]

Originally Posted by UndercoverMama

DH is still dragging his feet on the cabins a bit, because he does not want to give up a hot tub. I just don't know how long it will take to get the 6 of us to get from point a to point b without a golf cart, and if we got a golf cart we'd have to pay extra for the larger size. If they offer a room discount but no free dining, I may split stay between pop and ft. w. So much time, so many potential changes lol

I'm planning on renting a golf cart for our stay. I just don't know how far in advance I am going to reserve it yet. Since it'll be January, we won't go near the pool or have need of a hot tub, so it's not an issue for us. We went one year in March and the only day I had planned to go to TL was our arrival day. It was cold when we got there, but we were going by the plan or else. Well we ended up leaving b/c our youngest DS got knocked over in the shallow part of the wave pool and most likely would have hit his head if I hadn't dove and caught him. Not so lucky for my knee that got all scrapped and bloody. Well he and I decided to get out and try to warm up in towels. When I noticed that he was uncontrollably shaking and had blue-ish lips, I decided it was time to go. I had to carry him to the bus b/c he was shaking too bad to walk. A CM must have noticed my bloody leg and his blue lips, and offered help. He told us it was 60F. Unless we're going in summer, my DH refuses to go near a pool at WDW.

Originally Posted by UndercoverMama

The Little Mermaid rooms look great, I just can't convince my son

I know, don't they? I could never convince either one of my DSs. Heck I couldn't even convince them that they new Royal rooms were a great idea.


Ok, ladies my DH made me cry...well happy tears. So I told my DH that I HAD to have a get away this summer. We've been living with my DH's parents just over a year. We moved in b/c my mil's health wasn't good and she just kept having problems where I was having to stay with her during the day. It just didn't make sense to keep paying almost $1,400 a month in rent, and all the gas to drive back and forth several times a day to her house, to the boys school, and then back to our house. Well now my fil is having health issues. He started having breathing problems, but mister stubborn wouldn't go to the doctor. Two weeks later, still having problems and he has a nasty allergic reaction to something that had his tongue swell up huge and was closing his airwat. That led to finding blood clots in his lungs. Now we just need to figure out why he keeps having allergic reaction and what is causing it too. His allergy doctor doesn't think it's an allergy, but something genetic. Which means that not only am I transporting my mil to different doctors appointments through the week, but the fil as well. Along with taking care of the house, feeding 9 people nightly, picking up my nephew from school, doing the normal mom stuff with our DS, laundry, going to school, blah, blah, blah. Basically I need a break now, not just in January 2013. My DH doesn't think we'll get anything back in a tax return, but I asked him if we do can we take a trip. I was thinking Estes Park, CO. It's tied with WDW as my favorite place on the planet. Well he turned that down, and wanted to go to Redding, CA b/c he had lived there a while as a child. Well he had me looking up the directions from our town to Redding, CA and I was like, "Heck no!! There is no way I am driving any where near LA. Not gonna happen, not gonna do it!!" Then he said, "Well then how can I take you to DisneyLand." I looked at him told him that he better not be joking. He promised that he wasn't. That if we get enough in a tax return, he's taking it as a "sign from God" that we need that kind of a trip. Well the tears started flowing (along with his teasing of the tear) at the thought of possibly going to both DL and WDW with in a year of each other. Hopefully, the tax return will be enough, if not maybe we can go some where else. Just the fact that he even offered to go to DL in June, knowing that we are planning on going to January is enough for me. Actually going is just icing on the cake.

[UndercoverMama]

Originally Posted by letthewookiewin

Since it'll be January, we won't go near the pool or have need of a hot tub, so it's not an issue for us.
When we went in Feb we all swam, even though the locals said it was cold lol. DH and the older two kids are like polar bears. Around here a lot of people actually use their hot tubs when it is cold out It's not for me but DH thinks it makes sense..


Hopefully, the tax return will be enough, if not maybe we can go some where else. Just the fact that he even offered to go to DL in June, knowing that we are planning on going to January is enough for me. Actually going is just icing on the cake.

How fun! Good luck with your tax return!

We are planning to go to Maine for a week this summer. Nothing fancy, just relaxing with our family (my brother, SIL and nephews) I just have to make sure we aren't there the week of ADR scheduling ... sad but true

So excited to put some more money on our disney gift cards at the disneystore tomorrow I love going there. It is just the tiniest piece of magic to help keep me going until January. Helps that they have Rainforest Cafe there too which is very fun

[SandiKB]

Originally Posted by UndercoverMama

The Little Mermaid rooms look great, I just can't convince my son

LOL, I thought I would get a struggle on that, but all DS had to say was he just didnt feel comfortable with Ariel seeing him naked but since it was for Jordan he was ok with it, lol

[SandiKB]

Originally Posted by letthewookiewin

Then he said, "Well then how can I take you to DisneyLand." I looked at him told him that he better not be joking. He promised that he wasn't. That if we get enough in a tax return, he's taking it as a "sign from God" that we need that kind of a trip. Well the tears started flowing (along with his teasing of the tear) at the thought of possibly going to both DL and WDW with in a year of each other. Hopefully, the tax return will be enough, if not maybe we can go some where else. Just the fact that he even offered to go to DL in June, knowing that we are planning on going to January is enough for me. Actually going is just icing on the cake.

Aww how wonderful! That is awesome!!! The only place I'll be this summer is back and forth to football practice, and maybe if DS plays Legion baseball a trip to the mountains for the State Champ, where I'll stay with my sister.

[SandiKB]

Originally Posted by UndercoverMama

How fun! Good luck with your tax return!

So excited to put some more money on our disney gift cards at the disneystore tomorrow I love going there. It is just the tiniest piece of magic to help keep me going until January. Helps that they have Rainforest Cafe there too which is very fun

OK, this is how pathetic I am, the mall is not somewhere I often go, so a few weeks ago my GF and I went with youngest DD, so we're upstairs and looking down at the Disney Store, DD is all excited in her stroller, and we're telling her 'Look, it's Disney World!!! There's Mickey, and Minnie' etc., etc., LOL So now she thinks DW consists of a mall storefront and her princess tent, LOL

[readytogotodisney]

Originally Posted by letthewookiewin

Then he said, "Well then how can I take you to DisneyLand." I looked at him told him that he better not be joking. He promised that he wasn't. That if we get enough in a tax return, he's taking it as a "sign from God" that we need that kind of a trip. Well the tears started flowing (along with his teasing of the tear) at the thought of possibly going to both DL and WDW with in a year of each other. Hopefully, the tax return will be enough, if not maybe we can go some where else. Just the fact that he even offered to go to DL in June, knowing that we are planning on going to January is enough for me. Actually going is just icing on the cake.

DL would be awesome!!! We were thinking about going in Oct, but I don't think that's going to happen anymore.

[letthewookiewin]

Originally Posted by SandiKB

OK, this is how pathetic I am, the mall is not somewhere I often go, so a few weeks ago my GF and I went with youngest DD, so we're upstairs and looking down at the Disney Store, DD is all excited in her stroller, and we're telling her 'Look, it's Disney World!!! There's Mickey, and Minnie' etc., etc., LOL So now she thinks DW consists of a mall storefront and her princess tent, LOL

That's not pathetic at all. I think it's so cute!! I call the Disney store that I go to mini-Disney World. It makes me happy just to talk through that read Mickey head. I was going to get a job there not long after we moved in with my in laws, but then my mil started getting worse again, so I coudln't.

Originally Posted by SandiKB

LOL, I thought I would get a struggle on that, but all DS had to say was he just didnt feel comfortable with Ariel seeing him naked but since it was for Jordan he was ok with it, lol

That's so sweet that he was willing to do it forJordan. I'm kinda wierd about stuff like that too. I don't like being naked, or going to the bathroom if there are magazines with people on the front. Logically, I know they can't see me, but I just can't do it.

Originally Posted by UndercoverMama

How fun! Good luck with your tax return!

We are planning to go to Maine for a week this summer. Nothing fancy, just relaxing with our family (my brother, SIL and nephews) I just have to make sure we aren't there the week of ADR scheduling ... sad but true

So excited to put some more money on our disney gift cards at the disneystore tomorrow I love going there. It is just the tiniest piece of magic to help keep me going until January. Helps that they have Rainforest Cafe there too which is very fun

I would love to go to Maine!! One day, I am going to make it to all 50 states + Puetro Rico at least. There are just so many places in the world that I want to see, and that I want to take our DSs. We actually talked about Maine, but it's just too far. There is just too much to see and do on the way there.

I love going to the Disney store. In a small way, it's like going to WDW.

Originally Posted by SandiKB

Aww how wonderful! That is awesome!!! The only place I'll be this summer is back and forth to football practice, and maybe if DS plays Legion baseball a trip to the mountains for the State Champ, where I'll stay with my sister.

Originally Posted by readytogotodisney

DL would be awesome!!! We were thinking about going in Oct, but I don't think that's going to happen anymore.

Thanks!! I just hope we can do it!! If not, we're going some where. Any where, but Justin, TX. I will probably upgrade my Touring Plans website to include DL.