YAY for flying!!! We were going to drive too, this time, but we are even farther away than you. So our 20 hour drive is now cut to 5. (we have a short layover) ME is really quite easy. Just make sure you actually attach your ME tags to your luggage and not just carry them in your purse.
(I did that last year. DUH!) As far as food, in the past we have packed a suitcase with pb&j, cereal, poptarts, fruit snacks, and other snack items. This was nice because once the food is gone, you have an empty suitcase for souvies!! You can buy bread at your resort and we made a trip to the Hess station across from the Boardwalk for bags of chips. For my DD12 trip, last year, I made airplane goodie bags for her and her friend. I bought one of those reusable bags that they sell at the
Disney Store. I picked up some Minnie Mouse hair ties and Minnie Mouse earbud covers at the Disney Store. I also found a small Disney puzzle and memory game for like $.25 each at the party store. I put in a pair of new flip flops, travel size hand sanitizer and lotion, a new pair of sunglasses, candy and a metal Minnie Mouse water bottle from Old Navy. It was fun seeing them look at all of the things. I also made them a paperbag scrapbook album in their favorite colors. Just an idea. I think that you will like flying. I just couldn't believe the airfare prices!!
We live in Toledo and usually get the best rates out of Detroit. I actually found the cheapest rates out of Columbus this time. So we have to drive 2 hours south and then we have a layover in Cleveland and then to Orlando. But if I fly out of Cleveland I would pay around $300/ticket! Makes NO sense.
Great tips! Thanks so much! So did the Pop Tarts survive the travel? Or did they get all crushed up? I love the idea of packing up food, and then having a bag ready for souvies!
I don't think we will need that much stuff...we have noticed recently that we have overpacked on food the past few years. We really just need stuff for breakfast (pop tarts, oatmeal packets, granola bars, fruit snacks)...maybe some bags of microwave popcorn for the hotel at night.
Flying prices are CRAZY!!! The only reason I think Tom was swayed on flying was that gas prices are just as CRAZY right now too!!! We could have saved about $200 flying out of Dayton, OH, but then we would have had to have someone drive up there to drop us off and pick us up. We are about 50-60 miles away from Dayton...and like 5 miles away from Cincy's airport. It will just be easier and more convenient to swallow the extra cost this time!
LOVED the airplane bag goodies for the girls! I think Megan is going to be so excited with the actual experience, she won't have time to think or look at anything else!
Hurray for flying! That will add a good bit of extra time onto your trip, and I bet Megan loves being on an airplane!
Hey sweet lady!! I almost can't believe we are really going to fly! Do you think the ME bus will mind when the three of us starting screaming and clapping like we usually do when we go under the WDW Resort sign?!?!?!?
There are moments when I get sentimental about NOT driving, but then I think about how much sooner we will be walking down that glorious Main Street, and I kind of forget about all of that!
Yes, we were not affected by the tornadoes at all. The storms came right over us but had luckily died down after the destruction in Moscow. We drove down the other night and it is so sad to see that town. I work in Adams County for the electric company and the tornadoes touched down in that area. It was a small area but we had outages the entire weekend. There were several homes destroyed and a 99 year old woman died. Very sad.
Yay for flying!!! We have flown 3 times to Disney and while I enjoy the drive, I would prefer flying any day. Megan will love it and ME. It is so much fun in my opinion. We leave in 12 days and I took another look at flights yesterday and right now the cheapest I could find was $650 per person.
I really wish I had bit the bullett several months ago and bought when they were about $250 each but DH thought it was cheaper to drive. I am thinking now those flights were pretty darn cheap compared to what we are about to pay in fuel.
Love the video of Megan!
There are SO many sad stories that I have heard from the tornado damage...it is hard to hear some of them. Makes you that much more grateful and feeling blessed for our safety!
We are SO looking forward to it! I know what you mean about flying actually now becoming cheaper than the drive...gas is RIDICULOUS! I think the sudden spike towards $4/gallon sparked Tom's interest in checking out flights. Enjoy your trip!!! HOW FUN!!!
I love that video of her too...she just cracked us up with her first reaction...it was TOO funny!
I'm soooo excited that you get to fly!!! Is Megan pumped? How did you tell her?
I have a few tips for sure...
THIS!!
We also pack candy & gum. I do keep some in my carry-on too because I like chewing either gum or skittles during take-off and landing...but it's also nice to have at the parks, especially when you're bored waiting in lines. LOL
I totally love that we have that suitcase for souvenirs on the way home too!
Another flying tip I would suggest would be EARPLANES (you can buy them at Walmart or the drug stores by the ear care section). My DH and I both wear them during takeoff and landing. I have always had problems with my ears, ever since I was little. (I had tubes when I was 2) I find that the earplanes help to relieve a lot of the pressure. DH likes to wear them too and he's never had any problems with his ears, but I suppose for the price (about $4 a pair and you can use them for a couple flights) it's worth it to him to ensure that he doesn't have any pressure issues.
I think Megan will get a kick out of going into the Magical Express area at MCO (Orlando airport) and being greeted by the man with the Mickey glove!
Remember that your luggage will be a couple of hours behind you, and can sometimes be more delayed if they are very busy. So if you plan on swimming at all on your arrival day, I would pack swimsuits for each of you in your carry-ons. Make sure you have your camera(s) also. And keep your first day's ADR number(s) on you.
It also might help to take pictures of your luggage JUST IN CASE. During our last trip, one of our bags did not end up in our room. When I went down to the ME luggage area to inquire, they had one of our items labeled in the system as "tackle box" and another as something else very strange which I can't remember. I said "well no wonder you can't find it!" I described what we were missing and they finally did locate the missing luggage after a few minutes, but if I'd had a picture it would have been that much easier.
I don't want that last story to scare you. During that trip I had booked our flight pretty late (was waiting on a deal) and as a result, I wasn't able to link our flight number ahead of time. I had to give that info to the ME desk when we arrived at MCO. And I guess they were SUPPOSED to ask what our luggage looked like, but we weren't asked. So someone was trying to have a little fun????
If I think of other tips, I will come back to share!
WHAT WONDERFUL TIPS CHERBEAR!!! THANK YOU!!! I think I am going to print out that post and put it into my planning binder with our airplane ticket print outs!
She is SO excited...she literally kept bouncing up and down on the couch when we told her. Tom and I told her we had a surprise about the trip, and then we started running around the great room with are arms out like airplanes. (Yes, we are SUCH geeks!) She figured it out right away and just started squealing!!!
LOVE the video of Megan getting excited! This trip already started off with so much excitement!
Sorry about that doggone bad weather though!
That video is one of my favorites too!!! It was SO exciting! The rain was crazy, but we were just thankful to make it through it!
So I am curious if you had to pay for a one day ticket in order to go to MK that day? I hope not because a one day pass is super expensive!
We had a 10 day pass, so we had plenty of days on our ticket to go!
I didn't even realize they had queue games at WtP! How cool. Hope you rode again and got some pics for us
Although I suppose I could just google....LOL
I really DON'T think I have a picture of that area...I think we either passed it too quickly, or were too busy having fun in it!
It really is cute!
I would totally turn in early too. You two ARE nuts for wanting to do all the switching that early and get to the park before ropedrop! LOL Although it's quite ambitious, I sure hope you made it!
*I* would be the one to want to do something like that but DH would neeeever have it! He'd rather his sleep, even at Disney. (such a shame, right??)
Yes we were NUTS...you won't believe how it all worked out!!!
I need a tink sundress, I wish they made it in Adult sizes. The videos did work and were adorable.
for flying, with DH having cousins in Florence, I know right where the airplane is located.
I KNOW!!! I wish they had half of Megan's cute clothes in adult sizes too!! I am so glad you enjoyed the videos!
We are so excited about flying! What a small world that your DH has cousins in Florence!!! Tom and I both grew up in Florence...we moved out to Hebron (where the airport is located) when we bought our first home.
Megan is just too cute. Her first reaction was not what I would have expected. Glad to see she got excited.
Nice start to the vacation.
YIPPEE for flying. I can't wait to hear what Megan thinks about it.
Can't wait to hear more.
We didn't expect that at all either!!! Once it sunk in, we couldn't contain her enthusiasm!!! It was a great start to a great vacation!
We are so excited about flying...she was SO excited she kept bouncing up and down on the couch and squealing...too cute!
You had good tips Cherbear!!! There are so many things that I just do and not think about it, and then when asked I pull a blank.
You had great new ones too!!! Jen should be all set by the time her flight comes around.
I am so grateful to you lovely TIPSTERS!!!
I am making a list of tips, "and checking it twice!" I feel so set right now!!!
Jen, there's a thread on the DIS that has word finds and car activities. I will have to look in my favorites and see if I can find it.
Oooohhh...that sounds like FUN! I will have to search for it! Thanks!
why thank ya! I try
My biggest tip would probably be to fly Southwest or Airtran so that there are no baggage fees....but I know not everyone has that option!
We have flown Southwest to Disney every time and we love it. We've flown United and US Air on a couple other trips in the last couple of years and both of those airlines were worlds apart from SW! We were pretty sickened by our baggage fees, that's for sure!
Unfortunately, we have to fly Delta out of CVG for the most part. Now that it is no longer a classified "DELTA HUB" we are hoping that one of those two will be allowed to move into our airport SOON!!! Now don't laugh...but we are going to try some strategic packing to get as MUCH as we need in the three carry-ons we will be allowed, and the three additional bags we are allowed to stow under the seats. If I can pack REALLY well, then I would think at the MOST we would have to check is one larger suitcase. I am known for being a packing QUEEN...but I think my "reputation" is going to be put on the line with this one!
We usually fly Spirit, but they didn't have the cheapest rates. We are flying United and with 4 of us, the luggage costs are going to be just as expensive as another ticket.
OH MY LORD!!!!!!!!! That is SCARY!!!!
Yay on flying!!!! Megan is going to love it.
Thank you! I think it is going to be SO much fun!!!
