Who we are:
- Bridget (aka Jan-Can) - 38- Disney Lover, obsesive-compulsive trip planner extraordinaire! (like most others using the DIS!) - 6th trip to Disney (2 to the World and one to DL as teen, plus two previous 7-day trips with DH and kids (Dec 97-CBR and Mar 99 ASMu).
- DH - 46 - Disney Liker - loves leaving planning to DW
- DS - 10 (turned 11 day after trip) - would probably prefer PokeWorld or Nintendoland, but likes DW a lot once he's there
- DD - 8 - Always loved Disney, probably always will.
THE PLAN - I'll try to be brief, but it's a long, complex story:
After trips to the World two winters in a row, took winter of 99/00 off and realized that winter was much longer/colder because of it. Given cool summer of 2000, began dreaming of FLA by August. Since we'd pulled kids from school for a week on each of our last two trips, decided to go during winter break 2001, perhaps skipping out a day or two before "March Break" actually started.
First, foolishly talked about just going to beach, then got nice invitation to visit BIL and SIL at their new "winter home" in Luaderdale area. With all the money we'd save there...and given that we'd be in Fla anyway, seemed a crime not to visit the Mouse. So, decided best plan would be to fly into Orlando, spend four nights there, then drive rental car to Ft. Lauderdale, spend five more nights there and fly home from there. Booked ASMo and flights in September (March busy time for flights from Ontario).
Once we realized that Disney was offering Canadians the "Buy one, get one for half-price" 7-day passes again, convinced DH that the 7-day pass would be as cheap/cheaper than 4- or 5-day passes...crime not to use two days of them though..maybe stay one more night? Booked another night at ASMo (making 5 nights, but we'd use pass day of arrival and departure too).
Discovered DIS in the fall and ate it up. Read everything on planning and then all trip reports. Really helped to pass time before trip and provided lots of great tips! Hadn't been checking the Hotel Board much, since we'd already booked at ASMo, knew what it was like, and knew we couldn't afford a higher category...or could we? Happened upon the Hotel Board a couple of months before trip...what's this about Entertainment rates? government rates at Swan? Can't apply to Cdn. gov't too? Called just to see and was thrilled to find out could get Gov't rate ($129/night...just few dollars more than the $107 we were paying for ASM), BUT was only available for last two of our five nights. Knew a move mid-trip wouldn't be fun, but decided to go for it anyway since two nights at Swan better than none - could do MGM/Epcot from there and would re-arrange itinerary to do AK/MK/TL, etc. on our ASMo days - Perfect.
One more thing - trip was surprise for kids! Decided not to tell them this time since last two "waits" almost "painful" for DD...actually lost a lot of sleep. Told them on Valentines Day (through gifts/clues) that we'd be going to Florida...but only to visit DD and DU in Lauderdale, we warned/lied. (this gave them something to look forward to without whipping them into a frenzy). Flight (charter) was to leave Montreal's Mirabel airport at 6:20am, so drove (2hrs from Ottawa) to stay at airport hotel evening before. We decided to tell the kids that night so it would be easier to get them up in the morning and so we wouldn't have to lie to customs officials! Gave them another poem/clue with a package containing ASMo-themed gifts: Buzz and Woody toothbrushes, dalmation purse and hair stuff for DD, a Mighty Ducks shirt and die-cast Herbie the love-bug car for DS, Fantasia Mickey and Donald beanies, etc. They figured out the Disney part immediately and eventually got the ASMo part (saving Swan news for later surprise) and DD was ecstatic. DS said he was "happy," but upgraded to thrilled once he got there.
One final note about the trip report to come: I had just read the Bridget Jones Diaries - v.g. books, recommend them to all - esp. good for light reading on mini-breaks at Disney and the like. Found short-form style v.g. for taking notes at Disney too. Ended up writing entire trip report in Bridget Jones style. Hurrah!
- Bridget (aka Jan-Can) - 38- Disney Lover, obsesive-compulsive trip planner extraordinaire! (like most others using the DIS!) - 6th trip to Disney (2 to the World and one to DL as teen, plus two previous 7-day trips with DH and kids (Dec 97-CBR and Mar 99 ASMu).
- DH - 46 - Disney Liker - loves leaving planning to DW
- DS - 10 (turned 11 day after trip) - would probably prefer PokeWorld or Nintendoland, but likes DW a lot once he's there
- DD - 8 - Always loved Disney, probably always will.
THE PLAN - I'll try to be brief, but it's a long, complex story:
After trips to the World two winters in a row, took winter of 99/00 off and realized that winter was much longer/colder because of it. Given cool summer of 2000, began dreaming of FLA by August. Since we'd pulled kids from school for a week on each of our last two trips, decided to go during winter break 2001, perhaps skipping out a day or two before "March Break" actually started.
First, foolishly talked about just going to beach, then got nice invitation to visit BIL and SIL at their new "winter home" in Luaderdale area. With all the money we'd save there...and given that we'd be in Fla anyway, seemed a crime not to visit the Mouse. So, decided best plan would be to fly into Orlando, spend four nights there, then drive rental car to Ft. Lauderdale, spend five more nights there and fly home from there. Booked ASMo and flights in September (March busy time for flights from Ontario).
Once we realized that Disney was offering Canadians the "Buy one, get one for half-price" 7-day passes again, convinced DH that the 7-day pass would be as cheap/cheaper than 4- or 5-day passes...crime not to use two days of them though..maybe stay one more night? Booked another night at ASMo (making 5 nights, but we'd use pass day of arrival and departure too).
Discovered DIS in the fall and ate it up. Read everything on planning and then all trip reports. Really helped to pass time before trip and provided lots of great tips! Hadn't been checking the Hotel Board much, since we'd already booked at ASMo, knew what it was like, and knew we couldn't afford a higher category...or could we? Happened upon the Hotel Board a couple of months before trip...what's this about Entertainment rates? government rates at Swan? Can't apply to Cdn. gov't too? Called just to see and was thrilled to find out could get Gov't rate ($129/night...just few dollars more than the $107 we were paying for ASM), BUT was only available for last two of our five nights. Knew a move mid-trip wouldn't be fun, but decided to go for it anyway since two nights at Swan better than none - could do MGM/Epcot from there and would re-arrange itinerary to do AK/MK/TL, etc. on our ASMo days - Perfect.
One more thing - trip was surprise for kids! Decided not to tell them this time since last two "waits" almost "painful" for DD...actually lost a lot of sleep. Told them on Valentines Day (through gifts/clues) that we'd be going to Florida...but only to visit DD and DU in Lauderdale, we warned/lied. (this gave them something to look forward to without whipping them into a frenzy). Flight (charter) was to leave Montreal's Mirabel airport at 6:20am, so drove (2hrs from Ottawa) to stay at airport hotel evening before. We decided to tell the kids that night so it would be easier to get them up in the morning and so we wouldn't have to lie to customs officials! Gave them another poem/clue with a package containing ASMo-themed gifts: Buzz and Woody toothbrushes, dalmation purse and hair stuff for DD, a Mighty Ducks shirt and die-cast Herbie the love-bug car for DS, Fantasia Mickey and Donald beanies, etc. They figured out the Disney part immediately and eventually got the ASMo part (saving Swan news for later surprise) and DD was ecstatic. DS said he was "happy," but upgraded to thrilled once he got there.
One final note about the trip report to come: I had just read the Bridget Jones Diaries - v.g. books, recommend them to all - esp. good for light reading on mini-breaks at Disney and the like. Found short-form style v.g. for taking notes at Disney too. Ended up writing entire trip report in Bridget Jones style. Hurrah!
