luvmy2sams
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2000
For the Love of a Little Girl
The Price Family Vacation
Pre-Trip Report
Cast of Characters:
Me: 33-year-old SAHM of two, craving some of that Disney magic, cant wait to be alone with my family and watch my kiddos in the World once again 
DH, Sam: 33-year-old devoted husband and dad (aka Goofmeister on the DIS), loves all things Disney, looking forward to trying beers around the world in EPCOT 
DD, Samantha: turning 7 the day before the trip, big-hearted sweetie pie who loves life, loves Cinderella but is moving on to the likes of Kim Possible and teen girls of the moment on the Disney Channel 
DS, Ryan: 2 ½ -year-old pumpkin who loves to give hugs and kisses, passionate about all things Buzz Lightyear, could impersonate Stitch without missing a beat 
Background:
Our family began our love affair with the mouse in the fall of 2000. We spent a week in the October Florida sun, thinking it would be a once-in-a-blue-moon type of trip. By the second night, we were already planning our imminent return to the place where magic lives. Theres just something about Disney that gets under your skin.
Ive yet to be able to explain it to another human being, but those who have traveled the same path as I have know what Im talking about. If youre reading this, then you undoubtedly are nodding your heads in agreement. 
Theres nothing like that feeling I get as my car passes under the Walt Disney World gate. That same feeling continues throughout the vacation as I catch that first glimpse of Cinderellas Castle all lit up in its glory, as I watch my kids stare in awe at the characters that are oh-so-real. Where else in the world can you go and feel truly as though the real world has passed away? Theres nothing like it. Id love to be able to bottle those feelings and ration them out in my life as things get crazy and out of control. I never feel more myself than when Im walking down Main Street USA or watching my kids splash in the fountains at EPCOT. Those feelings
those memories
are worth all the hard work and sacrifices it takes to get us to the World. I hope that I never tire of it.
We last visited our pal Mickey in October of 2004 as a family, and DH and I returned that December to ring in the New Year (and celebrate our 10th anniversary) at our favorite place. When DH and I walked up Main Street USA that beautiful January morning earlier this year, we didnt know how soon wed be able to make it back. It seemed as though a cloud was moving into our lives. Already this dream anniversary trip had been marred by a back injury (mine) and some extended family problems. Reality was seeping into our vacation world, and we didnt like it one bit. We returned home, and things went from bad to worse. You name it, weve probably been touched by it over the past 10 months. We needed something to look forward to whatever could that be?
Only Disney can do the trick when life gets really lousy, so we began planning our inevitable return. We vowed to make it a budget trip, which meant wed stay value and drive. However, in April we found a great airfare out of DFW for early January, and booked it immediately. Now the preparations can begin. We booked All Star Movies from January 7th-January 17th, not realizing at the time that we would be in the World for a holiday weekend. Oh well its value season how bad can it really be? Id rather be crowded in Disney than freezing my tail off in Oklahoma anyway. DD turns 7-years-old on January 6th, so we decided to make this trip a surprise in honor of her birthday. Wed been kicking around ideas of how to reveal the surprise for months. How were we going to explain driving to Dallas on her birthday? Would she be angry about not having a real birthday party with all her friends? Keeping a secret is so difficult, let me tell you!
Fast forward to late August when on the way back from our quick end-of-summer get-away to San Antonio, we decided to stop in Grapevine, TX at the Rainforest Café. This restaurant always brings back memories of our first trip to Disney in 2000 and of our lunch at the Animal Kingdom. The kids think this place is great, and we tend to agree. Of course, wed eat dirt if we could do it while watching our wide-eyed kids enjoy their surroundings. As we headed into the mall, DD said that all she wanted for her birthday was to come to the Rainforest Café and go to Build-A-Bear. Could the angels have been watching over us? This was too good to be true. Youve got to understand, though, that DD is a consummate planner, so hearing these words from her lips really was not a big surprise at all. Shes already planning for her sweet 16 party. DH and I whole-heartedly agreed that this would be a great idea. We returned home with visions of a big surprise reveal swirling in our heads. How would we pull this off?
Its now 28 days before DD's birthday. Everything is coming together, and the surprise has been laid out. DD is in school from 8:10-3:00 p.m., which leaves plenty of time for journal creating, color book making, and most importantly, packing! The packing list is evolving by the day, and my plan is to get everything loaded up after dropping DD off at school on her birthday. Ill then get to rush through the bi-weekly cleaning of my FILs house and rush even more to get everything ready for her school birthday celebration. DH will be arriving home from work around 2pm, which will give him just enough time to change and load the remaining items into my car. Well get to DD's school at 2:30pm and pass out the goodies for her birthday party. At 3pm were jumping in the car for the 3-hour drive to Dallas and our hotel reservations.
If all goes according to plan
well arrive at Grapevine Mills around 7pm. With dining reservations for 8pm well have plenty of time to head to Build-A-Bear before dinner. Well celebrate DD's birthday with a new bear for both kids and a Volcano from the Rainforest Café. Upon returning to our hotel room, we plan to present DD with another shirt for her new bear. The shirt (ordered from zazzle.com) has a Princess logo on the front. Embroidered on the back is Were going to Disney World tomorrow!
Our flight leaves DFW at 8:40am, so well be out of the hotel bright and early. The second part of the surprise will be revealed as we head down the highway. DH plans to start complaining about the long drive to Florida. Hell then point out DFW Airport and say How about if we just fly there instead? The kids have never been on an airplane, so DD should be over the moon at this announcement. Ive ordered a new edition of her bible (Birnbaums Guide for Kids by Kids) and a Hidden Mickey book. Along with a few other goodies foraged away in the backpacks, both kids should be good to go for the flight. The direct flight gets us into MCO at 12:13pm, where our next surprise awaits. Weve reserved a stretch limo (fully decorated in honor of the birthday girl) for the occasion. I cant wait to see the kids faces!
Our package is paid house/pet sitter has been booked...mousekeeping envelopes have been stuffed itinerary is laid out in multi-colored detail ADRs have been made. I know Im forgetting a multitude of things. All these months of anticipation have melted away, and its turning into crunch time around here. Why, oh why, didnt I write down those very important details I swore I wouldnt forget? None of it will matter once we hit Florida airspace. The whole World of Disney awaits and I cant wait to take it all in again.
Surprise Beginnings--Day One
To Infinity and Beyond
The Price Family Vacation
Pre-Trip Report
Cast of Characters:
Me: 33-year-old SAHM of two, craving some of that Disney magic, cant wait to be alone with my family and watch my kiddos in the World once again DH, Sam: 33-year-old devoted husband and dad (aka Goofmeister on the DIS), loves all things Disney, looking forward to trying beers around the world in EPCOT DD, Samantha: turning 7 the day before the trip, big-hearted sweetie pie who loves life, loves Cinderella but is moving on to the likes of Kim Possible and teen girls of the moment on the Disney Channel DS, Ryan: 2 ½ -year-old pumpkin who loves to give hugs and kisses, passionate about all things Buzz Lightyear, could impersonate Stitch without missing a beat Background:
Our family began our love affair with the mouse in the fall of 2000. We spent a week in the October Florida sun, thinking it would be a once-in-a-blue-moon type of trip. By the second night, we were already planning our imminent return to the place where magic lives. Theres just something about Disney that gets under your skin.
Ive yet to be able to explain it to another human being, but those who have traveled the same path as I have know what Im talking about. If youre reading this, then you undoubtedly are nodding your heads in agreement. Theres nothing like that feeling I get as my car passes under the Walt Disney World gate. That same feeling continues throughout the vacation as I catch that first glimpse of Cinderellas Castle all lit up in its glory, as I watch my kids stare in awe at the characters that are oh-so-real. Where else in the world can you go and feel truly as though the real world has passed away? Theres nothing like it. Id love to be able to bottle those feelings and ration them out in my life as things get crazy and out of control. I never feel more myself than when Im walking down Main Street USA or watching my kids splash in the fountains at EPCOT. Those feelings
those memories
are worth all the hard work and sacrifices it takes to get us to the World. I hope that I never tire of it. We last visited our pal Mickey in October of 2004 as a family, and DH and I returned that December to ring in the New Year (and celebrate our 10th anniversary) at our favorite place. When DH and I walked up Main Street USA that beautiful January morning earlier this year, we didnt know how soon wed be able to make it back. It seemed as though a cloud was moving into our lives. Already this dream anniversary trip had been marred by a back injury (mine) and some extended family problems. Reality was seeping into our vacation world, and we didnt like it one bit. We returned home, and things went from bad to worse. You name it, weve probably been touched by it over the past 10 months. We needed something to look forward to whatever could that be?
Only Disney can do the trick when life gets really lousy, so we began planning our inevitable return. We vowed to make it a budget trip, which meant wed stay value and drive. However, in April we found a great airfare out of DFW for early January, and booked it immediately. Now the preparations can begin. We booked All Star Movies from January 7th-January 17th, not realizing at the time that we would be in the World for a holiday weekend. Oh well its value season how bad can it really be? Id rather be crowded in Disney than freezing my tail off in Oklahoma anyway. DD turns 7-years-old on January 6th, so we decided to make this trip a surprise in honor of her birthday. Wed been kicking around ideas of how to reveal the surprise for months. How were we going to explain driving to Dallas on her birthday? Would she be angry about not having a real birthday party with all her friends? Keeping a secret is so difficult, let me tell you!
Fast forward to late August when on the way back from our quick end-of-summer get-away to San Antonio, we decided to stop in Grapevine, TX at the Rainforest Café. This restaurant always brings back memories of our first trip to Disney in 2000 and of our lunch at the Animal Kingdom. The kids think this place is great, and we tend to agree. Of course, wed eat dirt if we could do it while watching our wide-eyed kids enjoy their surroundings. As we headed into the mall, DD said that all she wanted for her birthday was to come to the Rainforest Café and go to Build-A-Bear. Could the angels have been watching over us? This was too good to be true. Youve got to understand, though, that DD is a consummate planner, so hearing these words from her lips really was not a big surprise at all. Shes already planning for her sweet 16 party.
DH and I whole-heartedly agreed that this would be a great idea. We returned home with visions of a big surprise reveal swirling in our heads. How would we pull this off? Its now 28 days before DD's birthday. Everything is coming together, and the surprise has been laid out. DD is in school from 8:10-3:00 p.m., which leaves plenty of time for journal creating, color book making, and most importantly, packing! The packing list is evolving by the day, and my plan is to get everything loaded up after dropping DD off at school on her birthday. Ill then get to rush through the bi-weekly cleaning of my FILs house and rush even more to get everything ready for her school birthday celebration. DH will be arriving home from work around 2pm, which will give him just enough time to change and load the remaining items into my car. Well get to DD's school at 2:30pm and pass out the goodies for her birthday party. At 3pm were jumping in the car for the 3-hour drive to Dallas and our hotel reservations.
If all goes according to plan
well arrive at Grapevine Mills around 7pm. With dining reservations for 8pm well have plenty of time to head to Build-A-Bear before dinner. Well celebrate DD's birthday with a new bear for both kids and a Volcano from the Rainforest Café. Upon returning to our hotel room, we plan to present DD with another shirt for her new bear. The shirt (ordered from zazzle.com) has a Princess logo on the front. Embroidered on the back is Were going to Disney World tomorrow! Our flight leaves DFW at 8:40am, so well be out of the hotel bright and early. The second part of the surprise will be revealed as we head down the highway. DH plans to start complaining about the long drive to Florida. Hell then point out DFW Airport and say How about if we just fly there instead? The kids have never been on an airplane, so DD should be over the moon at this announcement. Ive ordered a new edition of her bible (Birnbaums Guide for Kids by Kids) and a Hidden Mickey book. Along with a few other goodies foraged away in the backpacks, both kids should be good to go for the flight. The direct flight gets us into MCO at 12:13pm, where our next surprise awaits. Weve reserved a stretch limo (fully decorated in honor of the birthday girl) for the occasion. I cant wait to see the kids faces!
Our package is paid house/pet sitter has been booked...mousekeeping envelopes have been stuffed itinerary is laid out in multi-colored detail ADRs have been made. I know Im forgetting a multitude of things. All these months of anticipation have melted away, and its turning into crunch time around here. Why, oh why, didnt I write down those very important details I swore I wouldnt forget? None of it will matter once we hit Florida airspace. The whole World of Disney awaits and I cant wait to take it all in again.
Surprise Beginnings--Day One
To Infinity and Beyond
You guys are the best family and I can't wait to hear how DD likes her suprise.
) Our boys are turning 8
