Jedi, Princesses and Disney Geeks...Oh My!! The Sweet Sixteen go to Disney!6-11 New

[belle8306]

We are getting closer to our trip! It is hard to believe since we have been planning this for about 3 years. Here are more pictures from June 2009. Sorry, my pictures are huge.


I love this fountain!

Check out the cool weather vane.

I love how Disney hides construction.

Spectromagic. I want to get the soundtrack for this parade.

I was so excited that this picture turned out!

I thought this was a neat picture.

 

[belle8306]

More random Disney pictures!

This looks so inviting!

Main St. Confectionary

Spectromagic
I love Cinderella's carriage!

Waiting for the parade to start.

I know that I am ready for winter to be over when I look at this picture and I am envious of the green grass.

 

[belle8306]

I bought my trip bag! I just ordered it so I will have to take a picture when it arrives. It is a Vera Bradley Hipster in Mod Floral Pink. It was also on sale which is the best part. Here are more pictures from June.

Star Wars Weekends

Cute Mugs!

Food Porn

A light picture for Leslie.

I love the castle clock.

A different view of the castle.

 

[FairyGodmotherJen]

107 days!!!!

I figured that out last night - almost double digits!!! I'm getting excited again. I admit that the trip plans took a bit of a back burner there for a while to the holidays (and then just life in general), but I'm looking at things now and thinking that I definitely need to make a to-do list. But I'll come back and post that one later...when I get it done! I apologize in advance for the complete lack of pictures. I'm on my new laptop (which I LOVE) and I haven't loaded any pictures at all on to it. Sorry!

I thought it was about time to post some plans. Shelley and I have basic park days laid out, but we're haven't gotten together in a while to solidify things. We're both getting to the parks in different ways (and on different days), though, so I thought that might be a good place to start. Since we have yet to find decent airfare, we're still driving. I'm ok with that, though. I'm actually looking forward to it a little...assuming I can get my family to cooperate with my plans!

Right now, we're set to leave around 4 a.m. on Friday morning. (If I say 4, we'll be out by 5). I'd like to get the kids into the car while it's still dark. My plan is to have the car packed COMPLETELY on Thursday night. Except for throwing in the toiletry bags and the kids' stuffed animals, I think we can do it. (Right now, even with the snow days, school ends for me the Thursday before Memorial Day, so I'll have time.) I'd like for DH and I to get up and shower without the kids waking up. We'll put them into the van in their PJs (I'm sure they'll wake up, but if it's dark they should go back to sleep for a little while) and take off. I'm hoping to get 3 hours south before we stop for breakfast. Fast food, probably - my kids do love McDonald's pancakes. DH can order while I get the kids into the restroom to change, we'll eat (maybe even play on the playplace if we can find one) and be back on the road in 45 minutes/an hour, max.

The plan then would be to drive until we're just north of Atlanta. I plan on packing a cooler with cold cuts, fruit, and other snacks to have a picnic lunch at a rest stop. We did this when we caravaned with my parents and in-laws to VA Beach, and I was amazed at how well it worked! We had a soccer ball and a frisbee, and we took our time. I think we were there close to two hours with restroom breaks/diaper changes (I was still nursing Will at the time) and everything else, but it was very well worth it. The kids were not climbing the walls when we got back in the car. If we do this, it'll get us through Atlanta before 4 pm, which I'm told is a very important thing.

By 5 pm, the goal is to be stopping at a hotel that we already have a reservation at. Our requirements: clean room, free breakfast, and a POOL. My kids will be going crazy by then. I think we'll probably check in, grab fast food (or at least take-out) for dinner, and then swim for an hour or two before we hit the sack at a decent time. I know this looks a bit heavy on the fast food, but my kids can't really sit at a table for a nice meal after sitting in the car all day. We tried it last summer on the way home from an out-of-state funeral, and we spent the entire time either trying to cajole them into behaving or yelling at them when they didn't. I'd just as soon have pizza in the room!

Ok, that's probably about enough for one post (especially one without any pictures). I promise to get some pictures loaded onto my laptop before I post again - and I promise, Shelley, that you won't have to hold this PTR up on your own anymore!!!

 

[belle8306]

Hey Jen! I haven't really been doing much for holding our thread up. Since I haven't had much to report on I have mainly been throwing some pictures in here. My trip purse came on Thursday. I haven't taken a picture of it yet, but I like the way it looks. DH and I have been pricing airfare and we want to book our flights soon. Your driving plan looks great! I am sure the kids will appreciate all of the break time. Our cruise is in 24 days and I am looking forward to it. I am sitting here watching it snow and I am SO over it. It will be nice to be in warm weather for a little while. I think we have our excursions figured out. DH wants to make a design for our group shirts soon. I am sure we will post pictures when they are done.

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

i have that donald butt mug.

 

[belle8306]

i have that donald butt mug.

That is perfect for the Fauntleroy Fan! I like the Minnie one.

 

[belle8306]

I ran into this thread about the 2010 snacks. Snacks Allowed It looks like the make your own treat at Goofy's Candy Co. is no longer available. Please correct me if I am wrong. I am going to have to break this to DH as that is his favorite use of snack credits. I just hope the Main Street cinnamon rolls are still allowed by the time we go. We would get them the night before and have them for breakfast in the morning.

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

That is perfect for the Fauntleroy Fan! I like the Minnie one.

candi has that one.

 

[DisneyMomma09]

Hey Jen! I followed you over from my PTR. Your plans look great so far! It sounds like you have a great group going!

Your kids are too cute! I especially like their Halloween pics...

Keep up the Disney pics! It puts me in such a good mood when I see them! My SIL lives in Orlando and about once a month she will send me a video from Disney...I love beign able to watch it and pretending like I am there!

 

[FairyGodmotherJen]

Hey Jen! I followed you over from my PTR. Your plans look great so far! It sounds like you have a great group going!

Your kids are too cute! I especially like their Halloween pics...

Keep up the Disney pics! It puts me in such a good mood when I see them! My SIL lives in Orlando and about once a month she will send me a video from Disney...I love beign able to watch it and pretending like I am there!

Glad you could make it over. As you can see, finding time to DIS isn't easy these days...Shelley and I are in the throes of report card season, plus she's going on a cruise in a week cool1 and I'm in the middle of my master's degree...anyway, I promise we'll update soon!

 

[DisneyMomma09]

Glad you could make it over. As you can see, finding time to DIS isn't easy these days...Shelley and I are in the throes of report card season, plus she's going on a cruise in a week cool1 and I'm in the middle of my master's degree...anyway, I promise we'll update soon!

I'm right there with you! I am also a teacher and have been busy with Progress Reports...I teach special ed and we do Progress Reports instead of report cards based on the student's IEP goals. I am also working towards my master's. I am doing an online program...certainly keeps me busy! Good luck getting all your stuff done!

 

[dismagiclover]

I followed Jen over from my PTR too I haven't been through the whole thread, but things look good so far. Just to confirm the make your own treats as snack credits have become really limited. Sad news indeed

 

[belle8306]

Welcome to our new readers!! I will have to jump over and check out your reports.


Jen and I were able to do some Disney planning this weekend. We were together to celebrate my DH's birthday. I might be making some changes to my DH and my dining plan. We are looking forward to seeing what the Summer Spectacular show fireworks and Main Street Electrical parade will be like. Our FIL is can't wait to go on the TOT which is suppose to have some kind of new summer sequencing.

Our DH's are looking forward to seeing the "Tronorail" (the new Tron themed movie skins on the monorails). We also read and watched the review of CBR from The DIS Unplugged. Pete Werner gave it 95 out of 100 which we were thrilled to see. You can view that review here: http://www.disunplugged.com/2010/03/17/disneys-caribbean-beach-resort-a-great-choice/.

 

[dismagiclover]

CBR sounds like a great resort! I almost booked there for our upcoming trip because I thought my sons would love the Pirate rooms, but I ended up renting points for OKW because it's cheaper. I look at pictures of the CBR pool and sometimes wonder if I made a mistake I don't worry too much though because I'll still be at Disney

 

[FairyGodmotherJen]

CBR sounds like a great resort! I almost booked there for our upcoming trip because I thought my sons would love the Pirate rooms, but I ended up renting points for OKW because it's cheaper. I look at pictures of the CBR pool and sometimes wonder if I made a mistake I don't worry too much though because I'll still be at Disney

Too funny - we actually wanted to stay at OKW, but there are too many of us to rent points (and it was too expensive any other way ). I think you'll like it. The amount of room there is incredible! We really enjoyed it in 2000 - my parents took us (no kids at the time) and my brother for several days. Having the kitchen was really great - no sitting on the bed trying not to spill milk on the bedspread at breakfast! - and we enjoyed having our own bedrooms. Well, all except for my brother, who got to sleep on the couch.





I really will be back soon to post again...I've got the report cards finished and sent out - now I have to get caught up on my master's class. Back with part two of the drive soon, I promise!

 

[dismagiclover]

Too funny - we actually wanted to stay at OKW, but there are too many of us to rent points (and it was too expensive any other way ). I think you'll like it. The amount of room there is incredible! We really enjoyed it in 2000 - my parents took us (no kids at the time) and my brother for several days. Having the kitchen was really great - no sitting on the bed trying not to spill milk on the bedspread at breakfast! - and we enjoyed having our own bedrooms. Well, all except for my brother, who got to sleep on the couch.

That is funny that we both wanted what the other has. That's how life works sometimes We're just staying in a Studio though (which made the rooms real cheap, like around $100 a night) so no kitchen for us. But I hear the decks are large so I'm sending the boys out there for breakfast.

 

[belle8306]

I am back from my cruise. We had a great time! My parents, brother, SIL and my DH and I went to the Bahamas, Key West and Cocoa Key. Once I get the pictures uploaded I will do a mini TR on that trip. It was my DH and my first cruise and it was a lot of fun. I am glad to be back home and able to rest up for a couple of days before teaching on Monday.

I have a lot of catching up to do on the DIS and with my Disney planning. That has taken a backseat for a while but, I think I am able to start dreaming of Disney again!!!

 

[DisneyMomma09]

Glad to hear you had a good time on your cruise! Can't wait to hear about it. I would like to go on a cruise some day...my MIL would like to go on a Disney Cruise using DVC points...but they are so expensive...maybe when DS is a little older and would be able to remember and appreciate it since that would most likely be a once in a lifetime type thing!

 

[GoofyJediMaster]

I am the DH of FairyGodMotherJen. I was told that I needed to post on this PTP. The kids are away. DW and I had dinner and what did we do?...plan for our trip! Looking forward to the upgrade from All-Stars to CBR! Can't wait to see the big pool!