John & Beths' VR PJ, SoG, undated!augh!

[Stephie77]

What a great date!!! so excited for you. i think that is the best time of year to get married in disney!! (i know i am bias ) can't wait to hear all the planning now that the date is official!!!

 

[NitroStitch]

Thank you, and what a pre-party on New Years Eve huh?

So dh and I got to talk some this weekend about the ceremony, and he is worried about the number of people who would want to come and the cost. He'd rather not have the VR if there aren't a dozen people and use the money for an extra Park day....I want my VR!!!!! I can't believe I've give up an extra day for this, but I would. Anyone want to take their mid-day break at a Vow Renewal of a DIS buddy? There will be some empty seats!
He really wants to keep our colors as they are and not change to Christmas red and green. And we agreed that this is going to be very "Florida Casual", shorts and sundresses. ((Except I am going to get a fabulous dress for the ceremony and then change, but he doesn't know that yet.)) He mentioned a beachy feel, which I vetoed because we live at the beach and I don't want to feel like I am home, I want the Disney magic. He wants the kids involved somehow. He would prefer no flowers anywhere.
I also haven't mentioned photography because of the budget, but I am going to make that work...I'll spill the beans on who pretty soon...because I want us to have this memory preserved.
And we are still trying to find a weekend we can get away in the Spring, to plan. And to play in the Parks...get some souvies for favors...try some restaurants for a dinner afterwards...

I am looking at A Moore and Michaels and WalMart and Targets' Christmas decorations, and hoping that when it goes on sale after the holidays, I can fill up my closet with decorations in the blue and silver colors we want to use for pennies!

Very good idea to scout the discounted decorations for when your VR time comes! Good luck with swaying DH to the VR you're planning and dreaming about! Hopefully he will agree to make it the magical day you're dreaming about, and that he'll enjoy the festivities too. I totally understand wanting it to be extra-Disney-magical! How often in life do you get to be a princess?

 

[hollybearsmom]

I am an over-planner, its in the genes. Thinking very far ahead, but remembering what we liked and what we didn't get to do, and what we were enhhhh about last trip, I started thinking about what we would do this time...IF we get to go down early, here's my planning start:
Day 1: Magic Kingdom
MUST DO: Castle and photopass picture. Train ride. Splash Mountain. POTC. Space Mountain. Peter Pan. BTMRR. HM. Parade. Wishes.

HOPE SO: Swiss Family Treehouse (dd read this book, so a learning moment ha), Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Hall of Presidents (closed last time), Small World, Dumbo, Pooh, Barnstormer, Monsters Inc.

HOPE NOTS: Tiki Bird (I can't stand this but dh thinks the kids would want to do it) Country Bears (repeat of above). Carousel, Tea Cups, and Astro Orbitor (not a circling type gal). Jungle Cruise (once every two years is plenty for this one), PhilharMagic (don't hate me but I don't like this), Snow White

Of course, I hope to add to the autograph books since ds was too young to really get into it, and we will trade pins again.

FOOD: Hard to say if we get the dining plan, we want to do Crystal Palace for sure. Other favorites are cheese fries from Caseys, Turkey Legs, Bakery, NoodleStation

 

[hollybearsmom]

Day 2: Animal Kingdom

MUST DO'S: Kilimanjaro Safari, Kali River Rapids, Expedition Everest, Finding Nemo-The Musical, Dinosaur.

HOPE TO'S: Its' Tough To Be A Bug, Wildlife Express Train, Affection
Section, Maharajah Jungle Trek, afternoon parade

HOPE NOT'S: FOLK (hate the birds and it so short now), Flights of Wonder (even hate real birds), Primeval Whirl & TriceraTop Spin (unless we can find someone else to ride with dd)

Thinking about going in and straight to CHARACTER TRAIL. Sending dh to EE for a fastpass, meeting at the safari, re-ride if wait is less than 30 minutes and then working our way around to DinoLand and letting the kids play there before one last safari!

FOOD: Yak & Yeti, popcorn during parade, other than that....any ideas?

 

[hollybearsmom]

And by the way, dh was home this weekend to pack his HHG, I got to go to a scrapbook crop all day saturday, and then we took the kids to 2 church festivals for trick-or-treat.
made dd costume 2 years ago, and left plenty of room wih velcro to be worn for dress-up, and she decided to wear it again. ds is saying "ROAR"!

And the happy pirates. (please ignore the oh-so-flattering footwear on me)

We will see him again in three short weeks for Thanksgiving weekend, and then at Christmas he will take leave again, and then, we won't talk about when he can get off again....pouty face

 

[hollybearsmom]

Evening - Day 2: Downtown Disney after AK
MUST DO: Play with Legos. Get a snack at Goofys. Once Upon a Toy. World of Disney. T-Rex.

HOPE SO: Chocolate coffee. More shopping. Pin traders.

HOPE NOTS: Can't think of one...

Take pictures! All of ours are dark and a little blurry, so I hope the new camera we get (hint, hint honey) is better at night time shots.

 

[hollybearsmom]

Day 3: DHS
MUST DO'S: Tower of Terror! Many times. TSMM. Twice I hope.
Muppet 3D. Playhouse Disney. RnRC

HOPE TO'S: Honey I Shrink The Kids Playground. Lights, Motors, Action!, VoLM, HSM3 if it is still around, something Hannah Montana will open

HOPE NOT'S: Movie Ride, Star Tours, Fantasmic (gasp you are thinking, but we don't think the wait is worth the show) Block Party Bash

We only spend a half day here because we just don't enjoy this park that much. So we will bring some snacks and hope to get out of here by lunch so we can get something decent to eat on our way to the MK.

Day 3.5: Magic Kingdom
As the planner, I try unabashadly to exert undo influence on our choice of where to go. I love the Magic Kingdom, so back we go!
Afternoon Parade is goal. Then back through Fronteirland to pick up anything we missed the first day. End over in Toontown for characters and some laid back playtime.
dd and dh will probably try to hit the coaters again while ds and I take it slower.
Buzz Lightyear, Carousel of Progress, Monsters Inc. Eat at Noodle station. Stake out a spot in the rose garden for wishes and wait.

 

[hollybearsmom]

Day 4: Epcot. World Showcase.
Probably the 29th.
Be here super early. dh and dd will ride a lot. ds and I will find something to do. )hints????)
EPCOT
MUST DO'S: Test Track, Spaceship Earth, Universe of Energy, The Seas

HOPE TO's: Innoventions, Characters, The Land

HOPE NOT'S: Mission: SPACE

WORLD SHOWCASE
MUST DO'S: Kidcot masks, dd Passport (we got one last trip but really didn't get it stamped or anything), pressed pennies

HOPE TO'S: See the Santas, and the Street Performers

HOPE NOT's: ""hope not to miss the rides""
We didn't take the time to really visit each country, so we will do four today and the rest tomorrow...we hope.

 

[hollybearsmom]

Day 5. EPCOT/World Showcase Part 2.
If dates are as planned, this is also resort hop day. So sleep in, pack and load car, check on room at SoG to see if ready early, go to Park.

Continue World Showcase wherever we left off.
Finish early enough to get a spot for Illuminations. (Hope we get some seats on a shared cruise again if at all possible.) ((If we get a boat ride, we will all leave, check-in to SoG and then go catch the boat. If not, one of us will stay with kids in WS saving our seats and the other will go check-in at SoG and then come back.
Grab a variety of snacks from around the World. Have our little picnic and watch fireworks, then into bed.

 

[hollybearsmom]

Day 6

Most of our guests arrival day. So we have to be near Shades of Green all day to check them in.
My guess is most will arrive after lunch through the early evening, so hoping to do a resort breakfast this morning, or Donalds in AK, hit the safari and EE then back to the resort.

Time to do all the fixin up of kids bags and table decorations, things like that so we can have them all ready for the morning of the 1st. Good day to do laundry, maybe swim, try to resort hop a little to see the decorations, and probably go shopping early to the outlets.

We think we would like to do Hoop-Dee-Do early this evening with everyone who has checked-in. Maybe have a hayride reserved, then catch the campfire and movie. Head to the beach to see the Water Parade and watch the fireworks. Back to SoG and into bed...if I can sleep!

 

[hollybearsmom]

Vow Renewal Day.
Breakfast is on your own. I thought about trying to do a breakfast with everyone but since I will be running around like crazy taking care of last minute details, making sure the decor is right, the sound works, the weather is nice, etc. we decided just to leave people to their own choices.

Get dressed in room and we are thinking that around ten, we will head over to the Poly and/or GF for some pictures of just us and of us and the kids.
10:45a line up inside resort, kids go sit with grands or friends, whoever is here.....11a, "hold on tight, cause here we go!"
11:45a Let Them Eat Cake. We do not want lunch but since we couldn't get the 1pm time frame...we aren't sure what to do now. Maybe some finger food trays...

Afternoon is undecided...possibly park hop and get photopass pictures in front of the icons. Possible nap. Possibly pool time. Really undecided.

Evening plans. Dinner at 7ish, either Whispering Canyon, or Boma. Then watch water parade and fireworks from whichever resort we are eating at.

In My Dream World: John will take me to MK to see Wishes up close and personal.

 

[hollybearsmom]

I want to swag the front arch with a garland.....how wide is it and did SoG let you do this? How did you hang it?

posting on general wedding board too for more info i hope...

 

[NitroStitch]

I want to swag the front arch with a garland.....how wide is it and did SoG let you do this? How did you hang it?

posting on general wedding board too for more info i hope...

The front arch is pretty wide, but I'd give Bonny a call for exact dimensions. I think their main requirement is that you use no nails or anything that would damage the wood. It looked like there was fabric draped through some of the spaces in the latticework by one of the bridal parties when we were scouting the place out. I think they just wound the sashing around and draped it that way.

 

[hollybearsmom]

It does look tucked in.......hmmmm,I am thinking of having evergreen for winter theme you know, maybe I need to think about tying them up with wide red ribbon and bows?
ANd then that makes me wonder about electric and if I can have white lights twisted in or not? oh man, so many unanswered questions!

 

[NitroStitch]

It does look tucked in.......hmmmm,I am thinking of having evergreen for winter theme you know, maybe I need to think about tying them up with wide red ribbon and bows?
ANd then that makes me wonder about electric and if I can have white lights twisted in or not? oh man, so many unanswered questions!

Oooh. I like both of those ideas! They do have some electricity available out there, but I'm not sure how many connections (another Bonny question).

 

[hollybearsmom]

NitroStitch - ONE MONTH! on your countdown! Can you believe it?

 

[NitroStitch]

NitroStitch - ONE MONTH! on your countdown! Can you believe it?

I know! On one hand, I'm really excited. On the other hand, I no longer have a photographer due to my friend's recent surgery, and I'm scrambling through posts to try finding contact information for photographers and see if any of them aren't already booked. How did something so simple get so complicated?

 

[hollybearsmom]

I've been thinking about the kids table and their gift bags. I found some great mini fun pads with Disney themes at Walgreens for .50c, I imagine they will be 3/1.00 soon if not even less. I'm going to grab a couple sets of these for the kids tables, and may even include a puzzle page or two in our newsletters just for fun!

 

[hollybearsmom]

I've been looking everywhere for ideas for flowers and tables, they need to be inexpensive and easy to make since we will probably be doing it all ourselves.(read, by myself with help of my dd)
Here's a few thigs that have caught my eye lately...
from the knot

from BHG christmas tables

and I can't remember where, but I am loving this

 

[hollybearsmom]

We are thinking about making it a brunch affair, with the VR before the dessert course, and not using the gazebo at all.......any thoughts?