Just introducing myself.....

[Eddygirl]

Hello fellow Dis-ers! Yes I guess I do consider myself a Dis-er! I hope I can earn that honour (<<---- see I am Canadian spelling it that way!!) in your eyes too.

I just found this side of the boards. I just wanted to introduce myself as I will be camped out here on the DisBoards for the next year or so. I am a full time working wife and mother of 2. A 13 year old girl and almost 10 year old boy. I live in BC, born and raised. My parents are from the prairies, so have loads of family out that way too.

We went on our first family Disneyland vacation in Spring of 2010. That was SUPPOSED to be a once in a lifetime, been there done that thing. Ya...well I did not expect to be bit by a bug while on vacation! Yep....I am hooked and slightly obsessed. *sigh* It can be rough! We had a fabulous time. We did 3 full days and 2 half days with side trips to Sea World and Universal. We were not impressed with Sea World and Universal was, well, not Disneyland!!!

The kids decided almost as soon as we got home they wanted to go again. I have the best kids! We decided to get them involved with saving and planning. We got a big jar, they decorated it and they pretty much decided that all our extra money went into the jar. They really learned to differentiate between their needs and wants and learned to sacrifice some of the frivolous things to earn their trip. They set long term goals and we as a family worked together. It was one of the best things we did as parents. It worked a little too well, as we (Mom and Dad) had to list the pros and cons and pretty much convince them to let us spend the extra money to upgrade to concierge level at our Hotel!

We took our second trip late Sept 2012. This time we went for 8 days and had 6 day PH's. We skipped Sea World, but still did a day at Universal. Mostly because DS was too short for almost everything the last time....and I guess we just needed to confirm we really were not too fond of it! We had 6 days in the DLR parks and loved every minute of it, in fact we wished we had a few more! We did more this trip. We had lunch at the BB, we went on a few tours. We had so much fun!!

We are now planning for a DW trip May 2014. Our DD is in HS and after next year it will be too hard to take her out of school for longer than a few days. Between my work and DH's work it is very difficult to get more than a few days off during Summer and Spring Break. DH's job is very busy in the Summer time and I have lots of people that have worked at my company for a looooong time, so Spring Break is next to impossible. It looks like DD's schedule will allow for it second semester next year with some special courses she is taking first semester. So what we thought we would like to do in 2-3 years has been bumped to (OMG!!) next year! It is kind of now or never if we want to go to DW as a family.

I am getting my bearings as to the whole DW thing. I want to stay onsite , DH off site. I want dining plan, DH wants a kitchenette so we can cook some meals. I want to start our stay with 2 days at Universal, so DD can get her fill of Harry Potter. Dh says we can wing it.... I am not sure I will like the heat, and what if it is too busy??? What if we don't love World like we love Land??? I can't do too much yet as we won't be able to book until Aug or Sept for sure. But it isn't stopping me from obsessing or researching EVERY LITTLE THING.

Anyhow. Sorry for the novel. I hope to see you around!

Eddygirl.

 

[stefanospops]

Glad you found this part of the board. Enjoy your time here and welcome!

 

[maryliz]

Welcome to the Canadian Board !!!

Here you will find many of us that are equally obsessed ! I can't even begin to imagine you being disappointed in WDW, especially since you loved DL so much ... there is sooo much more there ! And it this is going to be a "one time trip to Orlando", then I do agree that you should try and squeeze in 2 days for Universal as well.

I live in London Ontario, and sadly, the furthest WEST I have been in this beautiful country of ours is WINDSOR Ontario ... and that's just to cross into the US to jump on I-75 to drive to WDW. SOME day I will make it to your part of the country !

We have a plan to hit DL in the late summer of 2014, just before our DD starts our last year of highschool. Soon she will be grown and in University with no more time for WDW vacations. They grow up waaay too fast, so get in whatever trips you can while they are still at home and wanting to go with you.

Happy Planning ... the next year is gonna FLY by !

Mary-Liz

 

[Sue M]

I am in BC too, there are a few of us here! We love WDW, it's huge. So be prepared. What time frame during 2nd semester were you thinking of? Jan/Feb will have the cheapest pricing.

Stay on site!! Don't know what your budget is, but the moderates (except Caribbean Beach) have 2 queens, and Port Orleans Alligator Bayou section has a Murphy bed too, for your son.

I don't know your budget, but the deluxe resorts (except Wilderness Lodge & Animal Kingdom Lodge) have 2 queens + day bed.

It's a different experience staying on or off site. For your first trip, I'd definitely stay on site. We didn't our first trip, and regretted it.
You won't need a rental car, Disney has airport pick up/drop off at no charge, it's one of the perks for on site guests. You will also have park transportation. And extra magic hours. Off site you don't and will have daily parking charge too.

Disney regularly has room/package promos, check out Mousesavers.com web site, they have lots of info and a chart of historical discounts, so you can see what was released, when, and for what dates.
Allears.net has loads of info on everything Disney. Check out the Accomodations section, it has fact sheets, resort maps and pics of each wdw resort. They also have a Dining section, listing all restaurants and menus. So you can get an idea of where you will want to eat, and how much it will cost. Then you can see of the Dining Plan will be worth it to you.

You have lots of homework . WDW planning is a lot more extensive then DL planning! But you have lots of time to do your research

 

[Evelyne]

Hello and welcome ,
you will find amazing information on this board. Going to Universal while on vacation at Disney World always makes me appreciate even more DW!!! Now, here me right, our familly me, DH,DS 19 and DD 16, well we like Universal but we LOVE Disney World. We were on a 7 day trip on March break and we did both, rides at US are amazing but Disney is just pure magic. You see I as bit by the magic bug more than 20 years ago.
Over the years we did both on and off site. On site is definitly an experience, it is like you never leave the magical atmosphere that floats everywhere.
Dining plan can be a really good option as well, you will find awsome restaurants, like someone else said you have a lot of homeworks to do, but if you are as obsessed as I am, you will have the time of you life even before leaving home!!!
Have a magical trip.

1990 to 1992 Off site
1994 and 1995 Off site
1998 and 1999 Off site
2000 to 2003 All star Sports
2004 to 2011 Pop Century
2012 The World was great again (Pop Century) without the kids for the 1st time
March 2013 Disneymoon with the kids

 

[coastgirl]

Eddygirl. We live in Halifax now but my kids were born in Victoria.

Glad to have you on board. Good timing on the Universal trip, the new extension to the Wizarding World should be open by then. The WWoHP is so fabulous...you'll love it.

 

[I Run Long]

Welcome Eddygirl. I'm from B.C. too. We thought just like you. We did our first trip to DW in 2007. I went thinking this will be the only trip. What a fool I was. We are planning our next trip for 2014 and that will make our 4th trip down. Honestly once your infected you can't stop going. I agree with everyone else. Stay onsite. The benefits are worthwhile. I also second what Sue M. said about checking out Mousesavers.com

Decide your budget and that will decide your resort. We stayed AKL the first time, mostly because we thought it would be our only visit and that's what the kids wanted. We loved it. Now we rent points to stay there. Mousesavers explains all that. Also recommend picking up a Passporter guide to DW if you haven't already. I don't know how close you are to Seattle but I also recommend flying out of there. It will save you quite a bit when compared to flying out of Vancouver. We always do that. Let us know how you make out with your decision.

 

[braddillman]

Welcome. I think you'll like it here, it's very friendly. Enjoy.