September/October 2013 check in

[PrincessInOz]

Thank you PrincessInOz. Can I assume I need passports for the ESTA? I still haven't had time to pick the kids' ones up from the PO.

We will be leaving the last week of school term. I've booked most things except last two days in Anaheim. Fri and sat nights will be late ones not sure if I want to be staying offsite. We are staying Tue-Thu at DLH. I don't know if I want to be lugging the bags around to a nearby hotel.

Will be needing to book dining next week *** it'll be 60 days until the trip - I can't believe how quickly time as flown by...

Yes, you will need your passports to complete the ESTA. It's US$14 per person for 2 years or the expiry of the passport, whichever comes first.


Good luck deciding on your final nights.

 

[sarefromoz]

I got tickets to the opening night Halloween party I'm going to have one excited 9 year old when she gets this surprise for her birthday.

We're now at 43 day...so we leave in 6 weeks tomorrow. The kids are starting to get really excited.

 

[Kristin5]

Well done Sare!

After staying up til after 1 to buy tickets over the phone, only to be told there was a problem with the ticketing system, I have finally been able to get our tickets too. We'll be there on October 1

 

[LeanneDownUnder]

Just got our Halloween Tickets as well - 8th October

64 days until we leave - I can't believe Im doing this, my first trip away with my DD. Im feeling pretty nervous!!

 

[5ofus]

I'm jealous of you all going to the Halloween Party!

MsMinnie, we're staying at the Grand Californian for our first two nights and then shifting to HoJos. I'm probably going to catch a cab with the luggage while the DH is at the parks with the kids. Not as easy as switching at WDW, but I don't think it will be too hard if we do it that way.

We're all getting so close now!

Can anybody tell me where this year has gone? Mid-July already?!?!

 

[australiankaren]

just sayin'

 

[sarefromoz]

Woo hoo...congrats Kristin and Leannedownunder. Are you dressing up? My girls have a gorgeous Giselle from enchanted (one of my favourite disney movies)dress that I might take for my 6 year old. My 4 yr old may want to go as superman, but no idea what to get for my 8 year old dd. I'll probably get it over there.

We've decided to bite the bullet and buy some Canadian and US currency today. We're planning on using the credit card to buy most things while we are over there. Still wishing that dh would've done it months ago when I asked, but he didn't. Better now than when the Aus dollar drops in value even more.

 

[MsMinne]

Yay - got my tix this morning for Fri 27th Sep! So much for staying awake for it.

Woke up at 6.30am and checked the site - too easy. I am surprising my kids with DL and when we are there, I'm going to surprise them about MHP!!

We will need to buy costumes though - is there anything closely? Am wondering if I should buy online and then deliver to the hotel. Has anyone done this before?

 

[LeanneDownUnder]

Woo hoo...congrats Kristin and Leannedownunder. Are you dressing up? My girls have a gorgeous Giselle from enchanted (one of my favourite disney movies)dress that I might take for my 6 year old. My 4 yr old may want to go as superman, but no idea what to get for my 8 year old dd. I'll probably get it over there.

Yes we plan on dressing up, I think we will get costumes over there - We are thinking Cruella Deville and DD Alice. OR maybe I will do Mad Hatter to go with the Alice OR we will do a Pirates of The caribbean Theme!! ... so many choices for only 1 night!!

 

[5ofus]

Yay - got my tix this morning for Fri 27th Sep! So much for staying awake for it.

Woke up at 6.30am and checked the site - too easy. I am surprising my kids with DL and when we are there, I'm going to surprise them about MHP!!

We will need to buy costumes though - is there anything closely? Am wondering if I should buy online and then deliver to the hotel. Has anyone done this before?

While I haven't had Halloween costumes delivered, I already have a rather largeish order from the Disneystore.com site waiting for me at HoJos

I'm surprising my kids with DL too! When/how are you telling yours?

 

[AussieCaribou]

Oh! I love surprises.

One year we convinced our DD (6) that we were going to the coast. We had a lot of arranging to do (like taking the dog to the kennel) that we needed to explain. She naturally assumed that we meant South Coast NSW. That's what we had done before. Worked a treat, we were able to get her to help pack, take the dog in, chat with family about checking the house, and all of that. Even when Papa came to get us in the morning, she thought nothing if it. My father in law travels with us a lot.

She started to question things when we stopped at the bus station. After all, we always drive to the coast. 'Nope, this time we have to take the bus first.' To which she replied, 'But the bus is going to Sydney! Not the coast!'

'Hmm...your right. Perhaps you should read this,' and I handed her the paperwork/flight details/hotel bookings - we were doing DL, WDW, DCL and San Diego and New Orleans.

She looked shocked, eyes beamed with tears, she looked at me. My reply, 'we never said which coast, my love'.

Two years later, we went to DL Paris. We arranged for a postcard from Mickey to arrive a week before we left (that way we could do all those required things...). It said, 'Hey, Pal! I miss you. How's about you come visit Minnie, Pluto, and me in Paris next week? Mickey Mouse' we totally lucked out when we got there. We were selected as the family of honour and DD got to open the park with Mickey and was treated like royalty the rest of the day.

This year DD is 14. She knows that next school holidays we are going to DL.

Good luck breaking the news. And have a magical time!!!

 

[Kristin5]

Oh! I love surprises.

One year we convinced our DD (6) that we were going to the coast. We had a lot of arranging to do (like taking the dog to the kennel) that we needed to explain. She naturally assumed that we meant South Coast NSW. That's what we had done before. Worked a treat, we were able to get her to help pack, take the dog in, chat with family about checking the house, and all of that. Even when Papa came to get us in the morning, she thought nothing if it. My father in law travels with us a lot.

She started to question things when we stopped at the bus station. After all, we always drive to the coast. 'Nope, this time we have to take the bus first.' To which she replied, 'But the bus is going to Sydney! Not the coast!'

'Hmm...your right. Perhaps you should read this,' and I handed her the paperwork/flight details/hotel bookings - we were doing DL, WDW, DCL and San Diego and New Orleans.

She looked shocked, eyes beamed with tears, she looked at me. My reply, 'we never said which coast, my love'.

Two years later, we went to DL Paris. We arranged for a postcard from Mickey to arrive a week before we left (that way we could do all those required things...). It said, 'Hey, Pal! I miss you. How's about you come visit Minnie, Pluto, and me in Paris next week? Mickey Mouse' we totally lucked out when we got there. We were selected as the family of honour and DD got to open the park with Mickey and was treated like royalty the rest of the day.

This year DD is 14. She knows that next school holidays we are going to DL.

Good luck breaking the news. And have a magical time!!!

Wow, you certainly know how to surprise your DD! Love these stories

DS will dress up as Spiderman at this stage (just bought his costume from Myer in the toy sales, as he'd outgrown his old costume), however he is saying now that he'd like to dress up as a character from Monsters University, so maybe we'll see something when we get over there.

 

[Frosted]

I dont think I have really checked in here - I read the boards almost everyday but for some reason have felt like it is so long away... until the last week or so.

We are off to the UK and France with 4 days at DLP thrown in! I am excited. My 8 year old DD is excited. My husband is slowly getting excited!! My 2 year old... lets not discuss him. That makes my stress levels rise!

We are departing Sydney on September 6th so 51 days to go and then 73 days until DLP. I have never been to Disney and I am pumped!

I feel better getting my excitement out - I feel like telling everyone from the gas man to the parcel deliverer our plans and realise that not everyone cares that much about my holiday as I do

 

[Frosted]

I am a lunatic - it is actually 69 days until Disney!!! Even more exciting

 

[5ofus]

Oh! I love surprises.

One year we convinced our DD (6) that we were going to the coast. We had a lot of arranging to do (like taking the dog to the kennel) that we needed to explain. She naturally assumed that we meant South Coast NSW. That's what we had done before. Worked a treat, we were able to get her to help pack, take the dog in, chat with family about checking the house, and all of that. Even when Papa came to get us in the morning, she thought nothing if it. My father in law travels with us a lot.

She started to question things when we stopped at the bus station. After all, we always drive to the coast. 'Nope, this time we have to take the bus first.' To which she replied, 'But the bus is going to Sydney! Not the coast!'

'Hmm...your right. Perhaps you should read this,' and I handed her the paperwork/flight details/hotel bookings - we were doing DL, WDW, DCL and San Diego and New Orleans.

She looked shocked, eyes beamed with tears, she looked at me. My reply, 'we never said which coast, my love'.

Two years later, we went to DL Paris. We arranged for a postcard from Mickey to arrive a week before we left (that way we could do all those required things...). It said, 'Hey, Pal! I miss you. How's about you come visit Minnie, Pluto, and me in Paris next week? Mickey Mouse' we totally lucked out when we got there. We were selected as the family of honour and DD got to open the park with Mickey and was treated like royalty the rest of the day.

This year DD is 14. She knows that next school holidays we are going to DL.

Good luck breaking the news. And have a magical time!!!

Those surprises are FANTASTIC! Our kids know we are going to Las Vegas for a friends' wedding. The day after the wedding I'm giving them a pass the parcel with "I'm Going to Disneyland!" tshirts and park maps on the inside My DS1 is six and he'll no doubt read it out to his younger brothers. Then things will get crazy

I dont think I have really checked in here - I read the boards almost everyday but for some reason have felt like it is so long away... until the last week or so.

We are off to the UK and France with 4 days at DLP thrown in! I am excited. My 8 year old DD is excited. My husband is slowly getting excited!! My 2 year old... lets not discuss him. That makes my stress levels rise!

We are departing Sydney on September 6th so 51 days to go and then 73 days until DLP. I have never been to Disney and I am pumped!

I feel better getting my excitement out - I feel like telling everyone from the gas man to the parcel deliverer our plans and realise that not everyone cares that much about my holiday as I do

I sympathise with the 2yo - I have one myself. He's usually a pretty good kid - despite being a runner - but the past couple of weeks with his brothers on school holidays he's been a bit out of sorts. He's also in that awkward in between stage of dropping his daytime nap, but not quite ready to drop it EVERY day Hopefully things will calm down in the next seven weeks.

It's so bad when you want to scream your excitement from the rooftops but nobody seems to care. At least we have this happy place here

 

[5ofus]

And how could I forget... I made our first Disneyland Dining reservation today!!! Minnie and Friends breakfast in the park for 10:30am on our first Saturday (3rd park day). I figure that way we can get a couple of hours of park time in before the crowds start to pick up and then we'll be safely tucked away meeting the characters (fingers crossed for Captain Hook!). We love this character meal because of the diversity and number of characters - I hope it doesn't disappoint us this time.

 

[Kiwigirls]

AussieCaribou - those are amazing surprises!! My DD & DNiece know we are going but I'm hoping to surprise them with one night at DLH!!

5ofus - yay for your first meal booking!! Can't wait till we are close enough to do those!

We did book our Halloween party tickets this morning - for Oct 23rd, so very excited about that!!! Think all the big things are in place now!

 

[5ofus]

We did book our Halloween party tickets this morning - for Oct 23rd, so very excited about that!!! Think all the big things are in place now!

That's a good date - our wedding anniversary

 

[LeanneDownUnder]

'Hmm...your right. Perhaps you should read this,' and I handed her the paperwork/flight details/hotel bookings - we were doing DL, WDW, DCL and San Diego and New Orleans.

She looked shocked, eyes beamed with tears, she looked at me. My reply, 'we never said which coast, my love'.

Two years later, we went to DL Paris. We arranged for a postcard from Mickey to arrive a week before we left (that way we could do all those required things...). It said, 'Hey, Pal! I miss you. How's about you come visit Minnie, Pluto, and me in Paris next week? Mickey Mouse' we totally lucked out when we got there. We were selected as the family of honour and DD got to open the park with Mickey and was treated like royalty the rest of the day.

And have a magical time!!!

OMG that made me Cry!! how wonderful

 

[MsMinne]

While I haven't had Halloween costumes delivered, I already have a rather largeish order from the Disneystore.com site waiting for me at HoJos

I'm surprising my kids with DL too! When/how are you telling yours?

I was going to not tell them until they see us pull up at DLR . Was going to tell them that we are going to drive past since we are nearby.

I've read some beautiful ideas though on here that I might have to copy Although my youngest hates surprises

We will be retuning from 3days at Legoland hotel. I don't want to tell them beforehand because Legoland will just seem lame in comparison!

How are HoJos holding your parcel? Or rather how long will they hold it for? I am thinking if I did order it would be a few days before We arrive...I might just tell them we are ordering them for Aussie Halloween. they will believe that because it's a major event here where we live. Children venture from everywhere to trick n treat in our streets!