The on again, off again, on again - wait are we going or not ... yeah we went

[watkinsme]

The story:

We returned from our second family trip last October and immediately booked a trip for September 2011.

In the following months we would have to cancel the trip, move the trip, change the trip. We've did so many changes to our trip I am not 100% sure what our details are anymore

We originally reserved WL CL using the military room discount

Down graded to CB Pirate room using military room discount

Changed dates to Feb 2012 using free dining

Why all the changes? DH retired in May from the Marines. We were hoping he would get a job in our town and everything would stay status quo.

In reality he got a temp job.
Temp job was about to run out
He got a perm job - but in another state, so we had to move...so last month we moved to a new state.

So right now the trip is paid for and we are going no matter what...

Feb 4th - 12th
Port Orleans FQ
Deluxe dining (more about that)

Next up = the Cast

 

[watkinsme]

First up: DH

DH thought Disney was the evil empire. He drug his feet the first 4 years of our marriage. He didn't want to go to Disney World. He grew up in Cali. Had been to DL when he was younger. I tried to explain it was different (even though I haven't' been to DL). We finally went in the Spring of 2009. He LOVED it. We went back in 2010, and had planned on going back in 2011.

But as you know, sometimes life gets in the way. He retired from the Marines in May, it took him a bit to find a job. When he did find a job, the job required us to more to a new state....and move 3 weeks from our vacation. So our vacation got moved to Feb 2012.

He is a fun loving guy who is a kid at heart (and not just because I have to remind him to pick up his clothes off the floor) and my best friend. He is also game for just about anything and doesn't mind that I make him wear matching shirts

 

[watkinsme]

Our kids (A, E & I)

A will be 7. He's in first grade and loves school. He's a bit of a hyper guy, but in a good way. He, like his dad is game for just about anything, and he loves thrill rides. His favorite is a tie between BTMRR and TT. This trip he is finally over the 44 inch mark and will be able to ride Space Mt. He has wanted to ride it ever since our first trip.

I is 5. She is a diva. Most of the time she is great, but she has a diva streak that mostly chooses to show itself at the worst times. She too is a daredevil and loves all rides. Her favorite is whatever ride she has just got off of. She may get to ride the 44 inch rides....she is .5 inch short, but we still have time for her to grow.

E is the baby. She is full on cuteness and trouble all the time. This will be her 3rd trip. She probably doesn't remember the previous 2 (one was in my uterus). She is currently in love with Mickey. It will be interesting to see if she actually goes to him or not, because she also is afraid of strangers...

This is from our last trip:

and from a few weeks ago...

 

[watkinsme]

me

This will be my 7th trip to WDW. The first 2 I went as a chaperone for my younger sister. She was performing at the Citrus bowl halftime, so with our package we had 1 day tickets to WDW. Both times it was during the week between Christmas and New Years, and both times it was busy. The next 2 trips were me and my cousin/aunt. They were both during off season, much more relaxed, and we went to multiple parks. The last 2 trips have I have been married and a mother. I have enjoyed every trip, but I think my favorite trips were with my kids.

Here is a photo of me and the kids at Disney on Ice this past Oct.

 

[watkinsme]

Day one - pretend to take the kids to school, but keep driving... see how long it takes them to realize we are going somewhere else.
Check in offsite and go play a round of putt putt golf.
Reservations for dinner @ Cape May Cafe


Day two - check in at POFQ
Hit EPCOT WS
Lunch @ Marrakesh
Dinner @ Lecellier

Day three - MK
breakfast - CRT
BBB & Pirates League
dinner - 'Ohana
back to MK for EMH

Day four - Animal Kingdom
lunch - tusker house
dinner - jiko

Day five - DHS
breakfast - H&V
dinner - 50's primetime

Day six - MK
breakfast - crystal palace
dinner - HDDR

Day seven - EPCOT
lunch - san angel inn
dinner - akershus

Day eight - MK
lunch - Crystal Palace
dinner - california grill

Day nine - EPCOT
lunch - teppan edo
dinner - narcoossee's

Day 10 - leave
breakfast - 'Ohana
lunch - WCC

 

[watkinsme]

Holy Swampbuckets! We leave in a little over a week and I HAVE NOTHING DONE.

By now I am usually packed, got my pre-trip shopping done, cleaned my car, packed my bags, so I just have to clean the house...

BUT THIS TIME I HAVE NOTHING DONE!

Starting to panic a bit (A LOT)

So tonight my goal is to gather up our disney shirts and start laying them out to pack (thank goodness we have a spare bedroom that I use for a staging area.....

 

[watkinsme]

WE LEAVE TOMORROW!

I am 60% packed - hubby is off getting the burb's oil changed and it cleaned up for the trip. Which I think is silly because 30 minutes into our trip it will be trashed again lol.

The kids still do not know WHEN we are going - our plan is to load the car today - then tomorrow when we are "going to school" we will just keep driving and see how long it takes them to realize....lol.

I plan on updating this as we go through the trip so fasten your seat belts it is sure to be a bumpy ride!

 

[watkinsme]

We are leaving today - well technically in 7 or 8 hours or so...

Yeah, I know I should be sleeping. But like that commercial from a few years ago - I just can't sleep!

I am actually waiting on DH to get off of work so we can load the car so that will be one less thing we have to do tomorrow.

In the meantime I guess I can add another bit of excitement to my thread...I won one of the One More Day Trips! I actually won on Jan 3rd. For that trip we are going to Disneyland. We decided that because we were already going to WDW in Feb...So more on that later

My plan is to do this thing each day - while it is all fresh in my head. I love to take photos, so be prepared for lots of photos!

 

[watkinsme]

I had fully intended on doing a live report - thinking I'd have time each night to decompress and update things.

BUT

We didn't - we hit the parks full on hard the first few days and I spent the rest of the trip (as well as all of last week) trying to recover.



SO now that I am fully rested I will begin my trip report