In less than 24 hours, my secret will be revealed. Surprise, kids, we are going to DisneyWorld!
But first, I have to pack and get everything ready under cover of darkness. Not as easy as you might think with an inquisitive 6 year old who thinks something weird is going on... Thankfully his big sister and usual partner in crime is out of the house tonight at a school retreat, or I'd never be able to pull this off. I'm good, but not that good...
This was the trip that was never meant to be. With stress at work and some health issues in the family, we had decided that a staycation was all we were up for this year. Until my brother and SIL started asking questions about WDW and when to take their sons (ummm, asap...), making me wistful. But that wasn't enough - DH was firm. No trip this year. Sigh.
Then came the email from the "Mickey Mafia" as DH calls my friends at Disney Destinations. An email with a PIN code. Immediately followed by a DING from my friends at Southwest. A PIN and a DING - surely someone was trying to get my attention... Still, DH was resolute.
Then I realized that DD had a short week at school due to the retreat. And there was a YES program for each of the kids, meaning discounted park tickets. Please, DH, a PIN, a DING and some YES. What more do you need?
DH relents. We agree to keep the kids completely in the dark. We decide to forgo the DING and drive since even with the DING, we can still drive more cheaply than we can all fly.
So here is the plan. DD and DH are at her retreat (yes, I am evil. I signed DH up to chaperone a bunch of middle-schoolers, even after he relented). They'll get home tomorrow, picking DS up from school on their way home. I'll be home (yes, I am truly evil. After signing DH up to chaperone, I took an extra half day so I could finish up everything at home for the trip at a more leisurely pace). They won't expect me to be home, but I'll tell them I felt like doing something that evening but hadn't quite decided what yet. I can almost guarantee DS will suggest WDW, as it is what he suggests anytime we talk about what we'd like to do. So this time, we'll say "Great idea let's go!" (if for some reason the pipsqueak doesn't give me an opening, I'll tell everyone to hop in the car and I've got the DVD player set up with a planning disc).
I have had less than three weeks to plan this trip. I have never had less than six months to plan our other trips. We have one ADR, and plan to eat CS for the rest of the trip (trying the out of the way places to avoid burgers and nuggets), unless there are openings at a TS. We have always had at least one ADR a day on previous trips. I don't really have a touring plan for this trip - whereas I usually have everything on a spreadsheet. I think we are going to have a blast anyway!
Here is the general plan:
Leave Tuesday (that's tomorrow!), drive as far as we can, most likely crossing the FL state line on 95 before stopping for the night.
Wednesday - early breakfast, then hit the road for POP! (another first), check in and have lunch, either at the resort, or at AK. Then spend the day at AK (maybe catch the parade, another first). Dinner is up in the air. Either Mara at AKL or CS Pepper Market. Then hang out poolside at POP! or venture over to Epcot for EMH.
Thursday - DHS by rope drop so DS has a shot at Jedi training (he is NUTS for Star Wars), then decide which shows we'd like to see and work those into the plan. Lunch is a toss up as there is really nowhere I like at DHS. We may just graze on the granola and Clif bars I'll bring with us and have a late lunch somewhere else, depending on how our touring goes. Dinner might be at Capt. Cooks before heading over to MK, or at Epcot if we didn't make it over there the night before.
Friday - YES programs for both the kids. DD is doing a physics program on light and sound waves - I'll be with her (taking one for the team - the program brochure indicates it involves my least favorite attraction - Stitch), and DH and DS will go to a program on how things move. We'll all meet back up for our one ADR at LTT. after the program, we'll either head over to Epcot to check out the Food and Wine festival with the hopes of getting there before it becomes packed with locals, or we'll go back to POP! for a change before heading to MNSSHP (haven't decided on whether to add this to the itinerary - we've done it once and it was a blast, just not sure if we want to do it this trip).
Saturday - rope drop at MK just to be able to say we were there for the 40th anniversary. Then, either stay there or head over to Epcot if we didn't get enough/any F&W the day before.
Sunday - breakfast somewhere in the world (at a TS if I can get an ADR or at a resort CS) before we head home and back to reality.
Now the only thing standing between me and four days of magic is a couple of still empty suitcases and half a day at the office. I'm too excited to sleep!
More (LIVE!) TR to come...
But first, I have to pack and get everything ready under cover of darkness. Not as easy as you might think with an inquisitive 6 year old who thinks something weird is going on... Thankfully his big sister and usual partner in crime is out of the house tonight at a school retreat, or I'd never be able to pull this off. I'm good, but not that good...
This was the trip that was never meant to be. With stress at work and some health issues in the family, we had decided that a staycation was all we were up for this year. Until my brother and SIL started asking questions about WDW and when to take their sons (ummm, asap...), making me wistful. But that wasn't enough - DH was firm. No trip this year. Sigh.
Then came the email from the "Mickey Mafia" as DH calls my friends at Disney Destinations. An email with a PIN code. Immediately followed by a DING from my friends at Southwest. A PIN and a DING - surely someone was trying to get my attention... Still, DH was resolute.
Then I realized that DD had a short week at school due to the retreat. And there was a YES program for each of the kids, meaning discounted park tickets. Please, DH, a PIN, a DING and some YES. What more do you need?
DH relents. We agree to keep the kids completely in the dark. We decide to forgo the DING and drive since even with the DING, we can still drive more cheaply than we can all fly.
So here is the plan. DD and DH are at her retreat (yes, I am evil. I signed DH up to chaperone a bunch of middle-schoolers, even after he relented). They'll get home tomorrow, picking DS up from school on their way home. I'll be home (yes, I am truly evil. After signing DH up to chaperone, I took an extra half day so I could finish up everything at home for the trip at a more leisurely pace). They won't expect me to be home, but I'll tell them I felt like doing something that evening but hadn't quite decided what yet. I can almost guarantee DS will suggest WDW, as it is what he suggests anytime we talk about what we'd like to do. So this time, we'll say "Great idea let's go!" (if for some reason the pipsqueak doesn't give me an opening, I'll tell everyone to hop in the car and I've got the DVD player set up with a planning disc).
I have had less than three weeks to plan this trip. I have never had less than six months to plan our other trips. We have one ADR, and plan to eat CS for the rest of the trip (trying the out of the way places to avoid burgers and nuggets), unless there are openings at a TS. We have always had at least one ADR a day on previous trips. I don't really have a touring plan for this trip - whereas I usually have everything on a spreadsheet. I think we are going to have a blast anyway!
Here is the general plan:
Leave Tuesday (that's tomorrow!), drive as far as we can, most likely crossing the FL state line on 95 before stopping for the night.
Wednesday - early breakfast, then hit the road for POP! (another first), check in and have lunch, either at the resort, or at AK. Then spend the day at AK (maybe catch the parade, another first). Dinner is up in the air. Either Mara at AKL or CS Pepper Market. Then hang out poolside at POP! or venture over to Epcot for EMH.
Thursday - DHS by rope drop so DS has a shot at Jedi training (he is NUTS for Star Wars), then decide which shows we'd like to see and work those into the plan. Lunch is a toss up as there is really nowhere I like at DHS. We may just graze on the granola and Clif bars I'll bring with us and have a late lunch somewhere else, depending on how our touring goes. Dinner might be at Capt. Cooks before heading over to MK, or at Epcot if we didn't make it over there the night before.
Friday - YES programs for both the kids. DD is doing a physics program on light and sound waves - I'll be with her (taking one for the team - the program brochure indicates it involves my least favorite attraction - Stitch), and DH and DS will go to a program on how things move. We'll all meet back up for our one ADR at LTT. after the program, we'll either head over to Epcot to check out the Food and Wine festival with the hopes of getting there before it becomes packed with locals, or we'll go back to POP! for a change before heading to MNSSHP (haven't decided on whether to add this to the itinerary - we've done it once and it was a blast, just not sure if we want to do it this trip).
Saturday - rope drop at MK just to be able to say we were there for the 40th anniversary. Then, either stay there or head over to Epcot if we didn't get enough/any F&W the day before.
Sunday - breakfast somewhere in the world (at a TS if I can get an ADR or at a resort CS) before we head home and back to reality.
Now the only thing standing between me and four days of magic is a couple of still empty suitcases and half a day at the office. I'm too excited to sleep!
More (LIVE!) TR to come...
Looking forward to the update!
How'd things go down?
) and went to the bank to get cash.
): check
DH gets me to take the first driving shift. I stop long enough to get Chick Fil A for dinner (grilled chicken salad if you were paying attention to the healthier eating I am trying to do), and then keep on going while DH snoozes in the passenger seat.
I hadn't considered anything else, but I guess she's seen people try to check in at 1 am before and not pay for it???
He gets back on the line and says, yes, he can. I tell him I hate to be a pain, but I had requested a ground floor room near the main building for medical reasons - can he keep us in such a room? DD is a stroke survivor, and while she can walk, it can be a bit of a struggle at times. Doug takes a look and says "I don't like where we had assigned you based on that request. I think what I've got now is much better for you." Thank you, Doug!
