Alice28
DIS Veteran<br><font color=blue>I'm Doombah Fricki
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2002
- Messages
- 9,583
When: February 27- March 8, 2003. We decided this week would be good cause it was after Presidents Day and well before Spring Break and Easter crowds. And it would be a great pick me up after a gray Oregon winter!
Who: *Robin (writer)- 30, second time to WDW, been 30+ times to DL
*Bob- husband of Robin. Likes Disney a lot as well, but not as fanatical as me. This is his 4th trip to WDW and has been to DL numerous times as well.
*Sam- our 5 year old son. 1st trip to WDW, been to DL twice
*Joshua- our 20 month old. 1st trip to WDW, been to DL once
*Judy- my Mom, 56, 1st time to WDW, been to DL numerous times
*Gary- my Dad, 58, 1st time to WDW, been to DL numerous times
*Sara- my mother-in-law, 61, been to both WDW and DL numerous times. Her time with us was February 28- March 6th.
Where: Disneys Contemporary Resort via Shades of Green. We were able to get our room at $66 a night plus tax and sponsor 2 rooms for our parents at $89 a night. WOW is all we could say. We booked the rooms at the end of May 2002.
Why- we had wanted to go back to WDW ever since we returned home from our honeymoon in 1995. We live in Oregon, so its easier and usually more cost effective to go to DL. After we saw the $66 a night at the Contemporary, and figuring that Bob gets a resigning bonus of $3,000 (hes in the Oregon Natl Guard) in March 2003, we felt we could manage a grand trip to Florida. Then we thought our parents might enjoy the trip as well so we called them up and they said sure, so we booked the trip. And the countdown began.
How: Southwest Airlines. I cant recommend them enough. We always fly them on our frequent Portland to San Jose flights (we grew up in San Jose and our parents still live there). And I knew they often had $99 each way fares to Orlando. So I kept checking their website and in September of 2002 I hit the jackpot- $82 each way from Portland to Orlando with only 1 stop (NOT a layover) in Kansas City. I whipped my American Express out so fast Im surprised my wallet didnt smoke. Booked 4 seats for a grand total of $762. I quickly called our Moms cause it was only $63 each way from San Jose to Orlando! Crazy! They booked their flights as well. From Orlando airport we hired Tiffany Town car to take us to the Contemporary (CR from here on out). I used a coupon in my Passporter book and it was $82 round-trip and that included a grocery store stop.
How I passed the time---I read websites like a madwoman. I loved reading the trip reports at Mouseplanet.com, the DIS boards, Debs site, Mousesavers.com and a few others. I bought the Passporter book and just loved it- it is a book and an organizer all in one! I also bought Birnbaums book, and borrowed some other books from my best friend who went in 2001. We also watched the planning video several times and I marked the days on my calendar of when to make priority seating. After months of planning, debating and talking here was the plan we came up with:
February 26- work and check into Howard Johnson at the airport at 7:30 or 8 PM. We did a deal there where you pay $59 for one night and then you can leave your car there for up to 30 days! Deal!
February 27- up at 4:30- take shuttle to airport for 6:25 AM flight.
3:40- land in Orlando; make stop for milk, water & fruit
4:45- Check into CR- 7:30 PS for Chef Mickeys. Get park 7-day park hopper plus passes. Unpack. Crash
February 28- MK, lunch at fast food, 7:20 PS at Whispering Canyon
March 1- Epcot, lunch at fast food, rest, go back for 7:30 PS for Rose & Crown and ask for a patio table for Illuminations.
March 2- Animal Kingdom, lunch at either Flame Tree BBQ or Tusker House; dinner out, just Bob and I at Shulas Steakhouse and mini-golf at Fantasia Gardens.
March 3- Pirate Cruise for Sam. Downtown Disney. Hoop Dee Doo Revue for dinner
March 4- MGM Studios. 50s Primetime for lunch. ?? For dinner
March 5- Typhoon Lagoon. Ohanas for dinner
March 6- MK again. Fast Food for lunch,?? For dinner
March 7- Park-Hop, Narcoossees or Bistro de Paris for dinner
March 8- Morning at MK, leave CR by 1:45. Flight departs at 4:10. Home at 8:30.
And here we go!!
Day two- travel day, and the escapades of Chef Mickey's
Who: *Robin (writer)- 30, second time to WDW, been 30+ times to DL
*Bob- husband of Robin. Likes Disney a lot as well, but not as fanatical as me. This is his 4th trip to WDW and has been to DL numerous times as well.
*Sam- our 5 year old son. 1st trip to WDW, been to DL twice
*Joshua- our 20 month old. 1st trip to WDW, been to DL once
*Judy- my Mom, 56, 1st time to WDW, been to DL numerous times
*Gary- my Dad, 58, 1st time to WDW, been to DL numerous times
*Sara- my mother-in-law, 61, been to both WDW and DL numerous times. Her time with us was February 28- March 6th.
Where: Disneys Contemporary Resort via Shades of Green. We were able to get our room at $66 a night plus tax and sponsor 2 rooms for our parents at $89 a night. WOW is all we could say. We booked the rooms at the end of May 2002.
Why- we had wanted to go back to WDW ever since we returned home from our honeymoon in 1995. We live in Oregon, so its easier and usually more cost effective to go to DL. After we saw the $66 a night at the Contemporary, and figuring that Bob gets a resigning bonus of $3,000 (hes in the Oregon Natl Guard) in March 2003, we felt we could manage a grand trip to Florida. Then we thought our parents might enjoy the trip as well so we called them up and they said sure, so we booked the trip. And the countdown began.
How: Southwest Airlines. I cant recommend them enough. We always fly them on our frequent Portland to San Jose flights (we grew up in San Jose and our parents still live there). And I knew they often had $99 each way fares to Orlando. So I kept checking their website and in September of 2002 I hit the jackpot- $82 each way from Portland to Orlando with only 1 stop (NOT a layover) in Kansas City. I whipped my American Express out so fast Im surprised my wallet didnt smoke. Booked 4 seats for a grand total of $762. I quickly called our Moms cause it was only $63 each way from San Jose to Orlando! Crazy! They booked their flights as well. From Orlando airport we hired Tiffany Town car to take us to the Contemporary (CR from here on out). I used a coupon in my Passporter book and it was $82 round-trip and that included a grocery store stop.
How I passed the time---I read websites like a madwoman. I loved reading the trip reports at Mouseplanet.com, the DIS boards, Debs site, Mousesavers.com and a few others. I bought the Passporter book and just loved it- it is a book and an organizer all in one! I also bought Birnbaums book, and borrowed some other books from my best friend who went in 2001. We also watched the planning video several times and I marked the days on my calendar of when to make priority seating. After months of planning, debating and talking here was the plan we came up with:
February 26- work and check into Howard Johnson at the airport at 7:30 or 8 PM. We did a deal there where you pay $59 for one night and then you can leave your car there for up to 30 days! Deal!
February 27- up at 4:30- take shuttle to airport for 6:25 AM flight.
3:40- land in Orlando; make stop for milk, water & fruit
4:45- Check into CR- 7:30 PS for Chef Mickeys. Get park 7-day park hopper plus passes. Unpack. Crash
February 28- MK, lunch at fast food, 7:20 PS at Whispering Canyon
March 1- Epcot, lunch at fast food, rest, go back for 7:30 PS for Rose & Crown and ask for a patio table for Illuminations.
March 2- Animal Kingdom, lunch at either Flame Tree BBQ or Tusker House; dinner out, just Bob and I at Shulas Steakhouse and mini-golf at Fantasia Gardens.
March 3- Pirate Cruise for Sam. Downtown Disney. Hoop Dee Doo Revue for dinner
March 4- MGM Studios. 50s Primetime for lunch. ?? For dinner
March 5- Typhoon Lagoon. Ohanas for dinner
March 6- MK again. Fast Food for lunch,?? For dinner
March 7- Park-Hop, Narcoossees or Bistro de Paris for dinner
March 8- Morning at MK, leave CR by 1:45. Flight departs at 4:10. Home at 8:30.
And here we go!!
Day two- travel day, and the escapades of Chef Mickey's
I will be taking my 24 month old this year and look forward to hearing some great ideas!!
