100 (Nope...It's just about time!!!) Days til Our First Family Trip!

[jana616]

Phew... that was a close one! But it all works out in the end. I'm glad you don't have to use the Michael's paper - I did once and it was HORRIBLE!!! I ordered from Amy as well
Keep up the great work! Hope the boys are doing well

You will LOVE Amy's transfers. They are awesome!

Soooo glad this worked out for you! You'll be a busy bee today

I was!

Sounds like you have gotten some disney magic already. I am so glad you were able to get the transfers and get started on your shirts. Cant wait to see them.

Alright, so of course things didn't work out quite as easily as I thought they would. What else is new?!

I went to pick up the transfers after I dropped the boys off at preschool. The current owner had said she would leave them on the front porch. Of course, I get there and they are not outside and she's gone. I was super bummed because 1) I wasted a trip there, and 2) Chad's mom took the boys straight from school, so I had the day to work on them. I gave it until 3 or so, and called her again. She was like, "Oh, I forgot to put them out and won't be home for 2 days. Can I just mail them to you?" Uh, NO! Luckily, our old neighbor, whom we are still friends with, had a key, went into her house, and got them (with her permission, of course!). But I didn't get them until 5:30 today, so that part stunk.

Anyway, all that to say...I've made 6 shirts so far. They are way easier than I thought. Well, actually I made 7. When I started thinking I was never going to get Amy's transfers, I used an old one I had from a Hobby Lobby pack. Let me tell you, having used both, Amy's are worth every penny! That one was very faded, and had to be flipped, and just didn't look right, so I pitched that one and re-did it. The ones I've done with Amy's paper look awesome, and they are so much easier! I did have one problem. I used a design with a blue border, and then a white background with Mickey in a knight's costume, and it says, "Prince in Training." Super cute. But on Cooper's, the red shirt that it went on bled through the white background. It's not terrible, and not bad enough that I'm not going to use it, but still... Luckily I am far from a perfectionist, and I'm short on transfer paper!

I had been holding off on ordering the other t-shirts I needed, just in case this was super hard and I didn't want to do many. Now I know I it, and I wish I could make shirts for all of us each day. Not going to happen, but that's okay! 18 will be plenty, and if I have extra paper I can do a couple more for Chad (who, shockingly, seems into the shirts!).

What has everyone else been up to?

 

[mommyof2Pirates]

Well it sounds like its all starting to come together. Glad you finally got the paper and that it was worth the hassle. The prince in training shirt sounds adorable. I bet no one will even notice the imperfection.

I finally sat down tonight and typed up my final packing list with the items still needed typed in red. I had stuff written all over the place and feel so much better now that Ive made a formal check list. I also went online and stopped our mail for the week we are gone.

I am still working on- my planner, DH and my costume for MNSSHP, money envelopes, getting a bag together for donovan (dog), clean out our basement so the oil company can do our yearly check on the oil burner (getting this done the day before we leave), LAUNDRY, and whatever else new I can think of in the next 3 1/2 weeks.

Have fun making the rest of the tshirts. I am anxiously awaiting the pics

 

[jana616]

Thanks, it is finally starting to come together. And I am realizing that it's a darn good thing I didn't start making shirts before I did, or we would have 100 of them! It is SOOO fun to make them. I did one more tonight, a Playhouse Disney one for Griffin (waiting on Cooper's shirt to come), and it's my favorite so far. I will post pics soon. I felt like I should get them all done first, but it's mean of me to make you all wait, isn't it?

Sounds like you are being super productive and organized! Good for you! I need to figure out what I have left to buy. I got the other rain cover today, and went through and determined what snacks we are bringing (fruit snacks, goldfish and raisins for the kids), plus Chad and I decided what we are going to eat for breakfasts in the room (raisin toast, little cereal boxes for the kids, and maybe bagels, plus I'm bringing some Pop Tarts just in case).

I'm struggling right now with what needs to go in my park bag each day. Does anyone have ideas, especially with two small kids, one of whom is in diapers? All ideas greatly appreciated!

 

[jana616]

Enough of the t-shirt talk...I fear it may be getting old! Let's talk about something more fun...like food! I food. So does my DH (though he's so disgustingly skinny, you'd never know it, some things are not fair!), and ours moms are pretty big fans as well. My boys like the junk food, but not so much real food with any nutritional value. Anyway, I was reading my Unofficial Guide today, thumbing through the CS restaurant descriptions, and I realized I don't have those picked out! Shocking, I know!

Here's a quick summary of our plans so far, just to recap:

Monday: arrive, swim, lunch at POP, nap, MK. Dinner at CP 6:30
Tuesday: MK, dinner at 'Ohana 5 pm pm (where for lunch?)
Wednesday: DHS, brunch at H&V 11 am (where for dinner?)
Thursday: Epcot, lunch at Le Cellier 11:45 am (where for dinner?)
Friday: AK, breakfast at TH 8 am (where for lunch?). Dinner at POP
Saturday: open (probably Epcot), then DTD and T-Rex for dinner. Where for a 2nd CS at Epcot, if that's where we go?
Sunday: MK, 'Ohana brunch 10:55 am, Chef Mickey's dinner 5:30. No CS that day.
Monday: Flight home at 12:15. Breakfast at POP.

So, what CS should we consider? What places did you really like? And also, what snacks are can't miss? I have school bread, Dole Whip, and an ice cream sandwich from Main Street Bakery on my list, but what else? We have 21 snacks to devour!

Alright, let's all drool together!

 

[jana616]

Alright, is it possible to smell through the computer? Because I'm starting to think I must be stinky, or just really, really boring! No one has commented in a couple of days, not even when I tried to start a discussion of food! And we all know food gets everyone talking!

If anyone is still reading along, can you let me know? If no one is, that's okay, I know we're all busy getting ready! But at least I'll know that I'm just talking to myself!

If anyone is interested, I'm still trying to figure out the park bag situation and also snacks and CS meal choices. OK, discuss amongst yourselves!

 

[racefanof88]

Enough of the t-shirt talk...I fear it may be getting old! Let's talk about something more fun...like food! I food. So does my DH (though he's so disgustingly skinny, you'd never know it, some things are not fair!), and ours moms are pretty big fans as well. My boys like the junk food, but not so much real food with any nutritional value. Anyway, I was reading my Unofficial Guide today, thumbing through the CS restaurant descriptions, and I realized I don't have those picked out! Shocking, I know!

Here's a quick summary of our plans so far, just to recap:

Monday: arrive, swim, lunch at POP, nap, MK. Dinner at CP 6:30
Tuesday: MK, dinner at 'Ohana 5 pm pm (where for lunch?)
Wednesday: DHS, brunch at H&V 11 am (where for dinner?)
Thursday: Epcot, lunch at Le Cellier 11:45 am (where for dinner?)
Friday: AK, breakfast at TH 8 am (where for lunch?). Dinner at POP
Saturday: open (probably Epcot), then DTD and T-Rex for dinner. Where for a 2nd CS at Epcot, if that's where we go?
Sunday: MK, 'Ohana brunch 10:55 am, Chef Mickey's dinner 5:30. No CS that day.
Monday: Flight home at 12:15. Breakfast at POP.

So, what CS should we consider? What places did you really like? And also, what snacks are can't miss? I have school bread, Dole Whip, and an ice cream sandwich from Main Street Bakery on my list, but what else? We have 21 snacks to devour!

Alright, let's all drool together!

Alright, is it possible to smell through the computer? Because I'm starting to think I must be stinky, or just really, really boring! No one has commented in a couple of days, not even when I tried to start a discussion of food! And we all know food gets everyone talking!

If anyone is still reading along, can you let me know? If no one is, that's okay, I know we're all busy getting ready! But at least I'll know that I'm just talking to myself!

If anyone is interested, I'm still trying to figure out the park bag situation and also snacks and CS meal choices. OK, discuss amongst yourselves!

Sorry I haven't been by in a while, I have been kidnapped by Farm Town . I feel the same way at times. Like I am typing away and no one sees it. Is that like the "tree falling thing"?


11 DAYS

We are eating at several of the same places. I wanted to eat at 'Ohana for dinner, but couldn't get a ressie and I have stopped trying. I was able to get a breakfast so I am just going to go with that.

I LOVE school bread. It, to me, is the best thing they sell at Disney, snack wise that is. I like the Dole whip too, but it just doesn't add up to the school bread. The funnel cakes are good and large enough to share. If you aren't a big eater then you and your boys can probably get by with sharing one.

I have several CS favs. Pecos Bills, Cosmic Rays, and Columbia Harbor House at MK. Electric Umbrella and American Adventure at Epcot. Backlot Express at DHS. I don't have one at AK, we have never eaten CS there. I like the food courts at the resorts since there are lots of choices and my family is so picky. Remember at breakfast you get a juice AND a drink at a CS on the DDP. We will be there during the F & W festival so we can use some of our snack credits there.

If by park bag you mean what to carry into the park here is my list.
Tylenol or motrin(adult and child)
benadrly
bandaids and neosporin
sun screen
epi-pen(DS had peanut allergy)
camera stuff
mole skin(extra, I have come to LOVE that stuff)
ponchos(if needed)
ziploc bags(several large and small)
hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes
one water for each of us and flavor packs



I know you are getting excited about the trip being so close. I know I am .

 

[jana616]

Sorry I haven't been by in a while, I have been kidnapped by Farm Town . I feel the same way at times. Like I am typing away and no one sees it. Is that like the "tree falling thing"?


11 DAYS

We are eating at several of the same places. I wanted to eat at 'Ohana for dinner, but couldn't get a ressie and I have stopped trying. I was able to get a breakfast so I am just going to go with that.

I LOVE school bread. It, to me, is the best thing they sell at Disney, snack wise that is. I like the Dole whip too, but it just doesn't add up to the school bread. The funnel cakes are good and large enough to share. If you aren't a big eater then you and your boys can probably get by with sharing one.

I have several CS favs. Pecos Bills, Cosmic Rays, and Columbia Harbor House at MK. Electric Umbrella and American Adventure at Epcot. Backlot Express at DHS. I don't have one at AK, we have never eaten CS there. I like the food courts at the resorts since there are lots of choices and my family is so picky. Remember at breakfast you get a juice AND a drink at a CS on the DDP. We will be there during the F & W festival so we can use some of our snack credits there.

If by park bag you mean what to carry into the park here is my list.
Tylenol or motrin(adult and child)
benadrly
bandaids and neosporin
sun screen
epi-pen(DS had peanut allergy)
camera stuff
mole skin(extra, I have come to LOVE that stuff)
ponchos(if needed)
ziploc bags(several large and small)
hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes
one water for each of us and flavor packs



I know you are getting excited about the trip being so close. I know I am .

Yay, someone is still reading! I guess that means I'm not talking to myself! And I'm super guilty of lurking on other people's PTRs and not replying, so I don't know why I got sad...I guess I just worried I was getting too boring! Oh well, boring or not I'll stick around!

Thanks for the CS list and your park bag list. Yep, that's what I meant, what stuff do I need to bring into the parks each day. I did not have Tylenol on my list, so I'm glad you said that!

I have on my "park bag" list:

glow sticks/light-up toys (most important item at the top, clearly)
mister fans
ponchos
stroller rain covers
sunscreen
pipe cleaners (to entertain boys quietly)
sippy cups
plastic utensils
first aid kit (really band-aids, moleskin, Tylenol, and neosporin)
sunglasses
diapers/wipes/changing pad
extra outfits for both boys
camera
auto. books/pressed penny tubes
ziploc bags
hand sanitizer
waters for DH and myself

Oh, and of course the kitchen sink and two turtle doves! But seriously, is there anything I'm forgetting? Anything on here that doesn't need to be? Help!

 

[DisneyTiger]

Hey! I am still reading, and guilty of lurking Sorry, I just didn't really have much to add about your CS choices. I don't really plan ahead for those, shocking I know. We usually just stop at the closest place when we get hungry. I like having that flexibility. Plus, there are just too many places to consider! It would make my head swim going through all of them.

As far as you packing list, it makes me laugh every time I read it. Why? you ask?? Because it lookse JUST like mine!! I really don't have much to add! If I think of anything, I promise I will let you know but I'm pretty sure you've got it covered!

And I'm not bored with tshirt talk! I would love to see/hear how they came out! I guess I'm just curious about the paper. I want to know what all the hooplah is since I've never used it!

Keep on writing - we're reading!

 

[jana616]

Hey! I am still reading, and guilty of lurking Sorry, I just didn't really have much to add about your CS choices. I don't really plan ahead for those, shocking I know. We usually just stop at the closest place when we get hungry. I like having that flexibility. Plus, there are just too many places to consider! It would make my head swim going through all of them.

As far as you packing list, it makes me laugh every time I read it. Why? you ask?? Because it lookse JUST like mine!! I really don't have much to add! If I think of anything, I promise I will let you know but I'm pretty sure you've got it covered!

And I'm not bored with tshirt talk! I would love to see/hear how they came out! I guess I'm just curious about the paper. I want to know what all the hooplah is since I've never used it!

Keep on writing - we're reading!

OK, at least two people are reading, or kind enough to pretend to be reading so I don't get a complex! I'll take it!

I'm not going to be all anal (AKA, myself) about CS meals at all. Most of them sound good to me. But in Ridemax, it does ask where your breaks are taking place, so if we know ahead of time, it works out much better.

For MK, I'm thinking either CHH, Cosmic Ray's, or Peco Bills
For Epcot, Sunshine Seasons or ??
For DHS, I'm pretty sure we;ll do Pizza Planet, since my mom of all people really wants to eat there. She Toy Story!
AK is causing me the most problems. None of them sound great, but we'll need to eat a later lunch somewhere. Pizzafari maybe? I hate ribs, but I think the other 3 adults love them, so maybe FTB for them and the boys and I will get something somewhere else.

Really, not stressing about that too much. I just wanted to hear anyone's favorites!

I'm glad to hear your list sounded like mine. I think after the first day I'll have a better idea what we need in the parks. Not stressing about that either, nope, not me!

I promise pics of the t-shirts very soon! I have two more I can do today, and then the rest of my t-shirts should be here tomorrow and I want to get them done over the weekend. That will be a great feeling!

 

[mommyof2Pirates]

I am still reading too. I wont stop cause I want all the quick tips you can give me when you come back. You have 13 days after your trip to post them for me. No pressure. Your park bag looks pretty identical to mine too. remember to have somewhere to put the pressed pennies once they do them like a ziploc or a booklet. I also am going to take a hand towel which was recommended by someone in case the kids run in those fountains or even if your real sweaty I guess it would work too. Although I dont know if you'd want to share one towel for that I will check my list I have at home and send you any more idea's I may have missed.

As for CS I have eaten at cosmic rays it was great., we are also going to do pizza planet (more for the toy story theme), we ate at pizzafari last time and it was good your usual pizza. I never can find anywhere that thrills me CS wise in epcot. We plan on eating at our food court for lunch that day.

I was at a dinner meeting last night for work until 830pm and didnt get home until 915. I was so exhausted so I did nothing disney last night. I will be hard at work tonight soon as my kids are in bed!

Are you going to do online check in tomorrow?

 

[Macduffy]

I demand pictures!!!
I only order 10 pages of Amy's paper to stop the urge to make 100's of them. I can't wait to see how they turned out!

 

[jana616]

I demand pictures!!!
I only order 10 pages of Amy's paper to stop the urge to make 100's of them. I can't wait to see how they turned out!

OK, OK, I promise pictures soon! The problem is that almost all of the boys' shirts are matching, and I only have one here and one there done, so I just don't feel like pics will be quite as exciting as they would once they are all done. I want to wow you guys, you know! You will Amy's transfers. It's probably a good thing you limited yourself! I'll take a few teaser pics now, and try to post ASAP!

I am still reading too. I wont stop cause I want all the quick tips you can give me when you come back. You have 13 days after your trip to post them for me. No pressure. Your park bag looks pretty identical to mine too. remember to have somewhere to put the pressed pennies once they do them like a ziploc or a booklet. I also am going to take a hand towel which was recommended by someone in case the kids run in those fountains or even if your real sweaty I guess it would work too. Although I dont know if you'd want to share one towel for that I will check my list I have at home and send you any more idea's I may have missed.

As for CS I have eaten at cosmic rays it was great., we are also going to do pizza planet (more for the toy story theme), we ate at pizzafari last time and it was good your usual pizza. I never can find anywhere that thrills me CS wise in epcot. We plan on eating at our food court for lunch that day.

I was at a dinner meeting last night for work until 830pm and didnt get home until 915. I was so exhausted so I did nothing disney last night. I will be hard at work tonight soon as my kids are in bed!

Are you going to do online check in tomorrow?

Great suggestions on the park bag-I'm going to add a bag for pressed pennies (although we might buy the little book there) and a hand towel (that's just handy for all kinds of things!). Any other suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

I think the boys would like the music guy at Cosmic Ray's, so that sounds good, but at least there are other places that sound good too. It's funny, we have 2 1/2 days at MK, but I think we'll only need 1 CS meal there with the way our ADRs are!

I want to do on-line checkin, but I'm not sure if I can since I used a TA. Do you know? I was going to try and then e-mail her if it didn't work. I want to do that, and then I'm going to fax a room preference letter about 4 days beforehand, with where we'd like to be, connecting rooms if possible, and mention again that we're arriving early. Hopefully we'll get some pixie dust and things will go our way on this one!

And I promise to come back and share of my hard-earned wisdom with those going after us! I'll try to take mental notes of things I wish I'd known. If there's anything you all want me to look at or check on while we're there, let me know!

 

[jana616]

OK, as promised, a few pictures of the shirts I've made so far. I took them quickly just to give you an idea, so I'm warning you that no artistic arrangement was made!

What I've done so far. I also have 2 more transfers printed, but not applied.

Close-up on the Playhouse Disney one someone made for me. They were so great, they even put Oso on there since he's my boys' favorite! This is my favorite shirt so far!

Close-up on the shirt I am making for everyone to wear our 1st full day at MK. I love this design!

Close-up on the one I kind of messed up. You can kind of see it even in the picture. Under the sword, in that area, the red shirt bled through, so it's kind of pink. I'm telling myself it's okay since I don't have enough shirts/paper to redo it! It is, right? No one's going to laugh at him?

This is what our room looks like right now! Pardon the non-trip mess, that's there all the time. Our bedroom is kind of where old furniture and junk goes to die... Notice the 4 carry-ons. I put our snacks in one and weighed it last night. 17.5 pounds of snacks! This includes 2.5 pounds of fruit snacks! I'm weeding some things out, given that we have free food coming for a week. I don't know what's wrong with me either.

And finally, my sweet baby boy on his first day of preschool Tuesday. He did so well! I was a little worried, because he makes the cutoff by just two weeks. I didn't know how he'd handle it. But they have trucks in his class, so he went off to play and didn't even glance back! Awesome!

 

[Macduffy]

OMG Cooper is adorable!!! I know how you feel about letting him go... Logan was 3 weeks too young for our preschool program but I BEGGED and PLEADED with them to let him in (he'd have to wait until next September and that's too long) and they are letting him in the 2's room but I'm super nervous he's too young. I'll find out September 1st!

You're doing such a great job on all your crafts!!!! The t's look fabulous and I barely noticed the bleed. Keep up the amazing work!

oh wait... there's Logan now - awake from a nap - no more fun for me

 

[mommyof2Pirates]

The only things I had on my packing list that I didnt see on yours were wet ones and tissues otherwise ours are almost identical

You can check in online for sure. You may have to use http://MyDisneyReservation.com/guest I think when you go through the TA you use this website instead of going on WDW.com. Let me know how it works!

 

[mommyof2Pirates]

I the shirts. They are so awesome. Dont worry about the bleed through it looks great and hardly noticable. I dont think anyone will laugh especially cause your boys are so darn adorable. I love the preschool pick. Thats so great that he wasnt upset to stay there. My kids still occasionally give me a hard time at daycare. It breaks my heart.

I cant wait to see more tshirts. Keep up the good work

 

[racefanof88]

I love your room . That is exactly how a room should look before a Disney trip. Cooper is too cute dressed for school. I have a nephew named Cooper and he will be 4 in November. I love the shirts. I don't do the shirts because my crew wouldn't wear them . My DH loves Disney, but he doesn't like to advertise it...............LOL.

 

[princesspaige]

I want to do on-line checkin, but I'm not sure if I can since I used a TA. Do you know? I was going to try and then e-mail her if it didn't work. I want to do that, and then I'm going to fax a room preference letter about 4 days beforehand, with where we'd like to be, connecting rooms if possible, and mention again that we're arriving early. Hopefully we'll get some pixie dust and things will go our way on this one!

Just wanted to let you know that you can do on-line check in even though you went thru a TA. I used a TA as well and was able to check in on-line yesterday with no problems. It was actually one of the easiest things I have done for this trip.

The t-shirts look great! The boys are going to have so much fun. You asked about CS meals...I don't have any thing to add as we just stop when we get hungry and hope there is something I like on the menu...which is usually not a problem. I am definitely going to try the Dole Whip this year, I have heard way to many good things about it from this board not to try it.

 

[jana616]

OMG Cooper is adorable!!! I know how you feel about letting him go... Logan was 3 weeks too young for our preschool program but I BEGGED and PLEADED with them to let him in (he'd have to wait until next September and that's too long) and they are letting him in the 2's room but I'm super nervous he's too young. I'll find out September 1st!

You're doing such a great job on all your crafts!!!! The t's look fabulous and I barely noticed the bleed. Keep up the amazing work!

oh wait... there's Logan now - awake from a nap - no more fun for me

Aww, thanks for the compliment on Cooper! I think he's pretty cute too! I hear you on the preschool, and knowing when they're ready thing. I was worried he'd be the youngest, but there's actually 2 kids even younger-one of them missed the cutoff completely. I'm sure Logan will do great!

Thanks for the compliments on the crafts. That's the fun part, I just wish I'd started a month sooner!

The only things I had on my packing list that I didnt see on yours were wet ones and tissues otherwise ours are almost identical

You can check in online for sure. You may have to use http://MyDisneyReservation.com/guest I think when you go through the TA you use this website instead of going on WDW.com. Let me know how it works!

I have Wet Wipes and Kleenex added, thank you!

I the shirts. They are so awesome. Dont worry about the bleed through it looks great and hardly noticable. I dont think anyone will laugh especially cause your boys are so darn adorable. I love the preschool pick. Thats so great that he wasnt upset to stay there. My kids still occasionally give me a hard time at daycare. It breaks my heart.

I cant wait to see more tshirts. Keep up the good work

Thanks for the compliment, and for telling me not to worry about the one. You know how it is, you just want everything to be perfect. Oh well! Hoping to work on more shirts tomorrow night!

I love your room . That is exactly how a room should look before a Disney trip. Cooper is too cute dressed for school. I have a nephew named Cooper and he will be 4 in November. I love the shirts. I don't do the shirts because my crew wouldn't wear them . My DH loves Disney, but he doesn't like to advertise it...............LOL.

Yeah, the room is definitely a "staging area" right now! Cooper is a name we hear everywhere now. There are 8 Cooper's in the preschool, and my ODS's BFF is Cooper as well. That gets really confusing! Of course we didn't have any idea how popular it was becoming when we picked it, but he truly is a Cooper, and no other name would fit him as well, so it's okay!

I was very surprised that my DH (who has not been into any of this Disney stuff) liked the shirts and was totally willing to wear them. I'm actually making him a couple extra, since I knew he'd love the designs. Maybe your DH can be converted!

 

[jana616]

Just wanted to let you know that you can do on-line check in even though you went thru a TA. I used a TA as well and was able to check in on-line yesterday with no problems. It was actually one of the easiest things I have done for this trip.

The t-shirts look great! The boys are going to have so much fun. You asked about CS meals...I don't have any thing to add as we just stop when we get hungry and hope there is something I like on the menu...which is usually not a problem. I am definitely going to try the Dole Whip this year, I have heard way to many good things about it from this board not to try it.

Thanks for letting me know on the on-line check-in. I'm going to do it tomorrow! Getting SOOOO close....ahhhh!

I know, I think we'll be fine wherever we eat too, so it's not something I'm worrying about. I just wondered if anyone had a place they .

You are getting so close. All ready? Looks like we're going to have a cold, rainy weekend to keep you indoors and packing!