Since Ive not done a TR before, I thought it might be helpful to gain a bit of insight into my Disney background. So here you go - 6 mini TRs in one.
TR #1
My DH grew up going to Walt Disney World every winter. His family made the pilgrimage, pulling their pop-up camper to stay at Fort Wilderness, from the great white north to the sunny south. No matter what the finances were, no matter what else was going on this was a Disney family through and through. I never EVER even went to Florida while I was growing up. I think the furthest south I ever got was Cincinnati.
So when we were married my DH decided to remedy the situation. We went to Orlando for our honeymoon in 1988.
At this point, I purposely say Orlando and not WDW. I have now come to understand what a true Disney vacation is!
We stayed offsite at the Orlando Marriot. We knew it was really a dee-lux hotel because they actually had room service. And a pool that didnt back up to the interstate! We basked in the luxury!
We did Sea World and Wet n Wild. While there, we also went to WDW (at the time Magic Kingdom and Epcot). To be honest, I was not overwhelmed by the World. We did have a good time! Epcot was brand new and there were still lots of countries/attractions being finished up.
We got stuck in Spaceship Earth right by the burning of Rome. Great olfactory effects unless youre stuck in the smoldering city. 
We sat there about 30 minutes and then got out of the car and walked down.
It was a great honeymoon, but WDW grow on us like kudzu at the time. Or perhaps it just took a while to germinate.
TR #2
Fast forward, ten years later. We now have our DD5 and our DS(almost)1.
My DSIL and her DH suggest the whole family to get together for Christmas.
Well, maybe but you know how difficult it is to travel with a baby!
How about if we go to WDW?
That could be fun DD5 is really into the Disney flicks and is always dressing up like one of the princesses. Okay, how about if DSIL and her DH pay for lodging, tickets and dinners.
KA-POW! Were in! 
Can it get any better than that? Oh yes it can. We are staying at the Contemporary. In the Presidential Suite.
Yes, my DSIL and her DH are extremely generous! But of course my little family of 4 did not have the entire suite to ourselves. We had a room on one end of it. There were 2 other rooms connecting on the other end of it which were occupied by my DSIL and by DMIL and DFIL. The middle part of the suite has a kitchen, a full bath, one seating area with a Murphy bed, a large dining area and another seating area. It is huge. But Im getting ahead of myself!
We have ADRs (or whatever they were called back then) for every evening. Spreadsheets ready and someone assigned to be in charge each day.
So we decide to leave on Christmas day after opening all the gifts and exhausting the kiddos.
Handy information for future travelers: the only restaurant we could find open on Christmas day along 95 was a Waffle House. Not even old reliable, Mickey Ds. So plan accordingly.
We drove most of the way down, leaving us a short trip the next day. We arrived in Orlando around noon.
Heres where the kudzu that is Disney started to consume us. That seed that was planted had obviously been building an extensive root system.
As we drove under the arch proclaiming that we were entering WDW, I snapped a photo of my DDs face. It just radiates with joy and excitement it remains my all-time favorite photo of hers. She was inundated with pixie dust just by being there! Of course it made me cry. Our trip was off to a magical start!
The photo of my DS is not quite as magical. But its pretty funny. Mostly his face says Get me out of this *&%*!@^ carseat. I think its because he was just too young to realize where he was.
But, like the outside world, even WDW is not all pixie dust and dreams. My DS got a stomach virus. We found this out when he threw up in the Tiki Room.
Note to future Tiki Room patrons if a little kid throws up right before the show starts they dont clean in up immediately. They throw some sawdust or something on it. So watch where you step.
We were at WDW for 6 days. For 4 of those days, at least one person spent most of the day paying homage to the great porcelain gods.
Heres where it was great to be in the Presidential Suite lots of bathrooms! My DD and I spent most of my DSs first birthday either asleep or
well, you know.
And yet looking back we made so many great memories on that trip. Somehow the pixie dust was stronger than the germs.
TR #3
Everyone in the extended family had such a great time that my DSIL and her DH decided to do it again Christmas 2001. Same deal again, including the Presidential Suite at CR.
Sad note since we no longer had a napping child, we had a room across from the suite instead of one that connected right to it.
Sigh. I can feel your pity. But we still had a key to the suite.
This time, we stayed longer. A lot longer. So long that it was cheaper for my DSIL to buy us all APs. Bwa ha ha! Our evil plan worked!
Now dont take that seriously. We were not trying to scam my DSIL for APs. It just worked out that way. And we didnt argue! Would you?!?
For this trip we had the best mousekeeper ever Iris. She was great. If you ever get Iris, consider yourself blessed. We also had the best monorail CM R. Yep, that was his name, R. This was also the trip where we rode the Rock n Roller Coaster for the first time. Watching it take off for the first time WOW.
My DD got to ride Space Mountain for the first time and a coaster enthusiast was born. My DS was old enough to enjoy the characters instead of being terrified by them. And no one threw up. Not once!
Our plan when traveling with a large group on this and every trip (our largest count ever was 18) was always to do our own thing during the day and then meet up for dinner every evening. That worked out really well and we were able to spend time with each separate family as well as our own little foursome. I highly recommend this strategy as it gave everyone lots of freedom but also kept us all connected. If wed tried to tour the parks all together it would not have been very magical.
TR #4
Well it would be a cryin shame to let an AP expire without another trip. It may even be a sin!
We took to a trip in November. On our dime this time, so we stayed at POFQ.
My kids kept looking for the door that led to the living room/kitchen/other bathrooms spoiled brats! And where the heck was the monorail stop?!?
My DSIL and her DH along with my DMIL and DFIL thought it was a great idea to go back so, also being AP holders, they joined us at POFQ.
We really enjoyed POFQ and even more enjoyed what to us seemed like empty parks. Having toured the past two trips at the busiest time of the year, we were now there at the least busy. We felt like royalty walking on to almost everything!! We were able to ride things multiple times!! And since it was the week after Thanksgiving we still got to enjoy all the Disney Christmas decorations.
TR #5
My DSIL and her DH decided that it was time to go back for Christmas again in 2004. This time, no Presidential Suite at the Contemporary. Not even a monorail resort! This time we have to put up with the Presidential Suite at AKL. Wow! It was absolutely beautiful.
Again, our room was actually right across the hall from the suite and didnt connect but we had a key and hung out there a lot. This suite is smaller than the one at CR but feels more luxurious.
We also got to enjoy the concierge lounge with Puddy.
My DH and I are Seinfeld fans. We're collecting Seinfelt secondary cast member sitings. Our latest was J. Peterman, who we saw in Pinehurst.
We breakfasted and snacked there every day our pre-
DDP DDP! My DD and I sucked down more African Smoothies than I can count!! If you can afford it (or have a wonderful DSIL like me or your own personal
) that concierge service at AK is amazing. And again, we stayed long enough to warrant APs.
TR #6
APs? You know what that means! Another trip in November! But now my DH is becoming reluctant to line Uncle Walts pocket when his own is feeling empty. So I find an off-site room for $69 a night, thanks to allearsnet.com. My kids were petrified that we were not staying on property. Inconceivable! However we assured them that we would actually only be off property to sleep. And it did work out pretty well since we opened and closed the parks every day. Being November, it wasnt as important to get those extra magic hours either. Even with all the trips weve done, we found a new attraction at each park to experience. And boy, did that new ride at AK looked awesome! That in and of itself is reason to have to come back again!
Foreshadowing ... of course it's pretty obvious since this is a pre-trip report!
Me - Let's just say I'm old enough to have a teenager
DH - Who is 6 months older than me. My high school sweetheart.
DD13 - Too cool for us UNLESS we're at WDW. Reason enough to go.
DS8 - Will be 9 for the trip. Has celebrated 3 birthdays in the World.
Another cry-baby, like me! 
DH can quote both Seinfield and Friends at the drop of a hat.
Thanks! I can feel the love!
Oh, great....I get it now......now I know where my husband is when he says he's out of the country for work! 
Lets see... DH loves sports. DH is very competitive. Finally the light bulb goes off! 
I run; Id like to get my DH to start running -- challenge him to run the WDW Half Marathon with me. (This also means hell get to spend his birthday at WDW. Wouldnt that be great?) It works! He is on board and the planning can begin! 
All my friends want to be adopted by my SIL!
Obviously, I am not in the shape to run a marathon. I tried to switch my registration to the 1/2 but Disney wouldn't let me do that!
I cannot wait to read all about it! Hopefully I will be running in the 1/2 or maybe the full (gasp) in 2008.
