13 days and counting....I think it's time to start planning!

[allison k]

This is my first time doing a pre-trip/trip report. I’m mostly a lurker, but after reading so many great trip reports, I decided to try one of my own! It will also help me get my rear in gear and get more planning done! OMG! We leave on July 15th – that’s, like, only 13 days to go!

Details
7/15 - Depart from Orange County (Me and the kids)
7/20 - DH joins us in WDW
7/27 - Goodbye WDW, hello Vero!
7/31 - Do we really have to go home today?

Resorts
Pop Century - July 15th
Saratoga Springs - Studio 7/15-7/21 and One Bedroom 7/21-7/27
Vero Beach DVC - 7/27-7/31


First off, the cast of characters:

Me – Allison (35) – “Crazy Momma” - Yep, I'm actually pretty crazy. I just don't type that way!
DH – Matt (35) – “WOW man” – as in World of Warcraft
DD – Claire (6) – “CrazyGirl” - She gets it from me...
DS – Colin (17 months) – “Mr. Noodle Pants” - I have no idea. It's what CrazyGirl came up with when he was about 8 months old....and it stuck.

Here we are on the balcony of the Disneyland Dream Suite - we got to go on a tour in March. Oh, those lucky winners!

Here's CrazyGirl:

Trying to pull the Sword in the Stone

At the Character Breakfast in the Grand Californian

See, I told you she got her craziness from me!

Can't forget Mr. Noodlepants!

The two kids.....who love eachother (for now!)

All the boring stuff about us:
We live in Rancho Santa Margarita, about 25 miles south of the original Mouse House – Disneyland. Remember the California fires back in the fall, we were pretty close to them. Here's a picture of the fires from our house. We were never really in danger, but it was pretty scary and smoky!

Before WOW man and I met, we had both been to WDW as kids. I first went when Epcot was being built – I still remember seeing the framework of Spaceship Earth. When we got married in 1994, we decided to Honeymoon in WDW – garden room in Contemporary. Little did we know that would be the first of many trips to come. In 1997 and 1998, we decided to go in August when DCI (Drum Corps International) was holding their championships there. Our first year we stayed at Dixie Landings, so nice! The next year, we stayed with my brother in his apartment – for free!

Okay, side note here. DB is an Imagineer. Yep, really. Back in 1997, he worked for Northrop and WDI had contracted some engineers for Kali River Rapids. My brother was fortunate enough to be hired by Disney and is now living his dream of working for Disney designing rides. He’s been on projects in DL, WDW, Tokyo Disney and DisneySea. I’m envious that he’s doing what he’s wanted to do since he was about 13 years old.

We decided one more trip to the world was in order before we started our family and did a week in WDW before spending a week in St. Lucia – thinking it would be the last trip there for a long time. Since Crazy Girl has been born, we’ve been back to WDW three times! Since it looked like we were forming a habit, we took the plunge and bought DVC in 2006.

We haven’t been to WDW since Spring 2006, as we were expecting Mr. Noodlepants, and that can be a long trek when you’re pregnant. To make up for the loss, we had a nice 3-day stay at the Grand Californian in Disneyland in December ’06 and then again in March of this year.

I don’t really think of us as Disney fanatics, but we really do love it. I just said to my husband, when I’m in DL and WDW, I can remember what it’s like to feel like a kid again!

Up next…….the plans, including:

2 kids and a mom in First Class
Going Pop! at WDW
SSR, here we come
Food…..the most important part of a WDW trip
When is Dad going to get there?

 

[allison k]

I must introduce Rosabella!

After reading the Snobbish TR and DD saw the pictures of the buffalo, she decided we needed to do the same thing. So, here's Rosabella. DD plans on taking pictures of her on the trip and posting them.

Rosabella in her pocket on the stroller....

Here she is with WOWman's ME tags that arrived today!

More to come later!

 

[siestakeys04]

Ok off to a great start. You have cutie kids lets keep it going!!!!

 

[IndayMichelle]

Awww I love the pic of your DS in the Sorcerer Mickey hat! It's adorable! I can't wait to read more!

 

[allison k]

Hello siestakeys04 and IndayMichelle! I'm so happy you came to check me out!!! Crazy girl loves the idea too!

So, how did I finagle my way into First Class? I thought about going through and explaining the whole deal, but I realized that was way too boring! Basically, I – because I’m the oh so street smart mom that I am – realized that for the cost of booking 4 economy seats (2 purchased/2 frequent flier) and about $100 extra, we could buy enough miles for 4 tickets in Business/First. The only downside is that we wouldn’t be able to all leave on the same day, but I could take the kids out 3 or 5 days earlier. Hmmmm, pay $1100 to sit in economy and have a 12 day vacation, or pay $1200, sit in First Class, no crazy, extra luggage charges and get a 17 day vacation. Which one should I choose? Yeah, like that was a tough choice! Did I happen to mention that I was genetically blessed with a wide behind? And, I was really looking forward to the idea of 2-3 extra inches in the seat?

WOWman couldn’t get off work to come out earlier. Me, well I get about 4+ weeks of vacation time a year and have about 8 weeks of time sitting in my vacation bank. For me, it was a no brainer. WOWman wasn’t so sure. He thought I would be too stressed out handling the kids for that long by myself. Um, like I don’t ‘handle’ them by myself for 8+ hours a day, everyday?

Anyway, I’m leaving on Tuesday, July 15th from John Wayne at 10:30 a.m. We have a layover in St. Louis for about 1 ½ hours and then it’s on to Orlando getting in at 8:30 p.m. This flight works out well with Mr. Noodlepants’ nap schedule, so I’m hopeful for a good flight. Really, I need some pixie dust for this part. CrazyGirl was a good flier, even when she wasn’t sleeping. Mr. Noodlepants is a big unknown. He is not a carseat lover….…at all. If he’s pissy, he can go from silent to eardrum busting hollering in less than a second. And sometimes, anything can make him pissy! I’m hoping he’ll nap without assistance on the first flight. I’m going to get him moving as much as possible during the layover and will medicate if/as necessary. I plan on doing a dry run with timing and Benadryl at home next week.

WOWman will come and join us on Sunday, July 20th. Same flight. Oh, so exciting, dontcha think? We aren’t on the same flight back….yet. I’m working on that, and I think we’ll be fine. We may have to stay an extra day though. Oh well. Life is tough, ain’t it?

Well, I’ve actually got to do some math homework. I’ve got a final on Thursday to get ready for.

Next up……Going Pop! and our first stay at our second home, Saratoga Springs!

 

[allison k]

Day 1

Originally, we were on a flight that came in at 10:30 pm, so I was going to shack up at the Airport Hyatt. While I felt it would be cool to stay in the airport, I felt that $182 was too steep. I had thought about either staying at one of the other hotels near the airport or even one of the values. But, at that time, I wasn't going to rent a car so it would mean relying on shuttles or ME. If staying at WDW, that would likely mean getting to WDW around midnight. Fortunately, a flight came up that came in two hours earlier, which also fit into Mr. Noodlepants' nap time better as well. We changed our flight. I happened to find a really good rate for a minivan from National and signed up for Emerald Club - thanks to the DIS for that tip! I got a pretty good rate at the POP, so we were all set. CrazyGirl has seen the pictures people have posted from all of the values and is excited we're going to stay at one of them.

Day 2
I'm not planning on doing too much today. Crazygirl really wants to go to the pool, so I figure we'd spend the morning at the pool until we need to check out. Check into SSR. If the room is ready, great. If it is, I figure we'd go shopping for breakfast food and other stuff. (Note to self: Need to get directions to grocery store and Target) If not, we'll play it by ear. I really hope we can get into the room by the early afternoon so Mr. Noodlepants can have his nap. Maybe this will be our day to try Earl of Sandwich....

Regardless, the one thing we've got going for sure, is dinner. I made a 5:10 ADR for 1900 Park Faire. I can't wait to see Cinderella and the Steps. If the kids are up to it, we might head over to MK just to walk around and get the 'Ahhhh, we're on vacation in Disney World right now' feeling.

 

[allison k]

I'm kind of getting nervous right now, in a good way and in a bad way.....

In a good way, because I'm leaving soon! Whenever I see this banana, I think to myself, "Oh yeah, uh huh, it's my birthday, oh yeah!" I know weird.

I'm nervous in a bad way, because, I feel like there's still so much planning left to do!


You see, when we've gone to WDW these last few times, we've told ourselves we're going to take it easy and just go with the flow, yada, yada, yada. And we do. I don't really do the commando thing. Along with this go with the flow attitude has been the refrain, "Since we're going in the slow season, we can make a point to do those things we never do like....Indiana Jones show, Little Mermaid, World Showcase movies, etc." Guess what? We've never done those things! Seriously, I told my DH on our honeymoon that I wanted to see the Indy show and on each subsequent trip I told him I wanted to. And each time we've ended up saying, "We'll catch it on the next trip." Okay, that was almost 14 years and 7 trips ago, and you know what? WE STILL HAVEN'T SEEN INDY!

So, this year, I'm breaking with tradition. I'm going commando! That feels so weird to say that. I always thought it meant to go without underwear. Ewww, gross! Oops, off on a little tangent there!

You would think since I decided that I wanna go commando, that I'd have my stuff planned, right? Uh, no. Other than ADRS, the only thing I've fully decided is that I'm going to hit the parks early for the rope drop. Yep, that's it. I don't even have which park which day and what rides, figured out yet. I haven't even looked up the times for the shows!

I am not being a good planner. Especially for one who reads the DISboards on a daily basis. Somebody beat me with a wet noodle....