1st trip as Mr. and Mrs. (lots of pics!) Updated 9/29: TR Link Posted!!

[stacikristine]

Hi everyone!

This is my first PTR but I just have to write one...I've been reading everyone else's like a maniac! So here it goes!

Background info:

My name is Staci. I'm 21 and a graphic designer. On Dec. 20, I'm going to be marrying my Best Friend Ever--Michael! He's a youth/music minister. We're super-busy, but very much in-love. We love just being goofy together, watching The Office, and laughing. We've already planned dream vacations through 2013! Here's a picture of us:

Since we're only taking a 4-day honeymoon so we can be back home for Christmas, we're planning a Disney trip for next September! We picked this time since the rates are low, weather is great, and we can both pick whatever vacation time we want!

We already have our ressie--we rented points from a DVC owner, and we're staying at AKV September 20-26, 2009. I had no clue that this was even an option--I read about it in the DisGuide e-book. So we rented points, and we're going to get our Deluxe Villa for a Value price!! I'm still waiting for all of the reservation confirmation to be mailed to me, but hopefully I'll get it soon.

We're getting 6 day Park Hopper tickets and the Dining Plan. I've only had the DDP one other time and it was honestly one of the best parts of my last trip! If any of you have any "must eats" let me know! I know I can't make ADRs for a while, but it's always good to dream....

Since it's going to be "just the two of us"--I think of Will Smith every time I say that phrase--do you have any ideas for ways to make this trip extra-special? My fiance' hasn't been to Disney since he was 9, so I really want to make it special for him.

Well....thanks for reading this! I'm excited about this PTR and eventually a TR. Please introduce yourself--I would LOVE to get to know you!

--Staci

And for quick access, here are my individual links in this TR:
1. Ressie Saga
1.5 Engagement/Wedding Interruption
2. Schedule, Books, and crazy DH
3. Plane Tickets!
4. Sneaky Planning
BREAK: 2006 Trip Day 1: MGM
5. Park Tickets Purchased! and HELP wanted!!
BREAK: 2006 Trip Day 2: MK
6. ADRs!! Best part of the trip!
BREAK: 2006 Trip Day 3: Epcot
BREAK: 2006 Trip Day 4: AK
BREAK: 2006 Trip Day 4: MNSSHP
7. Vera Mini Hipster!
BREAK: 2006 Trip Day 5: Epcot (last day)
8. Dallas, DISmeet, Spring Clothes!
9. Disney On Ice Weekend!
10. Disney On Ice part 2!
11. Random Little Updates
12. 120s and Randomness
13. ADR Help!
14. Dining Plan!!
15. YAY! Pictures and Hubby are back!
16. It's so good to have a house...
17. Disney Planning Binder
18. Detailed Park Plan
19. Haircut & Disney Binder Pictures Update
20. ADRs...Finally!
21. Camp Pictures and Updates
22. Countdown Calendar, a Wedding, and Disney Dates
23. Update/Addition to Plans!
24. Mulan Date Night
25. Day 1 Plans and Clothes
26. Random Updates and Apology
27. Celebration Station Break
28. Day 2 Plans and Clothes
29. Six Flags Mini TR
30. Day 3 Plans & Clothes
31. Disney Essentials Shopping and DME!
32. Day 4 Plans and Clothes
33. Day 5 Plans and Clothes
34. Day 6 Plans and Clothes
35. Day 7 Plans
36. Packing List, Must Dos & Not Dos for Parks, Random Thoughts!
37. Maps, Notecards, and Packing, Oh My!
38. Update
39. Update--TWO DAYS!!!
40. Another Update--1.5 Days!!
41. Home!
42. TR Link Posted!

 

[BridetobeDisney]

Hey! I just found your PTR! Yay! I can't wait to read about your plans including your ADRs because honestly that's one of my fave parts of a trip. You two make the cutest couple!! You're so pretty! Yeah, we're a goofy couple too and guess what...I'm obsessed with the office. Here's what DH and I do, we don't watch the season as it goes along each week. We just wait for it to be released on DVD and then every night we watch two or three episodes. Dwight is my favorite. He completely makes the show. One of my fave scenes was when Michael followed what the GPS said and turned right into the lake. DH and I bring it up all the time on trips when our GPS tells us to turn when we can't or it says to make a U turn now. If someone took that literally LOL they'd be dead. Gosh, I love that show!

Where are you going on your honeymoon?

Also, please point me in the direction of a good thread that explains DVC. I might consider that for another trip. Maybe next December!!

 

[stacikristine]

Hey! I just found your PTR! Yay! I can't wait to read about your plans including your ADRs because honestly that's one of my fave parts of a trip. You two make the cutest couple!! You're so pretty! Yeah, we're a goofy couple too and guess what...I'm obsessed with the office. Here's what DH and I do, we don't watch the season as it goes along each week. We just wait for it to be released on DVD and then every night we watch two or three episodes. Dwight is my favorite. He completely makes the show. One of my fave scenes was when Michael followed what the GPS said and turned right into the lake. DH and I bring it up all the time on trips when our GPS tells us to turn when we can't or it says to make a U turn now. If someone took that literally LOL they'd be dead. Gosh, I love that show!

Where are you going on your honeymoon?

Also, please point me in the direction of a good thread that explains DVC. I might consider that for another trip. Maybe next December!!

Thanks for reading my PTR!! Now we can follow each others' trips!
Dining at Disney is so, so great! I can't wait either. I've actually been planning/trying to figure stuff out since October. I just couldn't help it!

YES!!! I'm SO happy yall are Office fans! I didn't start watching it until this past May...Michael has all the seasons on DVD, so we had to catch up. I'm so addicted. Now, we're really busy, so we usually wait 2-3 weeks, and then watch them online. I LOVE that episode! I love pretty much all of them. Have you gotten to the one where Dwight is trying to pressure Michael into doing something (I can't even remember what) and he counts and says "Do it."? Because we quote that one ALL the time! I think 1/8 of what we say is probably from the Office. I'm glad you can relate!!

I wrote about our honeymoon on your PTR But for a quick summary: 1 night in hotel one hr away. 3 nights in honeymoon cabin in mtns on the border of OK and AR (we live in OK). Christmas Eve and Day at home. 1 more night in OKC at the festival of lights, snow tubing, ice skating, etc. We're excited bc it'll be so relaxing. Yall went to Disney, right? How was it!? My cousin is going there for his honeymoon. That would be AMAZING!!

I don't know how to post links...I think this might work...
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=7
If not, can you fill me in on it. Oh--and how do I put my PTR link in my sig? Again, if you need me to send you the point charts, I can email them to you...I don't know where you find them online. I'm sure DIS has a place. It would be GREAT if you all could go in Dec! Just an example, it's costing us $560 to stay for 6 nights! I was shocked!

Well, I'll be reading your PTR as well....good luck!

 

[kgle]

I am slipping over here from Brandi's PTR

You guys are adorable and let me say I am super jealous of you being so tiny I remember those days!

How awesome that you get to stay at AKV! That is a future hope of mne to stay there or AKL, all the same! With a savannah view

Anyway, look forward to reading about your trip and seeing more pictures!

 

[kgle]

Oh by the way, to put your PTR link in your sig- just go to where you edit your signature and click the icon that looks like a globe and a paperclip (haha) and you can put your link in there. If you want to link it like mine with your own words you do this:
Click me![/url ] (minus the space at the end)

 

[stacikristine]

I am slipping over here from Brandi's PTR

You guys are adorable and let me say I am super jealous of you being so tiny I remember those days!

How awesome that you get to stay at AKV! That is a future hope of mne to stay there or AKL, all the same! With a savannah view

Anyway, look forward to reading about your trip and seeing more pictures!

YAY! Thanks for reading my PTR!

Thank you--we're really excited! And we're really excited to stay at AKV! Since we're getting a Studio, we're actually going to be in the Lodge...in one of the converted rooms. I'm telling you, there is NO WAY we could have stayed there without using DVC points! But we're really looking forward to it!! We got a value studio, and so that means we don't know if it'll be savannah or pool view until we get there (or maybe there's a way we can check before?) but either would be GREAT and it was a lot cheaper....

Well, thanks for reading! And I see you have one too--I'll check it out!

 

[stacikristine]

Oh by the way, to put your PTR link in your sig- just go to where you edit your signature and click the icon that looks like a globe and a paperclip (haha) and you can put your link in there. If you want to link it like mine with your own words you do this:
Click me![/url ] (minus the space at the end)

THANKS! I'll try this out!

 

[BellaSoleil]

Hi! I found your PTR through danceinetherain's PTR.

DH and I Honeymooned at Disney World and it was wonderful! We are going back (just the two of us) one last time before we start taking our daughter.

I would suggest dining at California Grill and watching the Wishes from the top of the CR. It is our favorite Honeymoon memory.

By the way.... I'm also in Youth Ministry, love The Office and think you two are a beautiful couple!

 

[stacikristine]

Hi! I found your PTR through danceinetherain's PTR.

DH and I Honeymooned at Disney World and it was wonderful! We are going back (just the two of us) one last time before we start taking our daughter.

I would suggest dining at California Grill and watching the Wishes from the top of the CR. It is our favorite Honeymoon memory.

By the way.... I'm also in Youth Ministry, love The Office and think you two are a beautiful couple!

Great!! Thanks for reading my PTR!

Wow--I've heard such great things about Disneymoons! Part of me wishes we were going for our official honeymoon, but I'm glad we're going to wait--I don't want to be away from home our first Christmas together!

How fun! One more couple trip! I bet yall are going to have a BLAST! We're trying to plan lots of vacations for us to do together before we start having kids. I'm sure it'll be tons of fun with a whole family, but we'll never get this time back to vacation just the 2 of us--I'm glad yall are going on a second honeymoon!!

Thanks for the California Grill tip. It sounds beautiful! By the way...do you usually go back to your room to "freshen up" before you go to dinner? My family usually didn't, but I didn't know if most people did. Do you usually go back to a park after you eat outside of the park? Just curious...

Wow! It's so fun to hear of other people in Youth Ministry! We love it. Sometimes it's really tough--we have some kids who require a lot--but it's so rewarding. I couldn't imagine doing anything different. Even though he's the one that's the official minister, we do a lot as a team. And another OFFICE watcher!!! YAY!!!! I don't know if I'll ever grow tired of that show! Thank you. We're happy together.

Thanks again for reading my PTR!! I'll have to go read yours now!

 

[BellaSoleil]

Great!! Thanks for reading my PTR!

Wow--I've heard such great things about Disneymoons! Part of me wishes we were going for our official honeymoon, but I'm glad we're going to wait--I don't want to be away from home our first Christmas together!

How fun! One more couple trip! I bet yall are going to have a BLAST! We're trying to plan lots of vacations for us to do together before we start having kids. I'm sure it'll be tons of fun with a whole family, but we'll never get this time back to vacation just the 2 of us--I'm glad yall are going on a second honeymoon!!

Thanks for the California Grill tip. It sounds beautiful! By the way...do you usually go back to your room to "freshen up" before you go to dinner? My family usually didn't, but I didn't know if most people did. Do you usually go back to a park after you eat outside of the park? Just curious...

Wow! It's so fun to hear of other people in Youth Ministry! We love it. Sometimes it's really tough--we have some kids who require a lot--but it's so rewarding. I couldn't imagine doing anything different. Even though he's the one that's the official minister, we do a lot as a team. And another OFFICE watcher!!! YAY!!!! I don't know if I'll ever grow tired of that show! Thank you. We're happy together.

Thanks again for reading my PTR!! I'll have to go read yours now!

After you read my PTR, you will realize that I do go back to my room to freshen up before dinner. I love clothes and I try to dress pretty casual in the day and get dressed up for dinner. On my Honeymoon (and on this upcoming trip), we did alot of Signature Dining so you almost have to go back and clean up a bit.

I'm so glad I found your PTR. You are adorable and I'm looking forward to reading all about your plans. We may possibly head back in September with our daughter. I want to take her to MNSSHP.

 

[stacikristine]

After you read my PTR, you will realize that I do go back to my room to freshen up before dinner. I love clothes and I try to dress pretty casual in the day and get dressed up for dinner. On my Honeymoon (and on this upcoming trip), we did alot of Signature Dining so you almost have to go back and clean up a bit.

I'm so glad I found your PTR. You are adorable and I'm looking forward to reading all about your plans. We may possibly head back in September with our daughter. I want to take her to MNSSHP.

Yes--I definitely see that you go back and freshen up! I love all of your themed outfits! You remind me a lot of my college roomie/one of my best friends! She LOVES shopping and clothes/accessories!! And she's auditioned to be on the Disney Cruise ships (but she didn't get it ) Still...yall seem to be a lot alike! That makes me happy!

Thanks--I'm so glad I found your PTR too! This is so much fun! And if you take Belle back in Sept, our trips might over-lap...meaning we might run into each other. I've read on here where DIS members run into each other..."it's a small world after all!" PS what's MDSSHP? I'm not up-to-date on all of the abbreviations.

 

[BellaSoleil]

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.

 

[jenjolt]

Well I had to come by and say HI!! How exciting for you getting married! Congratulations!! My husband and I are also involved in youth ministry and starting in 2010 we will be moving to Austin, TX to help with a church plant in the area!

I can't wait to see how planning for your trip goes, you guys will have the best time. If you venture to my PTR you will find out that I will never take my DH to Disney again, but he has indulged me and is allowing me to go alone LOL!!

I too am one for freshing up before going to dinner!! Especially since I'm into shopping, thanks to Soleil LOL, and actually have my outfits picked out for my trip!!

Well I can't wait to hear more!!! Once again CONGRATULATIONS!!!

 

[kgle]

YAY! Thanks for reading my PTR!

Thank you--we're really excited! And we're really excited to stay at AKV! Since we're getting a Studio, we're actually going to be in the Lodge...in one of the converted rooms. I'm telling you, there is NO WAY we could have stayed there without using DVC points! But we're really looking forward to it!! We got a value studio, and so that means we don't know if it'll be savannah or pool view until we get there (or maybe there's a way we can check before?) but either would be GREAT and it was a lot cheaper....

Well, thanks for reading! And I see you have one too--I'll check it out!

The DVC points are such a good deal! I looked into them, but I think it ended up being out of my budget but it sure makes me want to buy my own DVC! LOL I am trying to figure out ways to move to Orlando...I told my mom I was going to work at a hospital there and she said "okay" haha.

You can always have the owner fax a request, requesting whatever view you want. Doesn't mean you will get it, but it never hurts to try!

 

[stacikristine]

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Oh! That is a BLAST!! We did it a couple of years ago!

Well I had to come by and say HI!! How exciting for you getting married! Congratulations!! My husband and I are also involved in youth ministry and starting in 2010 we will be moving to Austin, TX to help with a church plant in the area!

I can't wait to see how planning for your trip goes, you guys will have the best time. If you venture to my PTR you will find out that I will never take my DH to Disney again, but he has indulged me and is allowing me to go alone LOL!!

I too am one for freshing up before going to dinner!! Especially since I'm into shopping, thanks to Soleil LOL, and actually have my outfits picked out for my trip!!

Well I can't wait to hear more!!! Once again CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Hi! Thanks for reading my PTR! I'll for sure check yours out! This is so fun! Thanks for the congrats--we're REALLY excited! And it's so, so neat to hear about other couples in youth ministry! How long have you all worked with students?

Wow! That's so amazing that you'll be starting a church plant. We've talked about how that would be incredible. And in Austin--much needed! Are you in TX now? DFi is from San Antonio, and we met in Dallas at school. So TX is near and dear to me! We'd love to move back someday, if that's what God has planned...who knows where we'll end up. I have a great job now, and he loves working with the kids here, but hopefully it's not forever.

I'll have to see why your DH is never going back! But HOW FUN to go on a trip by yourself! I can't wait to see what you have planned to do!!!

So, I'm thinking freshening up before dinner is starting to sound good...do you usually have all TS meals at night? We were thinking about having a lot in the afternoon b/c we're just going to snack for bfast.

Thanks again for reading! I'll go read yours now!

The DVC points are such a good deal! I looked into them, but I think it ended up being out of my budget but it sure makes me want to buy my own DVC! LOL I am trying to figure out ways to move to Orlando...I told my mom I was going to work at a hospital there and she said "okay" haha.

You can always have the owner fax a request, requesting whatever view you want. Doesn't mean you will get it, but it never hurts to try!

Haha!! I know--I wish I could buy my own DVC! But it's COMPLETELY out of the question. Not even entertaining the thought. But renting is actually cheaper than making your own ressie. It's only going to be $560 for us to stay at AKV for 6 nights...and we're buying our own tickets from Maple Leaf. We're saving $226 by staying at AKV instead of POP! You should check it out next time! And YES--how can I move to Orlando too? Let me know!

 

[jenjolt]

Hi! Thanks for reading my PTR! I'll for sure check yours out! This is so fun! Thanks for the congrats--we're REALLY excited! And it's so, so neat to hear about other couples in youth ministry! How long have you all worked with students?

Wow! That's so amazing that you'll be starting a church plant. We've talked about how that would be incredible. And in Austin--much needed! Are you in TX now? DFi is from San Antonio, and we met in Dallas at school. So TX is near and dear to me! We'd love to move back someday, if that's what God has planned...who knows where we'll end up. I have a great job now, and he loves working with the kids here, but hopefully it's not forever.

I'll have to see why your DH is never going back! But HOW FUN to go on a trip by yourself! I can't wait to see what you have planned to do!!!

So, I'm thinking freshening up before dinner is starting to sound good...do you usually have all TS meals at night? We were thinking about having a lot in the afternoon b/c we're just going to snack for bfast.

Thanks again for reading! I'll go read yours now!

We have been working with the teens in our church for 3 years. Before that we worked with teens in our church in Alaska for 2 years. I am also a high school teacher and I love working with teenagers!!!

I hope you'll post some wedding pics when you get them. You two make a mighty fine couple!! I wish you the best and will praying for you and your upcoming nuptials!!

As far as the move to TX we will be joining our Associate Pastor and his family the Summer of 2010 which will allow me time to find a job as a high school teacher and hopefully give us the summer to find a house. I'm scared and excited all at the same time!!!

I can't wait to hear more!!!

 

[stacikristine]

We have been working with the teens in our church for 3 years. Before that we worked with teens in our church in Alaska for 2 years. I am also a high school teacher and I love working with teenagers!!!

I hope you'll post some wedding pics when you get them. You two make a mighty fine couple!! I wish you the best and will praying for you and your upcoming nuptials!!

As far as the move to TX we will be joining our Associate Pastor and his family the Summer of 2010 which will allow me time to find a job as a high school teacher and hopefully give us the summer to find a house. I'm scared and excited all at the same time!!!

I can't wait to hear more!!!

That is so great! I can't wait to work with these youth long-term! And what an awesome experience to start a church with someone you already know and trust!! What a blessing. My mom is a JH english teacher, and my dad is a HS principal, so teachers are dear to my heart. I was going to teach when I first started college, but I quickly changed my mind--I love students, but teaching is not for me. But I'm glad you love it!

Thanks for your prayers! And YES! I'll post wedding pics!

 

[stacikristine]

Can someone tell me how to post links within my thread (like on the first page, putting links to the updates/posts throughout)? I've seen it on some of your PTRs and I'd love to know how to do it when I actually start posting updates

 

[jenjolt]

Can someone tell me how to post links within my thread (like on the first page, putting links to the updates/posts throughout)? I've seen it on some of your PTRs and I'd love to know how to do it when I actually start posting updates

Okay when you go to insert your link, wherever in your text box you would like you need to click on that button that looks like a globe with rings near it...its called the INSERT LINK...when you do that you just copy and paste the link you would like to have displayed. Press Okay. It will then take you back to your post and it will have some text highlighted...that highlighted part is what will be displayed to take the person to your link..so in my case I type in Episode 13 or like Soleil does the title of her next post...if you don't type something there it will just display the actually http address, so its up to you. I hope this helps.

To actually get to your chapters just themselves...in the upper right hand corner of each post is a number, if you click on that it will display that post only. Click on it. Just copy and paste that link in the InsertText button box and VIOLA..it will take your readers directly to your newest post..without all the replies!

 

[stacikristine]

Okay when you go to insert your link, wherever in your text box you would like you need to click on that button that looks like a globe with rings near it...its called the INSERT LINK...when you do that you just copy and paste the link you would like to have displayed. Press Okay. It will then take you back to your post and it will have some text highlighted...that highlighted part is what will be displayed to take the person to your link..so in my case I type in Episode 13 or like Soleil does the title of her next post...if you don't type something there it will just display the actually http address, so its up to you. I hope this helps.

To actually get to your chapters just themselves...in the upper right hand corner of each post is a number, if you click on that it will display that post only. Click on it. Just copy and paste that link in the InsertText button box and VIOLA..it will take your readers directly to your newest post..without all the replies!

Thanks so much!! I'll for sure try this when I update!! And maybe one day I'll be computer savvy enough to figure things out for myself...nah!!