2013 Maycation at AoA - first time for kids (7&8) and big fat SURPRISE...

[RomeGal]

I am new to the DIS boards - well, I have been a lurker for many months but am finally jumping in. I love vacation boards! I am also a member of the cruise critic boards

OK - here's what I know so far on the trip:
Cast: Me (JJ - 35 year old momma of two, criminal defense attorney and wife of a year and a half to...)
DH - Will - 33 year old computer geek, happy-go-lucky stepdad to...
DS Cole, age 8, science lover, skateboarder, Cub Scout, bug brother by exactly a year to...
DD- Carson Claire, age 7 - voracious reader of anything she can get her hands on: Judy Moody, Ramona books, Harry Potter even.

We are surprising the children with a 7-night trip to the world beginning that last day of school, May 17. They know we are planning to go to Wdw but think we are going for fall break or thanksgiving (because we have to save all our pennies), but we have booked a Cars family suite at AoA from 5/18-25/13!!!!

The beginning - the surprise
Tickets and food and souvenirs OH MY!
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[StitchIsOurHero]

Sounds fun!! I love to read about surprise trips!! I'm in to read along!!

 

[RomeGal]

Yes! I am super excited about the surprise. I went to WDW 2 times as a younger child (age 5 & 9) then on a cool trip when I was 10 with 5th grade - 1987 - I recall that Epcot was still "new" back then and only a couple years old. I went again as a sophomore in high school because I played the drums and our band was in the Citrus Bowl parade. Then I went after I got married (the first time) in 2002 when I was still in law school. I cannot believe I have toot yet taken my own children but it has been a crazy few years.

We will pick the kids up at their last day of school parties around 2pm on Friday, May 17 and check them out after the party to get in the car and tell them we have a big surprise that we are going to Disney RIGHT NOW!!! We live in way-north- GA so. Will be driving. It is about 8.5-9 hours to Orlando. W will drive to Gainesville or somewhere about an hour from WDW Friday night and stay the night in a Hampton Inn or some other place- DH travels for work and usually has points from somewhere he can use on a last minute stay. Then we will get up super early and drive right into the world!

I hope to check in by about 8-9 even if our room is not ready, and head to DHS. We have ADRs for the following places so far:
sci-fi dine in - Sat 5/18 dinner
Teppan Edo - Japan Epcot - dinner
1900 Park Faire - dinner
the Plaza (MK) - lunch
Boma - AK lodge - dinner
Tusker House breakfast...

I still want to maybe make reservations somewhere at DTD but I don't really know what day we will end up there so I will probably just end up waiting on that one.

I am so seriously super excited I can hardly stand it. It's like 140 days away or something like that!!!! Now, I plan to get back to running with my son (we were training for a 5k when we all got strep throat and then an awful stomach virus and then I had bronchitis!!!) starting back up tomorrow am!

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[StitchIsOurHero]

That all sounds terrific! They will be thrilled--the excitement of summer vacation from school is big enough, and add to that WDW. . .it will be off the charts!!

140 days is not bad at all! It will be here before you know it! We are going in March (PTR in my siggie) and we're 79 days out! The counting down is almost as fun as the trip!

We live in East TN, so I know where you're "from", so to speak!

I am wanting to start training for a 5K. I think I am going to do the Couch to 5K...and begin tomorrow! It's one of my New Year's "goals"....along with losing 15 or so lbs!!

Love your ADR plans (from dieting to food. . .that's how my mind goes! ). We absolutely love Boma and Tusker House--haven't tried the others yet, but they're on my "wants"!

 

[RomeGal]

OK - so I typed out a long update and *poof* it disappeared

Anyway - here's what has transpired! 124 DAYS UNTIL WE CHECK IN!!!! (Only 123 until we are on our way, though....0

It's still a secret - 2 months down of keeping it quiet - only 4 to go!

We got a great deal on an AoA Cars Suite (CastMember Friends & Family) of 40%. I am super excited to have that opportunity and can't wait to visit my CM friend while we are in Orlando! I also think that regardless of if there are dining/ticket discounts that I'm going to come out way ahead on the 40% suite discount. The CM I Just talked to when I called said that there are no dining discounts now but that she expects there to be a 15% discount on the dining plan when we get a little closer to checkin. So I'll call back about that. I can add on the dining but the cast member rates on rooms cannot be turned into a package? Whatever. It's fine.

We are driving. Picking the kids up from school at 2-2:30 on Friday 5/17 and leaving STRAIGHT from there to South. It takes us about 8.5-9 hours total driving. So, we'll be through ATL traffic before it's too bad this way (We are about an hour north) and then we'll be in Macon about supper time. Planning to stay at a Hampton with DH's points somewhere near or past Gainesville. (I'm trying to talk him into driving on straight to Orlando...but we shall see.) And then we'll get up and be in the world early the next morning!

Since we're driving, and we will have all our luggage and stuff, it won't really matter when our room is ready - and we're going to head to DHS that first day.

Here are my ADRs that I've already got:
Dinner @ SciFi in DHS
Dinner @ Teppan Edo in Japan
Lunch @ The Plaza in MK
Dinner @ 1900 Park Fare
Dinner @ Boma
Breakfast @ Tusker House
(I also need to figure out some dinner somewhere in DTD - TRex or the Raglan Road Pub are on my short list...)

I calculated the cost of OOP v. DDP - OOP (no desserts and just a few drinks/apps, etc.) turns out to be $1008(ish) (This includes all these above ADRs and 7 CS meals of roughly $35ish for our family of 4 (with bottled water) and $15-20 in snacks. DDP is $1018... I feel like DDP would definitely be the way to go based on my calculations AND the fact that it would be PAID FOR by the time we left and I wouldn't cringe every time I forked over $120+ for our dinner with gratuity...

So - that's my update. OH - and I'm a Charter Cardholder for Disney Visa - and I just redeemed $611 disney dollars and put that towards the room. Meaning we only owe $670! (I still gotta get tickets, though.... which is going to be about $1188)

Any suggestions, comments - whatever, would be much appreciated! I cannot WAIT to go. I'm so super excited I am about to jump out of my skin.

JJ - Momma to Cole : (8) Carson Claire (7)
Wife to Will
Lawyer and Sewing Freak

 

[wiigirl]

Awesome! Sounds like fun.

 

[MelMel11]

Count me in!! We are going in June!! So excited..

 

[CtinaDitty]

I'm in!!

I love Disney surprises! Every time I watch a video of one I bawl my eyes out. Haha!

Loving your plans so far! I have always wanted to eat at Teppan Edo but DH says we have a Japanese Steakhouse at home. Well, we also have all other types of Disney restaurant foods at home, lol!

 

[happybelle]

Oh I love surprises, I can't wait for more.

 

[RomeGal]

I'm in!!

I love Disney surprises! Every time I watch a video of one I bawl my eyes out. Haha!

Loving your plans so far! I have always wanted to eat at Teppan Edo but DH says we have a Japanese Steakhouse at home. Well, we also have all other types of Disney restaurant foods at home, lol!

We don't really have a Japanese steakhouse hibachi teppanyaki place. We have a sushi place (fairy new idea for our little town) but my. Friend and former CM at Disney just got back and her son is in my daighter's class and he said it was his favorite place for eating (and sci fi)...

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[RomeGal]

So I need to make some decisions. Anyone out there willing to share with advice, opinions, rude remarks or options I've not considered, please feel freee.

TICKETS -
Since we booked the AoA Cars Suite with the 40% cast member discount, we are eligible to add tickets - but there is no current CM discount on tickets.

I can get them from the super secret Mousesavers Link to Undercover Tourist at the best rate, I THINK... (7 day MYW base - we don't really need ParkHoppers with our touring plan...)

Except, I might be able to get YES tickets, with individual enrollment, for a little cheaper (considering that they are parkhoppers) - but of course I'd still have to pay for the YES program - does anyone have any thoughts on this? I have visited the YES website but I am REALLY confused about the options/cost/ticket add ons, etc... AND, I can't really seem to find any classes available at WDW for the week we are there (May 18-25).

FOOD -

I have about decided that OOP is the way to go for us. We have TS ADRs at:
Sci-Fi Dine In
Teppan Edo
1900 Park Fair dinner
Boma
Tusker House breakfast

We might make a reservation for TRex or Raglan Road - but otherwise plan to bring breakfast for the room and eat light CS lunches and snacks. I calculated and OOP (even eating the most expensive things at most places) with 2 kids is $8 less than the DDP. HA! And that is if each of us gets a full on entree/drink/dessert and snacks every day. Either way it works out to $800-1000 for the 8 days. Roughly $100/day. We plan to order a pizza from Landscape of Flavors one night and eat it by the pool...

I am thinking about buying a $100 Disney gift card every time I get paid between now and the trip - that is $800 of gift card $$$ that we can use for food and souvenirs. And, if I buy them at Kroger with my Disney Visa I think I get extra Disney Dollar points... So, we'll see.

I got some pins from Mousepinsonline for the kids. I need lanyards - but I can pick those up anywhere at any time... and I'm collecting little things here and there - I got DD(7) a cute mickey & minnie shirt that says Music is Love and DD(8) an Agent P shirt from Walmart of all places.

I'm getting super psyched! Only 3 months and 2 weeks!

 

[RomeGal]

Updates:

We decided (unless there is a discounted add on between now and May for the dining plan) that we will pay OOP for food.
ADRs updated:
Teppan Edo
SciFi Dine In
1900 Park Fair dinner w Cinderella
Ragland Road pub in DTD
Tusker House breakfast

I may add one more breakfast on our departure day as a "goodbye World" - either crystal palace or ohaha...but we will probably be out of money by then!!!

No tickets yet. I talked to my CM friend and she is checking to see what we can do. Hopefully I will hear back from her this week!!!

So far we have kept the secret from the children since November!!!! Wow, that is amazing for me.. I am trying to think about a fabulous way to surprise them at school on the last day. I thought about telling them over the afternoon announcements at school, but I want to video their reactions and they are in2 different classes, though I will be there fore field day and could take the 2nd grader in to the 3rd grade class and have the principal announce it?

Or, I could video he, leaving the school and say "Cole and Carson.... You have just finished 2nd and 3rd grade with all As, what are you going to do now?!?!" And then no matter what they say I can say back "you are supposed to say 'I'm going to Disney World!"....

Other thoughts?

We are driving from NW Georgia (60 miles north of ATL) - the trip is about 8.5-9 hours. We will leave around 3 on Friday 5/17 and stop in Ocala or somewhere abut an hour from Orlando for the night. Hope to be in Epcot by 10 the next day. Still trying to decide about checking in at 8-9am or just heading to Epcot as early as possible since it is flower & garden...

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[RomeGal]

Updates:

We got a discounted DDP With the CM friends and family discount! Yay!!! All we need to do now is order our 7-day base tickets and the PP+ and we will be set to go!!!

I have bee collecting treats for my kiddos - pins for trading, a $50 Disney gift card for spending on souvenirs, new Disney tshirts, and we got our custom park maps (free!) in the mail yesterday!!!

I am planning to do a scavenger hunt when they get home from school on the last day. The car will already be packed - and then we will head out!

All I gotta do now is start packing. 42 days to go!
ETA: Just order PP+... YAY!

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[RomeGal]

Update update update!!!


14 days from now and we will be on our way to Walt Disney World!
The kids still don't know...

I booked pirate's league for both of them last night for Monday 5/21 at 2:20... Super excited a bout that.

The kids and I are in the ca a lot (their dad lives 2.5 hrs away so we meet in the middle to switch for visitation) and we have epibenthic listening to the Dis unplugged podcast and they are really pumped about our theoretical trip that we might maybe take in the fall. Little do they know that 2 weeks from now we will be on our way!!!

On Friday, 5/17 my grandmother, mother, mother in law, and "uncle Jesse" (my BIL) are coming over to my house at 2... DH is leaving work early and will be home the same time. I have the whole day off so the car will be packed up and in the garage.

I will pick the kids up from school around 2 after field day. (2nd & 3rd graders!) I have a scavenger hunt planned. At each clue, they get a small prize... Little autograph books (Tinkerbell for DD, Phineas & Ferb for DS), new beach towels and sunscreen, etc. my grandmother, mom and MIL all have a little treats, too (Mickey ears, new Mickey/Minnie watches, journals, but these will be wrapped in a big box for opening at the end. I have our custom family park maps for the reveal at the end... We hope to leave the house by 3:30. We will drive 3 hours or so to Macon and eat dinner there, then hit the road to get probably as far as Ocala and get a room for the night there. (I am secretly going to push to keep going if we are good on time and the kids are out because even though Ocala is only 1-1.5 hrs away, I would rather try for close to rope drop on Saturday 5/18...

Saturday am, we will get up and grab a quick breakfast, check into AoA as early as possible and hit Epcot. Yay!!!!

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