2015!?! Really...really...I have to wait that long???

[lcj19]

DH and I went on our Disneymoon Nov. 30 2009...there is the problem...2009!!! I can't wait to go back, but I have to. Currently we are living in Germany and we can't see flying back to the states to go to WDW when we know eventually we will be back stateside and we have all of Europe to travel. After DD (Bug 18m) was born we set a date to make our WDW come back...Sept. 24 to Oct. 8, 2015!!! By then we will be back in the states and Bug will be 5yrs. YAY!!! Only now I sit around waiting...waiting...waiting ...I need a time machine.
For months now I have been reading the boards, getting ideas, and taking notes. Now I have decided to keep my notes here...it should keep me sane...for a little while...maybe .
Today I will start by introducing my family. Hi, I'm Leah!!! I am 26 (if you ever ask again I will say 25 ), I grew up in north Florida, and I LOVE Disney. Next, is Joe (DH25). Joe grew up in Indiana and his 1st WDW trip was our Disneymoon ...poor thing. Finally, we have Baylee Bug (DD18m). She has never been to WDW, but we took her to DLP for her 1st Birthday and we will be going back for her 3rd Birthday as well.

This is a picture from her Birthday trip Aug. 2011.

 

[lcj19]

Maybe I am crazy, but I like to have a budget idea in mind before I even begin thinking about the specifics of a trip. This will be a big trip for us and we don't want "sticker shock" or have to do alot of last minute saving. Right now we have decided on a $7,000 budget for EVERYTHING. I have played with the numbers using current pricing (while leaving room for future inflation) and it is very doable. Sure, the trip is a ways away, but is it ever too early to start saving ???

My WDW Savings Strategy:
* Couponing - putting all savings into a WDW fund
* Save $50 every pay check (more once we aren't traveling Europe anymore)
* Set allowances (can't spend what we can't see )
* Add any unused savings from other trips
* Dropping the extras (going to movies, eating out, and so on)
We also plan to use our tax return (that will be the big part f our WDW money) and our "hidden" savings (money that just accumulates because we use our allowances and forget we have money sitting after bills are payed ).

DTD on our Disneymoon .

 

[Ambassador]

That is about the time we are thinking of returning to WDW too. We have been fifteen times over the last thirteen years, but are planning Grand Canyon and Hawaii trips over the coming next two years. So we will just have to wait too.

Trouble is we just returned from our last trip two weeks ago, and the wait is already unbearable!

 

[lcj19]

That is about the time we are thinking of returning to WDW too. We have been fifteen times over the last thirteen years, but are planning Grand Canyon and Hawaii trips over the coming next two years. So we will just have to wait too.

Trouble is we just returned from our last trip two weeks ago, and the wait is already unbearable!

You have been to WDW 15 times, I am jealous. Is there anything you haven't done at the parks? Both Hawaii and the Grand Canyon are on my "to do" list for our between Disney trips. I am hoping that this will be a good way to control my WDW cravings . Though I am excited to see new places too. We leave on a cruise to Oslo, Norway; Amsterdam; and Belgium here in May and then have family coming to tour Germany with us in Sept./Oct. I'm know I will have a great time once I am on the trips, right now I don't know what to expect, but I know I LOVE WDW.

 

[smile4stamps]

Wow! I think I'd go crazy planning a trip so far in advance! I can understand the need to write about your thoughts and feelings though as going without can be so hard!

At least you get to go to DLP though! I would love to do that!!

Here's to time flying by for you!!

 

[lcj19]

Wow! I think I'd go crazy planning a trip so far in advance! I can understand the need to write about your thoughts and feelings though as going without can be so hard!

At least you get to go to DLP though! I would love to do that!!

Here's to time flying by for you!!

Thank you!!! DLP is a nice Disney fix, but nothing like the World...is anything though . The advance planning is my way of...umm...well...its just my way, what I do . I plan in advance for everything...its a budgeting strategy for us. Gives us plenty of time to save up the money we will need without accumulating any debt. Its also fun for me .

Here is a little DLP for you...

 

[pinkxray]

I'm in. Our next trip isn't until 2013 but I am hoping to get there earlier. We'll see.

 

[lcj19]

I'm in. Our next trip isn't until 2013 but I am hoping to get there earlier. We'll see.

Hi ya !!! Have you started making plans for your 2013 trip yet? I would like to hear about them...you could have good ideas for me to steal . I hope you can do an earlier trip that would be a nice....oh if only .

 

[lcj19]

I am feeling more then alittle jealous today . A good friend of mine is WDW today, while I am extremely happy for her (we were trading ideas and touring plans while she was planning this trip) I'm jealous that I'm not there. This wait is killing me .
On a good note we got to go see the Burg Eltz here in Germany yesterday and during the drive DH brought up all on his own how much he misses WDW. We will get there eventually . Feeling better now!!!

DH and I at MVMCP '09

 

[lcj19]

We got back late last night from our first cruise!!! It was non-Disney, but still nice. Your probably wondering how this is Disney related...well our trip was in Norway and I thought it would be fun to see how people in Norway felt about the way Disney represented their country. Sadly we didn't get to see as much of Norway as we would have liked, but I saw enough to know that it is a stunningly beautiful country!!! I feel the Epcot pavilion is a Disney-fide Norway, but does the country justice. We spoke to several Norwegian nationals that love Epcot and enjoy seeing their home represented, though they felt it was given "Disney magic". Good job Disney !!!

Now the second thing I feel makes this trip Disney relevant is that we didn't take a Disney cruise (I won't be naming the cruise line because I am not a pro cruiser and don't really know what the norm is and therefore don't want to bash something I don't fully understand). Curious? We were traveling with our now 20m DD. There was a small playroom for her age group on the boat, but nothing organized for them to do...even supervised. They advertised having babysitters on board for a fee, but they didn't have any at all...not booked mind you, just none period. It made the days we had at sea very uneventful for all of us. DD was bored and as a result cranky. We had been looking into a Disney cruise for next year, but had ruled it out prior to this cruise...alittle more expensive than we liked...our minds have now changed. We will be cruising with Disney for 2013!!! DLP then DCL...I have one seriously fun year coming my way !!! Now off to make my new ticker .

A look at Norway!!!

 

[lcj19]

Thursday night I was sitting watching tv with DD while DH played on his iPad. "Honey can you pause the show please?" I comply. "I need you to get on your computer and go to this website for me." (We both have computers, but mine is the only hooked up to the printer.) I log on and he starts telling me the site. I didn't even know or really care what I was typing in, all I knew was DD wanted to push buttons and that's not nifty kids.

The page loads...oh no...DD must have hit something I didn't see . " What was that site again? I ended up on the DLP site. Baylee must have hit something." No answer. "Honey?" I look up and he is just smiling at me. "What?" Silence and weird sneaky smile. Ok...what the heck am I mis..."No way!?! Really? Do you meanit?" He meant it.

We head out tomorrow morning for one day at DLP then the night and following day in Paris!!!