25th Ann.-2 TR w/over 1500 pics!!!!

[DizNee Luver]

10 More Days....almost in single digits!!!

 

[kaoden39]

10 More Days....almost in single digits!!!

Woo hoo!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Single Digits!!!!!

So my kids package came in yesterday from Disney Travel....they forgot to put in the luggage tags (which are super nice this year).....so we'll pick them up at check-in. Not really a big deal since we're not flying...but we want them because they are so nice!!

The 2 older boys are getting pretty excited now that the packet has arrived. My older boy is desperately trying to sell some "baseball" cards (different sports) on ebay & another card trading site he belongs too. He knows with the addition of the 4 of them, our finances are extremely tight now. So bless his heart, he's trying but no one is buying right now. Hopefully something will come thru in the next 9 days, so we won't be counting pennies at every meal & store. Originally I had left myself a ton of spending money & now I'm down to about $500 (buying for 10 people) doesn't give me much freedom.

Finally got the twins respite situation figured out. We changed our travel dates to ensure I had someone to watch our twins & the 2 foster kids in our care. The lady called me up last week to tell me that she forgot she was doing something the first weekend of our trip. She said they could take the 2 older kids (foster), but she didn't want to leave her hubby to tend to the twins the first 2 nights. So I've been frantically trying to find someone who could take them.........hooray, found someone late yesterday...so now we should be good to go!!!

Can't wait, can't wait!!!

 

[kaoden39]

Oh I do not envy that stress at all. I keep budgeting and pulling everything tighter so that I can have more money for the trip. It's alway's so fun. Not. I am glad you got everything good with the kids. That is a great thing! Good luck to your son on his cards.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Yea, more money would be good.... the longer I have to wait for this trip, the more things I add in!!!
After the addition of the kids to this trip, we sat down & discussed the character meals & which ones my older boys wanted to go to. They chose not to do the Lilo-n-Stitch breakfast, but yesterday Derek (19) had his lip sticking out because he realized he hadn't seen those characters at the park before & really wanted to join us. SOOOOOOO, I added the 2 in to that meal. Then after reading the boards, I found out that Ariel's Grotto does breakfast now.....not sure when that happened or how I hadn't heard about it. The disneyland.com site doesn't even list breakfast for this restaurant.....weird!! Well Addy is a huge princess fan & this meal is a must (couldn't figure out how to incorporate it as a lunch or dinner, but breakfast was easy) & Anthony likes hugging the princesses so done deal. The big boys said no thanx to this one.....lol Gee, maybe they could have found themselves a woman!!!!

So after sleeping tonight I'll be down to 8 days & hopefully I'll find something else to fill my time other than my schedule...... I keep planning & planning & planning...... but you know what's weird about all my planning??? I never plan out ride schedules....which one first, which land first....yada yada yada That's probably something most people do, but not me. We always tend to hit Fantasyland first (with a runner getting FP's) & then go from there.

Now I will try to stay away from the Disney Dining phone # tomorrow & hopefully I will keep our costs from getting out of hand.... Well I'll try......

 

[kaoden39]

You know it's funny I go so far as to plan it all out. But then when we get to the park the plans all go flying out the window. All except the PS ones. That's why I never do things like Ride Max because I know I will never stick to a schedule.

 

[DizNee Luver]

We only stick to our PS resies, but follow pretty closely to the restaurants I have picked. I schedule them out, because there are certain places we want to try or eat at again, so usually I have no arguements about where we eat. I also try to plan in certain days for entertainment/parades/Fantasmic & fireworks...... of course We LOVE the fireworks, so we try to catch them every night....but schedule what night(s) we'll catch them in front of the castle. Otherwise we stop where ever we are & watch them. Its a MUST for Addy.....she'll start screaming for us to stop if we haven't.... she was so cute last year when we went!!

8 DAYS!!!

 

[mariezp]

Okay.... just got through over at my place so now I have come back to post at yours!

First, let me say that I am so in awe of you! I made it to 2 children and that was quite enough for me! You must be some special angel to love kids so much and give a home to the additional children you have taken in. God bless you!

I imagine it would have been nice to have had a vacation without the kids but it must have made you very proud that your 2 older boys wanted to go enough that they even saved their own money. Just think how lonesome you would have been without them! And now, your other 2 will get to share in the fun too. Great looking family, BTW. I don't think there would have been any way you could have said no to those faces! I hope the boys are successful in raising some more funds.

Your itinerary includes a lot of the things we have done and loved. PS for Fantasmic Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour Blue Bayou I don't plan ride schedules either. We usually hit Pirates together and then after that we just go with the flow. I do make those PS arrangements! I enjoy having a designated time and place and not have to wait in a long line. Whatever you do..... take that girl to see those princesses and those fireworks!

Another tip to save space. I know it may sound silly but... would it be possible to at least travel in the car in some clothes that you didn't care about leaving behind? Maybe let the kids wear some play clothes then just toss em after the drive and put on better clothes. Same could be done for the adults. That would be one set of clothes per person to not have to repack. You could also maybe take socks and undies that could be left behind. I've never done this myself but I did actually read this somewhere and did not make it up myself!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Hmmm, I like that idea.....we have some pretty ragged things we could wear & toss!!! Show up in Anaheim looking like bums, then leave with all new clothes....I like it!!!
We actually pack pretty light. We bring a pair of sweats, a couple pairs of pants & a couple pairs of shorts. (we get more than one day out of them) & then we bring the shirt we're wearing & one shirt for the first day, after that we buy Disneyland shirts. It's how I restock my closet!!! But it does amaze me how the dirty laundry seems to quadruple in size from when it was clean...... very weird!
I did go buy some of the space bags & will try to use those for the laundry. The most clothes we have to have is for the 3 yr old. Last year we went thru a number of outfits in a day. She was potty trained, but we put her in pullups so we didn't have her do the pee-pee dance while in line. She soaked thru quite a few times....I'm hoping with a year under her belt, she won't need to go as often!!
Thank you for stopping by to see our PTR. I really enjoyed yours & you made some very nice compliments about our family....thanx

We're getting so close, I can't wait!!!!

 

[mariezp]

Somehow I knew that my suggestion was going to illicit a good laugh! Honestly, I wasn't thinking you should show up at the Disneyland Hotel looking like a bum because it would be a shame if they turned you away at the door! BUT in my case I know I have t-shirts in my closet that have probably been in there 10 years that I never wear and would never miss if I left them behind. You know, things that you just don't like the way it fits. And kids always have something with stains or maybe a tiny hole or patch. That would take care of you and the kids. If your guys are anything like mine you could probably just leave out an entire set of clothing that you normally pack for them and they might not even notice.

When we travel for 14 days I pack 4 sets of clothes for each of us. (well, usually a bit more for DD.) Of course, I have to do laundry mid trip. Still we have to get more than a day out of our clothes because there is just no way to pack 14 days worth of clothing per person and get it on the plane... and still be able to afford a vacation! Me, 2 days is the max I can stand but I swear our boys could probably make it with the clothes on their back! They just don't care. When we get home I almost always have some clean clothes left over from them.... with the exception of socks.

That is a good plan to bring home clothes from the park. I do that sometimes myself. I would probably even more but I absolutely hate wasting perfectly good park time shopping!

 

[DizNee Luver]

We did laundry on our 2005 trip.....that sucked.... the room was tiny & HOT & there was no way I was going to walk away from our machines.... so for 3 hours I sat in the oven & waited. I would have much rather, spent time in the stores shopping, cause at least I would have been in the park!!

I did get a chuckle out of leaving the clothes behind.....we all have things we don't like, so that will work!! My hubby has a ton of socks that need to hit the garbage, so I think I'll pack those.....wear & toss!!!

 

[Michelle2]

I know we're getting close to our trip when the Disney Travel Package arrives via UPS!!! Super excited to find all the goodies inside!! I also pre-ordered some Disney GiftCards & they arrived at the same time!!
Now just sit & wait patiently for 17 more days........ guess I'll have to fill my time with these forums

That is always such an exciting time! I am very envious that you have the WDT package with those preferred seatings! I better order my tickets....lol

 

[DizNee Luver]

I'm working on my LGMH's for the backpacks. So much fun!! Will post a pic as soon as I get it done.

7 DAYS TO GO!!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Got it done!!!

 

[kaoden39]

I'm working on my LGMH's for the backpacks. So much fun!! Will post a pic as soon as I get it done.

7 DAYS TO GO!!!

Woo Hoo!

 

[kaoden39]

Got it done!!!

Those are adorable!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Thanx!!! Another thing done on the list...... the big thing left is the laundry & packing...... Not my favorite thing!!! It would be great if we had enough clothes to get the packing done now, but instead I'll be doing laundry on Thursday to pack up on Friday....otherwise, my kids would go nakey most of the week!!

 

[kaoden39]

Thanx!!! Another thing done on the list...... the big thing left is the laundry & packing...... Not my favorite thing!!! It would be great if we had enough clothes to get the packing done now, but instead I'll be doing laundry on Thursday to pack up on Friday....otherwise, my kids would go nakey most of the week!!

That's me. And I always am washing my clothes the day we leave because we leave in the evening. I drive people nuts because I don't pack until right before we go. By people I mean my daughters who have to be packed days ahead of time.

 

[DizNee Luver]

I got thrown for a loop this afternoon, Disney Dining called to let me know that Hook's Pointe was going down for refurbishment March 8th. Our anniversary dinner (with no kids) was to be there on the 11th. So after humming & hawing....we decided to cancel our Friday lunch at the Blue Bayou & replace Hook's Pointe with it. So the Blue Bayou it is for our "romantic" dinner.
This actually opened up my Friday so I could add in the Pat-E-Cake birthday party for Anthony (who will turn 8, 2 days after we get back). So it actually worked out better in the long run.

Now I just have to hope I don't get any more phone calls like that one!!! I had to retype about 15 pages in my planning book.....lol

 

[mariezp]

Don't cha just get so annoyed when you have to keep changing plans? Well, I would imagine with your busy household you are probably pretty used to things changing! Oh well, at least Disney called and let you know ahead of time so you could make other arrangements. IMHO you will be better off at Blue Bayou. We have only went to Hooke's Point once which was with the Candlelight Processional booking. I was not impressed and had no desire to ever go back. Now Blue Bayou, on the other hand... it's our family favorite! Have some Creme Brulee for me!