3 Boys and 20 Hours in a Minivan,I Must Really Love this Place!*New4/22 TR LINK

[kittylady1972]

LOVE your trip report so far so I'm in! As a mom of three kids myself, I can certainly understand how hard it is to make these trips affordable. We have had the luxury of visiting Disney quite a bit, but even my DH thinks it's time we slow down for a bit. We leave for another trip in just TWO DAYS but it will be mostly a long weekend trip and we are driving the 14+ hours from Maryland...because it will save us at least $1000 or more! I really tried to look for flights but in the end just couldn't part with that money that I knew we could use elsewhere. Our on-site stay is "free" because we are DVC members using our points and we already had park hoppers so the tickets are already paid for as well. My DH thought I was crazy at first but he's all in as are his parents!

We took our three on their first cruise back in November, the 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream (still working on that trip report) and it was great. The kids really enjoyed their first cruise so I expect we may have to do another one in the future!

Have a GREAT trip and can't wait to read more!!!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Great introductions!! I can't believe how big your boys have gotten!! Wow! They grow up way too fast...huh?

Your plans look great!! We have often thought about driving so I'll be anxious to hear how it goes. Driving vs. Flying definitely helps with the budget that's for sure! It sounds like you have a lot of new things to look forward to this trip which is always fun!

We have a coffee can that we have decorated for our Disney trips but I love your jar!! So cute and practical! Every little bit helps!

I will definitely give you all the details about the road trip! The good, the bad, and the ugly!

Great introductions!

Thanks and Welcome!

Sooooo cute! I have a change jar too but it's just a plain jane looking thing. I may just take your idea and make one for myself.

I just wish it was full of money! Cute...but still empty!

LOVE your trip report so far so I'm in! As a mom of three kids myself, I can certainly understand how hard it is to make these trips affordable. We have had the luxury of visiting Disney quite a bit, but even my DH thinks it's time we slow down for a bit. We leave for another trip in just TWO DAYS but it will be mostly a long weekend trip and we are driving the 14+ hours from Maryland...because it will save us at least $1000 or more! I really tried to look for flights but in the end just couldn't part with that money that I knew we could use elsewhere. Our on-site stay is "free" because we are DVC members using our points and we already had park hoppers so the tickets are already paid for as well. My DH thought I was crazy at first but he's all in as are his parents!

We took our three on their first cruise back in November, the 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream (still working on that trip report) and it was great. The kids really enjoyed their first cruise so I expect we may have to do another one in the future!

Have a GREAT trip and can't wait to read more!!!

I hear you about the $1000....that was really the deciding factor when we planned this trip. I couldn't justify the extra $ for the convenience of flying. Luckily, with the boys' break being where it was, the driving time was not a big factor.

Thanks for joining in! Oh...and have a MAGICAL TRIP!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

So now that we have everyone introduced and we’ve discussed some of the challenges of planning this trip, let’s get to the fun stuff! The actual plans!

April 2, 1013 (Tuesday)—Departure Day! The plan is to have the van packed and be ready to pull out of the driveway before we go to bed on Monday April 1st. If we were flying, that’s how things would be so we are going to stay with what we know! My boys are by no means early risers, but with a Disney trip on the line, they will get up and be anxious to leave. We hope to eat a quick breakfast and leave by 6:00 AM. We hope to be able to drive 12 hours this day and make it as far as South Carolina. I will pack food for lunch and we will stop for dinner. I am not booking a hotel for this night as we have been told that there are enough decent and well-priced hotels along the route. That way we are not locked into a certain stopping point....we can stop before S.C. if we want to or we can go further if that’s what works. But…South Carolina is the goal.

April 3, 2013 (Wednesday)—The plan is to find a hotel with a free breakfast and take advantage of that before leaving by 8:00 AM or so. If we have made it to our goal spot (Rock Hill, SC), our destination is only 6+hours away! I hope to have enough snacks to keep us satisfied until we arrive and can have a late lunch/early dinner. Feeding 5 of us at a restaurant of any kind is a pricey endeavor! I have booked the La Quinta Inn in Cocoa Beach for this night and we hope to arrive in time to enjoy the pool and relax a bit.


April 4, 2013 (Thursday) -- Today is the day we get on the Carnival Ecstasy for our 4 night adventure to the Bahamas. We plan to have breakfast and spend some time walking the beach before heading to the port around 11 or so.

April 4-8, 2013 – Aboard the Carnival Ecstasy!

April 8, 2013 (Monday) -- We arrive back at Port Canaveral at 7 am and hope to be off the ship and to our car by 9:30. We will head straight for Disney, hoping to arrive at DHS before noon. This will be our only DHS day of the trip so we want to maximize it! We will have to check in to our condo at some point, but I haven’t really worked out the details of that yet. I may try to get early check in and stop there before heading to the Studios, or we may leave the park at some point in the early evening to do it, or we may just ask for late check in and do it after we leave the park. I need to give that some more thought and research.

April 9, 2013 (Tuesday) -- Animal Kingdom for the day and Downtown Disney in the evening.

April 10, 2013 (Wednesday) -- Epcot!

April 11, 2013 (Thursday) -- Epcot again! Our favorite park and the one we decided will get the extra touring day.

April 12, 2013 (Friday)—Magic Kingdom! I wanted our last day to be here. The last thing I want to remember as I leave WDW is the castle all lit up and sparkling!

April 13, 2013 (Saturday)—We will check out of our condo and hit the road for the long (and sad ) trip home. Again, we won’t book a hotel, but drive until we need to stop for the night.

April 14, 2013 (Sunday)—Our plan is to arrive home with enough time to unpack and unwind a bit before the boys go back to school on Monday.

So there you have it. A rough outline of our plan as it stands right now. I will go into more detail about touring plans for each park in a later post.

Next up— Who is joining us for a few fun days in Disney?? Wait till you see this little cutie!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

I am so excited about this news! When I started dreaming about this trip, I often shared my dreams with (well anyone who would listen, really…) my niece Shawna. Shawna is married to Jeff’s nephew Nick. Nick was the ring bearer in our wedding 20 years ago and we had the privilege of attending his beautiful wedding to Shawna in July of 2010. Nick and Jeff have always been close and we have remained very close with Nick and Shawna. In June of 2012, they welcomed a beautiful little boy named Christian into their family. In my dreaming about going to Disney, Shawna would always laugh and say that she and I should just pack up and go! Love that girl! Anyway, when the trip started becoming a reality, Shawna and I were out for coffee one day and I was giving her dates and some sketchy details. She smiled and said that she had been trying to talk Nick into a trip down south to visit her family and if it worked out, maybe they could meet up with us for a few days while we were in Disney! WHAT?? YAY!!

Long story short, Nick, Shawna, and baby Christian will be joining us for our first 3 days in Disney! They will stay in a resort on site because Shawna has a cousin who works at a Disney resort and can get them a good price. They will arrive on the weekend before we get there so will have a day or two to themselves before we arrive. We will meet up with them on Monday at DHS and then do AK and our first Epcot day together! I am so excited to be going to my favorite place with them and to see it through Christian’s eyes for the first time!

So you can put faces to names, let me introduce Nick, Shawna, and Christian!

This is Nick at our wedding in 1992.

And at his wedding to Shawna in 2010.

This is my fabulous niece Shawna…dancing with Jonah at her wedding.

And this is Christian!

Couldn’t you just eat him up? This is going to be a great trip!

 

[pattyw]

I'll be very interested in reading your TR! We have never had enough courage to drive from Buffalo, NY with our teenagers- but I know it would save us $$$!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

I'll be very interested in reading your TR! We have never had enough courage to drive from Buffalo, NY with our teenagers- but I know it would save us $$$!

The savings is hard to resist. But we'll see if it's courageous or just stupid!!

 

[pattyw]

Ha, ha!! Just make sure you have car chargers for all the electronics!! And too bad a minivan doesn't come with wifi!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Ha, ha!! Just make sure you have car chargers for all the electronics!! And too bad a minivan doesn't come with wifi!

LOL! My 15 year old has been working on the wifi in the minivan problem! If anyone can solve it, it will be him!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Somehow, I missed the post that had all of your traveling plans/itinerary. It sounds like you've got a good plan going there. We always stop at the first rest area across the Florida line (halfway mark for us) and get a hotel coupon book. We've been able to find some really good rates and, they have the phone numbers listed so you can call ahead to make sure they have a room.

I'm so looking forward to hearing all about the cruise. Was that the same cruise that you and Jeff took? I can't remember.

Now, on to the latest update! How neat that your niece and nephews will be with you for three days. I know that you've got to be super excited about that. It will be so much fun seeing that little sweet cheeked baby watching all the magic around him. It sounds like you and Jeff are close to them like I am to my niece and her husband. I feel like they are my sister and brother.

OOOOh this is going to be so much fun!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Somehow, I missed the post that had all of your traveling plans/itinerary. It sounds like you've got a good plan going there. We always stop at the first rest area across the Florida line (halfway mark for us) and get a hotel coupon book. We've been able to find some really good rates and, they have the phone numbers listed so you can call ahead to make sure they have a room.

I'm so looking forward to hearing all about the cruise. Was that the same cruise that you and Jeff took? I can't remember.

Now, on to the latest update! How neat that your niece and nephews will be with you for three days. I know that you've got to be super excited about that. It will be so much fun seeing that little sweet cheeked baby watching all the magic around him. It sounds like you and Jeff are close to them like I am to my niece and her husband. I feel like they are my sister and brother.

OOOOh this is going to be so much fun!

Hey Lisa! You are the second person who has mentioned the coupon books at rest stops. I'll have to keep my eyes open for them.

I am so excited about Nick and Shawna and little Christian joining us! I have to admit, it concerns me a little because we've never gone to Disney with anyone else and have always just toured our way. They are very laid back so I'm sure it will be fine. With the baby, they may need to adjust accordingly, but it will all work out! Seeing that baby meet Mickey is going to be well worth it!!

 

[Angies1274]

Your plans look great! It sounds like you are going to have a wonderful trip!! Not too much longer now.....

Yay for meeting up with your niece and nephew on vacation!! It's so exciting to be able to share the magic with others. I know that when we went with my family a few years ago it made it so much more special. Christian is adorable!! Aww...to see his face when he sees Mickey for the first time. So exciting!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Your plans look really good! I'm glad Nick, Shawna & Christian are going to join you. I've seen pictures of Christian on facebook... he sure is a cutie! And it sounds like you have a ton of fun babysitting him!

I love your Disney jar! Since the boys know about our trip this time around, I might just have to decorate our jar!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Your plans look great! It sounds like you are going to have a wonderful trip!! Not too much longer now.....

Yay for meeting up with your niece and nephew on vacation!! It's so exciting to be able to share the magic with others. I know that when we went with my family a few years ago it made it so much more special. Christian is adorable!! Aww...to see his face when he sees Mickey for the first time. So exciting!

Yep...as of today, we leave in 61 days! That puts us in WDW in 67 days!

I am really excited about them joining us. I have a few worries about touring, but I'm just going to plan our days as normal and they can tag along or go off on their own as needed. He's such a cutie...can't wait to introduce him to the Happiest Place on Earth!

Your plans look really good! I'm glad Nick, Shawna & Christian are going to join you. I've seen pictures of Christian on facebook... he sure is a cutie! And it sounds like you have a ton of fun babysitting him!

I love your Disney jar! Since the boys know about our trip this time around, I might just have to decorate our jar!

Thanks Amy! I do enjoy having him. They have a lot of family locally, so I don't get into the babysitting rotation as often as I'd like, but I take full advantage of it when I do!

I have a bunch of crafts I'd like to do for this trip. Shawna wants to make a Mickey tote bag, I'm going to make a few t-shirts, and also a stroller tag for Christian. We'll see if it all gets done!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

I've updated my first post with Update Links so those who like to just read reports and not chatter can do just that!

I'm working on a To-Do List....Stay tuned!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

I have to confess, I am a girl who loves a good list! And there’s no list better than a to-do list for a Disney vacation! I am sure this one will need tweaking from time to time, but here is the list as it stands now.
60 Days and Counting! I’m going to break this list down by deadlines. So, things to get done by the 45 days to go mark, one month, 2 weeks, etc.

45 days to Go! (February 16)
* Make final payment on cruise portion of trip
* Book snorkeling and beach day in Freeport
* Make t-shirts and tote bags with Shawna
* Start buying glow sticks, bubbles, etc for parks
* Firm up touring plans for each park day
* Make ADR for our one TS meal

One Month to Go! (March 2)
* Inventory boys’ clothes and shop for shorts, etc if needed
* Make arrangements for Daisy
* Print updated calendars with park hours, parades, etc and add to binder
* Make a packing list
* Start buying car snacks
* Plan meals for road trip

2 Weeks to Go! (March 19)
* Make final payment on Windsor Hills condo
* Purchase park tickets from Undercover Tourist
* Pull suitcases and begin packing
* Finalize touring plans and make daily 3x5 cards
* Print cruise documents
* Schedule haircuts and pedicure
* Take inventory of travel size items and purchase as needed
* Plan 10 Day celebrations for each night leading up to vacation
* Finalize budget (spending money, etc)


As we get closer, I will do more detailed “getting ready to leave” lists. And like I said, I may need to make additions to this list. So…what do you think? Any glaring omissions?


Next up….Yes, No, Maybe—DHS Edition!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

This is what the Carnival website says today....

Balance Paid In Full

That deserves a little dance!



The cruise portion of the trip is paid off. Now to work on the condo and park tickets!

 

[mickeystoontown]

This is what the Carnival website says today....

Balance Paid In Full

That deserves a little dance!



The cruise portion of the trip is paid off. Now to work on the condo and park tickets!

Boom Bamm! Doing the cruise trip paid off dance with you!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

So, the plan for the next few updates is to go through our Yes, No, and Maybe list for each park. I’ll also include some of my favorite pictures from past trips to each park just for fun! Ready? Here we go!

Hollywood Studios, for me, is the hardest park to navigate and for that reason, is our least favorite park. When faced with only 5 park days, knowing one of them would be a “not making it for rope drop” day, it was an easy decision to make DHS our short day park. If not for the thrill rides, we would probably skip this park. But….we are big TOT lovers so a short DHS day it is. Here’s how the list shapes up.

Yes—Most definitely will do everything in our power to fit these into our touring schedule.

Toy Story Mania—we are a competitive family! This ride is so fun and we can’t wait to do it again!

Rock n Roller Coaster—we are thrill junkies so this is a must-do!

Tower of Terror—even my husband and middle son who hate heights love this ride. We’re in!

Fantasmic!—we had to watch this from the SRO section last time. Hoping for better seats this trip.

Beauty and the Beast- Live on Stage—This is my favorite Disney movie and so I force my family to sit through it!


Maybe—if time and touring allow, we will try to do these attractions.


Muppet Vision 3D—I LOVE the Muppets! It’s very nostalgic for me and the kids think it’s all brand new!

Lights, Motors, Action!—we’ve seen this show twice, so if something has to get dropped, this will most likely be first to go. But with 3 adrenaline junkies for sons, we’ll try!

Star Tours—One of the few attractions I do not do. Jeff will take the boys and it would be nice to see the new additions since the refurb.

The Great Movie Ride—my oldest son requested that we do this one, so we’ll give it our best shot!

Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream—I’ve been wanting to see this for the past 2 trips and just haven’t made it in. With the boys being older, I think they could appreciate it now.


No—Barring a crazy circumstance where we are bored, these don’t make the cut.

Indiana Jones—we’ve seen it and prefer the Lights, Motors, Action show.

Backlot Tour—I know it’s going away, but once you know Catastrophe Canyon is coming, the tour loses its appeal. Seen it, will be sad to see it go, but don’t need to see it again.

American Idol Experience—we don’t watch or follow the show so this holds no appeal for any of us.

The Magic Of Disney Animation—my kids enjoyed the interactive exhibits last trip, but once was enough.

Voyage of the Little Mermaid—we have never seen this one, so I may reconsider and put it on the maybe list. But it seems a little young for my boys.


Also on the list, we’d like to meet Phineas and Ferb if they are out and about. Another thing to note, Nick, Shawna, and Christian will be with us on this day, so we may have to adjust a bit if they want to do certain things.

Now for the fun part! A look back at our favorite DHS pics from past trips!


Our VERY first character encounter on our first Disney trip in 2007

Mater, 2007

Jonah rocking out with the Pixar gang in the Pixar Block Party parade, 2009.

Photopass pic, 2009

The Incredibles! 2009

Meeting Mickey! 2009

There you have it. The DHS edition of Yes, No, Maybe. Please feel free to comment and to let me know if I have made any serious errors in judgment! This PTR is open to any and all feedback!

Next up….Yes, No, Maybe—Animal Kingdom Edition!

 

[lsenquiz]

Love your picture of Block Party Bash parade. I miss that parade so much. It was our absolute favorite of all parades. I still have hopes that Disney will bring it back some day.

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Love your picture of Block Party Bash parade. I miss that parade so much. It was our absolute favorite of all parades. I still have hopes that Disney will bring it back some day.

That was such a fun parade! I loved how interactive it was!