3rd trip in 3 years!! Yes...We're addicted!

[shellbel]

I suppose if you have to have a vice, Disney is the best one to have! When DH (Dan) and I (Michele) spent our honeymoon in WDW, we had no idea that it would become an obsession once DS (Ryan) came along.

In 2005, we did our first free dining trip and loved it!! We stayed at ASMo in the Toy Story building. It was perfect. DS(2+) did fantastic with the characters and the rides.

So, of course, when free dining came along again in 2006, we jumped on it. This time we stayed at POP. We didn't enjoy the resort as much and thought the parks and resort were more crowded then the previous year but still had a great time. When we got back and compared notes with friends who also went during FD, we decided we wouldn't go during FD again.

Well, then Disney goes ahead and annonces FD again! Three years in a row...we couldn't believe it! My sister and her family decided they were going (this will be their 2nd FD trip) and our friends were going to go (this will be their 3rd FD trip). I was out of my mind. It was driving me nuts that I wasn't planning a trip but it seemed like everyone around me was!

That brings us up to today. DH and I decided we would plan a Nov / Dec trip. I've always wanted to see WDW at Christmas. It's my favorite time of year. So, after much research, here's what we've decided...

We are staying at Coronado Springs Resort from 11/28 - 12/5. We're paying (yes, paying) for the DDP. And the best part is we'll be there for DS 5th birthday!

Since I don't fly, we're taking the train. It will take about a whole day but my anxiety will be about 1/2. We booked the train with a roomette. So. we'll have a private sleeping area and bath from NYP to ORL.

DS(4) and I started a paper chain to count down the days until we leave for Disney. I took him to cash in a bag of change he had and there was over $40 there. He said he was saving that for Disney. When we got home he went to put the money in his ATM machine (toy bank) and there was a ton of change in there. So he bagged that up and wants to bring that in to get more cash for Disney.

Only 170 more days to go!!

 

[Avivasmom]

You will love it at the holiday time...they go all out.

This will be our 4th year going....we will be there from Nov 26-30th at BCV!!

 

[shellbel]

Here's the plan -

11/28 - the day we arrive. We'll check out the resort and swim a little and then head off to our traditional arrival day restaurant - Mitsukoshi Teppanyaki

11/29 - Off to MK- We've decided to try The Plaza. I can't even say that I can picture where it is but I've read great reviews.

11/30- AK - I'm hoping to get the new character breakfast at Tusker House but so far they aren't releasing any info.

12/1 - Epcot - dinner ressie's at LeCellier

12/2 - MGM - spend the day at the hotel and have an early dinner at Maya Grill. Then off to MGM to see the lights.

12/3 - AK - spend the day at the park and then off to DTD to eat at Wolfgang Puck's Cafe

12/4 - MK - DS's b-day!! We'll start at O'hana for breakfast and then have a magical day in the park. Probably do and eat whatever DS wants.

12/5 - go home - we'll just hang at the hotel until it's time to head over to the train station.

 

[shellbel]

Ok, so I tell my DF (father) that we're going to Disney again and surprisingly, he says "maybe, we'll go this time." My initial reaction was but my dad isn't really the "do things with the family" kind of guy so I decided to just be happy that he wants to do this with us. My DSM (step-mother) is all on board. She is so excited that he's in to it! My cousin and her 2 kids might be going too.

Well, my DSM calls me and tells me that they have enough points at the Mariott Grand Vista (just outside of Disney) for all of us to stay for free. I'm thinking, are you crazy lady I finally talked DH in to a moderate resort. Besides, for us, staying on-site is the way to go.

So now I'm trying to talk them in to foregoing their free stay at the Grand Vista (which is a beautiful hotel) and staying on Disney property. My DSM is in to the idea but wants to get a suite for all 8 of us to stay in. DH is not onboard with that idea at all.

I'm trying to convience them that even with the free hotel, they're still going to end up spending just as much as me by the time they rent a car, buy park tickets, and meals.

Oh, one more thing!! My cousin doesn't fly either (it must be something in our family genes ) so she's looking in to the train too. DS would love having his cousins along for the train ride down!

I hope they all go but I won't really count on it until they actually book the ressie.

 

[ILMICKEY]

Hello there! I will be there a few days before you! I promise to save some magic for you!!! I just love it at Christmas. We will be at the BWV. I can't wait, except for the fact it will be winter again!! Yuck!

 

[shellbel]

Last night, I'm going over our dining with DH...we only have 169 days left...we have to get this finalized. Now, DH is usually very laid back and just goes with the flow. He really keeps my OCD in check. Anyway, he actually had two problems with my schedule. Not one...TWO!

First problem: after looking at the menu for The Plaza, he didn't think that was such a good choice for a TS. He said if we want to eat lunch there we should just pay for it.

Second problem: He didn't like my plan for MGM. I was thinking we would hang at the hotel for most of the day, eat an early dinner at Maya Grill and then head to MGM to catch the few rides and attractions we enjoy and see the Osbourne Light Spectacular. DH thinks we'll miss out on seeing a lot of the characters at MGM that you don't see elsewhere. Last year we got Darth Vader's signature. That was a big score!

I spend the rest of the night trying to figure out how to rework the schedule. We like spending the first and last day at MK. Not to mention the last day at MK is also DS's b-day. So, here's what I came up with...

All of our days at the parks stay the same.

Our first day at MK is also MVMCP (which we're not going to) so I'm going to move our lunch at The Plaza to dinner at Kona for around 6:30. Maybe I'll try to get a later lunch time at The Plaza since we're having a later dinner.

Our second day at AK, I'm still going to try to get the breakfast at Tusker House. But then head back to our resort (CSR) for dinner at Maya.

Our fourth day at MGM, we'll still hang at the hotel in the morning, eat lunch at Pepper Market, and then head to the park.

DH was satisfied with those changes.

Could it be I'm putting to much thought in to this?? Naaahhhh!!!!

 

[ILMICKEY]

Nope! You can never put too much time into it. Have you got all the extra magic hours/dates yet? Those helped me a lot. We avoided them all together.

 

[shellbel]

Yep...trying to plan around all the EMH's and MVMCP is near impossible.

There are only 2 days during our stay that MVMCP isn't going on...day #2 and #5. So we've decided that we're not going to avoid MK during MVMCP becuase we want to be there on day #1 and day #6 (it's DS's b-day and we want to spend it in the Kingdom).

It was much easier last year to work around the EMH's but this year we're going to hit a few. Heck, we may even do the EMH (PM) the day we go to MGM.

Last night, my DH also wanted me to check the train fares to possibly move our dates around a little bit. But to not increase our train fare, it would push us too far in to Pop Warner.

There are so many things to consider and plan around. My family thinks I'm out of my mind but somebody has to do it. Besides I love it!!

 

[ILMICKEY]

You are a true Addict!!

I am trying so hard not to bring it up to my family anymore. I am really afraid they will commit me. Thank god I have all of you!!

 

[shellbel]

You are a true Addict!!

I am trying so hard not to bring it up to my family anymore. I am really afraid they will commit me. Thank god I have all of you!!

That is too funny!! That's why I decided to do a pre-TR because I would just talk about it everyday if someone would listen. You guys listen!

 

[disneyaddicted]

You are the second person to mention pop warner. They use to have it here in Pa. It's cheerleading right? Is there a cheer event going on at WDW in Dec? I am there from Dec 4th-Dec 11th.

 

[shellbel]

You are the second person to mention pop warner. They use to have it here in Pa. It's cheerleading right? Is there a cheer event going on at WDW in Dec? I am there from Dec 4th-Dec 11th.

I just got done reading your pre-TR (it's great by the way...very funny!! ) and when you mentioned cheering, I was surprised that you weren't going to be there for Pop Warner. But I guess everyone who cheers isn't necessarily involved with PW.

Here's what I pulled from another post.

Pop Warner December 1 - 8, 2007

Disney's Wide World of Sports® Complex will host the Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championships from December 1 - 8, 2007. In its 77th year, Pop Warner Little Scholars is the largest youth football, cheer and dance organization in the United States, consisting of 360,000 young people ranging from ages 5 - 16 years old.

From what I've read, they're mostly busy with thier activities but are in the park all day the last day or two. We're hoping that by staying at a moderate and only being there during the first part of their event, it won't be too bad.

 

[dreamsofdisney]

Okay, before I say anything else.....

((cue the music))
"It's A Small World After All, It's A Small World After All"​

I'm in Connecticut now, but moved here 5 years ago from BROCKPORT! Do we know each other!? It's a pretty small town! Funny thing is, a good friend of mine in high school was named Michele and her BF at the time was Dan. And we used to sing the song "Michelle, ma belle" by the Beatles and I saw your screename was shellbel. Too funny!

Anyway, just wanted to say hi and have fun planning your WDW trip!

 

[shellbel]

Okay, before I say anything else.....

((cue the music))
"It's A Small World After All, It's A Small World After All"​

I'm in Connecticut now, but moved here 5 years ago from BROCKPORT! Do we know each other!? It's a pretty small town! Funny thing is, a good friend of mine in high school was named Michele and her BF at the time was Dan. And we used to sing the song "Michelle, ma belle" by the Beatles and I saw your screename was shellbel. Too funny!

Anyway, just wanted to say hi and have fun planning your WDW trip!

You probaly know my DH (also 35). He grew up right here in Brockport...I'm a city girl. But I love living here!

 

[disneyaddicted]

I just got done reading your pre-TR (it's great by the way...very funny!! ) and when you mentioned cheering, I was surprised that you weren't going to be there for Pop Warner. But I guess everyone who cheers isn't necessarily involved with PW.

Here's what I pulled from another post.

Pop Warner December 1 - 8, 2007

Disney's Wide World of Sports® Complex will host the Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championships from December 1 - 8, 2007. In its 77th year, Pop Warner Little Scholars is the largest youth football, cheer and dance organization in the United States, consisting of 360,000 young people ranging from ages 5 - 16 years old.

From what I've read, they're mostly busy with thier activities but are in the park all day the last day or two. We're hoping that by staying at a moderate and only being there during the first part of their event, it won't be too bad.

Thanks for reading my trip report glad you liked it.

We compete on a totally different circuit then pop warner, I only heard of it from a lady who moved here from New York and her daughter cheered pop warner. I had no idea they went to Disney though. I am use to being around thousands of extremely peppy cheerleaders who are on spirit over load, I am not too worried about that. I think it might be fun to go watch them. I know Reese would love it.
Thankyou for the information.
I am enjoying your pre trip report.

 

[dreamsofdisney]

You probaly know my DH (also 35). He grew up right here in Brockport...I'm a city girl. But I love living here!

Hmmmm....Pretty funny! Did your DH graduate from HS in '90? As his class president? Come from a (kind of) big family? Or was his dad a lawyer? PM me if you want to chat! My family still lives in Brockport and I go back to visit twice a year.

Didn't mean to hijack your thread. We're big DIS people in our family, too. Or at least, DS and I are. DH goes along and enjoys the ESPN Club and the Rose & Crown!

 

[roxannensteve]

Just found your report & I'm sticking around to hear more

 

[shellbel]

So I've been trying not to obsess as much and only check in on the boards here and there. My DH truly thinks that all I do all day is DIS. So I've pulled back the reigns and I'm down to about 1/4 of my day.

My DS will be turning 5 our last full day in WDW. I want to make it as special and magical as possible for him. All I really had planned for that day was breakfast at O'hana (loved it last year!!) and the day at MK. Oh, and maybe co-piloting the monorail. It just didn't feel right to not do more. I asked DS if he wanted to have dinner in the castle and he was very excited. So, I talked to DH today and asked him how he felt about having dinner in the castle that night. He agreed!! We talked about the ressies we already had and the only one that we would be willing to throw out is the new character breakfast at Tusker House. Yes, it would be cool to go to the new restaurant but having dinner at the castle on my DS's b-day would be magical. It would also mean that if we weren't going to give up another TS that we would have to pay for one of them. No biggie, O'hana is the obvious choice. So, here's how our ressie's stand now:

Arrival - dinner at Mitsukoshi
Day 1 - dinner at Kona
Day 2 - dinner at Maya Grill
Day 3 - dinner at LeCellier
Day 4 - no TS - just lunch CS at Pepper Market then on to MGM
Day 5 - dinner at Wolfgang Puck's Cafe
Day 6 - Breakfast at O'hana and dinner at CRT

Now some of you may be wondering why I'm planning a dinner for DS at CRT. DS is always the entertainer. He's always looking to make someone laugh at / with him. I know he likes Cinderella - he watches to movie often. But I also know that he likes to push DH buttons. DH did ask me tonight - isn't that a little girly. I said, simply, yes.

Now the next thing to figure out is how am I going to talk DH in to MVMCP ?? Can we fit it in?? Will DS be able to stay functional that late??

 

[ILMICKEY]

Obsession---no way, it's an addiction!!!!

Your husband might call it girly, but I do believe your husband will appreciate a bunch of beautiful women over a bear, tiger and pig, right?

If you give your son a early afternoon nap, he should be fine. Ooooooor, you could give him a bunch of candy and pop. That might work too!!

Coffee??

 

[shellbel]

If you give your son a early afternoon nap, he should be fine. Ooooooor, you could give him a bunch of candy and pop. That might work too!!

Coffee??

Last year, it was a little harder to get him to nap in his stroller then it was the first year. We're not planning to head back to the resort so candy and soda it is. After looking at the menu for CRT, I'm already set on getting him a Biddi boddi Brew! That should get the sugar rush started!

After talking to my parents about staying on site vs. off site and proclaiming my love for DIS and Disney planning. My dad said in an ever so sympathic voice, "Michele, you sound like an addict". I KNOW!! I LOVE IT!!! I"M ON A DISNEY HIGH AND I'M NOT COMING DOWN AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!!!