4 + 1 = happy memories? I hope so! NEW: Final thoughts!

[Liz]

Index:
Trip report begins page 5

1. 12/15 Leaving Home - page 5, #69
2. 12/15 Travel day - page 5, #73
3. 12/15 We're here! Let's get to All Star Music - page 6, #76
4. 12/16 Leaving ASMu, Arriving Wilderness Lodge - page 6, #84
5. 12/16 Magic Kingdom - part 1 & 2 - page 6, #89 & #90
6. 12/17 Epcot - part 1 & 2 - page 7, #97 & #98
7. 12/18 MGM - parts 1, 2 & 3 - page 8, #109, #110, and #111
8. 12/19 Chef Mickeys - page 8, #118
9. 12/19 Animal Kingdom - page 9, #125
10. 12/19 A most unusual sight - page 9, #134
11. 12/20 Segways! - page 10, #147
12. Kelsee's photos! - page 11, #157
13. More of Kelsee's photos! - page 11, #158
14. 12/20 WS Mexico - page 11, #162
15. 12/20 WS Norway - page 12, #168
16. 12/20 WS China & Africa - page 12, #169
17. 12/20 WS Germany & USA - page 12, #170
18. 12/20 WS Italy & Japan - page 12, #177
19. 12/20 WS France, UK & Off Kilter - page 12, #178
20. 12/20 Our Epcot evening - page 13, #181
21. 12/20 Biergarten - page 13, #184
22. 12/21 An unfortunate turn of events - page 13, #193 (part 1) and #195 (part 2)
23. And even more of Kelsee's photos! Pg. 14 #208 - Epcot, Pg. 14 #210 MGM, Pg. 15 #213 - Chef Mickeys & AK
24. 12/22 A day like no other - THANK GOODNESS! - Page 15, #214
25. 12/23 Leaving Disney - page 16, #226
26. Final thoughts! - page 16, #235



Pre-trip details

There are three type of days in the year. Days when you are anticipating your next trip, days when you are actually at Disney World (the best days of all) and the dreaded days following a trip when you are overwhelmed with "homesickness".

We are currently in the stage of counting down the days (56) and that's a pretty good place to be. Only I have a nagging worry in the pit of my stomach as I await a phone call from the doctor that could potentially derail the whole thing.

Our cast:

Me - I caught the Disney bug first and spread it to the rest of my family. Luckily, as far as I know, there is no cure and if there is I don't want it. I grew up in Florida and fell in love with WDW when my mom and I would take trips there beginning in 1976. We'd spend three days visiting the Magic Kingdom (the only park at the time) and were fortunate enough to stay at the Contemporary and Polynesian. Sadly, now I can't convince my mom to go anymore but I love planning trips for my wonderful family.

Paul - My DH would love to go to Alaska or back to Yellowstone even but he likes WDW very much. He just thinks there are other places we could visit but I point out we have to go to Florida to visit my family anyway and we can't really afford two vacations a year. So far its worked. His personality varies between Goofy and Grumpy, depending on his mood.

Jeff - (20) - Our wonderful son who is at college for his second year. He's 2 hours away from home and, while it has gotten easier having him gone, I still miss him terribly. In our family he's definitely the next biggest Disney fan. He loves talking to people, drumming and is very outgoing.

Laura - (18) - Our precious daughter who has been through more challenges in her young life than many of us will in our entire lives. She had a heart transplant when she was 6 weeks old. Her health has been mostly good but its a roller coaster ride (and not the good kind). A few years ago she had West Nile Virus which put us in the hospital for almost two months and required her to learn how to walk again. She's our angel on earth and in our home.

Kelsee - (20) - Jeff's girlfriend who will be accompanying us for the first time on our vacation. I was against her coming at first because we're 50/50 on whether its worked out well vacationing with anybody but our family. But it looks like Kelsee will become part of our family at some point so we're going to give it a try and hopefully it will be a good thing for everyone.

Yesterday Laura had a biopsy on her heart and we're awaiting a call for the results. If its not good news we don't have a lot of time to get things turned around before we leave for Florida so I'm really nervous. Although if the news is bad, going to Florida is the least of our worries.

 

[Avivasmom]

Great start so far...I hope the news comes out good for your DD...and what a great mom you are to take your DS girlfriend. Thankfully, I have a few years to worry about that.

Cannot wait to read more.

 

[Liz]

Great start so far...I hope the news comes out good for your DD...and what a great mom you are to take your DS girlfriend. Thankfully, I have a few years to worry about that.

Cannot wait to read more.

Thanks! Still no word from the doctor. I suppose no news is good news but I won't relax until I get the word. Your little girl is so adorable!

 

[Liz]

I mentioned we were 50/50 on whether it had previously worked out well vacationing with other people.

A few years ago we traveled to Disneyland with my BIL & SIL and their family. If I had written a trip report for that vacation it would have been called "NEVER, NOT EVER AGAIN." Looking back I realize I need to accept a good share of the blame for things going wrong but certainly not all. We have a great time on our trips and I'm sure they do on theirs but our vacationing styles do not mix. We never argued or had harsh words on the trip but when we got home we spent a lot of time apart in order for things to get back to normal between us.

With the memory of our Disneyland trip still fresh in our minds we began to plan a WDW trip with friends of ours. Our sons have been best friends since preschool and are now at college together. Our daughters are very good friends too. Our friends knew all about the things that had gone wrong with our Disneyland trip. We all felt certain that we would have a great time together and we did. We stayed 8 nights at Pop Century and everything was pretty close to perfect as a vacation could get.

So I really hope this trip with having Jeff's girlfriend along will be a good one. My family is used to me and my super charged enthusiasm! Hopefully I won't scare off Jeff's girlfriend and make her think twice about ever wanting anything to do with me again!

 

[Liz]

I know a lot of people like to do split stays. We don't. We haven't actually tried it but it doesn't sound like something we would like to do. When the four of us stayed 8 nights in a room at Pop we never got tired of being there and felt like we had plenty of room. We like settling in and making one resort "home" for the duration of our stay. Which is why, on the surface, our plans for this trip make very little sense!

1 night - All Star Music (12/15)
6 nights - Wilderness Lodge courtyard view (12/16 - 21)
1 night - Pop Century (12/22)
1 night - Dolphin or All Star Sports (12/30)

When Jeff graduated high school last year we let him choose (within our budget) what resort we would stay at. He chose Ft. Wilderness and for the first time we stayed in a cabin there. This year Laura graduated so we let her do the same. She liked the Boardwalk Inn, Wilderness Lodge and Caribbean Beach. With no code available at the time, CBR was the only one in our budget so I made reservations for eight nights in December.

Later we were fortunate enough to receive a PIN in the mail. I tried switching to WL but it wasn't available for all 8 nights. I found out if I dropped the last night I could get us in. The change was done and I secured a reservation at Pop for the extra night.

After making our plane reservations, and being the money conscious (aka cheap) person that I am, I started thinking of how much money we would save if we spent the first night at a value resort instead of WL. We come from a snowy climate and we'll be flying in December. If we happen to be delayed for very long I won't be thinking of all the dollars going to waste if we are just at a value resort the first night. Wanting to try a place we've never been before, we got a reservation at All Star Music for our first night and cancelled the WL for the 15th.

After WDW we are spending a week with my family. Our plane departs Orlando for home at 7:00 AM which will require us being at the airport around 5:00. My parents live two hours away so we are spending that last night back at Disney in a yet undetermined resort. All Star Sports is the only value with availability (December 30th) and the price is a staggering $160 including tax.

I just applied for a Starwood Preferred American Express but it hasn't come in the mail yet. When it does I will get 10,000 points for making a purchase, which is enough for one night at the Dolphin. I'm hoping my card will come soon and I can get those points right away and possibly use them for a room at the Dolphin our last night. That would be awesome! We had wonderful stays there two years in a row and it is a magical place! Jeff and I were at a store in the mall when he was younger (may have been Nordstroms) and there was a man playing a grand piano in there. Only half kidding, I told Jeff if he's ever in a store where they have a person playing a grand piano that's a good sign we can't afford to shop there! When we were in the lobby of the Dolphin we saw a man playing a grand piano and Jeff smiled like he was so happy he could burst and said "mom, remember what you said about if a person is playing a piano there we probably can't afford it?" Thank you, Dolphin, for being affordable and letting us feel the Disney magic within your walls! Hopefully it will work out where we can return to this beloved favorite resort, even for just one night.

 

[Liz]

I really prefer booking everything myself (as opposed to using a travel agent). I know what I want but sometimes make a lot of changes before all is said and done and feel like I'm bothering a travel agent if I have to keep going back to them to make these changes.

Our Wilderness Lodge reservation was booked with a PIN but at the time we made that reservation we didn't know Kels would be coming with us. Later when we needed to get a reservation for her the only discount available was with AAA. I found a wonderful AAA agent who took care of Kels ressie and has been great to work with in every way.

I also used this same AAA agent to make our All Star Music reservations for the night of the 15th. I have an annual pass so we have one room with an AP discount and (thanks to Disney's new rule of needing an AP holder in every room) we have an AAA discount for the second room at Music.

All correspondence from our AAA travel agent said we were set for All Star Music and our requests were noted (Jazz section). Well last weekend, as I was filing our paperwork into a binder I take with me on our trips, I happened to notice one paper (the "official" looking one that I had to sign and send back) said we had two rooms at All Star SPORTS and that we had requested the Jazz section!!! YIKES!!!

I immediately e-mailed our TA (a week ago today). I have not heard back from her. I'm not panicking because 1) she's been great to work with so I'm sure she must have been out of the office last week, and 2) at least I know we have a reservation somewhere. We don't want Sports but if that's what it ends up having to be we will deal with it.

I'd just like to know! If I don't hear from her tomorrow I'll have to make a phone call.

 

[Liz]

Laura's test results were good! Not great but good! It showed evidence of mild rejection but they aren't going to treat it and will just test again the first part of next year. So nothing should stand in the way of us going to Florida!

Now that that worry is out of the way I am getting a little angry that the TA has never answered my e-mails about our reservation mix-up. I'll have to make a phone call today.

 

[Donald is #1]

Laura's test results were good! Not great but good! It showed evidence of mild rejection but they aren't going to treat it and will just test again the first part of next year. So nothing should stand in the way of us going to Florida!

That's great news!

 

[Liz]

That's great news!

Thanks so much! I found myself being so happy today and I know it was having that stress and worry taken away - - until time to do it again!

 

[Liz]

I talked to our TA today. For some reason she never got my two e-mails last week and all is fine with our reservation for the 15th! We're set at All Star Music! Wahoo!!

 

[Liz]

Every day or so I have been sending out fun little polls to our group by e-mail. I send out a new question along with the answers to the last one. Thought I'd share a few of our questions and answers here!

Who is your favorite Disney character?

Paul: Goofy

Jeff: Goofy because he's... well, Goofy!!!! Like me!!!!!!!!!

Kels: I love tink because she's small but packs quite the attitude lol but i also love mickey mouse

Laura: Tinkerbell

Me: Mickey, Minnie & Tinkerbell (with an extreme fondness for Pooh characters!)


Which of these things do you enjoy the most? Parades, fireworks, rides, meeting Disney characters, eating.

Jeff: rides. Yeah... I think rides. As long as that includes Shows~! (beauty
and the beast, lights, motors, action, and such)

Laura: I would have to say fireworks

Kels: i love rides so i'll go with that!

Me: Fireworks! Especially WISHES and ILLUMINATIONS!

Paul: eating


WHY DO YOU LOVE/LIKE DISNEY WORLD?????
WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO RETURN?

Kels: Well, I LOVE the feeling i get just thinking that i'm actually going there!!!! Grins all over! There's a reason why they call it the happiest place on earth and i'm so excited to experience it!

Laura: I love disney world because its just so amazing!! Like when I see the fireworks and parades and stuff it almost makes me cry cause I love it so much and it's really the HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH!!!!

Jeff: I love everything about Disney World. Honestly, Everything about it is wonderful!!!! I can't wait to go!!!!!!!! I always want to return because
it's the happiest place on earth, with the happiest people on earth, and
this time around I'll be with the love of my life, in the happiest place on
earth!!!!!!!!!! WAHOO!!!!

Me: I love Disney World because its a place our whole family can have a MAGICAL time together. Its not a place where the parents are bored while the kids have fun or the kids are bored while the parents have fun. And I love it that no matter how many times you go there is always something new to see or experience! And while there is always something new, the old favorites are there too. You can act like a kid and not feel like a total dork!!! Is it perfect? No, but its pretty darn close. When I go under the Disney World arch I feel like I am home again!!

 

[Liz]

What thoughts will be going through your head the morning of December 15th?

Laura: I will be so excited and my heart will be pounding like it always does! And sad that we're leaving the dogs at the same time. I always get nervous when that time comes when we have to leave the house..

Jeff: One signal is going to be blairing through the neuro-electric passageways of my brain. That is the saying "I AM GOING TO DISNEY WORLD TODAY WITH THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"!!!!!!!!!!"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (Thanks Jeff, I feel the same way about you! Love, Mom)

Kels: The thoughts going through my head... "AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and "my cheeks really hurt from smiling so much" lol

Paul: I hope I can go to the bathroom before I have to get on the plane.

Me: I hope we aren't forgetting anything . . . last time I forgot the itinerary ya know . . . I hope the dogs will be okay . . . did Laura take her medicine . . . I'm so glad its not snowing . . . I hope nobody gets sick . . . I can't believe this day is finally here! Why didn't I lose weight???


If you could work at Disney World, what job would you love to have?

Kels: I think it would be so fun to be a performer in one of the shows (or many of them)!!!! I used to want to do that for a job when i was really into theater!

Jeff: A fun job at Disney World would be to be a character!!! Or I would like to be one of the Jamminators or something similar to them. Playing the drums at WDW would be awesome! ....Or be a ride tester! Love ya'll

Laura: Maybe operating a ride..like the Winnie the Pooh ride or Snow White..one of those kinds. Peter Pan would be fun.

Paul: Play Goofy

Me: I always thought it would be fun to be a monorail pilot! And you'd get to meet people from all over the world when guests rode up front with you. I think that would be very fun but their costume would look horrible on me (jumpsuit)!


Close your eyes and imagine you are at Disney World. Where do you picture yourself (park, hotel, etc.) and what are you doing?

Laura: I am in Magic Kingdom walking towards Thunder Mountain Railroad, is that what its called? I always forget the name of that ride..and Splash Mountain. (You always forget the name of that ride, sweetheart, because we never call it by its real name! We call it "Rocky Mountain Railroad! ~Mom~)

Jeff: I picture myself over by Peter Pan, Snow White, Dumbo, and the character greet for winnie the pooh- Running and Jumping around... smiling holding hands with Kels.

Kels: Close my eyes and i see....Smiles!!! I'm in the magic kingdom, walking down the streeys, holding hands with jeff (aww), listening to all the laughs of my second family and thinking this is the best vacation ever!

Paul: Getting ready to ride Tower of Terror and I'm looking at Rod Sterling.

Me: I spend waayyy too much time imagining I'm in Disney World, but when I think of our trip and imagine myself there a couple of things come to mind. Being the first one awake in the morning and going out on the balcony at the Wilderness Lodge to welcome the day and watching WISHES from the middle of Main Street!

 

[klj27]

Looking forward to reading your pre trip report!! I found your last trip report a few weeks ago and was excited to see that you are going again.

 

[Liz]

Looking forward to reading your pre trip report!! I found your last trip report a few weeks ago and was excited to see that you are going again.

Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed the last one! I think about 3 people actually read it! LOL! But that's okay! I hope this one ends up being worth following! Can't wait for December!

 

[klj27]

Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed the last one! I think about 3 people actually read it! LOL! But that's okay! I hope this one ends up being worth following! Can't wait for December!

I found it after it was completed and couldn't post to it!

 

[Liz]

What ride(s) will you NOT go on?

Jeff: Carousel of Progress. haha, Just kidding.. If I need a good nap, that'll be my first place to go. I can't think of any ride whatsoever that I wouldn't go on. OH WAIT! I don't like that really long dinosaur ride with what's her name... Helen? Ellen? Degenerous? lol~ I don't know.

Kels: I don't think there are any rides that i won't go on if you ask me to go on it! I'm gonna want to experience it all since I really never have! haha

Laura: Mission Space. I never want to go on that ride again.

Paul: Tea Cups and Mission Space

Me: Rock N Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Kali River Rapids (not that I'm afraid of that one, I just don't usually like to get DRENCHED and it always seems to get me!) Oh, and possibly Expedition Everest. Depends on my mood and how brave I'm feeling at the moment!

When we stay at Pop Century, are you going to do the twist if we are there for it?

Laura: Yes, most likely!

Kels: Twist and shout! lol depends on who's going to do it with me though!

Jeff: I will do it if Kels will do it with me!

Paul: Yeah, if I'm awake.

Me: I wouldn't twist myself, but if someone else was going to do it I'd be there to film it or take pictures! That would be just as fun for me!


If you could be a character for a day, who would you be and why?

Laura: Maybe Cinderella..so I could talk to all the little girls. And maybe I could be in that Cinderellabration and get my prince charming! Haha

Jeff: We already had a question similar to this one. I think I would be Aladdin because I would get a chance to show off my beautiful abs and pecs and so on and so forth. haha, I'm just kiddin'! ....Goofy!

Kels: I would have to say Cinderella...Plus, she's got Prince Charming and so do I so we're alike in more ways than I normally would admit! lol (I love you Jeff!)

Paul: Goofy cuz I'm Goofy!

Me: I would definitely want to be a face character because I would absolutely die in the heat if I was in a full body costume! I'd like to say I could play Cinderella or Belle but that's stretching it. At this stage of my life about the only character I could play would be the Fairy Godmother and I think that would be a BLAST!!!!


What thoughts come to mind when you think of the Segway tour?


Jeff: I CAN'T WAIT!!!! I CAN'T WAIT TO RIDE ONE OF THOSE AGAIN AND TO EXPERIENCE IT WITH KELS!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!

Laura: I liked it. I wasn't sure if I would be able to do it though. But it was really fun!

Kels: "I'm never going to be able to drive that funny looking scooter thing..." haha I'm very excited for it!

Me: Shock at finding out I could actually do it without killing myself or anyone else. Never being able to get on and off without feeling nervous. Not worring about Jeff at all because I knew he'd be great. Worrying about Laura but seeing that she was pretty good too. Giggling at Paul who had trouble staying in one place. Can't wait to see how Kels likes it and knowing that she will. Having my feet and legs hurt afterward!

 

[Liz]

Yesterday we reached our 50 day mark! In a perfect world we might commemorate that occasion by reviewing our packing list or perhaps buying an outfit for the trip. But this isn't a perfect world. This is our life which sometimes seems full of challenges.

Last night Laura had a freak accident. She was sitting in the computer chair and had rolled away from the computer to look at what was going on in the kitchen. As she pushed away from the wall to roll back to the computer the chair tipped over and she landed funny on her foot.

It didn't swell (thankfully) but was very painful. We gave it till this morning to see how things felt and today she can't put any weight on it at all. Having a problem with your foot or leg is not something you want to happen when a Disney trip is approaching and I found myself thinking "why couldn't it be your arm!"

It didn't seem likely her foot was broken but with not being able to walk on it at all we paid a visit to the ER just to be sure. After x-rays they told us it is indeed not broken but her foot and ankle are sprained. And sprains are sometimes more painful and take longer to heal than a break.

So we are just hanging out at home this weekend and letting her rest. Its her right foot that is injured so she's hopping around on her left leg. The only problem is that is her left leg has some permanent weakness as a result of the West Nile. Maybe this will help strengthen it!

Hope anyone who is reading is having a good weekend of their own!

 

[Avivasmom]

So we are just hanging out at home this weekend and letting her rest. Its her right foot that is injured so she's hopping around on her left leg. The only problem is that is her left leg has some permanent weakness as a result of the West Nile. Maybe this will help strengthen it!

I am so sorry....I hope with rest it gets better...thankfully you have 50 days to go...

I loved all the questions you asked of your group...and loved the answers too.

 

[Liz]

I am so sorry....I hope with rest it gets better...thankfully you have 50 days to go...

I loved all the questions you asked of your group...and loved the answers too.

Thanks! It definitely could be worse.

The questions and answers have been fun but I'm running out of ideas! Any suggestions?? Its hard coming up with questions where everyone can participate since Kels has only been to WDW once and that was when she was 6 (I think)!

Noticed you have a trip coming up soon! Hope you have a great time!!!

 

[klj27]

I hope she heals quickly. Make her rest!!! Some people have such a hard time allowing others to take care of them. I hope she isn't like that.