4.33 years is WAY too long between visits!

[tyandskyesmom]

The only think I wanted but cannot seem to fit in is Dinner at Cape May Café but with all of the signatures and a couple of others that don't do lunch, I just have no where to put it. My only option really was changing LeCellier to lunch, losing one of the lesser lunch choices and putting it in there but on New Year's Eve, I do not want to leave Epcot...I have heard that might be the hardest re-entry of the trip. SO I guess I'll use it as a back up in case I cannot get any other dinner ADR.

But quite frankly, I have never had much problem getting what I wanted at 180 days out. I realize I have not been at this time of the year before and the whole of what is Walt Disney World has changed considerably since I have last planned. I am slightly concerned with all the people talking about how difficult it is to get ADRs now but over the weekend a lot of people have reported a good time getting them so I am hopeful.

I do have one minor set back though. My ADR day is a Sunday. I don't work on Sunday. Tyler's school computer will be back at school for the summer by then. My home computer is not working. So that leaves iPhones. But just this weekend Cary said he can get online on his computer at work (he is the manager) so we can go into his work at 5am on Sunday, June 21st and book ADRs. I am just afraid my phone will give me problems and having it without another means of making ADRs does not sound like a good option.

 

[HizMinnie2015]

Hey, I can help with the computer situation. Do you have a desktop pc or a laptop pc at home? I have a tower (running XP software) that I'm more than happy to give you. You do need a monitor, keyboard and mouse though... Let me know if you want it and we can meet somewhere... hugs!!!

 

[tyandskyesmom]

WOW...that is soooo nice!

We have a desk top and all else works...it's just the tower that is not working.

Are you selling it?

 

[HizMinnie2015]

No we are giving it to you. Free of charge. Fiance is in IT; it was a recycle so he brought it home. We both have laptops and its been turned on like twice maybe lol. Its a gift from one family who has had their struggles to another.

 

[HizMinnie2015]

We are in rolling meadows, so let me know what your schedule is like and where you are so we can meet up, and you can take the pc tower home.

 

[tyandskyesmom]

WOW...I am floored! Thank You.

We're in Joliet and our schedules vary from day to day...looks like Sundays are our easiest days as far as no one having any schedules activities. Let me know what works for you!

 

[HizMinnie2015]

This sunday I have a gym session with my killer aka trainer at noon... we could meet you halfway like Woodridge or something in the afternoon like 3pmish.

 

[tyandskyesmom]

That could work...

 

[HizMinnie2015]

That could work...

I'll inbox you my cell phone number and you can let me know for sure.

 

[tyandskyesmom]

Our first movie night marking 200 more days​

Lady and they Tramp II - Scamps Adventure was the movie playing yesterday evening...Skyler is the baker...it was all very good!

200 more days!!!
​

 

[tyandskyesmom]

Maybe some introductions are in order hu?

Well, lets start with Skyler...

Here is her past...

Skyler is 11 years old and still will be on the trip. She is the only one who does not have a birthday within a month of the trip. She is a student at a magnet school (the #1 rated magnet school in the county!) and has been on honor roll her whole life! She is finishing up 5th grade in two days and is then on her way to "The Academy" for junior high.

She is a dancer though, first and foremost! She dances with girls 13 years old and up. She has competed with her team for four years now and next year is hoping to be placed in the Advanced classes and competition teams...which is the highest where she dances. She just started pointe this year. She has danced for three years in a dance company's production of The Nutcracker that auditions in August and practices weekends through the second weekend in December which greatly limits our Disney going abilities! She started off with a teeny tiny roll as a flowerette and graduated to have rolls the following year as a Toy Soldier, a Jester, and the understudy for the Angels...and the last year she has a part made for her because they cast by size and she was really in between the two so they had a ninth party girl! She loved it but did not have enough going on so she is hoping to get cast in 3 or 4 roles this year! When she is not at dance at least 3 nights a week, she also takes tumbling two nights a week for two hours a night...she is pre-tumbling team. She is mostly interested in it for dance but She says she is going to put herself through med school performing on Broadway and has recently added wanting to open her own bakery...that was news to me...I wonder who's going to clean up after her in her bakery!

She is my tiny one...although she was 11 pounds 2 ounces when she was born! At 11, she weighs about 55 pounds and is about 54 inches tall. She got contacts for the first time a week and a half ago and has a really easy time getting them in and out. I think she will be getting braces soon...boo!

She is my list maker, planner. She will sit with me and talk Disney the longest of anyone else. She is dying to get back! her favorite meal is 50s Prime Time. He favorite food is Mac & Cheese...has yet to meet one she hasn't liked...and is very disappointed that California Grill does not have mac & cheese on their kid's menu anymore as that was her all time favorite! Her favorite park in Epcot. Her favorite characters are Ariel and Olaf...she can take or leave Anna and Elsa! She said Expedition Everest is a "baby ride". She is the bravest of the kids but and almost flew out of Tower of Terror last time and while she does not like Tower of Terror (I can't blame her) she says she will go on it with Cary because he has never been on it before. She hated Space Mountain but I really think it was because she had to sit in her own seat. She is brave but not stupid! She likes me to sit next to her and put my arm across her lap so she feels safe the first time, and I couldn't do that on Space Mountain. I think if it was the old seating, she would have loved it...she loves the Viper at Great America and that is much bigger! She is not willing to go on Rockin' Rollercoaster yet. I keep trying but no go so far. She is a girly girl but in the blink of an eye is hanging with her brother...or being silly (see the picture above!)...LOL

She is the one that is most likely to try most foods and the one to take care of the boys more so than them her. Chickens are her favorite animal and I believe she owns every stuffed chicken and status chicken that has ever crossed our paths and she has a friend that has REAL chickens and she keeps coming home asking for some...um, NO!

So that sums up Skyler...she is my favorite daughter at this time...LOL

 

[tyandskyesmom]

And then there's Dylan...

WOW...I did not realize until looking back at these pictures how much Dylan has changed...he looks so much older, more mature.

Hmmmm...what to say about Dylan...

He is 15, will turn 16 just before the trip. He is graduating 8th grade tomorrow. He has not had the same kind of life my kids have. He has never been on a real vacation. He has missed out on a lot of the "kid" things growing up and therefore has a difficult time taking the roll of a child as opposed to thinking he is able to run his own life. We struggle a lot with following the directions BECAUSE they are the directions. When I came into his life he had just failed 7th grade. There was a lot going on there that needed fixing. In the past two years he has become an A-B student and missed one day of school this year. I don't know what he'll ever say he likes school but at least he has realized it is not an option. He tried wrestling this past year at school and nope, not for him. He has expressed a mild interest in football but has never played (but I hear in our area that is not uncommon for our freshmen football players) but he goes back and forth on if he wants to do it or not. I think it's a confidence thing. He also is saying he wants to join the Scholastic Bowl and possibly debate team in high school.

He does not have much Disney knowledge because, quite honestly, he hasn't had much of a childhood but he has heard us talk about it and I think is most interested in eating a steak every night of vacation! I really don't think he knows what to expect and is probably wondering why we love it so much. He will go one of two ways..either he will turn into the 7 year old boy he was never allowed to be or it will be completely lost on him. I am thinking the 7 year old buy but he is very difficult to read.

His favorite Disney movies are Jungle Book and Wall-E. He is very interested in engineering it seems (they had a S.T.E.M. club at school and he was able to get accepted into it and loved working with the 3D printer). I don't have favorite parks or rides but he is a bit on the "chicken" side but I think probably the only thing he wont go on is Rockin' Rollercoaster. We will see!

 

[tyandskyesmom]

And then there's Tyler...my mess of a son!

Tyler used to always be called "Princess" or people would refer to me, him, and Skye collectively as "Ladies" and I never understood why until he decided to cut his hair....and then I could see how feminine he looked with his long hair...

Tyler is now finishing up his sophomore year in high school honors and AP classes. He gets mostly As but a B here and there. And I don't know how. He is the most nonchalant, airheaded, unorganized, messy, lazy kid I know who can pull that off! He never has homework and doesn't study at all. Yet, he's making the grade! I had a teacher tell me he is Einstein smart...a genius but cannot get out of a paper bag!

He is about 6 feet 3 inches tall and has a sized 14 shoe! Ya, he needs a job to help pay for his big and tall pants and gigantic shoes! His is 16, will be turning 17 on the trip...and I cannot believe it! He is a football player (captain of the defense last year on JV and the kicker) and on Scholastic Bowl. He works out Monday thru Thursday with the football team after school. He used to play baseball but for some reason does not want to in high school. He was also on the Mathletes team and crew for drama club in junior high but those did not fit with football so he isn't anymore. I would have to say his main interest these days is GIRLS (and video games)! He has had one real girlfriend from summer into the beginning of this past school year but she dumped him because he did not have enough time for her. Whatever! He is taking Drivers Ed starting next week (it's a month long in the summer) but that is because I made him. He is the only teenaged boy I have ever met that did not care to get a driver's license! I think he's scared. He is also looking forward to getting a job soon (so am I honestly!) and is hoping to be able to get on with Cary at his work.

In contrast to Skyler's chicken addiction, Tyler has an elephant addiction. Luckily, he does not have any friends with pet elephants that want to give them to him...LOL

He is planning to be an engineer of some sort but I don't think he's quite sure what he wants to do. He thought architecture but he had a class this year and I don't think he likes it as much as he thought he would. So they jury is still out on what he wants to be when he grows up. He does know he wants to go to the University of Michigan. However, I keep telling him that he can't because they do not allow your mommy to be your room mate and it's too far for me to drive to wake him up every morning. He wants to play football in college but I don't know that he's good enough...not to say he couldn't be but he lacks that drive and ambition to work hard for anything (thus even though he can pull As and Bs with out any effort if he would put in a bit more he could be top of his class but according to him he's fine right where he is!).

This is the kid that could be something great but is too lazy to reach for it...and my aggravation!

He loves his little sister and has no problem hanging out with her and her friends if they are over and therefore is the big brother that has a bunch of 11 year old girls infatuated with him. He has no problem being silly and childish (Elle, his way too loved stuffed elephant, still comes downstairs to watch him play video games or watch TV on his lap) but can be grown up when he has to be. He will take the responsibility if he has to but would just as soon let Skyler do it.

He is a big chicken and I think did not happily go on anything "big" until the year Skyler was finally big enough to get on them and then he did not want to be shown up. He is not a very adventurous eater but eats a lot! He has his moments when he will try new things but I can never count on it. He is the reason I know that most Disney restaurants are willing to change, substitute, deconstruct, and plate everything separately if asked.

His favorite ride is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. His favorite princess is Snow White (since she kissed him when he was little!). Favorite color is Blue.

 

[tyandskyesmom]

Introducing Cary...

As you can tell Skyler and Cary adore each other and she is usually hanging on him like a big teddy bear!

Cary and I met on a dating web site shortly after I asked for a divorce. I wasn't looking for an immediate love connection or anything, in fact that was the furthest thing from my mind but we hit it off and the rest is history. We have been together for two years and five months and I'm not going to say it's been easy...in fact, it's been very difficult but we compliment each other in ways I never thought possible. He is from
"the other side of the tracks" and needed a lot of reformation for him and his two boys. Fortunately, he was ready for it and wanted it. One of his kids didn't want any part of it and caused a lot of trouble in our little family when we first started out so he decided to go live with his grandmother (where they were before living with me).

He is 41 and will turn 42 on our trip (the day before Tyler actually!). He is the manager of a Jiffy Lube store. He likes the thrill rides. It drives him crazy that none of the big, tough boys will ride things like that with him. He and Tyler butt heads a lot but then the next minute are screwing around. He is truly my fourth child sometimes and does not hesitate to get down to the kids level...

He is loving having a family but sometime still needs a reminder to walk the right walk but I know he is trying and he is happy doing it.

He is so looking forward to this trip but I don't think he believes it is going to happen. It will be his first vacation. He and Dylan came into our lives with a couple of garbage bags of stuff and that's all. He came from a world where vacation and extras just were not important. He took on raising his kids when his wife didn't want to any more and he did the best he knew how to.

I have not been able to get him to help very much because he doesn't have a clue. So I guess I will surprise him!

He is somewhat of an adventurous eater so he should enjoy that part. He enjoys spending time with all of us, happy, without the daily grind getting in the way.

About all I know, or he knows for that matter, is that his favorite Disney movie is Meet the Robinsons...all else is to be determined!

 

[tyandskyesmom]

And that leaves me...Sherry...

And that is actually a lot of pictures of me...usually I am the one behind the camera.

I am 44, will turn 45 just before the trip. I work in HMO collections at a large hospital in the area. My favorite things in the world are my family and Disney! Bet that's a surprise...

It has been a long time since I have had Disney to plan for real! I have planned tons of trips...knowing there were just imaginary!

People think I am crazy because I have really no need to vacation any where else. I mean, really, I have to do no work at Disney. I do not go on vacation to have to cook, or clean, or drive myself around and get lost, or do laundry. A trip to a cabin is not a vacation...it's just living somewhere else. LOL

Disney is the one place I know everyone will enjoy and I can just sit back, relax and enjoy my family. And lets face it, that does not happen at home as much as we'd like it to!

My favorite character is Cheshire Cat. But I have a hard time choosing a favorite movie, park, ride, restaurant...I love 'em all! I do love reading trip reports and food reviews. My family doesn't always understand why I care what other people I don't even know do on vacation or what they eat...but that they do not realize is that the success and ease of their vacation is found in others' vacations! I also love writing about my vacation...even though I usually only get a hand full of people to contribute...I get lots of views but not a whole lot of conversation. I also have only finished one or two reports and I think those are dining reviews. I'm bad...but the last one was not really my fault...life got in the way and broken computers don't help!

So anyway, that's me in a nutshell...I guess I am really not that exciting but I guess we'll find out more about that in due time!

 

[tyandskyesmom]

And this is our fur baby...

Nina...she is not coming but she is causing me issues. See, she does not think she's a dog. She is Cary's shadow and the only other one she really listens to is Skyler. She is used to having her way and is spoiled. She is about 15 years old and supposedly not a fan of other animals. But, when we leave for The World in 199 more days, she needs someone to take care of her...and I don't know who.

See, a kennel is going to cost me a fortune (plus she will have to get caught up on shots) and I don't think she'd be happy ina cage for two weeks...even if all she usually does is sleep anyway (I think she's part sloth!). Cary's mom is not in good graces right now but that would be the best option because she has lived there before and would be comfortable...but again, they are not on speaking terms right now. My parents would probably do it and my dad is retired so someone would be there all the time but they have a pug and a cat and a macaw. Now, I don't know if the "Nina does not like other animals" was the result of just some stray feral cats getting in the year and her not liking them a long time ago or if it is over all. We might have to explore that option a bit more.

We do not have any friends or family close to us that would/could come over three times a day and let her out and hang out with her for a while. I am contemplating one of Tyler's friends but since we are new in the last few years to the area I am not too sure if I trust anyone enough with our home for that. I'd even be willing to pay someone a couple of hundred dollars to do it...which had I been offered that as a teenager, I would have jumped at!

Any other suggestions?

 

[tyandskyesmom]

And this is just about the only FAMILY picture I have of all of us...

And it was two Christmases ago just after we all moved in together and became one family...

So I bet you can guess what my main objective of this trip will be...

GET SOME GOOD FAMILY PICTURES!!!

 

[Disneychix]

What a joy to have found love and are creating new family memories!!

That is a lot of ADRS to make! Surely over 14 days you'll get to everything you want.
My honest thought on the character dining, if you told the 16yr old boys in my family that they had to get up at 6:30am on vacation to go to a character breakfast buffet they'd say no. Hollywood and Vine has Sophia and Jake now, my 8yr old doesn't even appreciate it anymore, cause you know, he's so over Disney Jr! ha!

 

[tyandskyesmom]

What a joy to have found love and are creating new family memories!!

That is a lot of ADRS to make! Surely over 14 days you'll get to everything you want.
My honest thought on the character dining, if you told the 16yr old boys in my family that they had to get up at 6:30am on vacation to go to a character breakfast buffet they'd say no. Hollywood and Vine has Sophia and Jake now, my 8yr old doesn't even appreciate it anymore, cause you know, he's so over Disney Jr! ha!

Thanks, it is and it was completely unexpected...after 15 years of one thing, the last thing I thought I would find or even wanted was to do it again!

Actually, you would not believe how well those boys adapt to things you would think are too young for them! Tyler loves the whole Disney thing and would watch Disney Jr is we had cable still and he had time, I am sure!

Dylan usually goes along with anything so we're good there.

Skyler is actually the one most opposed to Sofia The First...LOL. But she will want her picture anyway!

And really, while the last time we were there it was still, hmmm I think Little EInstiens and maybe JoJo's Circus, and my kids had cable and loved those characters, we actually really like the food at that breakfast buffet. I know it gets a bad rap, and I would not do lunch or dinner there unless the other option was starving, but we like it...plus it is the only place that has the fixins for breakfast burritos...and I will take anything wrapped in a tortilla shell! LOL

Plus, that day I am hoping to have been in the park for a few hours earlier. At home those kids would complain about waking up to do chores or go to school but on vacation, they'll be good.

Plus, I have already warned them!

 

[tyandskyesmom]

So....

...order of making ADRs...

????

I don't think I've ever had to think about that. I usually just go down the line! But since I can only book the first 10 days and we are going at the most busy time of the year, maybe I should!

Now my I generally pick the park day first. Based upon how make days we definitely want to spend at each park, the hours on what day, and the EMH times (we like the EMH days, we're not scared of them). Then I pick all the places I want to eat at and fit them in. So, really, the venues I chose on the days I chose do not have a lot of room for change...I mean, there is some room to adjust but not a lot.

I am thinking the #1 ADR I should go for should be Cinderella's Royal Table for dinner on day #9...should be easy right? LOL

My Ohana dinner is not until the last day (#15). Be Our Guest is after my first ten too.

What else on my list for the meals we want should I put as a priority? How would you do it?

And how do my last five days work? DO I have to wait until day #11 to book day #11 thru #15 or on day #2 can I book day #11, day #3 book day #12, day #4 book day #13, day #5 book day #14, and on day #6 book day #15? I know I have had to do this before but I don't remember what I had to do and it was never at such a busy time of year!