4 Hot Mamas take on the World 9/2011! *UPDATE 8/31* I'm leaving TODAY!!!

[Shannon84]

Love the ADR plans!! I have never been to the R&C, but have been to the others more than once and really enjoyed them. I love both the Poly and Beach Club...so its fun to see those resorts too

 

[TanzUnited99]

Love the plans for the first part of your trip! Great ADRs and what no itinerary! Lol am sure it'll be fun going wherever the mood takes you!

 

[Kat in GA]

What I realized in all of our plans - that we are not ever at Epcot when they first open! Hopefully that won't prevent us from riding Test Track or Soarin!

 

[Kari-B]

Your plans so far sound good. I'm hoping someone comments about your magical express comment on estimating a time. I have never used M.E. before and would like to know too.

 

[PixieMama]

Love the ADR plans!! I have never been to the R&C, but have been to the others more than once and really enjoyed them. I love both the Poly and Beach Club...so its fun to see those resorts too

Good to hear... I've read good reviews of 'Ohana, but nothing really for the Clam Bake (good or bad). So it's nice to hear you enjoyed it!

Love the plans for the first part of your trip! Great ADRs and what no itinerary! Lol am sure it'll be fun going wherever the mood takes you!

I know! It's been a little weird being in the backseat for the planning... Angie and I have pretty much left it all up to Kat! I'm just happy to be along for the ride.

What I realized in all of our plans - that we are not ever at Epcot when they first open! Hopefully that won't prevent us from riding Test Track or Soarin!

Huh. I hadn't noticed that! Is that just for the last 3 days, or the entire length of your trip? I'd have to go back to the spreadsheet...

Your plans so far sound good. I'm hoping someone comments about your magical express comment on estimating a time. I have never used M.E. before and would like to know too.

Looks like no one else has any experience with ME!

 

[dizney chick]

I just might run in to you at Animal Kingdom. I'll be the really sweaty chick. It is so weird for me to complain about being hot, I'm usually freezing, but the second I enter AK I'm sweating.

 

[PixieMama]

I just might run in to you at Animal Kingdom. I'll be the really sweaty chick. It is so weird for me to complain about being hot, I'm usually freezing, but the second I enter AK I'm sweating.

We'll be sweating right along with you, LOL!

 

[PixieMama]

Here's a pic I took last October of the the Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! street party...

We happened to stumble upon the street party... we had just finished our breakfast at Crystal Palace and when we walked outside, the street party was going on. It was just about finished so we stopped to watch... otherwise, we probably would have skipped it. My family doesn't mind stopping to watch the parades, but on our trip last year we travelled with my BIL, SIL, DNephew and DNiece... none of them particularly cared to stand in the heat for parades. We did catch the afternoon parade at MK later that day, but we didn't watch the parades at HS or AK.

Do you stop to watch the street parties/parades while in the parks? Or do you prefer to focus on the attractions?

 

[Shannon84]

I stumbled across this parade last year as well and stopped to watch it. I normally don't plan to watch the parades, but this year we are planning to watch the one at MNSSHP at least

 

[TanzUnited99]

Yay on stumbling on the parade! I'm looking forward to seeing quite a few during our trip.

 

[PixieMama]

Yay on stumbling on the parade! I'm looking forward to seeing quite a few during our trip.

I stumbled across this parade last year as well and stopped to watch it. I normally don't plan to watch the parades, but this year we are planning to watch the one at MNSSHP at least

The Boo to You! parade is actually my favorite (of those I've seen, that is) DH and I both had the song stuck in our heads for days after the party, LOL! It's just so fun to see all the characters dressed up in Halloween costumes.

DH, DDs, and I watched Spectromagic during our '07 trip... to be honest, I didn't really care for it. I just remember being really tired and ready to leave MK but we decided to stay so the girls could see the parade.

We also saw the afternoon parade at HS a few years ago... I don't remember what it was called, but it was where all the characters rode in cars (not on "floats") Since the others we were with last October had no interest in parades, we missed seeing the new one at HS.

I've also not seen the afternoon parade at AK... again, last year we didn't stop for the parades. And for our '07 trip we had park hoppers... it seemed we were never at AK in time for the parade. I do remember catching a glimpse of the very end the parade one afternoon, but that's it! Kat says this parade is her favorite, so I'm sure we'll definitely take the time to see this one!

 

[beebeeryan]

We're not parade people either, we'll stop and watch if we happen upon one since the paths tend to get blocked up and we did wait around for the MSEP last summer one night for the kids to see it, but because of a delay ended up at the entrance holding the kids up so they could see over people. Not pleasant at all. We happened to be trapped at AK and saw that parade though we had no intention of seeing it, but we're literally blocked in and had no choice to wait it out. Never saw the DHS one and doubt we'll still be there to see it this year.

 

[Kari-B]

Great parade pic! Since I've never been with my kids before we didn't ever do parades that I can remember. I'm pretty sure we came across some here and there, but it was never a planned - stake out your seats kind of thing. This trip though I think the kids would really enjoy seeing the parades. I can't wait!

 

[PixieMama]

TWO WEEKS from today I will be on my way to WDW!​

​

So I have just 14 days to get everything marked off my to-do list (and I've even added to it!)

- new shoes to wear in the parks DONE
- new bag for parks DONE
- haircut (scheduled for next Tuesday!) & color (will do this myself)
- manicure/pedicure
- finish packing
- buy park tickets DONE
- new sunglasses DONE
- charge iPod/camera battery/Kindle
- online check-in for flight
- purchase autograph book for Mom (found one on ebay that can be personalized, but I'm leaning towards buying an "official" one while I'm at the parks)
- get ponchos at the dollar store DONE
- look for & purchase instant cell phone charger DONE
- final check of park hours/refurbs/itineraries


I'm pretty sure I have all my shopping done... except for maybe a few more toiletry items. And of course, a big grocery run so DH won't have to go to the store while I'm gone!

Did I mention I leave in just TWO WEEKS?!

 

[Shannon84]

You are practically there

Reading your post just reminded me I really need to find a new bag to use in the parks!

 

[Kat in GA]

I have been thinking about the instant cell phone charger for a while. Though over the summer my iphone managed to hold a charge all day even with my extensive use of the lines app. But, I think I'd feel safer if I had an extra charger. I looked at the Duracell one at Amazon. What kind did you get?

And meals? I am the cook. My mom does not cook. She keeps joking that they are all going to have rickets and scurvy by the time I get home . Which just basically means she is trying to guilt me into cooking some things before I leave! And. It's working. Sigh

 

[PixieMama]

You are practically there

Reading your post just reminded me I really need to find a new bag to use in the parks!

I actually bought two bags, LOL!

Both are Vera Bradley. The first was the "Rachel"... I really like it, but then I heard about issues with park tickets getting demagnetized because of the bag's magnetic snaps! So I went and bought a "Hipster"... no magnets, so I should be ok!

 

[PixieMama]

I have been thinking about the instant cell phone charger for a while. Though over the summer my iphone managed to hold a charge all day even with my extensive use of the lines app. But, I think I'd feel safer if I had an extra charger. I looked at the Duracell one at Amazon. What kind did you get?

And meals? I am the cook. My mom does not cook. She keeps joking that they are all going to have rickets and scurvy by the time I get home . Which just basically means she is trying to guilt me into cooking some things before I leave! And. It's working. Sigh

I got an Energizer one... found it at Staples for $20 (just a few bucks more than the ones I saw on Amazon). On a typical day, it's 8 or 9 p.m. before my battery starts getting low. But I figured with all the calling/texting and updating Facebook/Twitter I'll be doing, not to mention checking the lines app, I don't think my battery will last that long and it was better to be safe than sorry!

I told Shane to let me know by next Wednesday (my usual shopping day) what he wants me to get in order for him to make dinners. He can manage spaghetti... and he loves to grill, so I'm sure they'll have steak, ribs, hot dogs, and burgers! The other nights it will probably be just a bowl of cereal for everyone... or they'll go over to his mom's!

 

[dizney chick]

I can't believe we are two weeks away too. Seeing your to do list made me realize I need to pull on together to. For some reason it feels like so far away, but it's not. I am impressed you husband will cook. My husband can and does cook, but when I am gone he tends to take the kiddos out to eat ALOT. I guess he figures I'm eating out so he should too.

 

[Kari-B]

So close, yeah!