4 Years Away From Home & We Choose WDW!!! Update 1/29 x2

[lcj19]

4 Years Away From Home & We Choose WDW!!!
A November 2014 PTR



Hi I'm Leah (I'll do official introductions in a later post).
I guess I should start by explaining the title of my PTR. We are a military family and have been living in Germany for 3 years now (it will be 4 by the time we leave) and while we are excited to see our families, we are choosing WDW instead of going "home". WHY? We are hoping the loved ones that make "home" a special place will come and join us .

Of course there are logical and important deciding factors. Our families live in 2 different states, this is the last chance before DD starts school, we will be in the process of waiting for our belongings to ship, and well....its WDW!!!
I'll take this moment to mention that this will be DDs first WDW trip!!!
However, she hasn't been without her fair share of Disney. We have been to DLP 4 times and everytime we take her she remembers and lights up even more. It is a truly magical thing, to see a child's face when they meet their favorite character or take a first ride on Dumbo.
In our home the phrase "I can show the world" isn't just a song
it's TRUE!!!
(I'll be doing a post on that later as well)

The Basic Plan:
We have already booked our hotel
14 fun-filled and exciting nights at...
POP CENTURY!!!
Why Pop?
I have stayed there before and found it to be fun, colorful, and a good price for the type of accommodations that would best suit our touring plans. DH and I stayed at CSR in 2009. It was nice, but for the amount of time we were actually in the room it wasn't worth the price for us....so out go the Moderates. Deluxe is....well...they are just plain out of our price range ...maybe one day.
We are going to get Florida Resident Seasonal Passes (yes, we are both FL res.). This will give us the opportunity to do WDW again if we want.

I hope you join us in our planning and then later on when we finally get to go on our loooong awaited WDW vacation.


Introductions
I Can Show You The World-Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Let's Talk Disney a Moment
Part 4
Part 5
Additions to Our Vacation
Slight Change In Plans
13 Days of Disney

​

 

[lcj19]

Introductions

Leah (me, 27)

Until we moved to Germany I had always lived in North Florida. I was very lucky growing up that my mother took us to WDW as often as she could. Unfortunately, she has a Disney addict for a daughter . My favorite Fab 5 character is Donald Duck and he is tied with Stitch as my all time favorite character.

In 2009 DH and I had our Disneymoon and that began his love of WDW.


Joe (DH, 27)

DH grew up in Indy and until 2009 had never been to WDW. In fact the only yhting he really ever knew about the parks was the Monorail. That was his only request on our Disneymoon....to ride that Monorail . DH is a Pluto fan and that love was sealed at Epcot Character Spot when Pluto was following us around as we were meeting other characters....he wanted to come home with us.

Our Disneymoon led to the highlight of our family...

Baylee Bug (DD, 3 currently)

Baylee has only had what I call a taste of Disney. She has been to DLP 4 times, the first time for her 1st Birthday. She loves IASW and I think there is a 3 way tie for favorite character: Daisy Duck, Pluto, and Cinderella. She loves watching the planning DVD and telling us what she wants to see and do the most.

If everything works out I should be adding to our list of Introductions.​

 

[wiigirl]

Following along!

 

[lcj19]

Welcome back wiigirl !!!

 

[lcj19]

I Can Show You The World (Part 1)

Since our last adventure into “The World” we had our DD and moved to Germany. The first thing we said to this new life we were responsible for, “We can’t wait to show the world.” At the time we meant the simple day to day things that as you grow up you take for granted like, the way the waves bury your feet in the sand or trying to find the end of a rainbow. We could never have prepared ourselves for how big our adult world was going to grow and with that everything we were going to get the opportunity to share as a family!!!

Our first trip was in February of 2011. It was snowing and raining, but we ventured out anyway.
We Traveled down to Schwangau home of the beautiful Schloss Neuschwanstein or as Dis fans call it
“Cinderella Castle”.


In the same village is another less known castle Hohenschwangau.

Both are remarkable and the views they offer are breathtaking. We will be seeing these again during this PTR….better pictures I promise.


Next was a short day trip to Koln (Cologne). I have heard all kinds of wonderful things about this city, however March doesn’t have a lot to offer.

The only site we felt we really need to see was the cathedral.


With the warm weather of Summer and a long 4th of July weekend we made our way over the border


into Forbach, France. The town itself is simple, but has castle ruins and a very nice park.



A couple of weeks later we took another day trip to Trier. Now this is a city I could visit many times. So far we have been twice and we still need to go back!!!
The Porta Nigra


The Imperial Baths



A seemingly never ending series or underground tunnels. Fan-tab-u-lous!!!

The Amphitheater

Yes, they do Gladiator reenactments....sadly we haven't seen one...YET!!!

Electoral Palace


Church or Our Lady



I fell in love with the interior of this cathedral. Pictures can’t do it justice.


With Summer flying by and the warm weather going with it we decided it was time to visit Heidelberg. The castle isn’t as ornate as those in Schwangau, but this castle has grounds that if truly and thoroughly enjoyed will bring you back again and again….and in our case again.





This year of travels came to an end for us with our DD 1st Birthday and her very first Disney Park DLP!!!



​

 

[lcj19]

Part 2
The first half of 2012 didn't hold any big trips for us, so I will skip right to August.
August and September were very very busy for us. 2 sets of family (which I will try to keep out of the posted pictures) came to visit and we took a cruise.
I will try to stick to the highlights…..but I make no promises .

21st : Burg Nanstein
These are castle ruins in the city of Landstuhl , Germany.
While I wouldn't make a special trip to see these if your in the area its worth the time to stop.











23rd : Burg Eltz and Burg Thurant
We spent this day along the Mosel River.
Following the river you come across endless castles, all of them beautiful in their own right.
As is the river its self.



Eltz is about a mile hike from the parking we found.
Normally this would have been a beautiful and easy hike, but our DD didn’t want to walk .
We took turns carrying her up and down the hilly rocky trail.
Through the trees you could see this stunning view.



I took these pictures of the castle exterior,
sadly they do not allow photography inside the castle.














After our hike back to the car we decided to head back toward the shopping and dining area along the river and grabbed a bite to eat for lunch.



As were driving over the river to begin our ride home we saw another castle...
Burg Thurant.
This one is far less known, and while it doesn't have an elaborate interior like Eltz I found it to be far more engaging and hands on.





















​

 

[lcj19]

(Part 3)​

With the holidays fast approaching I figured I would do an update knowing I won’t have the opportunity again until January.
Hope everyone has safe and Happy Holidays!!!
Now on to the post…

Aug. 24

This was a new kind of day for us.
We booked a tour through Viatour (we normally travel without tours, but I am glad we booked with them.) out of Frankfurt . From there we took a bus about an hour over to the Rhine River area. Here we got a little surprise. We got to take a chairlift down into the village of Assmannshauser.





Seeing the village and the vineyards below our feet was breathtaking!!!







Once back on the ground we went to lunch. It was nice, but very busy restaurant. Now when I say busy, I don’t mean crowd.
I am referring to the decoration.





Next we headed to the docks and caught a river boat down the Rhine.





There were castles everywhere. Sadly, I didn’t get the name of a single one. These are just a few of the castles.

















We got off the boat just after the Loreley Rock and bussed back to our car in Frankfurt.
I truly enjoyed every part of this day.
If we hadn’t been with a tour we would have stayed and gone as far down the Rhine as that boat would take us.
A must do if you are in Germany.


​

 

[lcj19]

Let's Talk Disney a Moment​

MAGIC BANDS!!!
I have read many different accounts some good, most bad, on the Magic Bands. I see people getting worried and concerned about this new system based solely on other peoples reviews.
I am not one of those people .
We are beyond excited to try these out!!!
We have even done the customizing.
Yellow for me. Blue for DH. Pink for DD...of course .

FastPass+
We have been doing some research...again many reviews some positive, some negative, and alot of people freaking out before they have even tried it.
Again....not one of those people.
We are excited about the system. Even with only 3 passes a day.
We have hardly ever used the FP system (DLP has it also).
There were times we would get a FP and by the time the return time came around we were nowhere near the attraction and didn't want to double back, so we would pass them off.
Now I can plan them around that days touring plan and they will just be a bonus for wait times. If it doesn't look like it will work out we can try for a new time or just cancel.
Perfect .

Touringplans.com
Just subscribed and I really like the touring plan tools.
I am curious for those who have used it in the past, how accurate are the wait times?


​

 

[lcj19]

Part 4​

This post will end the Aug 2012 trips.
We woke up bright and early and drove 3 hours to Triberg.
The village is full of souvenir shops and coo-coo clocks.



Triberg is also home to "the largest" waterfall in Germany.





The grounds are miles of winding uphill trails that take 1 to 4 hours to complete.
Doesn't matter which route you take they all give a spectacular views.
Like this...



We spent the night in a hotel near by and got a early start the next morning.
I promised before a better view of a special castle...



Not the castle you were expecting...I know...I'm getting there .
Here are some of the Hohenschwangau grounds and surrounding view.





Here she is...Neuschwanstein.



There is a split in the trail up to the castle with a sign for the bridge.
You have to check out the bridge view.
Castle on one side and a breathtaking view on the other...
you'll have to go to see it.

After a night in Schwangau we headed to Dachau.
If you don't know Dachau is a concentration camp.
I did NOT take any pictures. It wasn't prohibited or frowned upon...
It just didn't...feel right.
I can tell you that it is a very interesting, yet somber place to visit.
It is very graphic in the museum area....pictures and such and there is a film for those over the age of 12.
With DD we didn't see the film, but did walk the museum while she napped.
I'm glad I took the opportunity to go, but I would never go again.

From there we headed into Rothenberg checked into our hotel and crashed.
The next day we walked the city wall and wandered the city itself for a while.





We toured the Kathe Wolfhart museum and store.
Huge by the way, if your a fan.
Pictures were prohibited .

Next...



the Criminal Museum.





This was our last stop before a 4 hour drive home.
Next will September!!!

​

 

[lcj19]

Mediterranean​

Only a couple of weeks after our Bavarian adventure we flew to Rome to start a 7 night cruise (not DCL ).


IMG_2712 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

A view from our balcony.


IMG_2723 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

Pulling into the Port of Messina.
From here we bused to a no traffic city for some "on your own" exploring.


IMG_2746 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

Church in Taormina, Italy.
Next was Turkey.


IMG_2813 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

The Ancient City of Ephesus.


IMG_2836 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

The amphitheater.


IMG_2847 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr


IMG_2853 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

A demonstration of past entertainment.


IMG_2865 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

A traditional small town market.
The next stop was to Greece where we visited 2 ports.


IMG_2904 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr


IMG_2910 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

The Acropolis in Athens, Greece.


IMG_2945 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr


IMG_2952 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

The beach in Chania, Crete, Greece.


IMG_3027 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

A volcano we passed on our way back to Rome.


IMG_3045 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr


IMG_3073 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr


IMG_3096 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome.


IMG_3107 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr


IMG_3154 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

Can you guess where we are from this picture???


IMG_3139 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

That's right...The Coloseum!!!


IMG_3151 by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

We headed to the airport from this tour.
We had to get home and prepare for more company...
the same company that will now be joining us on our WDW trip!!!!

​

 

[lcj19]

Guests!!!​

We will be having some family join us at WDW!!!
So excited!!!


254221_3484957177510_596009421_n by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

My Mom Bonnie and My Gram Nancy!!!
(The following pics were taken on a trip to DLP)


We will start with my Mom or as DD calls her Gram.


521693_3484962817651_1794010466_n by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

When I was a kid my Mom took us to Disney whenever she could.
It wasn't often, but it meant family time when it did.
The last time mt Mom was at WDW AK and RnR didn't exist.
Poor Mom.

Next we have my Gram, DD's G-Gram.


9277_3484961657622_1145233070_n by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

My Gram hasn't been to Disney since a couple of years after it opened.
This will be a big change from what she remembers.


398338_3484960257587_1827425720_n by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

They will arrive the same time we do (hopefully) and stay for the 1st week.
Trying to get connecting rooms at either the 50's or 60's pools.

This trip is a HUGE deal.
We moved overseas when DD was only 2 months old and sadly they only got to come over and visit one time right after her 2nd Birthday.
While we do Skype dates and such there is nothing like real face to face bonding.

This will be...
MAGICAL!!!



​

 

[lcj19]

Small Changes​

We have had some changes to our plans, some good...some...well they're just changes.

First: We have 2 additions to our travel party.
My Dad and his DGF.
Sadly I don't have pics of them to post...for now .

Second: We had to shorten our trip by 2 nights.
Now we depart on the 23 instead of the 25th.
This is because of...

Third: We found out we are not moving back to the US.
This cause us to have to work around some time issues and also make time to see family that won't be joining us at WDW.
​

 

[lcj19]

13 Days of Disney!!!​

Today is my 180 day window!!!
We were online and on the phone ready and waiting for the clock to rollover.
Did have a couple of minor technical difficulties and 2 slight disappointments, but we made it work .

Think of a wonderful thought!!!

Day 1 Arrival:

Driving down from N. Florida (the Pensacola / Destin area). Hoping to make it on property around noon. If we can't get our rooms just yet that's ok...we will just go explore awhile .
After we get everything settled and unpacked we will be heading to DTD for some fun, shopping, and dinner at Rainforest cafe.
Won't be a late night...we have a VERY busy day starting bright and early.

Day 2 Magic Kingdom:

We have CRT res. for breakfast with a BBB res. to follow that afternoon.
These were our 2 slight let downs.
We had been hoping to get BBB first thing with CRT for dinner....oh well .

The rest of the planning went super smooth and got everything we wanted.

Day 3 Epcot:

Dinner at Chef Mickey.

Day 4 Magic Kingdom:

Breakfast at Crystal Palace.
Dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern (really looking forward to this one!!!)

Day 5 Animal Kingdom:

No reservations, but hoping to book the family a surprise for that evening

Day 6 Disney Hollywood Studios:

Dinner at Sci-Fi.

Day 7 Magic Kingdom:

A goodbye breakfast for some family at 'Ohana .
Dinner at 1900 Park Fare (I think my little Bug will be super excited)

Day 8 Epcot:

Dinner at Garden Grill.

Day 9 Animal Kingdom:

No dining reservations...toying with the idea of a Tusker House.

Day 10 MK Morning Epcot Evening:

Wanting to hit up the Morning EMH at MK then head to Epcot for 1 or 2.
Dinner at Akershus.

Day 11 Epcot:

Breakfast at 1900 Park Fare (any excuse to ride the Monorail)

Day 12 DHS:

Breakfast at Hollywood and Vine.
Dinner 50's Prime Time.

Day 13....

Its to horrible...I can't even think about it!!!

​