4 years in the making! We're going back to WDW

[kimbo0569]

I've only been posting on the boards for a couple months now on and off, more frequently now that our trip is fast approaching. The last time we were there was July 2004 - when my oldest daughter (who was then my only daughter) was 2 1/2. It was the first time we'd stayed at POR and fell in love with it!

A year after that, my husband and I welcomed our 2nd daughter. We'd been trying to plan another trip back but things just kept popping up and money was very tight since dh started a new position, therefore needing to take on extra work at night. We kept talking about it, trying to see if we could do it more economically, staying off property etc, but we fell in love with the POR and decided it would be best to wait to do this trip the way we wanted to and not have to worry about saying no to things for the girls.

So finally in March 2008, we found out that not only would dh be at full salary (2 years sooner than we thought), but he would have some nice retro pay to go along with it. When they announced the free dining this past April, needless to say, I jumped at the chance. We will finally be making the trip down from NY to the House of Mouse on Sept 19 - 24 at the POR, during Free dining!

The cast of characters:
me - Kimberly, 39 Disney "obsessed" since my first trip to the "world" in 1983. We were visiting my grandparents 2 hours south of there so we drove up for the day. Have had several trips there over the years, but the first time I actually stayed on Disney property was 1992 at CBR and from then on, I was totally spoiled. So much so, that although I could not talk my dh into getting married there, I did manage to get him down there for our honeymoon 10 days at the Grand Floridian!

dh - Patrick, 39 - although he will never admit it, I secretly think he loves Disney also, if not as much, but he does have his favorites.

oldest dd, Katherine - 6 1/2 - my little thrill seeker and princess lover. Faves: Ariel and Cinderella and any coaster she is tall enough to get on. Also as dh and I (and an old Disney commercial) like to put it - she is a Disney souvenir

youngest dd, Olivia - 3 - how shall I put this? This is my "real" child...lol She can be a real handful and while she wants to do everything her sister does, she is a bit skittish about things as well.

We are departing on JetBlue out of JFK on 9/19, arriving into MCO at 9:58 and making our way to POR via Magical Express.
Our ADR's are as follows:
9/19 the night we arrive - 6:40pm - dinner at 1900 Park Fair - Cinderella's Gala Feast - this is a surprise for our oldest daughter.
9/20 - 7:40pm - 50's Prime Time cafe
9/21 - late lunch - 2:55pm Garden Grill @ Epcot
9/22 - SeaWorld/ dinner at Rainforest Cafe (DTD), shopping at DTD
9/23 - 5:15pm - Ohana dinner
9/24 - breakfast 8:20am - Crystal Palace/MK and then home

Musts for this trip - Spectromagic/Wishes and Illuminations.

I have a few last minute things to do for the trip - I pre-ordered our Disney photopass cd already. I have to order from Garden Grocer and make our tags with the LGMH's for our bags. I have already received our documents and our ME tags. I'm soooo ready for this vacation - there has been so much family drama here in the last couple months, that as much as I love my family, I am so looking forward to time away with just the four of us.

More to come!

 

[kimbo0569]

Well, not so much Hanna but Ike and Josephine are making me a bit nervous

I'm really praying these do not affect our getting down to MCO on 9/19. The girls and I are really looking forward to it and I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that they won't affect our flight down in any way.

 

[kimbo0569]

We're exactly a week away from our trip. Next week, at this time we should be wandering around POR and getting ourselves settled in.

I've. pretty much got everything done - the only thing I have to do is get to the Disney store for the gift cards for the girls, do last minute laundry and pack and maybe head to the store for some last minute stuff.

I want to call and confirm all our ADr's Monday, also confirm our Garden Grocer delivery for Friday.

My father is driving us to JFK on Friday morning to catch our flight.

Here is a pic of me and my dh, Patrick

here is a pic of the girls - Katherine is in the purple top and Olivia is in the flower top.

The girls are getting so excited for our trip. Katherine woke up this morning, yelling "7 more sleeps until DisneyWorld!"

 

[kimbo0569]

4 nights away from our trip! We're all getting excited here - I've already squared away stuff with Katherine's teacher since she'll be missing 4 days of school.

I only have a few more things to do and get, along with packing.

Here is the game plan so far:

9/19 - flight from JFK to MCO - landing at 9:53am, get ME to POR - check in
Hopefully room will be ready, Garden Grocer delivery scheduled between noon and 2pm. We'll probably hit Animal Kingdom that afternoon for a bit.
Leave for GF by 5:45pm, take bus to MK, to monorail for GF ADR - 6:40pm - 1900 Park Faire @ Grand Floridian (surprise for my 6 1/2 year old).
After dinner, monorail to Epcot for EMH (depending on how exhausted we all are)


9/20 Try to hit EMH for HS (arrive by 7:30am)
spend day in HS, break for a bit and head back for dinner by 6:40pm to HS
ADR - 7:40pm - 50's Prime Time Cafe @ Hollywood Studios


9/21 Epcot morning - and stay for late lunch - ADR - 2:55pm - Garden Grill @ The Land Pavillion - Epcot
break for a bit and head to MK for Spectromagic/Wishes/EMH


9/22 Breakfast at Food Court in POR
Sea World Day
ADR - 6:30pm - Rainforest Cafe @ Downtown Disney
see what happens after dinner

9/23 Magic Kingdom

ADR - 5:15pm - O'Hana @ Polynesian Resort
take monorail over to Epcot for Illuminations after dinner

9/24

ADR - 8:30am - Crystal Palace @ Magic Kingdom, finish up MK
Be back @ POR by noon for Magic Express pick up to head home

I'm soooooo ready to go!