5 days on $1300!?! Help me plan! - a July 2011 PTR - updated 8/11 - link to TR!

[ksl5f123]

Okay, so I think you should bring the stroller.

Thanks for the opinion and

You can bring your drinks, trail mix, cereal bars, granola bars (not the choc coated ones though), carrot sticks, grapes, dry cereal (cheerios etc) and fruit snacks to tide DD7 (and the rest of you) over between meals. Popcorn from the treat carts is also a good filler but I don't know if you can use your rewards card for that. Anyway, with a stroller and a soft cooler you can have these items ready at hand for when they are necessary. (Chips, cheesies and cookies also stand up to the heat fairly well if healthiness isn't an issue.)

Those are GREAT ideas. Thanks!

When we don't do the dining plan (and sometimes even when we do) I bring all manner of treats with me into the parks and most of the time...we never even touched them. The exception was of course our beverages...we ALWAYS drank those.

I always drag more stuff around in the park with me than I need.

Personally, I would book Mama Melrose and Rose and Crown FOR SURE and if feasible financially, I'd squeeze in the Plaza as well. If you can go TS for the in park meals and save money by doing most dinners at the hotel, that's the route I'd go.

Right now, the plan is to keep the Mama Melrose and switch the Liberty Tree Tavern to the Plaza. I just can't decide on Rose and Crown. I am keeping it for now, but if there is one that I might cancel, that would be it.

 

[ksl5f123]

Well, that is how I break it down but I also have teens that are much more interested (and tolerable!) than younger children! So maybe you can tweak it some??

Sure. I just really want to take my time in the World Showcase this time. I am just not sure taking my time and July are compatible ideas.

I think the plans for AK by 1pm are very doable!! I agree that it can get so warm there! I have (unfortunately) not eaten at Flametree since my family discovered Pizzafari and usually sticks to what they know they like...unless I prompt them elsewhere!! Maybe I need to do some prompting because I hear Flametree is very good!

I have never been to Flametree either. I have planned it for two trips now and both times ended up at Tusker House. Not that that is a bad thing, it just means that I still haven't tried Flame tree. Of course, if AK is hotter than the surface of the sun that day - we will go for Pizzafari since it is air conditioned!

 

[TinksThree]

The awesome thing about World Showcase is that so much of it is air conditioned and you can escape a bit. I don't know about July crowds but the times i have been I notice that the crowds get spread out some. So maybe you will have soem good luck there! Maybe you could make your own scavenger hunt (sort of like Kim Possible but "tailor-made" for you--I am thinking encompassing all the countries) for the girls to do to make the WS a little more adventuresome!

Those clothes are SO cute!!! The colors are so vivid and fun! Bambi is such a cool idea for AK! Everyone does giraffe prints!! Brilliant change!! And I thought you did good on those skirts! I am not much of a seamstress so I don't know if I would have even attempted that! And I love the Rapunzel fabric! I think you planned this trip just so she could wear the new pillowcase dress since there wasn't time in March to make it!

 

[pinkxray]

Great job with the outfits. I really need to learn how to sew. I love the dresses, they can't be too hard right?

Great idea using Bambi for AK.

 

[cadek]

I love all of the outfits, especially Bambi! That's not something you see very much of! I don't sew, but I do admire others that can be so creative! I have two boys, so not much dressing up for them.

 

[TinksThree]

6 more days!! Are you excited yet?!?!?!?!

 

[ksl5f123]

Yep! We are very excited!!!

Last Saturday (July 2) we saw the Broadway style production of the Lion King. It was amazing!!! DD7 loved the show. She was particularly intrigued by the 9 year old kids playing Simba and Nala. DD5 loved the first half of the show, but the second half has some added material that is not in the movie and during that part she fell asleep. DS2 actually did better than I expected. He enjoyed the show and stayed in his seat but did talk a little. There were lots of kids in the theater so hopefully he didn't disturb anyone. I made dresses for the girls for the show and I will try to post pictures soon.

As I mentioned, our Disney trip is part of a larger family vacation, so we are already on the road. So far, I have realized that I forgot the ice packs for our lunch boxes (already easily replaced for $2 at Walgreens) and
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DD5's princess dress for BBB! We own 4 BBB dresses (Snow White, Rapunzel, Ariel ballgown, and Aurora) and I was waiting on her to pick one before I packed it ... and then I forgot. So, now I have to figure out how to get her a dress before Monday morning. Any suggestions?

 

[ksl5f123]

Those clothes are SO cute!!! The colors are so vivid and fun! Bambi is such a cool idea for AK! Everyone does giraffe prints!! Brilliant change!! And I thought you did good on those skirts! I am not much of a seamstress so I don't know if I would have even attempted that! And I love the Rapunzel fabric! I think you planned this trip just so she could wear the new pillowcase dress since there wasn't time in March to make it!

Thank you! I had a lot of fun making them. When I saw that Bambi print, I just had to have it. That one was my choice. DD7 chose the Ariel and DD5 chose the princess.

I found some tutorials through the DISboutiquers thread on the Family board and they were really straightforward. If you look really close, there are some crooked seams, but luckily my girls don't care.

Yup! We had to use that adorable Rapunzel fabric!!

 

[ksl5f123]

Great job with the outfits. I really need to learn how to sew. I love the dresses, they can't be too hard right?

Pillowcase dresses are super simple. You could certainly do it. Right now my girls are really proud of their homemade clothes - they tell everyone that mama made it. Hopefully I can get a couple more years of that.

I love all of the outfits, especially Bambi! That's not something you see very much of! I don't sew, but I do admire others that can be so creative! I have two boys, so not much dressing up for them.

Thanks! I found the Bambi fabric at Hobby Lobby and bought it immediately. Usually, we shop around a couple of different fabric stores to find the best price, but I didn't want to miss out on that one! I haven't seen it anywhere else.

 

[ksl5f123]

I owe you all a little explanation for the delay in the "We're home!" post. I mentioned in my previous post that the Disney trip was just part of a larger family vacation. Well, that larger vacation actually lasted the entire month of July (all 31 days) and involved 4175 miles of driving!

So, we actually returned the evening of July 31, but I needed a couple of days to unpack, do laundry, and get some groceries before I could return to the DIS. But, now I am back!

I am going to finish up my TR from my March trip before I write this one, but that shouldn't take too long - I only have 4 hours of that trip left.

 

[TinksThree]

Glad you are home safe! That is A LOT of miles!! I love road trips though so while tiring, I would love to drive/travel for a month!! Can't wait to read up on on all your adventures!!

 

[ksl5f123]

The trip report is started!

5 Days on $1300?!? Did we do it?

I hope to see you there!