DH pulled our suitcases from the garage yesterday. After wiping the dust from them 
we began filling them with the things we are taking with us, but not using, during this last work week.
Our kitchen counter tops were covered with digital cameras, video cameras and DVD players as we charged them overnight.
I counted, then recounted, our tickets to DL, Universal, Knott's & Medievil Dinner show at least 6 times.
I contacted our local Post Office to arrange for them to hold our mail. (Even though we had family members picking up our mail and putting it in the house for us, we became victims of Credit Card theft while we were at WDW...not this time.)
I pulled the cash out of the bank that we are taking to DL, and we went to Walmart for some last minute clothes shopping and purchased a cheap 12-cup coffee pot. (picked one up for 10 bucks) The ones in most hotel rooms only make 1 good-sized cup at a time...that just will not work with 3 of us being morning coffee drinkers. I can see us fighting over that first pot every morning.
Monday - Thursday I work. I am employed in the office of a Machine Shop. My job title is "Document Control Clerk"...a fancy name for a paper-pusher.
The plan is to empty all my in-baskets during the next 4 days, cause I know they'll be filled again by the time I return. Amazing how fast that stuff piles up! 
On Friday, I'll print out our boarding passes and re-confirm our reservations at BWPPI, SuperShuttle, Shuttle Express and our 12-passenger van rental.
Shuttle Express is picking us up at 4:00 AM, Saturday morning. DH works swing and is taking a 1/2 day off so he can be home and in bed by 8:00 at the latest. Our daughter's family is going to sleep in our motor home on Friday so I can see our 5yo grandson's face Saturday morning when he realizes that "this is the day that he finally gets to go see Mickey."
We depart from Seattle at 6:40 AM and should get into SNA around 9:30 AM. Hopefully, our exclusive SuperShuttle van will be waiting for us to whisk us off to the BWPPI. It would be great if one of our rooms were ready, but I'm not counting on it, so I'm trying to decide what to take on the plane in my carry-on so I don't have to rummage through my suitcases if we have to store them in the lobby.
I have all my tickets and important papers in a check-sized expanding file which I will leave in a safety deposit box at the hotel after removing our DL passes.
I really want to ride Soarin' the first day and the younger ones of our group want to ride CA Screamin' & TOT, so we'll probably go to DCA first. Last year, by this time, the internet was already a-buzz with warnings about the parks reaching capacity over Veteran's Day Weekend, but not so this year...I'm just hearing comments about how bad it was last year and the year before. I'm hoping that with DL pushing the official Christmas date to the following weekend, we will be able to start at DCA then head over to DL later to see "Remember".
I'm expecting large crowds, I just pray they don't reach capacity and we get locked out of DL. Since we're not getting into the parks until around noon, maybe the CMs will have some idea about how bad it's going to get by then. If they feel that the parks will reach capacity, then we'll just start at DL instead of DCA.
Well...12 months of planning and waiting is finally coming to an end. It feels surreal in a way...kind of like I'm dreaming.
I'm expecting the "after the vacation" blues when I get home, but I'll be busy working on my trip report (with pictures) for several weeks and that will keep the magic alive for awhile. After that, I guess I'll just have to start planning our next trip to get me through the blues.
we began filling them with the things we are taking with us, but not using, during this last work week. Our kitchen counter tops were covered with digital cameras, video cameras and DVD players as we charged them overnight.
I counted, then recounted, our tickets to DL, Universal, Knott's & Medievil Dinner show at least 6 times.
I contacted our local Post Office to arrange for them to hold our mail. (Even though we had family members picking up our mail and putting it in the house for us, we became victims of Credit Card theft while we were at WDW...not this time.)
I pulled the cash out of the bank that we are taking to DL, and we went to Walmart for some last minute clothes shopping and purchased a cheap 12-cup coffee pot. (picked one up for 10 bucks) The ones in most hotel rooms only make 1 good-sized cup at a time...that just will not work with 3 of us being morning coffee drinkers. I can see us fighting over that first pot every morning.
Monday - Thursday I work. I am employed in the office of a Machine Shop. My job title is "Document Control Clerk"...a fancy name for a paper-pusher.
The plan is to empty all my in-baskets during the next 4 days, cause I know they'll be filled again by the time I return. Amazing how fast that stuff piles up! On Friday, I'll print out our boarding passes and re-confirm our reservations at BWPPI, SuperShuttle, Shuttle Express and our 12-passenger van rental.
Shuttle Express is picking us up at 4:00 AM, Saturday morning. DH works swing and is taking a 1/2 day off so he can be home and in bed by 8:00 at the latest. Our daughter's family is going to sleep in our motor home on Friday so I can see our 5yo grandson's face Saturday morning when he realizes that "this is the day that he finally gets to go see Mickey."
We depart from Seattle at 6:40 AM and should get into SNA around 9:30 AM. Hopefully, our exclusive SuperShuttle van will be waiting for us to whisk us off to the BWPPI. It would be great if one of our rooms were ready, but I'm not counting on it, so I'm trying to decide what to take on the plane in my carry-on so I don't have to rummage through my suitcases if we have to store them in the lobby.
I have all my tickets and important papers in a check-sized expanding file which I will leave in a safety deposit box at the hotel after removing our DL passes.
I really want to ride Soarin' the first day and the younger ones of our group want to ride CA Screamin' & TOT, so we'll probably go to DCA first. Last year, by this time, the internet was already a-buzz with warnings about the parks reaching capacity over Veteran's Day Weekend, but not so this year...I'm just hearing comments about how bad it was last year and the year before. I'm hoping that with DL pushing the official Christmas date to the following weekend, we will be able to start at DCA then head over to DL later to see "Remember".
I'm expecting large crowds, I just pray they don't reach capacity and we get locked out of DL. Since we're not getting into the parks until around noon, maybe the CMs will have some idea about how bad it's going to get by then. If they feel that the parks will reach capacity, then we'll just start at DL instead of DCA.
Well...12 months of planning and waiting is finally coming to an end. It feels surreal in a way...kind of like I'm dreaming.
I'm expecting the "after the vacation" blues when I get home, but I'll be busy working on my trip report (with pictures) for several weeks and that will keep the magic alive for awhile. After that, I guess I'll just have to start planning our next trip to get me through the blues.
If it is the entire group this won't work..... Don't forget about fast passes, have a runner to get the fast passes andjust enjoy the time at the parks.. The holiday decorations will be up making this even more special... Santa may even be in both parks which my kids always love to see. The DCA Santa is in a beach theme outfit and it is very cute. Disneyland Santa (yes there is more than one with the magic of Disney!) is in the back behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (I forget the name of the place) but it is nicely decorated for the holidays too........
I will be working the whole week, but I am able to work from home so I will be able to get things done.
(I am so happy that it last week and not this week) so I also got the travel sized hand sanitizers. DH is the only one that did not get it. 
