6..5..4..3..1..Blast off (May 2010)--updated itinerary

[dr&momto2boys]

I updated my original post with some pictures of us while I was digging up all those pictures.

Drama today:
Airline ticket prices up more than 25% while MIL was waiting for SIL to decide if she was going to fly or not. DH still hasn't convinced MIL to come early with us. SIL doesn't want to pay to stay at the expensive Universal hotel that would give us express access to the rides for two days at US and IOA. I do understand.

Just in:
DH emailed his mother and sister to try to get them to fly out Thursday. Told them we'd pay for studios for them at BCV. Sister apparently considering it but can't fly out until Thursday night after work. Not sure that gets us anywhere. It does screw up my plans! DH says, "Oh, I didn't know." Hence his symbol of and my new symbol of . If that happens, I'm not quite sure how (or if) I'll change our plans.

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

Oh my goodness, I NEED to know what computer program you used to make that collage!! That just may be the coolest thing I've ever seen!

The shirts are all way too cute!! I really love the ones with the numbers.

LOVE the journal and autograph book!!

Thanks for posting all of that! It has made me realize how much planning and preparation I need to do before our trip!

 

[dr&momto2boys]

LOVE how all the shirts and books came out! It is getting me in the mood to start working on mine- I have all the stuff on my computer but have only made a few things so far!

Also loving the collage pic- awesome!

Thank you! It really is fun! I'll have to start hunting for this trip's designs soon.

Oh my goodness, I NEED to know what computer program you used to make that collage!! That just may be the coolest thing I've ever seen!

The shirts are all way too cute!! I really love the ones with the numbers.

LOVE the journal and autograph book!!

Thanks for posting all of that! It has made me realize how much planning and preparation I need to do before our trip!

Thank you! The program I used is freeware called AndreaMosaic I think.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

hmmm, let me see if I can explain this... to make the links to your post click on the number in the top right corner of your post which open up a new page- copy the url. Then go back to edit your first post, type in the title you want people to see to click on (such as "The Cast"), then highlight the title and click on the globe with the chain link at the top of the message box. It should open a box (you may have to click on a yellow box to 'allow scripted windows' and paste the url into that box. Click close and voila, you've made a link.

Great start to your PTR btw, can't wait to read more.

OMG it worked! I feel very smart now. I've learned three new things since I've started this PTR. Thank you!

 

[-Hope-]

OMG it worked! I feel very smart now. I've learned three new things since I've started this PTR. Thank you!

You are welcome! Glad my explanation wasn't too hard to follow.

And thank you for the freeware info- I'm going to check that out right now!

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

Thanks for the info on that freeware! Gonna go check it out now!

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I updated my original post with some pictures of us while I was digging up all those pictures.

Drama today:
Airline ticket prices up more than 25% while MIL was waiting for SIL to decide if she was going to fly or not. DH still hasn't convinced MIL to come early with us. SIL doesn't want to pay to stay at the expensive Universal hotel that would give us express access to the rides for two days at US and IOA. I do understand.

Just in:
DH emailed his mother and sister to try to get them to fly out Thursday. Told them we'd pay for studios for them at BCV. Sister apparently considering it but can't fly out until Thursday night after work. Not sure that gets us anywhere. It does screw up my plans! DH says, "Oh, I didn't know." Hence his symbol of and my new symbol of . If that happens, I'm not quite sure how (or if) I'll change our plans.

Regarding the above...
It's a few days later now and no decisions have been made. Let me outline the problem of DH's spontaneous, not well thought out offer. He was thinking it would be nice if MIL and SIL and all flew out Thursday morning so he told them we'd pay for studios at BCV for everyone. They were planning to leave Thursday to drive to Orlando so it would work into their plans if they flew instead. If they could find cheap flights they'd get more Disney time and it wouldn't cost much more because they'd save gas, hotels along the way and they had extra days on their tickets anyway. He was thinking it's only 13 points per studio--so an extra 26 points--no big deal. (Remember the simplified exchange of 1point=$10?)

Reality: SIL was planning to leave Thursday NIGHT. While DH offered studios for Thursday night, we later realized Friday night was probably implied because they weren't planning to stay at Universal that night (even though we were.) Friday nights cost 24 points per studio. Oops.

DH talked to SIL today. It looks like they would just fly out Friday morning if they can find a good rate for a flight. Whew. That helps a little. He hasn't talked to MIL to see if their plans are any different.

So here's our choices now:
We ALL stay at BCV Friday night (72 more points spent but save $240 on our Universal hotel by not staying there. Then we all shuttle to Universal the next morning (early for opening.)
or
Since SIL wasn't planning to stay onsite at Universal anyway, just convince her it's not worth the inconvenience to stay one night at BCV then switch to offsite Universal area hotel for one night. She'd be better off just shuttling to Universal area hotel on Friday for two nights. Maybe we even offer to pay for that hotel night? That would actually fit pretty well into my plans since we planned to spend morning at Epcot on Friday and transfer to Universal hotel after lunch. This is option is sounding better as I type it out. Then it doesn't change our plans and it doesn't cost them any more in transportation and is easier as far as luggage handling.

Sorry that was confusing and boring, but it did help me figure things out!

DH doesn't realize how much I think about this stuff! Afterall we booked our hotel 11 months in advance, booked ADRs 180 days in advance, and had to have a rough itinerary planned in order to do that.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Here are some projects from our October 2008 trip to Disneyland and Southern California: (I was pregnant with DD at the time so some of my shirts allude to that.)

These shirts were for The San Diego Zoo and Legoland: (Just for the boys)

Shirts for SeaWorld:

DL shirts for the whole family:

Another day of shirts for DL:

Shirts we wore to California Adventure:

Yes, we had shirts for every day!

Even for the last 1/2 day and trip home:

And just because the kids liked these designs I made these long sleeved shirts which they wore in San Francisco--where I had a conference just before we went to San Diego and Anaheim:

I know I made Autograph books for this trip too, but I apparently didn't take any pictures of them.

Anyone want to see more t-shirts? We made some for our last trip to WDW and DCL cruise too in September 2009.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I made some changes to our plans today. I'll highlight what's different from the first post.

Our revised plan:

Wed May 5:
Arrive at Beachclub Villas
DHS
Fantasmic Dinner Package at Brown Derby

Thu May 6:
Breakfast at Boardwalk Bakery using snack credits
Family pictures taken on location at Beach Club (Do they still do this?)
Pooltime at StormAlong Bay
Lunch at Beaches 'n Cream
Epcot
Dinner at Teppan Edo

Fri May 7:
Breakfast at Cape May Cafe
Epcot
Lunch at Rose & Crown
Taxi to Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando
Islands of Adventure

Sat May 8:
Meet up with the rest of our group
Universal Studios

Sun May 9: (Mother's Day)
Islands of Adventure
Dinner at Citywalk--although tempted to want to taxi to BLT first and eat room service or something
Taxi to Bay Lake Towers (at the Contemporary Resort)

Mon May 10:
Magic Kingdom
Lunch at Pecos Bill or El Pirate Y Perico or poolside
Pooltime
Dinner at 'Ohana--trying to move to 6pm (currently 7pm)
Return to MK for Spectromagic and Wishes

Tue May 11:
Animal Kingdom
Lunch at Yak & Yeti (CS)
Jammin' Jungle Parade
Dinner at Chef Mickey's--possibly move Ohana to this night

Wed May 12:
Magic Kingdom
Princess lunch at CRT
Pinnochio's or Cosmic Ray's Dinner


Thu May 13:
DHS
Dinner at Captain's Grille at Yacht Club after DHS closes

Fri May 14:
Possibly breakfast with group before they leave...Chef Mickey's?
Magic Kingdom
Fly home 7:55pm

The biggest change is swapping DHS day with MK day hoping for lighter crowds on both days.

In case anyone was following the In-Law's possible change of plans. Sorry! I couldn't even follow it! I think everyone will end up flying. MIL & FIL for sure. None of them are coming early.

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

Even for the last 1/2 day and trip home:

Anyone want to see more t-shirts? We made some for our last trip to WDW and DCL cruise too in September 2009.

I do, I do!! I love that you had shirts for every day! The pic I left in is my favorite DISign.

I made some changes to our plans today. I'll highlight what's different from the first post.

Our revised plan:

Wed May 5:
Arrive at Beachclub Villas
DHS
Fantasmic Dinner Package at Brown Derby

Thu May 6:
Breakfast at Boardwalk Bakery using snack credits
Family pictures taken on location at Beach Club (Do they still do this?) I'm pretty sure they do. They did when we were there last Fall.
Pooltime at StormAlong Bay
Lunch at Beaches 'n Cream
Epcot
Dinner at Teppan Edo

Fri May 7:
Breakfast at Cape May Cafe
Epcot
Lunch at Rose & Crown
Taxi to Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando
Islands of Adventure

Sat May 8:
Meet up with the rest of our group
Universal Studios

Sun May 9: (Mother's Day)
Islands of Adventure
Dinner at Citywalk--although tempted to want to taxi to BLT first and eat room service or something
Taxi to Bay Lake Towers (at the Contemporary Resort)

Mon May 10:
Magic Kingdom
Lunch at Pecos Bill or El Pirate Y Perico or poolside
Pooltime
Dinner at 'Ohana--trying to move to 6pm (currently 7pm)
Return to MK for Spectromagic and Wishes

Tue May 11:
Animal Kingdom
Lunch at Yak & Yeti (CS)
Jammin' Jungle Parade
Dinner at Chef Mickey's--possibly move Ohana to this night

Wed May 12:
Magic Kingdom
Princess lunch at CRT
Pinnochio's or Cosmic Ray's Dinner


Thu May 13:
DHS
Dinner at Captain's Grille at Yacht Club after DHS closes

Fri May 14:
Possibly breakfast with group before they leave...Chef Mickey's?
Magic Kingdom
Fly home 7:55pm

The biggest change is swapping DHS day with MK day hoping for lighter crowds on both days.

In case anyone was following the In-Law's possible change of plans. Sorry! I couldn't even follow it! I think everyone will end up flying. MIL & FIL for sure. None of them are coming early.

Your plans look really good! Good call on swapping those two days. Hope it works out for lighter crowds! I'm glad that things seem to be working out with the travel plans for your IL's. It is always stressful when traveling with a large group!

 

[disneylovin24]

Can't wait to read more! I know the travel plans are starting to be alittle stressful, but i'm sure it wall all come together in the end and you'll have a great trip

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I do, I do!! I love that you had shirts for every day! The pic I left in is my favorite DISign.

Your plans look really good! Good call on swapping those two days. Hope it works out for lighter crowds! I'm glad that things seem to be working out with the travel plans for your IL's. It is always stressful when traveling with a large group!

Thank you! I'll try to post my final batch of projects.

Can't wait to read more! I know the travel plans are starting to be alittle stressful, but i'm sure it wall all come together in the end and you'll have a great trip

Thanks! I was starting to think no one was reading and was gonna give up on this PTR. My DH should write it. He's a really good and funny writer. I'm all about the facts and was just hoping that being a Disney geek would keep readers attention. My real talent is in the details of the planning and making t-shirts!

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Here are T-Shirts from our September 2009 WDW and DCL trip. We spent three nights at Wilderness Lodge just hanging out at the pools and playing at other resorts. Our only park time was MNSSHP. Then a seven night cruise.

Travel Days: (For the boys only)

Embarkation Day: (For all of us. The girls design a little different than the boys.)

Wilderness Lodge T's. (DH's had a small emlem on the front (shown) and the big design on the back. The boys just had the big design on the front.:

Shirts for Pirate Party Night: Everyone had a small design on the front (Mom, Dad, Kid1, Kid2, Kid3) and the Big design on the back. Yes, I know the designer of the little pirate heads just put Kid1, Kid2, etc. to fill in actual names later, but I found it strangely humerous to label them Kid1, Kid2, Kid3.

These ringer shirts are my favorites. I painstakingly trimmed the design to really pop.

Kind of a remake of a shirt design from our first trip, but always fun and made especially for the cruise:

We always use the stick figure design, but our family keeps changing so it's never been the same twice!

MNSSHP shirts for DH and me, followed by designs for the kids:

I also ironed-on a design and wrote the kids' names with puff paint on pillowcases that we had the characters sign. They turned out great with the sigs! The kids are using them now. In fact, DS3 called DH into his room in the middle of the night one night to flip his pillow over so he could sleep on the right side of the pillowcase.

I'll have to try to find a picture of our cruise cabin door with all the custom magnets we made. We definately had the biggest (and I thought best) display on our cruise!

 

[-Hope-]

Love the shirts- it has me itching to start mine- never mind that we won't need them for eight months!!

 

[disneylovin24]

Thanks! I was starting to think no one was reading and was gonna give up on this PTR. My DH should write it. He's a really good and funny writer. I'm all about the facts and was just hoping that being a Disney geek would keep readers attention. My real talent is in the details of the planning and making t-shirts!

I like reading about disney geeks And by that I mean I love to hear about all the details of people's trips. Gives me trips for mine and on occassion it's fun to hand out tips

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Today I've been working on an hourly schedule for the days I've planned. I do think I have a good general plan, but may tweak it when I actually sit down and write out park plans for which rides to hit by when. I did eliminate the idea of taking a family photo at Beach Club. It would have been cool, but I decided on pooltime instead and didn't want to get all dressed up just to take it all off and jump in the pool, ya know?

I did find out that the day we transfer from BCV over to Universal that the parks there close early! On a Friday night! It happens to be a "grad" night for middleschoolers of all things. Oh well. Maybe we'll get there in time for 2 hours of parks and then have a relaxing dinner.

That brings me to a question... Does anyone have any recommendations for dinner at Universal Orlando? We're staying at Royal Pacific Resort so we would prefer to eat there or at Citywalk. We have eaten at Margaritville before--not impressed enough to go back unless the rest of our group is joining us and would like to see the volcano. We always enjoy Bubba Gump's so that is likely to be our choice one of the nights. Any other recommendations? One of the nights we could actually choose to eat dinner in the park (Mythos?) But the other two nights we'll eat after the park closes. In fact Sunday night (Mother's Day BTW) we'll be spending until 6pm at US (closes) then dinner then transfering to BLT. I figure we should eat before we transfer because it could take a while to do that and check in and find food at WDW/BLT. If I knew it would be quick though I would entertain checking in first. We do have a Grand Villa afterall and it's cool to spend time there. Maybe we could order some pizzas? I don't know what the options might be, but I don't want a frustrated group! Thoughts?

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Bumping for dining recommendations, please!

 

[leamom2princesses]

I'm still following along with your plans. I don't have any US experience so I'm no help there at all. Sorry.

I did want to say that your t-shirts are sooo cool. I need to make some for my girls. I know they would love them. Was there a site that you went to, to learn how to do them so perfectly. Do you have any tips? You may have mentioned but I missed it I guess.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I'm still following along with your plans. I don't have any US experience so I'm no help there at all. Sorry.

I did want to say that your t-shirts are sooo cool. I need to make some for my girls. I know they would love them. Was there a site that you went to, to learn how to do them so perfectly. Do you have any tips? You may have mentioned but I missed it I guess.

They're really not difficult at all. Everything I know, I learned from the Crative DISigns part of the DISboards. There is a how to thread on there and all of the designs I used came from there--for free! It's addicting!

Tips:
Pick a background color to the design that matches the t-shirt. Then you don't have to trim the design out--it just blends in.

Use "dark"/"opaque" transfers whenever possible. They show up much brighter and withstand washing better.

Follow the directions on your package of transfers. Ironing time differs greatly by brands. Don't exceed ironing time or the transfers will crack after the first wash. Amy (M_I_C_K_E_Y) from the DISboards sells transfers that work great.

Trim out the design as completely as possible when using a dark transfer on a colored shirt (unless the background color matches the shirt.)

If you decide to make shirts and have any specific questions while you're working on them feel free to PM me!

 

[dr&momto2boys]

MIL and SIL's family booked their flights! They are flying out on Thursday night. We tried to book a couple of studio rooms at Beach Club Villas for them, but there weren't any available. We tried Boardwalk too since it's right next door. No studio rooms available there either. So they'll just go straight to their Universal hotels. SIL wants to get some sleep and spend the next day at the pool so it won't matter too much where she is anyway. MIL and FIL I bet will got the US or IOA. I'm sure they'll have fun and will probably not be sad to have some time having fun without all the grandkids around!

We'll keep to our plans then, of going to Epcot Friday morning and heading over to Royal Pacific Resort sometime after lunch. I'm sure it will take a while to transport over there and get checked in. I'm not sure if we should plan to spend the late afternoon at the pool or to go to IOA for a couple hours. I'm a little bummed that IOA is closing at 6pm on Friday night for a grad night. US always closes at 6pm the week we're going.

I think we'll plan to meet the IL's for dinner around 7pm. Still deciding where to eat. Bubba Gump's is always good. People have said the food at NBA City is good. I haven't heard much about the restaurants at the hotels. (Other than the fancy ones that wouldn't exactly be ideal for our large group with 5 little kids! Still accepting suggestions!

I've been doing some shopping for this trip. I'm driving DH nuts--because we're trying to stick to a strict budget! We just received a stroller in the mail today. Our old one was falling apart! And I ordered two pairs of Merrel shoes for me for the trip. I have the hardest time with shoes. I always get blisters and have pain. This time I'll try to break in the shoes and alternate between the two styles while we're at WDW. I'll keep my fingers crossed!