9 Days of Princess Hair - a June 2010 trip report - update 9/24 the drive home

[ksl5f123]

What a great bonus day, despite the heat! Those pictures of your girls hugging Tiana...oh they just melt my heart! How sweet are they?

It was certainly one of my favorite days. I don't know if that is because I had low expectations about what we would accomplish or I just enjoyed it being only our family, but the entire day was wonderful! Tiana was so sweet. My oldest isn't the hugging kind, but DD4 is completely caught up in the magic. So, DD6 will follow along so as not to be left out.

So glad your little guy liked meeting Buzz. He's already all boy, huh? No princesses for him!

He loved Buzz. The only "princess" that really got a reaction from him was Mulan and she has a sword and rides a horse in her movie. How could he resist? He really is all boy. I am still getting used to it. For example, last week he and I were out taking a walk and we found the first leaf of fall. Now, my girls would have gone about collecting as many as they could find, making leaf bouquets, and maybe bringing a couple home to use in their artwork. What did my little guy do? Stomp on it! When that didn't crush it to his satisfaction, he then picked it up and tore it to shreds. Boys....

Great job on the budget, that is staying REALLY close to your goal! Not bad at all!

Thanks! We tried pretty hard.

I'm glad you're going to tell us about Vero Beach, I was so sad that it was over!

I have to stretch it out as long as possible since I can't start a new PTR yet.

 

[lexmas]

For example, last week he and I were out taking a walk and we found the first leaf of fall. Now, my girls would have gone about collecting as many as they could find, making leaf bouquets, and maybe bringing a couple home to use in their artwork. What did my little guy do? Stomp on it! When that didn't crush it to his satisfaction, he then picked it up and tore it to shreds. Boys....

 

[TinksThree]

Okay...I read the Vero Beach report at lunch and now my turkey sandwich just doesn't seem that appetizing!

I have enjoyed reading your TR!

 

[lexmas]

Somehow I missed all those resturaunt descriptions. I don't know how. That resturaunt sure is pricey, but it sounds beautiful and amazing!

The view on father's day sounds breathtaking. It's always awkward when you feel like your kids aren't entirely welcome somewhere!

Aww, did you have to go home? I think you should have added a "surprise extra week" to your vacation!

 

[ksl5f123]

Okay...I read the Vero Beach report at lunch and now my turkey sandwich just doesn't seem that appetizing!

I admit it - we splurge when it comes to food on vacation. "Upscale" in the town where we live means Outback steakhouse, so we enjoy good food when we travel. Here in the real world, I had pb&j for lunch today.

 

[ksl5f123]

Somehow I missed all those resturaunt descriptions. I don't know how. That resturaunt sure is pricey, but it sounds beautiful and amazing!

Maison Martinique is insanely expensive. At home, we spend $400 a month to feed all 5 of us so paying $127 for a single meal for two of us is a HUGE treat.

The view on father's day sounds breathtaking. It's always awkward when you feel like your kids aren't entirely welcome somewhere!

It was a nice view. I have a couple of fuzzy pictures I will put in the next post.

Aww, did you have to go home? I think you should have added a "surprise extra week" to your vacation!

I really get done with vacation after about 2 weeks. I can only handle so much eating out and strange beds and sleeping in the same room as the kids... It was time.

 

[ksl5f123]

A few pictures from brunch - unfortunately they were taken too quickly after walking outside and the camera didn't have time to adjust to the Florida humidity.

 

[ksl5f123]

First, let me say that I didn't abandon the end of this trip report - my computer did. It decided to fail to power on and we spent a week getting it fixed. I am happy to be back on line.

After a lovely brunch, we started out on our drive home. Since we had a different starting point (Vero instead of Orlando), Googlemaps gave us a different route home which we thought was strange. After taking the Florida Turnpike to I-75, we went up into Georgia (instead of going west on I-10). At some point, we stopped for lunch at McDonalds and stopped for the night in Columbus, Georgia after about 8 hours of driving. Columbus is very close to the Alabama state line.

That night we had a crazy time finding a place to eat supper. DH was in the mood for Olive Garden so he asked at the hotel for directions to the closest one. It was about a 15 minute drive from the hotel and it was now about 7 PM. We drove over only to discover that the wait was 50 minutes. Luckily, it was in a big shopping area, so we went over to TGI Friday's to learn that their wait was 65 minutes. Somehow, we had forgotten that it was Father's Day and EVERYONE was going out to eat. Next, we tried Ruby Tuesday which only had a 20 minute wait. We finally got to eat at about 8 PM meaning that all of the kids were totally insane!

We stayed this night in the Holiday Inn Express which had really nice rooms. I love how the pillowcases are labeled as soft, medium, and firm. Choices make me happy! The kids enjoyed the big fluffy beds. DS made himself right at home. Here are my last two pictures of the trip:

Doesn't he look like he owns the place?

After a good night's sleep, we woke up the next morning and ate the breakfast included with our room. I really like the cinnamon rolls that these hotels make in the mornings!

We had a 9.5 hour drive left to get home. Somewhere in rural Mississippi, we stopped at the worst Subway ever! The place was really dirty, but there was literally nothing else around for many miles, so we made do. The kids didn't like the place and there was lots of whining and complaining. I couldn't wait to get out of there!

We made it home at about 5 PM and decided that we needed to eat soon and grocery shopping was pretty low on my list of things I wanted to do that evening. So, we dropped by Little Ceasars for some $5 pizzas and made it home.

Money spent returning home: $6.05 for tolls, $99.46 for gas, $97.87 for hotel, $69.81 for meals.
Total spent on a 17 day vacation
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
$4307. Up next, final thoughts.

 

[lexmas]

Too bad those pictures are blurry...I will have to remember that about the humidity!

Written out, it doesn't sound like a bad drive, but I wouldn't want to live it!

Your DS definately looks like he owns the place. He looks so comfy!

That's not a bad total for 17 days at all, especially considering you did things like eat at really fancy resturaunts, go off property, and there are FIVE of you. Not bad at all, I'm kind of envious of that total. My trips almost look like that because of airfare, and we're not nearly as extravagant.

What an amazing trip! I can't wait for your final thoughts!

 

[Stasieki]

$4307 for 17 days is great. I think we usually spend around $3,500 total for a week vacation at Disney. We are trying out free dining for the first time next Feb. My goal for the week is $3,300.

 

[ksl5f123]

I really have been intending to do a "final thoughts" post for the past 2 months, but as my trip got farther in the past, spending time on the DIS was getting more and more depressing. I still come on everyday, but spend all of my time on the budget board. Why the budget board? Because DH said as soon as I saved enough money to pay for the room and tickets we could book another trip.

Guess what? I got to the target amount last week! I called our travel agent today and am now starting to plan a new Disney trip! So, I am now back to the DIS. I will finish the "final thoughts" and then start a new PTR!

 

[TinksThree]

Great news!! I know what you mean by the Boards being depressing when you aren't going! They are evil!!!

So when are you planning the trip? We are going back in May, but i have to book. I am like you in that we are saving the money....no credit cards ....so I must wait on my next paycheck! I will be watchign for your TR so I can join in!

 

[ksl5f123]

Tink,

Thanks for sticking around! I pretty much quit reading all but one trip report after September. Hooray for your May trip!!! I can't wait to hear about it!

 

[ksl5f123]

While I am still planning some final thoughts here, I decided to go ahead and start a new PTR. I am thrilled to be planning again! Here is the new link:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=39178513#post39178513