blondinkaya
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2007
- Messages
- 713
This is a thread of firsts. A first report for a first trip. Yay! 
Okay, Im almost afraid to do this because I feel Im going to somehow jinx everything.
But
I must be brave, right? Im also a very long-winded person (and a little ocd) 
, so Im typing this in Word in hopes of whittling down my rambling thoughts and just dishing out the meat.
Anyway, I suppose it wouldnt be long winded to give intros. Im Tinkerbell (I was nicknamed that as a childTina Bell/Tinker Bell, get it??
), and dh is HBO (short for Honey Bunches of Oats--its been a term of endearment for years), and we have two (mostly) wonderful sons, Josh (will be 13 in April) and Andy (will be 5 in April). Yep, my boys are 8 years + 5 days apart.
On to the decision to do Disney I *think* I went in 1978, but I was very young and dont really remember; I dont know if my mind created a memory or if I was really there, but I feel there was a Dumbo experience somewhere early in my life (and I have no one to ask about it). So, for all intensive purposes, I will say that this will be my first trip. HBO used to live in California and went to Disney Land a couple of times as a child, but no WDW. Obviously the boys have never been. Wed been tossing the idea of making a trip down to the World for a couple of years. Our first attempt at actually doing it was booking a package last April for a September free dining experience. But, in the military hurry-up-and-wait tradition, HBO got orders to move and we had to relocate and postpone our trip . HBO kept telling me that I should put it off indefinitely and wait until both boys can thoroughly enjoy the experience. I had resigned myself to that thought until over the Christmas holidays, when I experienced the great epiphany. My boys ARE the perfect ages now! Josh hasnt hit his Im a teen and hate everything my parents like phase yet and is still a kid in so many ways, and Andy is, well, Andy! He is such a little dare devil and a ball of energy and would just love everything Disney has to offer!
So on New Years Eve I booked us for a 3-7 March trip. I told HBO about it a couple of weeks after the fact. Better to ask forgiveness than permission, right?
At first he was a little resistant but warmed up to the idea of a vacation for the sake of vacationing, no sightseeing in conjunction with something work-related and no vacation to see family, and the realization that the boys are, indeed, the "right" age for the trip. Over our 14 years (and counting!), this will be our first honest-to-goodness vacation with no ulterior purpose, and that thought is so very refreshing to me! I love the relatives, I really do, but this trip is going to be good for us (not just dh or me, but for all four of us).
Little did I know that my plans would be thwarted. By whom? The military of course!
HBO has been selected to attend training starting in February. (I realize that Im so, so fortunate that hes here with us because there are so many families out there who are living apart due to very long deployments and are not knowing how safe their loved ones are over there, and I take my hat off to you and your family.) HBO's training notification was enough to put a kink in our vacation idea. This time, though, I did not let it deter us! I rescheduled the trip for 5-9 May. Woohoo! Oh, yeah, and the boys still dont know yet (Im half-afraid to tell them for fear that something will come up to prevent the trip again). We do have plans to tell them on Joshs birthday in mid-April. I plan to have a countdown calendar made that well pull out then (of course, it will be for only a few weeks, but it would be good for our youngest to see), and the boys will be getting Disney gift cards for their birthdays to buy whatever souvies they want and can afford with those cards.
I guess thats it for now, other than me listing our plans. Well be there for 4 nights (were going to miss the Animal Kingdom this time and will save that for a future vacation), staying at Pop Century, and will be on the DxDP. Anyway, here goes:
5 May (early morning), drive down to Orlando (were 4 hours away), spend a few hours at Sea World (its free for us, and we made a day of it last year when HBO went down for a week, letting us tag along, so we saw almost everything thenbut HBO wants to go again). Have a quick lunch there and leave around 2pm. Drive to WDW and check into Pop. Attend the 7:15pm Hoop-de-Doo show.
6 May (Epcot day). Get up and head to park. Use snack credits for breakfast. 12:00pm ADR for Coral Reef and 7:20pm ADR for Le Cellier.
7 May (Hollywood Studios day). Get up early (were naturally early risers6:30 is late for us
) and have CS breakfast at Pop. Head to park. 11:05am ADR for Sci Fi (must for HBO) and 4:40pm ADR for Brown Derby (part of Fantasmic package).
8 May (MK day). Get up early and have CS breakfast. Get to park. 11:30am ADR for Tonys Town Square and 6:10pm ADR for Boma. We plan to leave the park sometime after lunch and return after dinner to catch Wishes.
9 May. Get up and shower and pack. ADR for Chef Mickey at 9:20am. Hit DTD for some snack shopping and the Lego Store and then head home.
There is an issue I'm having w/dining. I'm debating on whether to try for an earlier ADR for Chef Mickey and moving the breakfast at Pop on the Hollywood Studios day to lunch on our departure day. We could get bowls of fruit or something light on the Hollywood Studios day and have lunch in DTD before heading home. What do you think?
Im also still working on what rides/attractions to do in each park. The list I have right now is pretty small. Im currently using the Passporter I bought last year, but Ill probably go ahead and subscribe to TGM. Its not my intention to try to see/do everything because I know thats impossible. In the spirit of a true vacation, I want this to be a relatively leisurely trip but still want to incorporate some must-dos. I do plan to have a plan for each day, though, kwim?
Sorry this is so long. Told ya I was long winded! May cannot get here fast enough, Im so excited!!!
Okay, Im almost afraid to do this because I feel Im going to somehow jinx everything.
But
I must be brave, right? Im also a very long-winded person (and a little ocd) , so Im typing this in Word in hopes of whittling down my rambling thoughts and just dishing out the meat.Anyway, I suppose it wouldnt be long winded to give intros. Im Tinkerbell (I was nicknamed that as a childTina Bell/Tinker Bell, get it??
), and dh is HBO (short for Honey Bunches of Oats--its been a term of endearment for years), and we have two (mostly) wonderful sons, Josh (will be 13 in April) and Andy (will be 5 in April). Yep, my boys are 8 years + 5 days apart.On to the decision to do Disney I *think* I went in 1978, but I was very young and dont really remember; I dont know if my mind created a memory or if I was really there, but I feel there was a Dumbo experience somewhere early in my life (and I have no one to ask about it). So, for all intensive purposes, I will say that this will be my first trip. HBO used to live in California and went to Disney Land a couple of times as a child, but no WDW. Obviously the boys have never been. Wed been tossing the idea of making a trip down to the World for a couple of years. Our first attempt at actually doing it was booking a package last April for a September free dining experience. But, in the military hurry-up-and-wait tradition, HBO got orders to move and we had to relocate and postpone our trip
. HBO kept telling me that I should put it off indefinitely and wait until both boys can thoroughly enjoy the experience. I had resigned myself to that thought until over the Christmas holidays, when I experienced the great epiphany. My boys ARE the perfect ages now! Josh hasnt hit his Im a teen and hate everything my parents like phase yet and is still a kid in so many ways, and Andy is, well, Andy! He is such a little dare devil and a ball of energy and would just love everything Disney has to offer! So on New Years Eve I booked us for a 3-7 March trip. I told HBO about it a couple of weeks after the fact. Better to ask forgiveness than permission, right?
At first he was a little resistant but warmed up to the idea of a vacation for the sake of vacationing, no sightseeing in conjunction with something work-related and no vacation to see family, and the realization that the boys are, indeed, the "right" age for the trip. Over our 14 years (and counting!), this will be our first honest-to-goodness vacation with no ulterior purpose, and that thought is so very refreshing to me! I love the relatives, I really do, but this trip is going to be good for us (not just dh or me, but for all four of us).Little did I know that my plans would be thwarted. By whom? The military of course!
HBO has been selected to attend training starting in February. (I realize that Im so, so fortunate that hes here with us because there are so many families out there who are living apart due to very long deployments and are not knowing how safe their loved ones are over there, and I take my hat off to you and your family.) HBO's training notification was enough to put a kink in our vacation idea. This time, though, I did not let it deter us! I rescheduled the trip for 5-9 May. Woohoo! Oh, yeah, and the boys still dont know yet (Im half-afraid to tell them for fear that something will come up to prevent the trip again). We do have plans to tell them on Joshs birthday in mid-April. I plan to have a countdown calendar made that well pull out then (of course, it will be for only a few weeks, but it would be good for our youngest to see), and the boys will be getting Disney gift cards for their birthdays to buy whatever souvies they want and can afford with those cards.I guess thats it for now, other than me listing our plans. Well be there for 4 nights (were going to miss the Animal Kingdom this time and will save that for a future vacation), staying at Pop Century, and will be on the DxDP. Anyway, here goes:
5 May (early morning), drive down to Orlando (were 4 hours away), spend a few hours at Sea World (its free for us, and we made a day of it last year when HBO went down for a week, letting us tag along, so we saw almost everything thenbut HBO wants to go again). Have a quick lunch there and leave around 2pm. Drive to WDW and check into Pop. Attend the 7:15pm Hoop-de-Doo show.
6 May (Epcot day). Get up and head to park. Use snack credits for breakfast. 12:00pm ADR for Coral Reef and 7:20pm ADR for Le Cellier.
7 May (Hollywood Studios day). Get up early (were naturally early risers6:30 is late for us
) and have CS breakfast at Pop. Head to park. 11:05am ADR for Sci Fi (must for HBO) and 4:40pm ADR for Brown Derby (part of Fantasmic package).8 May (MK day). Get up early and have CS breakfast. Get to park. 11:30am ADR for Tonys Town Square and 6:10pm ADR for Boma. We plan to leave the park sometime after lunch and return after dinner to catch Wishes.
9 May. Get up and shower and pack. ADR for Chef Mickey at 9:20am. Hit DTD for some snack shopping and the Lego Store and then head home.
There is an issue I'm having w/dining. I'm debating on whether to try for an earlier ADR for Chef Mickey and moving the breakfast at Pop on the Hollywood Studios day to lunch on our departure day. We could get bowls of fruit or something light on the Hollywood Studios day and have lunch in DTD before heading home. What do you think?
Im also still working on what rides/attractions to do in each park. The list I have right now is pretty small. Im currently using the Passporter I bought last year, but Ill probably go ahead and subscribe to TGM. Its not my intention to try to see/do everything because I know thats impossible. In the spirit of a true vacation, I want this to be a relatively leisurely trip but still want to incorporate some must-dos. I do plan to have a plan for each day, though, kwim?
Sorry this is so long. Told ya I was long winded! May cannot get here fast enough, Im so excited!!!
Hello! I'll be there that same week. Here's hoping we have great weather and a wonderful time!
