A Giraffe meets the Beach - A Hoilday Lights Extra - Updated 12/23

[TyRy]

Hey Ty – how did you scam another trip when DH keeps saying you’re going somewhere else and not Disney. Well – I don’t know if it was much of a scam, but as we left on our last trip, I realized even though my parents are not Disney freaks, I really wanted them to see our “home” at AKV. I didn’t even care if they went to the parks, but just wanted them to enjoy a week with us.

If you read my last trippie, you’ll know my parents were supposed to go with us, but had to back out due to my sister’s wedding. After everything that happened with DMIL, I realized you never know how long you will have people. And even if DH was going to be crabby, I wanted to share this with my parents. So with that, let me introduce you to the cast.
Me -

Now a 40 year old, who loves WDW and everything about it (well minus a few things – nowhere is perfect.) I think I love planning as much as going. The planning also helps me get through to the next trip since we only go once a year (no matter how many hints I drop about long weekends!) We do not have children so I only have to worry about our puppy when we are gone. Or if we are flying, I get to freak out the entire time about that.

DH

DH enjoys WDW, but would enjoy it more if he could just RELAX when we are there. I keep promising that, but it hasn’t happened yet. Yes, I admit, I have a schedule and try to fit everything in. I did say I’m hoping for more down time this trip, but I don’t know if his vision and my vision will match. He also did not want to go…he wants to go elsewhere, the West Coast, the East Coast…anywhere but WDW. I think I’ve actually agreed to a West Coast trip, but only if we can make DL home base…you knew I had to get that in there somewhere .

My Mom and Dad

They’ve only been to Disney once before…the trip we took in 2004 along with DH parents. I think my dad enjoyed it a bit more than my mom, but they agreed to go again. I’ve promised they can relax, but my dad keeps mentioning things he wants to see again. They both loved Epcot, so I’ve planned a full day there.

We, of course, told DFIL we would be going, but thought it might still be too soon for him to join us. But I did want to let him know he was wanted.

Now it was just to try and figure out when to go. I immediately thought if October for two reason. It had to be cooler then the trip we had just experienced and I might be able to get a second trip out of my AP the following year with Redella and her family. So right when my window opened, I made a reservation for Oct 16th-23rd, 2010. Standard view, Jambo House. No problem at all. I’m going back to my happy place!!!!

Now my next move was to figure out how to get more than a week, and of course, our famous – Do we fly or drive debate???

Updates:
The Neverending Debate
ADR's - ARGH!
Guess Who's Coming to Disney
Discounts Arrive
Mixed News
Tees Are Here
Lazy Days at BCV
Time to see the Giraffe
Time to Dance
My Life is a Country Song
He's Good and We're Off!
De Plane and a Special Guest
The BEST Drink Ever!
Seafood for a Non-Seafood Person
A Holiday Lights Extra

 

[irish dancer]

I'm along for the next ride......

 

[brookelizabeth]

I'm here!

You need to tell your DH that if you go more than once a year perhaps your trips will be more relaxing because you won't feel as compelled to push everything into one small trip!!!!

If you ever come east and to NYC, let me know, we have to meet up!

 

[TyRy]

I'm along for the next ride......

to the new ride, irish dancer - hoping there won't be any flats this time around.

I'm here!

You need to tell your DH that if you go more than once a year perhaps your trips will be more relaxing because you won't feel as compelled to push everything into one small trip!!!!

Brook! DH actually said (on our first DVC trip) "we do not need to rush around...we have this for the next 50 years." He doesn't realize I need to soak it all in and by only going once a year, that's the only time I have.

Although he would say our 11 days stays are not that short.

If you ever come east and to NYC, let me know, we have to meet up!

I definitely will. We have been talking about a long weekend for a while now...I don't think he's been back in the last seven years, and it's been more than ten for me. I do miss it. That's why I love seeing your pictures, you are not that far from where we were and our neighborhood was similar. The best part...the drop-off laundromat where we would bring out clothes and then after work they'd be all clean and folded.

Next post almost done...will be up first thing in the a.m. And then the title might make a bit more sense!

 

[TyRy]

I thought all was good, my parents were starting to look for airfare, I was planning away, when my sister made an announcement. She’s pregnant and due in July. Everyone was so happy and my mom decided she would watch the baby while my DS and her hubby worked. She also said that maybe she wouldn’t be going on the trip. I asked my dad if he was still going or if I should find some other friends to take…which would have wrecked my whole premise for the trip. He thought about it a bit and finally when I said I needed to know as it wasn’t fair to others, he was very cute. He looked at me like I was nuts and said of course I’m going! He was fairly certain my mom would as well, but he was in, and that was what I needed to know.

All was back on track with the trip planning back in February, although DH was still complaining about going (for which a couple of times I told him not to!) when he had gotten a new schedule at work. HMMM – he now works four days, has three off, I’m thinking we can tack a couple of days on at the beginning of the trip to relax before my parents fly in. A quick call to DVC MS and we booked a studio for cash with the DVC discount…the only available at that time at AKV. WHOOO HOOO – a couple more days added, my evil master plan is working again!

By reading the boards I found out SWA was about to release their fares in March. So what does the crazy Ty do…she books two round-trip tickets. I think I had something in my head about “Disney Time” – a little something DH had come up with…

Ahhh, yes. Disney Time. ​

What is Disney Time?
• A timer of sorts, tracking time spent in say, the Magic Kingdom, Disney property, or the number of hours/days spent on a trip?
• Or is it an abstract concept: a non-linear continuum of events and pacing which seem to defy all structure & scheduling?
• Or is it yet another dimension, that which can only be experienced while letting your adult mindset go while experiencing an attraction in the MK,
characterized by slowish motion, blissful fantasy, and heavenly euphoria cognized as an out-of-body experience upon recollection . . .

It's up to you...​

Many have countdown timers, trip talleys, and such; but everyone knows it's DISNEY TIME that counts. ​

To me it meant spending as much time as we could at Disney this trip. DH was not going to take any extra vacation time, so that meant I had to fly if I wanted to maximize my “Disney Time.” But we got such a great deal on airfare - $170 R/T each , that I added on another two more days. Call it punishment for making me fly .

So yes, I will look like this again.

Remember - back in 2004 I had a flight attendant worried about me and asked when she sat down across from us "Do we have a problem here?"

I also wanted to give DH something for this trip, so our two nights in a studio at AKV, became three nights at the BC. This will be our first time staying there and it's one we/he has always wanted to check out, so I'm very excited.

I also moved our AKV reservation to start a day later and tacked a night on for eight nights total there! I have a really bad feeling I’m going to fall completely in love the BC and not want to move to AKV. Then again, I thought that last time when we were staying at the CR and I really couldn’t wait to get to AKV after that.

It was ADR time next….

 

[irish dancer]

Yikes on flying but I'm all for maximizing "Disney Time"!

Yay for BC, we like it there but there's nothing like AKV. That is our true favorite place.

Congrats to DSis (isn't that the baby you had pics of in your last report?).

 

[dgbg100106]

Signing up for the PTR.... Sounds like you have got a lot planned already. More than me....

 

[brookelizabeth]

Although he would say our 11 days stays are not that short.

I definitely will. We have been talking about a long weekend for a while now...I don't think he's been back in the last seven years, and it's been more than ten for me. I do miss it. That's why I love seeing your pictures, you are not that far from where we were and our neighborhood was similar. The best part...the drop-off laundromat where we would bring out clothes and then after work they'd be all clean and folded.

Next post almost done...will be up first thing in the a.m. And then the title might make a bit more sense!

very true about the 11 days. An 11 day trip would be SO NICE. Ahhhhh! But, I don't mind several shorter ones either.

about the laundry! I haven't ever done it! I've always done my own...but it sure is a NICE service for when you don't have a lot of time! I gotta update my blog with more happenings from here, I've been a big slacker on that. Today I took Henry to the Central Park zoo, I've never been there - we had a blast!


Ahhhhh, Disney time. I like the second explanation. It's like being a different world when you are at Disney...a very nice world you never want to leave. Must maximize it! And what a nice resort combo you having going! BC + AKV. I want to do BC soon, I think Henry would have a ball in that pool! But, we gotta do BLT for Joe first.

 

[John's Mom]

I love Shameless Self Promotions! Count me in!

Kathy

 

[Disney_Freak56]

New lurker here! We're at BCV Oct. 16-23.

Have to add I've stayed at both KDV and BCV and both certainly have their Pros -- very little Cons. I love them both!

 

[Cherry Limeade]

I'm in! Can't wait to read more!

 

[TyRy]

Yikes on flying but I'm all for maximizing "Disney Time"!

I'm seriously thinking about asking for something besides Valium...which is what I usually get, but doesn't seem to work.

Yay for BC, we like it there but there's nothing like AKV. That is our true favorite place.

I kind of think that too...and I'm hoping it stays that way.

Congrats to DSis (isn't that the baby you had pics of in your last report?).

Yes it is...who knows...my new niece may be popping again in the future.

Signing up for the PTR.... Sounds like you have got a lot planned already. More than me....

DH would say I've had stuff planed since the instant we got back from the last trip. And he would probably be right.

very true about the 11 days. An 11 day trip would be SO NICE. Ahhhhh! But, I don't mind several shorter ones either.

I'm thinking the shorter ones might make it seem like I have more trips so I don't have to run around...I know crazy, but it makes sense in my head.

Ahhhhh, Disney time. I like the second explanation. It's like being a different world when you are at Disney...a very nice world you never want to leave. Must maximize it! And what a nice resort combo you having going! BC + AKV. I want to do BC soon, I think Henry would have a ball in that pool! But, we gotta do BLT for Joe first.

After staying at the CR last time, Mark doesn't really have a desire to stay at BLT...it might be nice just to check out for a couple of nights, but it's not high on our list now.

I love Shameless Self Promotions! Count me in!

Kathy

Kathy - I figured by the time I'm finished there will be a bunch of AKL/AKV on here so why not drag all my Jambo friends in.

New lurker here! We're at BCV Oct. 16-23.

Have to add I've stayed at both KDV and BCV and both certainly have their Pros -- very little Cons. I love them both!

to the party! DH really really wants to stay at KDV next time, and for some reason, I just LOVE Jambo House. We will be visting it again this time though. How fun we overlap a bit...if you see us at any time (since you know what we look like) please stop and say "hi"! We can look for you too of course.

DisneyBride'03 & RachelTori actually found us that way at the MK right before Hallowishes started...it was great running into them.

I'm in! Can't wait to read more!

to the PTR - glad to have you joining us. Now I just have to finish typing more to put up

 

[TyRy]

OMG - HOW DID I MISS THIS...

I was talking to my Dsis about my niece's baptism (she asked DH and I to be Godparents ) and she asked when are we going again? I replied -

WE ARE GOING TO DISNEY NEXT MONTH!!
​

I keep thinking in terms of weeks or days and since we were not in the 30's even it didn't really hit me After over a year of planning, we go next month!

I also wanted to say for everyone in the U.S. have a wonderful and safe long weekend! New chapter will be up Tuesday at the very latest.

 

[TyRy]

Hi all,

I wanted to ask you all for any paperback book suggestions you may have. I've picked up a couple already, but since this trip is supposed to have more "down time" and I'm a pretty fast reader I may need more books. Plus, I always need one or two I'm totally into for that plane ride.

I've picked up two Danielle Steele (the last two released in paperback since last year) as that is always good and mindless. Also love books by Michael Crichton, and series such as Harry Potter, Twilight, Narnia and even the Left Behind Series. So I'm pretty much all over the place.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[TyRy]

I was up early and at my computer ready for ADR’s. Being that Disney has a wonderful website, online ADR’s just wouldn’t work. There was a thread going around that morning so I knew it wasn’t just me. The worst part was I knew I’d be doing this again three days later to finish them for the second part of our trip.

Why not just call in – I wanted to be able to look them up and print them out. I’m always paranoid those same computers will lose my ADR’s and I wanted to be able to show them proof.

Thankfully, I was able to jump on later that day, and three days later, our ADR’s were complete.

We have a few places DH & I have done before:

‘Ohana

T-Rex – which was just about our favorite last time

Trail’s End

Boma

Yachtsman Steakhouse

Chef’s De France – have to have my soup!

50’s Prime Time

California Grill

Liberty Tree Tavern

Grand Floridian Café.

And a couple of new ones for us:
Coral Reef – yes, we do try every year to eat here and have yet to succeed.
Cape May
Captain’s Grille
Crystal Palace – we’re doing dinner for the first time.
Shula’s Steakhouse – there is one in Chicago, but we’ve never been. Since they now have a TIW discount, I told DH he was taking me.
Turf Club - I think my parents will like SSR. They own a little teeny teeny tiny piece of a couple of racehorses, so I’m looking forward to walking around this resort a bit. And I heard they might have French Onion Soup.

Of all of those (and for when they will be with us) my parents have only been to the Grand Floridian Café and Crystal Palace, but for breakfast. My dad specifically requested Crystal Palace, but a breakfast wouldn’t fit into my (non) schedule . So we’re having dinner instead. He really enjoyed it in 2004.

I had given my mom a WDW book and told her to look through it and tell me of there was anything she specifically wanted to do. The only thing she mentioned was 50’s PT might be fun. So that’s how that one came to be.

We’ll also have to make a stop for these –

And I hope to have a few of these and continue my glow cube quest as well.

Surprisingly, not much has changed since making these. I did have a LeCellier ADR, but canceled it after thinking it over. We've been there a bunch and would rather do Yachtsmen or Captain's Grille instead.

After making these, we received a bit of more possible good news...

 

[Cherry Limeade]

Hi all,

I wanted to ask you all for any paperback book suggestions you may have. I've picked up a couple already, but since this trip is supposed to have more "down time" and I'm a pretty fast reader I may need more books. Plus, I always need one or two I'm totally into for that plane ride.

I've picked up two Danielle Steele (the last two released in paperback since last year) as that is always good and mindless. Also love books by Michael Crichton, and series such as Harry Potter, Twilight, Narnia and even the Left Behind Series. So I'm pretty much all over the place.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

Okay, lemme think.....

I like the Mitford Series by Jan Karon.
Elm Creek Quilt Series by Jennifer Chiaverini
The Stphanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich are hilarious!
I've read some of the Philippa Gregory books on the Tudors. They were interesting, but can drag a bit.

I'll add if I think of any more.

 

[If U Had Wings]

Can't wait to hear about the rest of your plans! Sounds like everything is moving along so far.

 

[TyRy]

Okay, lemme think.....

I like the Mitford Series by Jan Karon.
Elm Creek Quilt Series by Jennifer Chiaverini
The Stphanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich are hilarious!
I've read some of the Philippa Gregory books on the Tudors. They were interesting, but can drag a bit.

I'll add if I think of any more.

Thank you for the suggestions...a couple of those look very intriguing. I'll see if I can reserve them at our library.

Can't wait to hear about the rest of your plans! Sounds like everything is moving along so far.

to the craziness. Now that we are getting into the home stretch, things should get interesting.

 

[__disneygirl]

Hi! I've seen you around on the DIS for awhile and never read one of your TRs... figured I should change that now!

I love the idea of AKV and BCV in one trip. Two completely different vibes!

Can't wait to read more.

 

[TyRy]

Hi! I've seen you around on the DIS for awhile and never read one of your TRs... figured I should change that now!

I love the idea of AKV and BCV in one trip. Two completely different vibes!

Can't wait to read more.

Hi Lia - thanks for joining in. We've never stayed at BC/BCV but have had dinner at Yachtsman so we've walked through it. I'm really excited and hope I still love AKV when we get there.