A nice average family man, his overplanning wife, their little princess and ....

[budbeerlady]

The In-Laws (!!!!!!!! Just kidding, we usually get along well) are going to Walt Disney World.

So here is our little group:
Dh is 29, thought last years 1st trip would be a kiddie hell and really didnt want to go. He sucked it up for his wife and had a great time. The wonderful man even allowed me to book this trip 2 weeks after we got back.

Myself: a 29 (ughhh, not looking forward to 30) mom of a princess. Actually Rosebud I believe called me the Queen of MI, I like it so I use the title from time to time when DD gets snarky!

DD: crowned princess (aruges with anyone who doesnt belive it) who is 6. She loves all the princess (and wearing the matching dress to meet each princess) and Stitch. Such a combination but she is a child who loves diversity and her Macaroni and Cheese!

M-in-L: She is 52, took Dh and his siblings to disney in 1986. Has a hard time saying NO to dd and is always up for a good pillow fight!

F-in-L: He is 47 (I think?) and this will be his first flight. He isnt really looking forward to flying in the least. This really is his first non-working vacation.

 

[budbeerlady]

Here is the big fact that we never considered when we asked the in-laws to join us.

PEOPLE SPEND MONEY DIFFERENTLY!

Once I get over this fact and just accept it planning isnt so bad.

So begins the talk to where to stay... M/L suggests staying off site a bit (less money) renting a car and driving in each day. (Can you rain on my parade!?!?!? Off-site? Are they nuts? Someone help me show them the error of their ways!!!!) I point out the cost of 2 rental cars defeats the savings and how horrid it seems to be to drive around there. I make Dh tell them about the accidents we had seen and it really isnt helping. So I have Dh tell them that they are welcome to stay off site and we can meet up with them in the park. We like to take afternoon breaks and I would miss my nap if we were off site.

So we are staying on-site but remeber it was in the 80's when she was there, and they stayed off site at a campground an hour away. So she would like to stay on the monorail I gulp knowing how much any three of the hotels are a night but we have all year to save and its vacation time! I pull prices for 7 nights at the poly and Cont. to show them. As you can imagine her jaw about hit the ground and it was on to my other plans.

I have wanted to stay at the AKL since I heard about it being built. But money is usually tight when we travel at Christmas time. Last year I had booked ASMO but with the discount code that came out I upgraded to POFQ for the same money. We loved POFQ and could stay there again in a heart beat! So I pulled ASMU, POFQ and Pop information for them.

The price is good but What?!?!?!? You want room service? You want elevators? You want a balcony? I cannot give you champange on a water budget! So I played with the numbers, looked at the AAA discount, shortened the trip. (Yes, you read that right, I shortened the trip! ) and we had an agreement on where to stay. I got AAA rate at AKL standard room for 5 nights in December. I get to stay at AKL!!!!!

 

[budbeerlady]

So next comes airfare..... flying out of our local airport is usually expensive unless you book your flight pretty early. Well, they werent ready to book untill late June. The flights were now at $381pp. So they talk about driving, I will not subject this family to that kinda hell. Driving in June, if you are staying for 14 days I can handle. Not in the snow 2 days down and 2 back up for 5 days!

What if we fly outa another town? Once again, I, their travel coordinator spend countless hours combing the internet for flight deals! I finally come across an Airtran Sale and I call the M/L. Who isnt sure, and will it go down if we wait? (It was $69 each way, so $140 vs $381)

My blood is starting to simmer, I wait 3 hours and call to tell her Dh and I have deceided to book this, do they want on the same flight? I hate to be an arm twister but other wise I dont think we would have our flight booked yet! So the flight is booked and I sit back and wait untill it is ADR time!

 

[budbeerlady]

3 weeks before our 180 days I give them menus to pick from. We went with the dining plan and that was atleast an easy decision to make. I had looked them over and picked 10 that I knew had stuff Dd and I would eat. The rest of the family is very easy to please, just give them a hunk of meat!

We go over to their house the night before ADR call in. The whole discussion ensues about how do I know where I want to eat now, why cant we wait untill that night. My lovely Dh tells about how people are turned away constatly and the menus have so much on them it wont be a problem.

I had Boma in the menus as I wanted to go last year but we didnt make it. The menu was tossed as being too spicey. So we narrow it down to Coral Reef, Le Cellier, 1900 Park Fare, Cape May clam bake, and Biergarten. (The losers were Boma, Moma Melrose, Sci-fi drive in, L' origional Alfredo, and Marrakesh) I also sneak in 2 breakfasts for DD and I. Lilo and Stitch at the poly and the princesses at Akerhaus.

I make my ADRs the next morning, getting the days I want for everything. The only bummer is the earliest for Le cellier is 7:30 but I am glad to get in.

 

[serendipity]

I love it so far. Sounds tough with the in laws! Anxiously awaiting more!

 

[disneyjunkie]

Sounds great, I can't wait to read more

 

[Cass]

I am LOL'ing, hats off to you for making this all work, it's tough when you have to think of other people in your planning. Looking forward to hearing more.

 

[OhMari]

I had the same trouble, explaining the ADR's 180 out to my husband. We did it this September for our April trip. I actually got CRT for noon, but cancelled. We decided the food wasn't worth the 2 ts credits.

 

[budbeerlady]

Are you confused yet? 2:30 am? Why would you do that?

We had discussed at length the fact that a 7:30am flight from Midway would require us spending the night in Chicago. I am excited, we can leave around 10am and do some shopping! Then we can catch dinner, crash at the hotel around 8pm and sleep untill 5ish. Sounds good, sounds easy!

They are spending enough money on this trip and would rather drive down in the morning. If you look at my info you see I live in a snowbelt! (We are getting 8 inches again today and the roads stink!) To get to Midway we have to drive through a bunch of counties that are also in a lake effect band. We hug the lake the whole way around and it does get messy quite often!

I am not leaving in the middle of the night, to drive through blinding snow and possibley miss our flight. People talk about going "Mother Bear" about their children. I have done that, but I also can go "Mother Bear" about my vacations! I am not starting a short vacation on 3 hours sleep, nor am I dragging a 6yr old out in the middle of a night snow storm.

So once again I send Dh over to "FIX IT!!!" on Saturday afternoon. He comes home and tells me it is fixed, he explained it and to look for 2 rooms. Monday night rolls around and DMinL says they will just go back to the plan of driving down that morning, they have done it before and "I worry to much, it will be fine." Dh also goes and says just book the rooms. I am very happy to get the Marriot at Midway complex for $98 a night. Isnt peace of mind worth $98?

 

[Cass]

You can choose your friends but you can't choose your relatives LOL

 

[budbeerlady]

As you can tell we are down to 3 days to go!

Now I must tell you about the fun week we have been having! It snowed Friday Dec 1, well it kinda snowed and freezing rain was mixed in. So I had a heck of a drive in, Monday was a snow warning: the highway was closed and my other route had accidents blocking so we went to my parents. Now tonight is another snow warning! I know it has no bearing but Dh has been gone for work and will arrive home Friday night. We are driving to Midway Saturday! So I have 12 hours to get his laundry done and hit the road!!!!!

Last night after finally getting home our travel documents were in the door! DD got really excited, I opened them and our name is spelt wrong. It is only for the room package and not any airfare so I know we will be alright, I just hope it isnt a sign of things to come.

 

[NoKatMom]

Have a great time !!! I look forward to your report when you get back!!

 

[steelfish535]

Have a wonderful, wonderful time. I've got my fingers crossed that all traveling will be good! Can't wait to hear about it when you get back!

 

[budbeerlady]

How I need a vacation! (Remember my Dh is gone) DD didnt have school again today so Mother in Law took her for the day.
I came home to this:

We got 12 1/2 inches of snow during the day. I had a heck up a time getting up the driveway! I was lucky, up the road 5 miles they got 22 inches, gotta love lake effect!

So I am so ready to leave! I called DM/L last night to remind her that we wont get our luggage from Magical Express right away and she might want some clothes to change into since it is supposed to be in the 70's!!!!!!!

Then a wierd conversation ensues. I remind her that the checked bag can only weight 50 lbs each. She wants to bring their luggage over at 8pm Friday night so we can make sure we all have it right (size, weight, etc)? Dh is coming home around 7-8pm as they are working untill noon today. Dd goes to bed at 8:30 normally and mine will be the house of chaos!!!!!

 

[budbeerlady]

I love that comercial. We leave in4 hours!!!! Dh got home at 9:30 last night, so I have been doing laundry and packing him up.

The in laws showed up around 7:30 last night and didnt stay long. They have 2 smallish carryons and 1 big bag to check. I hope they can get enough along to be comfortable with the cool nights and warm days.

I have selected my Airtran seats in the last 10 min. (I got good seats and am very excited that worked out okay.) I woke up at 7am, I was too excited to sleep. But I had to wait untill 8:20 to check in on line. So I spent my time on the dis. Now it is back to the last load of laundry and we are off!!!!!

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[xraydave]

You are a riot!! I can't wait to hear the trip report. We took a trip with my DM and DMIL once. Did I say once!
You were right on with one comment. "Everyone likes to spend money differently." Everyone also has a different idea of what a vacation is.
Enough of me.
Waiting patiently for your report. Have fun.

 

[MomofCKJ]

Hope you are having a fantastic time! Can't wait to hear the report when you get back! Travelling with family I am sure can have its challenges!

Allyson

 

[budbeerlady]

Well, I was washing Dh's clothes and packing him. DD and I were ready and waiting to leave. But the in-laws are not, DM-n-L is on her 2nd trip into town to buy things they had forgotten. (Where we live a quick trip into town is 30 min to get there.) Having time to kill and nothing better to do I took a nap (too excited the night before) and got Dh and DD's hair trimmed up.

I cannot wait anymore, its almost 2pm!!!! I wanna go on my vacation!!!!! So we load into the car, the bags have been there for hours and head out on the 20 min to the in-laws. We through everything into the back of the truck (except my new Canon S3 - I broke down and bought before we left ) It is supposed to be a little over 2 hrs to the hotel by Midway from the mother in laws house. But first we stop into town since it is on the way. I still am not sure what for but we stopped. And now we are on the road, slowly but surely we are going to get on our vacation!!!!

 

[budbeerlady]

Where I live (small, small town!) if the address says south such and such, I turn south. So we got off the highway onto Cicero and went south! Actually you need to go North to get to the south address. After traveling a few min. in the wrong (south) direction, the street numbers were getting higher as a clue. We turned around, I think that road has a stop light every 1/2 mile! We arrive after 3 hours plus on the road. We are staying at the Midway complex, it was great! Very clean, close by and it had a TGI FRidays, no need to drive any where!

We had a good meal at TGI Fridays and settled in to sleep, we had a 5am wakeup call waiting and I am not a morning person!

4:30 am the phone rang for a wakeup call, yes, 4:30! I dont have to leave untill 5:45!!!! Good thing the breakfast in the hotel lounge starts at 5am. I let DD sleep in and grab her some breakfast, she lives for Fruitloops and is heaven that a bowl is waiting for her. Its about 20 after 5 so I have Dh make sure the in-laws are up since they are across the hall. They didnt get their 4:30 am wakeup call. (Actually, I guess I got her 4:30 and she got none) No fear, they assure me they can still make it with plenty of time. 5:45 we are heading down to the truck, and they stop for breakfast. This should have been an omen to me, grab a bagel and coffee we need to go!