A Pre Thanksgiving/Christmas Vacation, Our First Split Stay & Our 5th Trip to Disney!

[trixiequilts]

Congratulations DS10!

From Trixie, Mr. Trixie, DD10 and DD7

 

[Jane-in-PA]

Big news here this afternoon! DS10 got selected for 5th Grade Student Council!! He is beyond thrilled! I knew elections were this morning and that he had his heart set on it. So at the bus stop this morning I told him good luck and not to be too sad if he didn't make it and if he was sad to remember that he would be in Disney World in 45 days! He said - yeah, but I'm still going to be sad if I don't make it. Then he got off the bus this afternoon with a big smile and I knew it went well!!

He is so happy! It's so funny how different kids are. DS7 was like - yeah, I probably won't even try out for it when I'm in 5th grade! I'm not surprised. It does take effort, and he has very little (and he's proud of it!)! But something like this means the world to DS10.

Awesome! Congratulations to your DS

Who knows, you may be the mom of a future politician!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

AAWWWWW!!! Tell him congrats from Texas!! I remember those student council days!! Big time in his life!!!!! How fun!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Congratulations DS10!

From Trixie, Mr. Trixie, DD10 and DD7

Thanks Trixie family! I will have to show him your post when he gets home. You know how he likes this guy --> And how that guy really creeps me out!!

Awesome! Congratulations to your DS

Who knows, you may be the mom of a future politician!

Thanks!

Maybe. You never know. The kid does like to talk!!

AAWWWWW!!! Tell him congrats from Texas!! I remember those student council days!! Big time in his life!!!!! How fun!

Thanks, I will tell him! Yes, this is quite a big deal for him! And the best part is that his very best friend from last year (who is not in his classroom this year) got chosen from his class, so now they will be able to see each other more!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Kids are so funny!! And hey, does Disco Dale, or whatever his name is, NOT look like a secret service guy? YIKES!!!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Kids are so funny!! And hey, does Disco Dale, or whatever his name is, NOT look like a secret service guy? YIKES!!!

I'm not sure what he looks like. Just plain CREEPY to me!!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Day 7 ~ Friday November 13th:


Yep, Friday the 13th And it is also "Change resorts day"

I'm going to need some pixie-dust this day!!


This day's plans are not set in stone yet. Being that we have never done a split stay before we are kind of at a loss here. We will get up and pack up in the morning (I'm sure I will be started on the packing prior to this). Now we have some choices to make. We can let Disney transfer our luggage from POR to OKW, or we can call a cab and do it ourselves. . . I was leaning towards calling a cab, taking our luggage to OKW (probably having them store it because our room likely won't be ready), and heading out to DHS. We weren't planning on any parks for this day, but now that we aren't going to DHS on arrival day, plus the fact that it could be several hours until our room is ready we are going to go to DHS! Plus the UG has it listed as the best park to go to that day anyway. So that's an option - call a cab, drop our luggage at OKW, go to DHS, take a boat to the Boardwalk for dinner at either Captain's Grille or B&C, and then back to OKW for the evening. But then yesterday I snagged that CM breakfast ADR. So that throws off the plan a bit if we decide to use it. It is at 10:00am. So, we could call a cab and take our stuff to OKW very early, take a bus to MK, walk over to the CT for breakfast. From there we would take a bus to DHS. We would then definitely cancel the Capt.Grille dinner ADR because we will be out of TS credits and will already be paying to one TS meal OOP the next day. We would probably either do CS for dinner or go to B&C, as it is much less expensive than Capt.Grille. Then it would be back to OKW for the evening. OR we could have Disney transfer our luggage to OKW. This would cause much less running around for us should we decide to keep the CM breakfast. . . . But I just know I would be worried about where my stuff was all day! Not sure why, we use ME all the time so we don't have to retrieve our luggage at the airport and it is great!

I can't wait to check out OKW that evening! It looks so pretty. We will probably swim a bit and spend some time on our balcony.

The DIS has some great OKW photos here ~ http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/showgallery.php/cat/908

Some more DHS photos:

 

[Monny2AE]

Hooray for snagging CM!!!! We've gone 3 times for breakfast and it's always been good- typical breakfast foods- scrambled eggs, pancakes, waffles, all yummy! My kids loved that they could eat rice crispy treat at breakfast and the cereal bar. I'm hungry now.

 

[trixiequilts]

Heehee! My DD7 and Mr. Potato Head!

 

[trixiequilts]

Are there specific times to get this picture taken or can they do it most of the time? It's a fake, right? Darth Vader wasn't really there at the time? I really want DH to do this next time...I thought about it, but unfortunately not while we were there!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

Here are my thoughts on the whole transferring of luggage thing - we did it both ways on our trip last January. I much preferred having Disney do it for me!

When we moved from ASSp to WL we took a cab and did all the tranfers ourselves. Because our room wasn't ready at 7am we had to store our stuff with Bell services. I had just assumed that our luggage would be transferred to our room when it was ready! NOPE! I had to go down to bell services, let them know we were now in our room and then have a guy bring it all up on a dolly and then TIP him for the effort!

When we moved from WL to POP we let Disney handle all the transfers. We brought our luggage down to the front desk a guy from Bell services came and took it and tagged it and the next time we saw it is was in our room at POP about 5 hrs later! No fuss, no muss, no tip, just good service! We spent the morning at MK and didn't worry about it at all!

Hope this info helps you make your decision! Good Luck!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Congratulations to you DS first of all. My dd10 sounds like your younger son, not interested in doing extra work But that sounds like something my dd8 would be all for.

Your DHS pictures are great!!! My kids are looking forward to riding Star Tours in August. I cannot wait either.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Hooray for snagging CM!!!! We've gone 3 times for breakfast and it's always been good- typical breakfast foods- scrambled eggs, pancakes, waffles, all yummy! My kids loved that they could eat rice crispy treat at breakfast and the cereal bar. I'm hungry now.

Right now I am leaning towards the CM breakfast that day. Hopefully we can work it out to be able to make it. It is so nice being able to see all those characters without waiting in line!

Are the characters there the same for breakfast as they are for dinner?

Heehee! My DD7 and Mr. Potato Head!

Yes, the Trixie family was the family we ran into everywhere in January! Does this happen to everyone else? We always seem to have one family that we just seem to see several times on our trip. I remember in 2007 we saw this couple at the Pittsburgh airport who had apparently just gotten married, they had their bride & groom Mickey ears on. Then we saw them at POFQ. Then on the bus a few times. Then DS10 and I rode RNRC right behind them. It was funny! Well, the Trixie's were that family for us this time. Everywhere we went we ran into them!

Are there specific times to get this picture taken or can they do it most of the time? It's a fake, right? Darth Vader wasn't really there at the time? I really want DH to do this next time...I thought about it, but unfortunately not while we were there!

They were doing it before the Jedi Training shows. Yep, it's fake, Darth is added in later! So I'd say go about 20-30 minutes before a show and look for the photopass photographer. The reason I know this is because we had to go to the show 3 times before the kids were chosen to go up on stage!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Here are my thoughts on the whole transferring of luggage thing - we did it both ways on our trip last January. I much preferred having Disney do it for me!

When we moved from ASSp to WL we took a cab and did all the tranfers ourselves. Because our room wasn't ready at 7am we had to store our stuff with Bell services. I had just assumed that our luggage would be transferred to our room when it was ready! NOPE! I had to go down to bell services, let them know we were now in our room and then have a guy bring it all up on a dolly and then TIP him for the effort!

When we moved from WL to POP we let Disney handle all the transfers. We brought our luggage down to the front desk a guy from Bell services came and took it and tagged it and the next time we saw it is was in our room at POP about 5 hrs later! No fuss, no muss, no tip, just good service! We spent the morning at MK and didn't worry about it at all!

Hope this info helps you make your decision! Good Luck!

Thanks for the luggage transfer information. I forgot you did a 3 way split last time. So what time was it when you checked out of WL? Just curious if it was early morning and you got your luggage 5 hours later. . . I have heard some pretty bad stories about people not getting their luggage until late in the evening when they do a split. I've even heard of it going to the wrong resort. That's why I am a bit scared to have them transfer it.

Congratulations to you DS first of all. My dd10 sounds like your younger son, not interested in doing extra work But that sounds like something my dd8 would be all for.

Your DHS pictures are great!!! My kids are looking forward to riding Star Tours in August. I cannot wait either.

Thank you. Isn't it funny how siblings are so different? DS10 has to work so hard for everything and wants to be involved in things. DS7, well things just come so much easier for him. I think that's why he is the way he is. Unmotivated. My dad always jokes that DS7 is going to be a bum when he grows up! (Not in front of him!)

Have you heard about the Star Tours 2 that is supposed to be done in 2011? Bigger and better and 3D. The boys are so excited!!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

Thanks for the luggage transfer information. I forgot you did a 3 way split last time. So what time was it when you checked out of WL? Just curious if it was early morning and you got your luggage 5 hours later. . . I have heard some pretty bad stories about people not getting their luggage until late in the evening when they do a split. I've even heard of it going to the wrong resort. That's why I am a bit scared to have them transfer it.

We had an 805am ADr @ Crystal Palace that morning so we would have checked out at around 715 I guess. We arrived at POP at around 1pm I think. We checked in, had a bite to eat, had a bit of a rest and then headed out to AK for the PM EMH at about 330 I think. Our luggage was arriving just as we were leaving. I remember seeing it on a big cart in the hallway as we were walking out to catch the bus! So I guess it was a little more than 5 hrs but I still wasn't worried about it! I had planned for the day and all we needed in my backpack!

 

[Monny2AE]

Right now I am leaning towards the CM breakfast that day. Hopefully we can work it out to be able to make it. It is so nice being able to see all those characters without waiting in line!

Are the characters there the same for breakfast as they are for dinner?

I'm not sure who they have for dinner- we've always gone to breakfast. Last Jan we met and

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

We had an 805am ADr @ Crystal Palace that morning so we would have checked out at around 715 I guess. We arrived at POP at around 1pm I think. We checked in, had a bite to eat, had a bit of a rest and then headed out to AK for the PM EMH at about 330 I think. Our luggage was arriving just as we were leaving. I remember seeing it on a big cart in the hallway as we were walking out to catch the bus! So I guess it was a little more than 5 hrs but I still wasn't worried about it! I had planned for the day and all we needed in my backpack!

8 hours is a long time to be away from my stuff!! I guess we'll just have to see what exactly we decide to do that day and go from there. If we are going to be gone all day then we will probably let Disney move it. If we plan to come back to OKW as soon as our room is ready then we may just take it ourselves. We'll see. . . Thanks again for the info!

I'm not sure who they have for dinner- we've always gone to breakfast. Last Jan we met and

Those are all the characters that have been at dinner all 3 times. I'm finding different info on who is there at breakfast. Some are saying Mickey, Goofy, Chip, & Dale. Others are saying that C&D used to be there, but aren't now.

So I'm going to go with what you are saying Kim! I hope so anyway, you all know how DS7 loves Minnie!

 

[Dancegrl624]

So this came in the mail yesterday and was laying on the kitchen counter when the boys got home. Didn't take them long to spot it! Being the money conscience kid that he is, DS10 says - can we afford to stay there?

I think I requested some DVC info once a long time ago and they just continue to send me stuff all the time!

I got this too! I requested DVC info before our Jan trip, so I get stuff in the mail all the time (I do have their super nice "coffee table" book with all the resorts in it too). However, Maddie did some pin trading in June with a DVC rep and she managed to take down our info again (we had just arrived at DTD on our 1st day and I was tired). Now, a DVC rep calls me about every other week! Thank goodness for caller ID (I just can't bear to turn them down anymore)! My DH and I have discussed buying into the DVC when the time is right though, but I think we'll go for a resale. I don't really want to buy into BLT or AKV.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I got this too! I requested DVC info before our Jan trip, so I get stuff in the mail all the time (I do have their super nice "coffee table" book with all the resorts in it too). However, Maddie did some pin trading in June with a DVC rep and she managed to take down our info again (we had just arrived at DTD on our 1st day and I was tired). Now, a DVC rep calls me about every other week! Thank goodness for caller ID (I just can't bear to turn them down anymore)! My DH and I have discussed buying into the DVC when the time is right though, but I think we'll go for a resale. I don't really want to buy into BLT or AKV.

They were calling us for awhile too, but apparently they don't have our new number since we moved so they can't call anymore!!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Day 8 ~ Saturday November 14th: (it makes me sad to think it is almost over and I haven't even got there yet! )


Well, you will all like how this day starts - at the crack of dawn!!! We have an early breakfast ADR at Crystal Palace. CP was our very first Disney restaurant - we went there on our first trip and it was DS7's 4th birthday. The food is always good, the restaurant is always clean, the CM's are always super nice, and the character interaction is wonderful. We had breakfast there again on our second trip and had dinner there on our third trip. We skipped it last trip and I haven't heard the end of it from DS10 ever since. He thinks they just have the "best breakfast ever"!

We will be in the park before opening. Hopefully it will be warmer than it was the last time we opened MK - about 35 degrees! We will head to Fantasyland first thing after we eat. We will hit all those rides that we skipped when we were at MK earlier in the week. Plus do all of our favorites again! We will have a late lunch at either Casey's or Cosmic Ray's, whichever one we didn't do earlier in the week. And we will stay until whenever we have had enough and then head back to OKW for a nice relaxing last evening at Disney. We will possibly end up taking one last little trip to DTD since it is so close to OKW. Then we will pack up for our morning flight home on Sunday.

More MK pics: