A Pre-Trip Report...July adventures in the World...LOTS of Shopping updates!

[5dwarves]

Elisa,
I just spent the last hour finishing up your TR. It was great! I laughed, I cried tears of joy, I ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the pics, I ran out of time to post my own PTR update! You have a lovely family and some great kids!
And the Star Wars pictures are a must- do. But so expensive! I'm going to see if I can put DH, DD and DS all into one, maybe that would keep the cost a little more reasonable.
Thanks for sharing your wish trip. What a great trip report!
-Danielle

PS Loyal Readers (I know you're out there), soon I will post my next installment, tentatively titled "Of Scrapbooks and Spacemen"...and yes there is more shopping involved!

Thanks Danielle! We had a great time, even with the bumps in the road. If you want a real feel good wish trip report, look at Wendygrace's. The things that Peter Pan did for her chronically ill son (who should have died at birth, but is now about 6 years old) are just amazing. He has recently gone through several surgeries, and he still talks about Peter Pan. Disney does dish out an extra dose of magic for wish kids; and I know I truly appreciated it.

It sounds like you and I share some of the same vices...Star Wars pics and Potato Head parts, neither of which are inexpensive at WDW...LOL. I told my kids we had to budget for those things on our next trip to WDW, and they were all in agreement. It is fun to pass down your own personal obsessions to your children . There was a big book of SW pics (all 6 movies) to choose from and dozens hanging on the wall. I remember ones where they had multiple openings for several faces...the trick will be finding one with two males and one female. May the force be with you!

~Elisa

 

[jmskinner]

Still reading. My DS9 loves Star Wars also. We have one of those SW pics with him as Anakin.

Looking forward to you next update!

 

[LISAMWDW]

BTW, love the passports! So cool!

 

[Artist]

It sounds like you and I share some of the same vices...Star Wars pics and Potato Head parts, neither of which are inexpensive at WDW...LOL. I told my kids we had to budget for those things on our next trip to WDW, and they were all in agreement. It is fun to pass down your own personal obsessions to your children . There was a big book of SW pics (all 6 movies) to choose from and dozens hanging on the wall. I remember ones where they had multiple openings for several faces...the trick will be finding one with two males and one female. May the force be with you!

~Elisa

I must mention I have already started a list of things I "must" buy at WDW. See my next installment and know that you have enabled my shopping vice!

Still reading. My DS9 loves Star Wars also. We have one of those SW pics with him as Anakin.

Looking forward to you next update!

Star Wars will feature prominently into our plans. My husband and I both love the trilogies and now we've infected our kids too! I'd love to see the pic of your DS9 as Anakin...

BTW, love the passports! So cool!

Yeah, I wish I could take credit for those, the DIS design boards created them...I just mastered the double-sided printing! Thanks! oh, and

 

[Artist]

PTR Episode 7
Of Scrapbooks and Spacemen

Hello Loyal Readers~
Recently while surfing the DIS I read some questions asking about Kennedy Space Center. A few years ago we went with my mom, so I put my two cents in reply to the question. In following the thread, someone posted that you could go for FREE if you called your congressman and asked them to hook you up. I got very excited. When we went before, we had a blast. But I remember being shocked at how much admission was. I just didn’t expect it to cost so much.
Since we has so much fun there with my mom before, I’ve decided to call my congressman and see if we can’t arrange to go for free when we’re in the area during our pre-disney Florida extravaganza.
Thinking about KSC reminded me that I had made a scrapbook from that vacation- we’d gone to the space center and Gatorland (which, by the way, I loved!). Now, I’m not much of a scrapbooker, although you couldn’t tell that by looking at my stash of scrapbooking supplies- but I thought you might want to see a few of the pages from the space center…

Of course, looking at the scrapbook made me realize I would need to do a Disney scrapbook… that’s right folks, more SHOPPING!

After I bought all those goodies…well, I got to thinking about all the information in my fantastic binder…and how I didn’t want to lug it around in the parks…so I’ve decided to make a 5x7 book with all my planning info in it. Plus, my touring plans, adr#s, and a place to write down my “dining reviews”…and I found a lot of cool Disney clip art online. So I’ve started this book, I’m going to have it spiral bound at Staples when it’s finished. But I also wanted to add in some pocket type pages. So I had to go back to the craft store and buy some Disney scrapbook paper to make into pocket pages to be bound into my “Guide Book”!
I LOVE the craft store.
Included in my guide book is a lit of things I “must” buy…hope the budget will sustain:
A pick your own pearl…and maybe a setting for it…it’s my 10th anniversary gift!
Potato Head parts, specifically star wars, hopefully some pirates too!
Dole Whip…of course not really a souvenir…
Star Wars morphed photos
Make your own light sabers- likely for all of us…I need to defend myself against the Jedis in my house!
Mouse ears like I had as a kid
Mouse ears for the kids, too!
A name tag like the CMs have- I read in Passporter they sell those in one of the stores (?)
Silhouettes of the kids
…I’m sure I can come up with more, but so far that’s my “want/need” list

On to other buys….
I’ve been worried about my DS, “the wanderer” at the parks. I read on the DIS about these:

from Shanrene dot com.
They are awesome! I bought 2 for each kid and we already found a use for them- when the kids go to “drop off” birthday parties they wear them, just in case the parents need to get in touch with me.

I also want to buy some new clothes for the trip…but, I want to lose few pounds first! You see, a few years ago I went on some meds for my heart that made me gain 20lbs and even after I went off the meds the weight stayed. On Tuesday we went to have some family pictures made to give the mothers for Mothers Day. I was shocked by how “round” my face looked and how much of a lack of chin I have developed! Evidence:
Before:

and now:

(oh, yes my DH has a crazy beard right now...I'm hoping it'll go soon, but it's his facial hair so I try not to complain!)
So, starting next week, I am going on the South Beach Diet. Wish me luck dear readers, I was the 110lbs stick who couldn’t gain weight if I tried to…dieting will be a new thing here…I hope I have the willpower to do it. I’d love to buy some cute new Disney clothes in a few sizes smaller!
Speaking of diet, it’s time for lunch!

 

[5dwarves]

So glad to see a shopping update! It is a funny to see that we like so many of the same things. I love the silhouettes, and get them when ever I get the chance. I have some of my oldest son and I together when he was 1 (he will be 15 this month). There are silhouette disney trading pins that come from Disneyland. I got some off of ebay...very neat. Especially for silhouette lovers.

I also have tons of scrapbook supplies that convey the appearance of craftiness, but don't get utilized much. Just recently though I have been trying to catch up, and I have some shopping reconaissance info to pass on to you. I get my albums from Creative Memories (kind of like tupperware...home show kind of stuff, but you can just order from the consultant without going to a demonstration.) Anyway, they have something called Persona. It is personal imprinting. You have to use a creative memories album (any size, any color) and then you can send the album cover and spine to them, and they will imprint an outline of a Mickey head on the cover and then customize it with 3-4 lines of text...for instance:

The Smith Family Disney World Vacation
We Came, We Played, We shopped a Little
Orlando, Florida, July 2008​

or something like that, and you can also imprint on the spine. They have this web tool where you can do your album design and see what it looks like, and I think their website has a way you can look up consultants in your area. Anyway, it is a neat thing, that is unique to your family and your trip.

 

[Artist]

I checked out those custom scrapbook covers- those are cool! But I think I'll stick with my cheap plain one for now...after all, I already bought it!
That is funny we are into similar things. I am really looking forward to the silhouettes!
And I already bought some pins for the kids...but the lot I bought came with a Minnie Silhouette that I just love, so I'm going to put that on my park bag.
Stay tuned, I plan to try for another update today!

 

[mrstomrice]

Hi neighbor! I'm also in Langhorne! We live a few streets from the Mayor's playground. I didn't get to read you're whole PRT, but I will try to when the kids go to camp on Thursday. I am curious how you make out with Southwest. We just changed from Airtran to SW, which I have never flown. You will love the cabin! My parents stay in them and they are really nice! It sounds like you're in great shape for the trip...have fun!

 

[5dwarves]

Hey...just looked at your trip ticker...how exciting! Have an awesome trip!

~Elisa