A PTR: A Wife's desire not to drive her DH Crazy!

[Sacha_L]

I love to plan trips....ok so maybe OCD is a better word we travel ALOT...we are not rich...we live in a little old house that we are redoing ourselves...we don't drive fancy cars. But we do take 2-3 big trips a year...because I am obsessed I found the DIS boards when we went on a last minute added to the end of another trip Disneyland trip 2 years ago....and that began the obsession!


Here at the DIS I found a group of other people who are just as obsessed as I am about every detail and plan of their trip! I am driving DH slightly crazier than usual with this trip...probably because I have so much more information to hoard than usual!
With this PTR I intend to obsess with anyone who will join in my madness, and that way hopefully drive DH a little less crazy!

The Plan: POP Sept 30th-Oct 8th FREE DINING!! (a warning this could change at ANY time, this is our 3rd resort in under a month! more about that later)

The Group: Me crazy planning mom age 33
Ha you want a pic of me?? too bad I take the pictures


DH sports fanatic! Puts up with me and hates lines and crowds age 36 here he is handing out more bread to the boys for duck feeding at the zoo yesterday.

Ds7 My non-stop bundle of energy..obsessed with Bakugan, Tech Decks, Star Wars and anything video game related.

Ds4 my baby is now a little boy! He is all boy and wants to do whatever his older brother does.

I have to get off the computer now and finish speed cleaning my house before the BBQ we are hosting!

 

[Sacha_L]

I've already changed resorts 3 times?!?!

How this all happened.

When free dining was first announced I just could not resist. I have been wanting to take the boys to Dinsey World ever since we got home from our trip to DisneyLand. We already had some other things planned and money does not grow on tree's so I had to wait. I begged and told Dh how cheap it would be with free dining...He gave in... We are in the process of paying off some debt and this trip is our reward, dontcha just love how my mind works? for the record I am paying for it in cash before we leave!

Plan #1
7 nights at CBR this plan/reservation lasted all of 4 days howeverwe will go to that resort (nex trip maybe? )

Plan #2 7 nights at POR (MIL had decided to come along and we needed a room that could hold 5 people) this plan actually lasted about 2 weeks

Plan #3 8 nights POP (MIL had decided not to come because of how expensive plane flights + room was going to be...normally we would have just covered her cost of the trip but we just can't do that this year) and I was excited to realize just how inexpensive 8 nights at Disney could be at a value with FREE DINING!!

and that my friends is how we ended up at POP...I am a little concerned as we are used to a nicer level of resort and more room when we travel but as I told DH we really will only be in the room to sleep so as long as its clean we can deal...plus I think the boys will just LOVE the theming

 

[mdsouth]

Hi there!

I just started my own PTR, my very first one, and I happened to catch your title. I too am dragging a reluntant husband along on the trip. Our last trip was back in 2005. We are going end of June-first week of July, yikes!

Back in 2005, I like you changed my resorts several times. Originally, I was going to go with a value then we thought my MIL would be going with us so I switched to CBR. She ended up deciding not to go, but by then CBR was beginning to look really good to me so we stayed with CBR.

Anyhoo, I just wanted to let you know that at least one person is reading your report. So, I will check back in again for your updates.

We can share our plans and obsess together to the relief of our DHs.

 

[Sacha_L]

Yay! someone to obsess with!

 

[mdsouth]

With your son loving Star Wars it is too bad you aren't going when we are. I know that during my original dates there was a Star Wars weekend. I am not sure if we will still catch a Star Wars weekend while we are there end of June/beginning of July or not.

My DS and DD are not into Star Wars. My DH and I have seen just the first three original movies, so we are not huge fans ourselves.

So, now that you have POP set and free dining - you can now obsess over the menus! That is probably one of my biggest obsessions right now. I have made ADRs but need to change a few and not sure what to do.

So, what are your top 3 restaurant choices you want?

 

[Sacha_L]

Since I don't have any "real" hours for the parks during our trip yet I am planning out dining! This is what I am thinking so far....all Dinner's

MK The Crystal Palace (ds4's 5th Bday!)
MK Liberty Tree Tavern (but only if they bring back the characters!)
Poly Ohana's
DHS Mamma Melroses Fantasmic Package
Epcot Biergarten
Epcot The Garden Grill
Epcot Teppan Edo
The Contempory Chef Mickeys

We do not have hoppers so the extra Epcot meals will probably be arrival night , MNSSHP night or after a waterpark...I'm still up in the air about when to do Ohana's and Chef Mickey's too... I'm thinking after MK since the parks close early while we are there...

 

[mdsouth]

We are not getting Park Hoppers either. I figure, if I really find the need once we are there we can add them.

I was thinking about The Garden Grill too. Have you eaten there before?

How many days are you planning for Epcot?

 

[mdsouth]

We loved our dinner at the Liberty Tree Tavern when the characters were there! It was the best character interaction that we had all week.

I was so disappointed to find out that they have removed the characters. So, that is why we are trying something else instead.

I think your idea to go to O'Hana's and Chef Mickey's on your Magic Kingdom days is a good one. We will be going to both too, either on our Magic Kingdom days or Disney Studios day.

 

[Sacha_L]

We had a blast at Disneyland...I wish I wa there now! It was our kids 1st introduction to Disney! They were 2 1/2 and 5 at the time so we were somewhat limited in what we could do. However I do think that we will enjoy Disney World even more! DH had visited Disneyworld several times as a child (always offsite) and I had been once for 1 day in high school and then twice more for 1 day when the company I work for had conferences there. So really our visit to Disneyland was our first immersion into the Magic.

Here we are the entrance to california Adventure

Erik with his newest obsession! Pin Trading!

The boys with Goofy

and because my camera is attached to my hand at all times here are a few more!

 

[Sacha_L]

We are not getting Park Hoppers either. I figure, if I really find the need once we are there we can add them.

I was thinking about The Garden Grill too. Have you eaten there before?

How many days are you planning for Epcot?

I'm not sure yet I think DH and I would like EPCOT the best of all the parks but I am not sure how intersted the boys will be I am planning at the least 1 full day and then 1-2 half days...what about you guys?

 

[Sacha_L]

I was just surfing DIS and came across a thread on strollers...now I had not given it much thought...We always get strollers at theme parks...we have the kids well trained..hop out go to attraction..hop back in and on to the next...it helps us keep track of them in crowds and also they are able to do more because they don't have to walk as much.



BUT......$248 for 8 days! so now I am looking to buy...maybe the maclaren triumph from what I read on the boards. will they fit in any stroller on the market? they will be 5 and 8 on trip (40lbs 40in & 50lb 49 in) I am trying to avoid the double jogger due to using the busses. Any thoughts?

 

[mdsouth]

I was just surfing DIS and came across a thread on strollers...now I had not given it much thought...We always get strollers at theme parks...we have the kids well trained..hop out go to attraction..hop back in and on to the next...it helps us keep track of them in crowds and also they are able to do more because they don't have to walk as much.



BUT......$248 for 8 days! so now I am looking to buy...maybe the maclaren triumph from what I read on the boards. will they fit in any
stroller on the market? they will be 5 and 8 on trip (40lbs 40in & 50lb 49 in) I am trying to avoid the double jogger due to using the busses. Any thoughts?

You haven't posted anything in awhile. How are the plans coming?
I agree with you that the amount of money for stroller rental is outrageous! I am still debating what to do and we leave in six days!


We are flying so it will cost us extra to take a stroller with us. I have an old umbrella stroller we might take for my 6 year old. She is just 46 pounds. However, she is extremely tall for her age so when she sits her kneew are really up high. Right now, I am thinking that she might be fine in a few of the parks without a stroller. For the other days, we just might have to bite the bullet and pay the WDW fees.


Much earlier in the planning, I checked out the free stroller shares threads. But no luck, my week was already taken. You may want to get in on one of those stroller shares yourself. You can save the money!