A skeptical family of First-Timers take on WDW Nov 15-22** NOV 28 update

[FosterA]

I'm sooooo excited for you and your family! I can't wait to hear their reactions to everything!

Thanks! Oh...you'll hear about it all for sure when I write my report. I'll try to take notes along the way so I don't forget anything.

"I really doubt anybody cares how clean the house is, sheesh."

Nobody else will, but you'll be so grateful when you come back to a clean house after staying on Disney property for a week. I've come home before to a dirty house after a great vacation and it's the pits. LOL

And low expectations are good! It makes it that much more fun when they realize how awesome it is!

I agree....keep their expectations nice and low and they can't help but be impressed!

Your plan looks great!! We intersect twice - we'll be at HS on the 17th and Epcot on the 20th

I'll keep my eyes out for ya! I am really good at running into people and am extremely observant so I bet I can pick you out somewhere

Oh my gosh! 8 DAYS!!!!

Please please please promise me that you will write a full trip report with pictures! I am honestly so excited for you and I really can't wait to find out how much your family loved WDW!

I totally promise to write a full-on report. I can't wait!! The only thing that wont be in my report is lots of photos of ME. I hate being in pictures. But...I'll be in a couple and the family will be in a ton of them of course.

 

[momabaarjo]

Wow...you are getting so close! I love all your plans...your family is going to be amazed! I have high expectations, so I am figuring for a let down of sorts!

Just think in a week you are going pass under...

 

[Chicago Mo]

I really HOPE to run into you somewhere!!! just to see everyone's faces!!!
any new word on your friends who are going?!?!

 

[momminnie]

Oh my Goodness! I am so excited for you. You will have so much fun watching your family have fun. Can't wait to hear about it. I am so jealous! I am missing going for the Holiday decorations this year. We don't go until Jan.31. I do love the Christmas decorations. Make sure you have a picture taken in front of the gingerbread house at the GF. It is beautiful there. Have fun and keep us posted.

 

[joy13]

Thanks! Oh...you'll hear about it all for sure when I write my report. I'll try to take notes along the way so I don't forget anything.



I agree....keep their expectations nice and low and they can't help but be impressed!



I'll keep my eyes out for ya! I am really good at running into people and am extremely observant so I bet I can pick you out somewhere



I totally promise to write a full-on report. I can't wait!! The only thing that wont be in my report is lots of photos of ME. I hate being in pictures. But...I'll be in a couple and the family will be in a ton of them of course.

You'll be in your photopass pictures? Are you getting the cd?

 

[FosterA]

Wow...you are getting so close! I love all your plans...your family is going to be amazed! I have high expectations, so I am figuring for a let down of sorts!

Just think in a week you are going pass under...

Well maybe I should have rephrased that. I probably have too high of expectations myself but Dave and the kids have very low ones. They are so utterly clueless that they can't help but be impressed. I've been doing all the work and research and know all the "surprises" already.

I really HOPE to run into you somewhere!!! just to see everyone's faces!!!
any new word on your friends who are going?!?!

Well my friend hasn't really called me or anything in over a month. They are still going though but they are so NOT PLANNERS that they haven't even called to see what parks we are doing on our overlapping days. I would think they would want to know that so they can do the parks we are NOT doing together while they wait for us to arrive Oh well...it actually works in my favor that they have no clue what's going on. Either way...they will merge in with us probably the 16,17,18th. The other friend is still going w/ her daughter last I heard but I'm pretty sure we wont hook up so I'm not too worried about that.

Oh my Goodness! I am so excited for you. You will have so much fun watching your family have fun. Can't wait to hear about it. I am so jealous! I am missing going for the Holiday decorations this year. We don't go until Jan.31. I do love the Christmas decorations. Make sure you have a picture taken in front of the gingerbread house at the GF. It is beautiful there. Have fun and keep us posted.

Thanks for following along I can't wait to see that Gingerbread house!! My mom would love to see the GF all decked out because she loves Victorian era things. I gotta be sure to get lots of photos to send to my mom so I'll be sure to post some on here too of course.

You'll be in your photopass pictures? Are you getting the cd?

We are not getting the CD I don't think, at least not pre-buying anything. Maybe a couple shots here and there though. I'd really like one in front of castle w/ Christmas lights. If everybody looks presentable, it can be a Christmas Card

 

[skier_pete]

Hey there...just thought I'd let you know I read elsewhere that the Gingerbread house is scheduled to be up by the 14th, and ALL resort decorations are to be up by the 19th.

See you soon...maybe.

SP

 

[momabaarjo]

In honor of 7 days away...

 

[FosterA]

Hey there...just thought I'd let you know I read elsewhere that the Gingerbread house is scheduled to be up by the 14th, and ALL resort decorations are to be up by the 19th.

See you soon...maybe.

SP

Yay! so excited about that gingerbread house!!
Yep, I'll look you up if we end up in MK on the 19th

In honor of 7 days away...

cute. YOu have the cutest photos for just about every event!

 

[heathsf]

I was reading about MVMCP on Easy WDW and thought of you:

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2011 Characters, Strategy, Merchandise, Food, etc.

 

[FosterA]

I was reading about MVMCP on Easy WDW and thought of you:

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2011 Characters, Strategy, Merchandise, Food, etc.

cool! I love easywdw. I need to do some major finalizing of my plans but I'm completely drowning in work right now and need to get through tomorrow before I can be in vacation mode. I'm dying to go to look at this link but I can't yet because I'll just get all crazy and I need to focus on getting my work done. ugh Tomorrow is Sat and I only work until 2 pm and then I'M ON VACAION I will have a half day on Sat, all day Sun, and all day Monday to get my planning done and packed and whatnot. We leave early on Tues. morning. I'm soooooo excited.

I'm also going to try to post at least one more update on here before we go and then of course I'll link everybody to the report when we get back

 

[FosterA]

I'm starting to go a little bananas here everybody! Only have one more day of work which I'll be knocking out at 2 pm today. 6 heads of hair to do and then I'm ON VACATION

That leaves me all day Sunday and Monday to get my act together since we have to get up around 4 am to fly out Tues. morning. I've GOT SO MUCH TO DO that I'm having heart palpitations. I'm trying to make my list of stuff to do and if I wasn't such a control freak, I'd try to delegate some of it out to David. Such as.....order a turkey and gravy from a local place already cooked up so I don't have to deal with Thanksgiving as soon as we get back from our trip. I want everything ordered so that on Wed before Thanksgiving we just to need to zip through and pick up the dinner instead of fighting the crowds at the store. I also need to go to the bank, show my neighbor how to feed our animals, fold a mountain of laundry......and the list goes on. BUT.....I am so flippin' excited that I already can't sleep! I know I wont sleep at all on Monday night since I'll be so worried about missing our flight so that leaves just tonight and Sunday night for me to sleep. I'll have to knock myself out with one of my famous cosmopolitans.

David and the kids are actually getting really excited. Ian was pumped up yesterday since it was Friday and he loves the weekend and then he said "only one day of school left and we're going to Disneyworld!!". I asked him if he's been telling his friends at school and I think he has which is huge for Ian since he's a man of few words and can go a whole school year and not actually talk to anyone. lol
Allison is excited too but more about just ditching school. She's 14 and overflowing with attitude right now so it's hard to tell. I try to talk to her and get her pumped up about our trip but usually she has her ipod on and ignores me. I can't wait to get her to Disney because she'll be away from her friends, boys, facebook, homework and she'll act like our little girl again. I know she's going to LOVE it.

Now the exciting thing is that David seems to be getting pretty excited. Everyday he comes home from work and says somebody or another asked him about Disney or gave him advice about Disney or whatever so he's finally starting to see that Disney might be a "big deal". The guys he works with aren't 4 year olds and they love Disney so maybe this place might be sort of cool after all He still tells me not to tell him anything and just tell him what time to wake up and go, he has NO IDEA what we are doing on any day. He says he just wants to be surprised. OH he will!


So....I've been working so hard this week that I haven't had alot of time to work out my exact plans for each day. You know, since I've had 2 years to do that and wait until the last day. Of course I know what park we are doing each day but I really need to work out more of a touring plan and that is what I need to do tomorrow since the Times Guides should be posted on Easywdw. But....I need advice on the Christmas party a little. First of all,I have ZERO desire to deal with any characters (don't hate me). So, that's a good thing since they seem to take up alot of time. The truth of the matter is that we are sort of using the party as an expensive EMH and do plan on hitting some rides. I wanted to do the party because there aren't many other options of doing MK at night while we are there unless we do the party or deal with a heavy EMH before Thanksgiving. So....the things I am dying to do at the party are just the parade and the fireworks and checking out the atmosphere and whatever attractions we decide to do. Not so much dance parties, character, or even the shows. I do want to catch the last parade that night and I really don't know where to sit to see this???? any ideas. Should we find a good spot to see the fireworks at 9:30 and then just stay in the same spot to see parade at 10:30? I would really like to find a place to actually sit (doesn't everybody?) since we'll have had a long day already with flying in and traveling etc etc. I know when I went back in Feb, I watched elec. parade somewhere over right in front of the Liberty paddle boat. I had to stand but I saw people sitting on a ledge thing right there and I took a mental note of that being a good parade spot. Would that ledge work for Christmas parade too? Of course if we do that spot for parade, that would not be a good firework spot. Should I just resign myself to one spot for fireworks and a different for parade? ugh. I need to figure this thing out.

anyway...I gotta get to work and get that over with so I can kick into gear. I'll post another update for sure before we go and then set up a link for the report when we get back

 

[heathsf]

You're a half hour away from vacation!!! And you will be landing in MCO before you know it! The next two days will fly by as you finish all your last minute planning and packing. I'm so excited to hear that your family is finally sharing in the excitement!

I've never been to MVMCP and most of what I know I just read in that Easy WDW link. You will definitely find answers to your questions in there, it was *so* detailed. And it really really really really made me want to go one day! You will have a blast! And it seems like wait times are really low throughout most of the party so that will work out great for you!

3 days!!!!!!

 

[momabaarjo]

Wahoo...you should be done with work now and officially on vacation and IN FULL PANIC mode!

I so understand your feelings with Allison...my 14 year old daughter is the exact same way...but she ditches us for her books, phone, and ipod! I am allowing both on the plane, but once we land in MCO I am taking ipod and kindle away...she gets to be part of the family for 12 whole days!

I am glad that dh is getting excited...thanks to other guys telling him how great it is!

My dh is too...his favorite cousin/fishing buddy (Eddie) has been telling us for years to take the kids...and now has my dh pumped up...to the point that dh comes in this morning and said "We might know someone at Disney during Christmas...?" my reply "Who?" his reply "Eddie...Barbara is jealous we are going over Christmas because she has always wanted to see the decorations and Shelby wants to swim with dolphins too." YIKES...after my shock wears off...my reply "I AM NOT CHANGING any of MY PLANS, so don't even ask, I finally got my ADRs this week where I wanted them." So it looks like now I will have trip highjackers to contend with...even though I love and adore them...this is all freaking me out!

 

[Cin]

Subbing...will have to get catch up on this later. Hope your trip is awesome and magical!!

 

[momabaarjo]

Can you believe it? I bet things are a whirlwind at your house...hope you got some sleep...remember you must be well rested so you have the energy to impress that family of yours!

 

[fastergoofy]

Um... this is a rude gesture in some parts of the world!

 

[FosterA]

Can you believe it? I bet things are a whirlwind at your house...hope you got some sleep...remember you must be well rested so you have the energy to impress that family of yours!

It's actually not a whirlwind since I'm "paralyzed" right now because I don't know where to start. So I'm sitting here in our recliner acting like I have all the time in the world I suppose I should drag the suitcases out and at least attempt to get started.
I am done with work though so that's fantastic. We went to Mass last night that way I can stay in sweats all day today and get packin' with not having to stop and go anywhere.
I'll give probably my final PTR update tomorrow. yay!!!! I can hardly sleep!

 

[FosterA]

Um... this is a rude gesture in some parts of the world!

l didn't know that. how funny!

 

[FosterA]

Subbing...will have to get catch up on this later. Hope your trip is awesome and magical!!

Thanks!!!