A trip 2 years in the planning PRE-TRIP

[mom2kazkids]

OK here is my first attempt at a trip report. After reading so many I really wanted to participate. I am not the greatest writer, but I will give it a try.

Here is the cast of characters:

Me--The mom, (36) obsessed with disney planning. Continuously tweaking dining plans and resort reservations. More excited than the kids.

DH--The dad (40) going with the flow, giving into me at the right times, just wanting 2 weeks off work, and the reason that we drive, and not fly does not like rides

DS--(7) does everything on "his time" mostly at the pace of a turtle, still attempting to figure out how to get the lead out of you know where. Says that he will go on all the "big rides" with me.

DD--(6) the princess, need I say more. 42inch 36lb has a fast pass for Splash Mtn as last trip she was the only one that wanted to go with me, but was too short.

PART ONE

This is a long overdue trip, and a long winded trip report. We first went to WDW in May 2005. 5days/4 nights at WL at the beginning of the "Happiest Celebration". Way too much time was spent hemming and hawing over if it was going to rain or not. We missed many things. On the way home I was trying to convince DH that we needed to go back next year, or like many on the DIS make it a yearly trip. "NO WAY" was DH's responce.

Fast forward to Labor Day weekend 2005, getting ready for friends to come over for a campfire, DH says out of the blue " let's go to WDW this year" WHAT? "You know lets go next year like we went this year." Needless to say my answer was yes without thinking twice. We even had the week picked before our friends came over. Before you know it that week turned into a 9 night stay at WDW, and then the extra days to drive there from WI. Since we planned on 9 nights, we started off with our resort being POFQ, but since we were going for a longer stay, it changed to WL so that we could request bunk beds, and not have to sleep with the kids.

Next up was the ADR planning. I had the 90th day circled on my calender, and the day asked off of work. Then in October I log into The DIS to find out that ADR's were not booking 180 days in advance, and for me that day was tommorrow YIKES! High speed planning started, and all ADR's were made the next am, and tweaked up to and past the 90th day.

Finally the day of final payment was coming, that meant the count down chain would begin. At the beginning of the week that final payment was due, I got the dreaded phone call at work, that my dad was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. That night after having over a liter of fluid removed from the space around his lung, CT scan showed tumors, and the "C-word" was mentioned. Two days later it was confirmed, mesothelioma, cancer of the pleural (lining) of the lung due to aesbetos. Initially both Mom and Dad were telling us to go along with the trip. So I talked DH into flying instead of driving in order to shorten the trip some, and made final payment. A couple of days after the final payment was made, and we were within 45 days, we decided to take our $100 loss and cancel the trip. Ironically as I was planning the perfect vacation, there was a part of me that had a feeling that something would happen and we would not be able to go. We were able to recoup most the air fare as I sold the SWA credit on EBay.

The next few months were spent being a nurse both in the hospital and at my parent's house, as I am the youngest, only girl in the family and an RN. Unfortunately my father passed away on June 15, the day after my mom' s birthday, and 2 days before his birthday. So after the cruddy year that 2006 brought us, what other way than a trip to WDW to help turn things around.

 

[mom2kazkids]

PART TWO

Since packages were not release yet, room only reservations were made in July for THE ULTIMATE trip, 10 nights at the WL, woods view with guarenteed bunk beds. As soon as I found out that packages were available, it changed to a package with 10 park hoppers and dining. Since our school district allows for 10 days of absence for family vacations, we decided to take advantage of it, and take off for the entire 10 days, as our kids are in 1st grade and kindergarten. So we were booked for May 1 to 11. I was up bright and early on November 2 booking our ADR's, since I knew where we (I) wanted to eat from last trip, it was a quick process. The over obcesser in me could not/would not stop looking at the WDW website, and one day I was looking I noticed that there were rooms available at the CR tower with a MK view. Now would this not make for the ULTIMATE vacation, I thought so especially after I saw the picture that Triplefigs posted of the panoramic view from her CR tower room. That picture and the idea of being walking distance from the MK quickly had DH on board. I quickly called CRO and made the change.

Now December rolls around, DH works at a papermill and vacation is picked by senority. DH calls with the tragic news that the second week that we need for vacation is closed. Slight panic sets in, then I realize that out vacation is a week later than we normally planned to go the year before. OK we can adjust, first up I call and make changes to our ADR's, no problems, got everything that we wanted, on the days we wanted with little change in the time, maybe 10-15 minutes at the most. Next up looking at the website, we realize that we have to give up the CR as a tower room is no longer available for the changed dates. OK back to WL woods view, and bunk beds we go, since the cost is less now, I managed to sneak in an extra day so that we can relax after the long drive from WI. We are soon rebooked for April 23 to May 4, with two night instead on 3 for the drive down and 2 nights on the way back.

As time goes on, I realize that I really want to be on the monorail line, as we are planning only 2 of the 10 days at either MGM or AK, and the rest at MK and Epcot. Posts about the Poly are making me want to stay there, but can I convince DH to let me change the resort again, especially with a $900 increase in price. A little sweet talking about how I would love to go to Hawaii, and know that more than likely we will never get there, but staying at the Poly would make up for it, and a little begging got me permission to change our resort again. Initially the Peanut Gallery (DS and DD) had complaints about giving up the bunk beds, but one look at the Volcano pool, quickly had their little minds changed. Another called placed to CRO has us booked GV at the Poly with a request for 3rd floor Tokelau.

I am happy to report that all tweaking of ADR's have been completed, and final payment made. Now I can commence shopping, packing, making the count down chain, and working extra so that bills are paid before we go. Pre-excused absence requests have also been turned in to school, journal pages for the kids printed out, and awaiting homework assignments, so that it can be started before we go.

 

[mom2kazkids]

PART THREE

The plans

We will be leaving Green Bay on April 21st. I hope to be on the road by 5am with me driving the first leg as DH will be working until 10pm the night before. We have ambious plans for this days drive. No stopping until Kankakee, IL is reached, stop for breakfast and gas, back in the van until the IL-KY boarder, stop at rest stop for lunch, and run time for the kids, back in the van until reaching our hotel on the South side of Nashville.

April 22, Sunday
Leave the hotel and head to Chattanooga for a stop at the Aquarium. After that and lunch, return to the road until we reach Warner Robbins, GA. Stop for the night.

April 23, Monday
Hit the road with destination WDW's Poly Resort. Check in and chill out. Dinner at Kona Cafe, and Wishes from the beach.

April 24, Tueday.
Hitting the parks, starting off in AK, lunch at Tusker House, see the parade, supper at Chef Mickeys, and then heading off to the MK for a little bit.

April 25 Wednesday
Back to MK with an early breakfast at Crystal Palace. Check out the park Kids going to the Wonderland Tea Party, Mom and Dad enjoying time without kids. Pool time at Poly and then back to MK with counter service supper.

April 26 Thursday
Spending the day at Epcot, counter service at Epcot, supper at Le Cellier, check out World Showcase and Illuminations

April 27 Friday
Back to the Magic Kingdom for more fun, lunch at LTT, hang out for afternoon parade, stay til tired, swim at poly and 8pm Luau--just booked today got the last table of 4 available Cat 1.

April 28 Saturday
Again back to the Magic Kingdom, breakfast with the Princesses for the Princess. Want to make sure to check out the different shows, including Storytime with Belle (mom's favorite Princess, next to her own.) Check out the shops on Main Street, and hang out til tired. Swim at the resort, Mom and kids to LaNouba in DTD

April 29 Sunday
Late breakfast at Kona, day at the resort and Talladega baby. I am hoping that JR will be out of the basement in points by then. Heading back to MK that night for Spectro, Wishes and EHM.

April 30 Monday
Sleep in, mini golf??, shopping in DTD, the princess goes to BBB, supper with Cinderella and friends at 1900 Park Fare, and back to MK

May 1 Tuesday
Disney Studios for the day, see the parade, supper at 50's Primetime and Fantasmic

May 2 Wednesday
Another breakfast with the princesses for the princess. Hanging out at Epcot until tired, or until Concourse Steakhouse for supper. Either back to Epcot or MK for the evening.

May 3 Thursday
Kids to Pirate's Cruise at GF, mom and dad breakfast at GFC, into MK, supper at LTT, last night good bye with Spectro and Wishes.

May 4 Friday
Time to pack and check out, breakfast at 1900 Park Fare, last minute shopping at DTD, and hitting the road for home. We plan to drive to Warner Robbins, GA.

May 5 Saturday
Continuing the journey home, stopping at Paducah,KY for the night.

May 6 Sunday
Arrival back to Green Bay

I plan to post a trip report this year when we return home, and a food review. Also on this trip will be time spent looking for autographs. I have created autograph books for the kids, and also plan to get extra autographs to use in a scrapbook I plan to make for the trip.

Thanks for reading, 49 days until we hit the road.

Barb

 

[OhMari]

Hi,
I'm your neighbor, I live south of Fond du Lac, on Highway 41.
I sort of figured out your road trip. It sounds like you are going through IL. Are you trying to avoid tolls in Chicago and Indiana?
If not, it is a lot faster coming home and staying on I75 til Ohio and crossing over by Indianapolis, catching I65 to Chicago, then I80 to I94. If you are coming through Chicago on a Sunday, you can take the loop downtown Chicago with no tolls, there shouldn't be any back-ups since it is a Sunday. We actually pull a 44 ft trailer through Chicago to avoid the tolls if we know there are no traffic jams or rush hour.

Otherwise just ignore me, and stay with your plans, we do the IL route a lot, since it has much less traffic. The semi's and people with trailers are only allowed to go 55 mph and cars can go 65 mph.

Have a great trip-I hope we are done with all this snow and ice, I can't wait for warm weather.