A Very Merry 4th Birthday! December 2-14

[21hearts]

I give up! My husband now wants to change all of our plans!

He wants to go to the Nickelodeon hotel on the 2nd then do our two Universal days then check out on the 5th and then check into a 1 bedroom villa at Old Key West... Then do MK, HS, Epcot, MK & Epcot.... SO this means I need to change all of our reservations! All of them. Every single ADR needs to be changed.

 

[momabaarjo]

I give up! My husband now wants to change all of our plans!

He wants to go to the Nickelodeon hotel on the 2nd then do our two Universal days then check out on the 5th and then check into a 1 bedroom villa at Old Key West... Then do MK, HS, Epcot, MK & Epcot.... SO this means I need to change all of our reservations! All of them. Every single ADR needs to be changed.

 

[Grace and Mickey]

I give up! My husband now wants to change all of our plans!
Oh My!!!! I hope he has a good reason.
He wants to go to the Nickelodeon hotel on the 2nd then do our two Universal days then check out on the 5th and then check into a 1 bedroom villa at Old Key West... Then do MK, HS, Epcot, MK & Epcot.... SO this means I need to change all of our reservations! All of them. Every single ADR needs to be changed.

That will be alot of work, good thingyou still have about 6 months. and a hotel change to bootHope all goes well

 

[21hearts]

So I'm really happy to say that I was able to re-make all of our ADRs and I actually managed to get a few better times. DH still doesn't want to try any of the restaurants at Epcot expect for the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.. I'm trying to talk him into trying one of them. We now have a whole day (the 11th) were DH won't help me pick a park.. He wants to just pick that day and see how he's feeling... Hmm so we added the hotel he wanted & I downgraded the hotel I wanted and he's getting extra time at his preferred parks (Universal Studios) and I'm losing a day? Yeah I'm a bit ticked but its still far enough away that I can figure something out.

Our new schedule is

Friday December 2nd
-- Arrive at Nickelodeon hotel

Saturday December 3ird
-- Island of Adventure
----- Character breakfast with Cat In The Hat characters

Sunday December 4th
-- Universal Studios

Monday December 5th
--- 11am check out of Nickelodeon hotel
--- 4pm check into Old Key West
--------- Hit up park so we can upgraded 1 day park ticket to annual passes

Tuesday December 6th
--- Magic Kingom (9am -7 pm)
--- 11:20 Chef Mickeys

Wednesday December 7th
-- Hollywood Studios (9am to 7pm)
-- 12:15 Sci-Fi Drive In
Characterpalooza 4:50PM & 5:50PM - Art of Animation Building (do first & then head over to Christmas light area)

Thursday December 8th
-- Epcot (9am to 9:30pm)
-- 8:05 Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Friday December 9th
-- Magic Kingdom (9am to 7am)
-- 8:05 1900 Park Fare

Saturday December 10th
-- Epcot (9am to 9:30pm)
-- Lunch - Big River Grille & Brewery Works
-- Dinner -5:20pm Liberty Tree Traven

Sunday December 11th
-- 5pm Planet Hollywood

Monday December 12th
-- 11am check out of Old Key West

----------------

What Works For Our Family

So here are our "plans". Not really plans so to speak but what we have found works the best for our family.

Epcot
-- DH goes to ride Soaring while I go get Test Track FPs. This will be Troy's first time on Soaring! Once DH's ride is over he meets me by TT & does Mission Space. Then by then our TT FP's are due or usually do within 10 minutes - so either ride it or hang in the gift shop and then ride it (Troy is big enough to do this one as well).

Hollywood Studios
-- DH heads to RNRC & TOT (usually second) while I get FP to TSM. I will say this is NOT fun or easy with the double stroller & Troy (( DH usually takes the single stroller with him and parks it by TOT)). We do not usually get a quick return time because I'm NOT running with Troy following me. Once I have FPs I meet him at the exit of TOT.

That's usually the end of our HS plan but I think for this trip we're going to head straight to Star Tours and try it out. We'll probably use rider swap.

Animal Kingdom
-- DH gets a FP for EE and then we head towards the safari. Its usually not a bad wait and it goes pretty quickly because we can take the stroller right up with us due to Rachel's medical condition & an awesome thing that Disney has for their guests with disabilities. (Which is so NOT a front of the line pass. I can not tell you how many people think it is -- more on this in my next post).

Magic Kingdom
-- DH likes to do the mountains. I LOVE BTMRR but I usually don't do it because I don't like going on it by myself. I think the height requirement is 40 inches so Troy can go on -- I'm going to look up the requirement to make sure --. So if he likes it then we'll do rider swap and I'll go with him. We usually don't FP much at MK. We've just been lucky to never have to wait more then 20 minutes for a ride. Oh and this will be the first trip where we all can do POTC. I didn't do it on our August/September trip in 2010 because I was pregnant and not feeling good and on our last trip Lilly was asleep in the stroller so I sat out with her. But the plan is for all of us to do the ride. I haven't done it on our last two trips! The last time I did it was 2006. Oh wow!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

What a nightmare hun!

Glad it all worked out.

The schedule and plans are looking pretty good!

 

[21hearts]

We got Mickey Mail!

About three weeks ago I made custom maps for our family of all four parks and we got them yesterday.

 

[21hearts]

YOO HOO

From the Mouse Savers newsletter
---------------------------------

Special Resort and Ticket Discounts for Military at Walt Disney World

Military Room Discounts Available through September 20, 2012

Military discounts of 30% off Value Resorts, 35% off Moderates and 40% off Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts are now available for stays through 9/30/12.

Click here for more information about the resort discounts, including the necessary booking codes.
-----------------

40% off the villas Until 9/20/12!!!! So it looks like Disney is releasing some information about the 2012 Military Room Rate! Sweet. So we will be able to get the 40% off the villa for our December trip!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

That's great to hear Melissa! I wish they would keep the discounts for military personnel consistant all the time. Of all the discounts they dish out, this one really should be permanent, period!

I keep trying to tell DH to convince his "uncle" (I use the term uncle loosely... by family lines, he is, but he's only 6 years older than DH) to go on a trip with us (he's career Air Force and working on becoming a Colonel). I'd love for him to be able to go take a trip with us. He loves to travel and has never been to WDW. He doesn't have any kids, but he loves them dearly (long story). He works his butt off and is an amazing soul. DH thinks he'd shoot us down, but I never say it doesn't hurt to ask!

 

[momabaarjo]

Your precious babies look like they love their Mickey Mail!

 

[21hearts]

That's great to hear Melissa! I wish they would keep the discounts for military personnel consistant all the time. Of all the discounts they dish out, this one really should be permanent, period!

I keep trying to tell DH to convince his "uncle" (I use the term uncle loosely... by family lines, he is, but he's only 6 years older than DH) to go on a trip with us (he's career Air Force and working on becoming a Colonel). I'd love for him to be able to go take a trip with us. He loves to travel and has never been to WDW. He doesn't have any kids, but he loves them dearly (long story). He works his butt off and is an amazing soul. DH thinks he'd shoot us down, but I never say it doesn't hurt to ask!

It would be awesome if WDW would make that a permanent discount! We would use & re-use it. lol. As of right now DH said that we can go in October 2012 for Lilly's 2nd birthday - which would be after the discounted ends from what I can tell... But we've also tossed around going for a few days in February for Rachel's 3ird birthday since the Princess Rooms at Port Orleans may be open by then.

I agree with you it doesn't hurt to ask! Whats the worse that would happen? He'd say no? I will say that when DH's unit came over over 70% went to WDW on their block leave (and about 40% of them were single soldiers)...

Your precious babies look like they love their Mickey Mail!

Thanks. Every day they ask to see the "Mickey Maps". DS keeps asking where are hotel is and then shows us the castle, tree, ball and hat. He's been talking up a storm about our last two trips and how he can't wait. We had to teach Rachel the signs for everything so she could "talk" about it as well.

 

[momabaarjo]

that's great to hear melissa! I wish they would keep the discounts for military personnel consistant all the time. Of all the discounts they dish out, this one really should be permanent, period!

i agree!!!

 

[21hearts]

So when I was a kid/teen we would go to Disney for 1-2 days every month or month & a half. My aunt & uncle are both CMs (my uncle at the Grand Floridian - not sure where but we does food. I do know he helped to the gingerbread house for the last two years. My aunt works at Fort Wilderness Lodge I believe. They've moved so many times.) so we would go a lot. But our trips were very different from other peoples visits. We would stay with my uncle, eat breakfast at his house, usually eat lunch off site & eat dinner at my uncles house. You see that? NO meals at Disney. Or if we did then it was usually where my aunt or uncle worked because they got a nice discount. With that said if I NEVER eat at the TS restaurant in Germany then I will be VERY VERY happy. So we usually did a ALOT of driving on our "day-cations" and spent a little time in the parks. So I've been to each WDW park at least thirty times but there is still stuff I've never done! My parents didn't do shows or parades because they were a waste of time. They we rides people! Lets get to the rides.

So now that I'm in charge of planning our trips I want my kids to have the experience I never had. This is why its worth it to us to stay on site, go for multiple days and go as often as we can.

So I'm going to end this with some pictures of my sister & I from some of our visits. Apparently my parents didn't take many pictures? Either that or they are lost or gone forever.

** I re-sized the pictures but for some reason they are still showing up at their original large size... I'm not sure why. **

I', shaking Tigger's hand

Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party - I'm in purple.

My first visit to WDW. 2 years old

I don't remember or know where this is from

Not sure where this is from either... Def not WDW

At the TS Germany restaurant. When my uncle worked there he set it up so when my sister and I went we could see the kitchen and how they make the desserts and then we got to make our own and be "honorary chefs".

I'm in front

 

[21hearts]

Bye Bye Disney Trip?

So yesterday my DD Rachel went to see her genetics doctor we were hoping they would tell us that her not talking is some how related her to medical condition and that she would avoid brain surgery this fall. However we did not get that. What her genetics doctor told us is that YES while being slightly to mildly delayed IS apart of her medical condition she is severely delayed & that there has to be another reason for it. Well we know that reason. Its because she has some fluid on her brain putting some pressure on the part of her brain that does communication.. So its really looking like she will have to have this surgery. In which case its going to be scheduled for late August/September/October. Then two months after her surgery she has to go back for her last check up and once she goes to that check up we can go to Disney.. So unless she has it in August we are going to have to re-schedule our Disney trip.

DH told me to keep planning for now (we'll know for sure when her surgery is on July 18th) but to also plan one for February.

 

[Grace and Mickey]

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family aisd one the hugs is especially for Rachel just keep good thoughts, I do believe that god only give us what we can handle even thought sometimes it not excatlly what we think is the right things, Now a days Drs can do wonderful things.
I think you should keep planning your trip It will a wondrful thing to look forward to, and planning two trip is twice the fun.
If I can be of any help Please let me know,
Grace

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I finally caught up and there are so many ups and downs. I am so sorry about the latest news. Poor little baby. Hopefully you will get the news you are hoping for in July. In the meantime, have you spoken to her Drs about her getting a WISH trip? (I'm sure you know this but in case you don't, it's a common misconception that WISH trips are for terminaly ill children-not true)

 

[21hearts]

Thanks ladies.

I had not spoken to her doctor yet because she has to be 28 months (2 and a half) before the doctors will do the paper work & she just turned 28 months today. We were planning on asking her Neurosurgeon in July if he says that yes she 100% has to have this surgery.

I had talked to DH about asking if she can do a WISH trip and we both feel a little weird about it. We can afford to go to Disney with all of these great military & Florida resident discounts and the money spent on a WISH trip for her could go to a family that maybe can't afford to go on their own. So we've been torn but there's always the chance that Rachel could ask for something else.

So I have started to look at dates in February. I think we may do late January - early February since it seems to give me the cheapest option for a hotel room... lol. Our dates are very flexible since none of my kids are in school yet.

 

[momabaarjo]

Hugs and prayers for your sweet little girl!

 

[21hearts]

Our Money Saving Tips

So this PTR needs to get back to Disney. Were so looking forward to a vacation once all of this medical stuff is over with. Even DH my anti-Disney said last night that he's looking forward to this trip.

So here are some things we do to save some time & money at WDW.

1.) Eat breakfast in the room. My kids loved Pop Tarts. Love with a passion. Give them each one packet of Pop Tarts and some milk and they are happy.

2.) Buy rain gear at home. My dad and I talk about this on every trip we go to. We were at WDW in 2002 maybe 2003 and the poncho's were $3 each and then the sky started to darken later on and it started to drizzle and the price went to $10 each! No joke. Now I think they are just $10 standard price but my dad was amazed at how quickly the price changed through out the whole park. DH and I bought poncho's from Target or Kmart for $1 each & they came in this carrying bag. We have yet to use them but we always bring them. This trip we will get one for Troy since we don't have a rain cover for the single stroller.

3.) Bring water & snacks into the park. We bring a small water cooler in with bottles of water & single serve bags of snacks. Rachel is a all day snacker & the snacks at WDW are way to big for just her. So we would get her one and then she would eat a third of it and be done. Then thirty minutes later she would be hungry again.

4.) Lay a towel on the stroller - esp if you go during the hotter months. It gives the kids more padding then if they sweat you can switch out the towel for a dry one and the kids aren't just laying on the sweaty stroller all day.

I can't think of any others at the moment but I know that there are more.

 

[21hearts]

So I put in a form at Make-A-Wish for Rachel. I also put in one for Inspiration Through Art - which provides photography sessions for kids ( & their families ) who suffers from any type of serious illness or life altering disability. Rachel qualifies for her Chiari Malformation.

So now we just wait and see what happens.

But I really need to get ready. Rachel had an awful night. I posted about it on my blog but I'll just copy & paste it here so you guys can read it too.
------

Last night was awful. I have no other words to describe it. It started off normal. I put the kids down – Lilly at 6:30 and Troy & Rachel at 7pm. They all went down easy and I cleaned up the kitchen and living room. At 8pm I settled in front of the computer to catch up on e-mail and to see if I could scrapbook a page or two. Well at 8:15pm Rachel starts screaming. I go into her room and I try to calm her down the best I can. After 10 minutes I ask her if she wants to watch TV with me. She nods yes and climbs out of her toddler bed. She instantly falls on the floor but gets up. She takes one step, falls and screams. Her leg was hurting her sooo bad that she couldn’t walk. My heart broke into a million pieces right there. I carried her to living room and put Disney on for her to watch. She stayed with me for thirty minutes and every couple of minutes she would let out a cry of pain. I felt so helpless. There was nothing I could expect hold her. ( I did try to bind her leg but she wouldn’t let me touch it & she wouldn’t let me put an ice pack on it either ). At 9pm she fell asleep and I put her back to bed but this time I kept her door open a crack. Every so often I would hear her whimper.

She woke up this morning and she’s doing better. She walked (well limped since her limp is VERY noticeable today) to the couch and wouldn’t move. So I broke the rules and she had her breakfast there. I let her pick and of course it was her #1 favorite breakfast meal: juice box and a Pop Tart..

 

[momabaarjo]

Our Money Saving Tips


1.) Eat breakfast in the room. My kids loved Pop Tarts. Love with a passion. Give them each one packet of Pop Tarts and some milk and they are happy.

Trying to figure out what I can either pack in the suitcase of have garden grocer deliver that will keep my kids happy on days that we don't do a big breakfast!

2.) Buy rain gear at home. My dad and I talk about this on every trip we go to. We were at WDW in 2002 maybe 2003 and the poncho's were $3 each and then the sky started to darken later on and it started to drizzle and the price went to $10 each! No joke. Now I think they are just $10 standard price but my dad was amazed at how quickly the price changed through out the whole park. DH and I bought poncho's from Target or Kmart for $1 each & they came in this carrying bag. We have yet to use them but we always bring them. This trip we will get one for Troy since we don't have a rain cover for the single stroller.

Thought people were crazy about taking raingear...again not wanting to be a pack mule...but guess who had to buy a $12 poncho at Universal? In fact I picked up a couple the other day at the dollar store and they are in my disney suitcase hiding. That suitcase is my hiding spot and it is getting full!

3.) Bring water & snacks into the park. We bring a small water cooler in with bottles of water & single serve bags of snacks. Rachel is a all day snacker & the snacks at WDW are way to big for just her. So we would get her one and then she would eat a third of it and be done. Then thirty minutes later she would be hungry again.

Great suggestion...I plan to do just that...although I really do not want to be the pack mule!

Great suggestions