A Year Is Way Too Long To Wait! We Just Keep Booking Trips!

[babyberger]

Welcome to my second PTR

We sadly left the World on February 10, 2013 We had been four times in six months and were at the end of our Disney Deluxe Splurge. For the first time in months we did not have a future Disney trip planned. Not feeling quite complete I finally decided in April that we needed to book something, even if it was for next year. After talking with the hubby and kids we decided that we would not take multiple trips, but just book one full week. We loved the weather in February (as well as Value season), so it was decided we would take the kids out of school and go in February again. I sadly realized it would be a full year between Disney trips I tried to convince myself that the year would go by fast, especially since we had a summer beach trip planned.

Well our summer beach vacation came and went (and was AMAZING) but I was still missing Disney. With too much time on my hands I started playing around with a quick trip before our AP's expire on September 15th. We had sworn off two day trips a few years ago, but I was willing to maybe do one more just to get to the World. Then it dawned on my that Labor Day Weekend is around the corner, and even though it will be hot and somewhat crowded we can go for three days and not have to pull the kids out school or have hubby take a day off

So now I sit here, feeling complete with TWO trips to the World booked

Now time for some introductions, We are:

myself - Melissa, a self proclaimed planning addict As hubby likes to say, I stress over, obsess and over analyze everything, so that of course includes our vacations. I like to have a "tentative" plan of attack before we get to the Disney, but I am very flexible in making changes once we are there.

DH - David, not a Disney lover by heart, but LOVES how happy the kids are while we are there so he goes along with whatever I plan

DS -Andrew (20), my college student who does not have time for theme parks with his family, or just doesn't want to go with us anymore

DS - Steven (10), my absolute thrill seeker child! Favorites include Expedition Everest, Tower of Tower, Mission Space, and Test Track Steven also presents some challenges for us, he has Asperger's Syndrome which is on the Autism Spectrum, as well as has severe food allergies to wheat and nuts. We learned about the GAC a few years ago, and that has honestly become a life saver for us But preventing meltdowns and stress levels is still a major part of our day.

DD - Sarah (8), my princess for sure Even though she is a princess she is also a thrill seeker! Her favorites include the Tea Cups, Mission Space, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Expedition Everest, and Test Track.

We are NOT a rope drop family at all, my kids and hubby love to sleep in We ARE however park hoppers! I don't think our day is complete without going to at least two parks and sometimes even three! And we are DEFINITELY changers, resorts, park, dining, you name it we change the plan!

***TRIPS HAVE CONTINUED TO CHANGE AND EVOLVE*** This PTR includes the following trips:

LABOR DAY WEEKEND
DAY 1 MAGIC KINGDOM & EPCOT
DAYS 2 & 3 AK, DHS, AND MORE EPCOT
PICTURES

QUICK BUSINESS TRIP
THOUGHTS

FOOD AND WINE
DAY 1 PART 1
DAY 1 PART 2
DAY 1 BACK TO THE KIDS
DAY 2 AND THE PRIME TIME CAFE DISASTER

DECEMBER TRIP
A NOT SO GREAT DAY 1
DAY 2 WITH A DISMEET!
DAY 3 AT THE MAGIC KINGDOM


****BYE BYE GAC, HELLO DAS****
MAJOR CHANGES TO THE GAC
THOUGHTS ON THE DAS


Here are some of our favorite Disney pictures from the past few years.

 

[babyberger]

A Quick Trip!

Why travel alone when you can travel with family!

WHEN: Labor Day Weekend! August 31 - September 2
WHO: Me, DH, DS(10), DD(8) AND our cousins DH, DW, and twin DSs (8)
WHERE: Off property at Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa, sharing a 4BR condo

DS(20) is once agin most likely opting out of this vacation, but he did mention it is a maybe. But I am not holding my breath.

With ADR's at:
Liberty Tree Tavern lunch
Sci Fi Diner dinner

And and order will be placed at BabycakesNYC so that DS has his favorite gluten free donuts for the mornings.

 

[babyberger]

A WHOLE WEEK!

As a family, our longest stay at the World has been 5 days/4 nights. But next year we are doing a REAL Disney vacation and staying for 8 days/7 nights!!! My kids absolutely LOVE the Contemporary and would be very happy staying there for a week. However, even though I love my kids, I need my own space sometimes So the perfect compromise seems to be Bay Lake Tower in a 1 BR!

We had originally booked lake view as I had read that depending on room location we could have a partial view of the MK, but after pricing out the difference between LV and TPV we decided we would make the change to TPV to ensure the kids get their view of the MK. But all of this is subject to change based on available discounts of course

I am patiently waiting for Feb hours to be released as well as the crowd levels so I can plan my days. I have tentatively planned our days and possible ADR's based on last year's info and the little information that seems to be floating around.

So for this trip:
WHEN: February 1-8, 2014
WHO: Me, DH, DS(10) and DD(8)
WHERE: Bay Lake Tower

As usual we will be leaving DS(20) behind

So far the ADR's we are planning are:
California Grill
The Wave
Be Our Guest
Liberty Tree Tavern
Sci Fi Dinner

I am sure that list will change as time goes on

 

[jennyjinx3]

I am first!

 

[babyberger]

I am first!

Woohoo!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Number.... TWO??? How did this happen? I am honored. I will attempt to keep up with all the great plans, but may fall behind on vacation next week. I hope I'll be excused

I love BLT and know you will, too!

 

[babyberger]

Number.... TWO??? How did this happen? I am honored. I will attempt to keep up with all the great plans, but may fall behind on vacation next week. I hope I'll be excused

I love BLT and know you will, too!

KOOK, wishing you a MAGICAL vacation!

I will probably work on the BLT post later today!

 

[hstrickland]

Hiya!

At 12:25am, I couldn't sleep! So why not check out the Boards - and your PTR Nothing wrong with a weekend trip to the World Last minute get-aways are the best! And a 4bdr condo sounds like a winner for sure!

Happy Planning!
Heather

 

[Missoutandabout]

Lovin' those pics!

 

[babyberger]

Hiya!

At 12:25am, I couldn't sleep! So why not check out the Boards - and your PTR Nothing wrong with a weekend trip to the World Last minute get-aways are the best! And a 4bdr condo sounds like a winner for sure!

Happy Planning!
Heather

I hope you finally got some sleep! We love the 4BR condo, we have stayed there before with them and it is awesome. TWO masters, and two kids rooms, plus full kitchen, dining room, living room and huge balcony! Perfect for two families

Lovin' those pics!

Thank you

 

[babyberger]

So small change already, cancelled Coral Reef based on some really bad reviews lately. I know it has always been a place that has had mixed reviews and even though the kids and I liked it last time, hubby didn't really care for it and since it is soooo expensive, we decided to just nix it this time around. So I had to juggle my days a bit but replaced it with a dinner at Sci Fi, which my kids love and I don't think our cousins have ever been, so it will be a treat for them

 

[jennyjinx3]

Sci Fi is cool....didn't love the food, but I think they have changed the menu since we were there. First timers there would love it.

 

[babyberger]

Sci Fi is cool....didn't love the food, but I think they have changed the menu since we were there. First timers there would love it.

I agree, not gourmet food, but my kids really LOVE it! Hoping the twins will love it too!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Alysa]

The contemporary! So wonderful! Love how you can just walk to the MK!

 

[jennyjinx3]

 

[babyberger]

Hopefully we will know this week if the BLT trip is a dream or reality.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[babyberger]

Not much to update. Hours still have not been posted for Feb, which is strange, but I made my ADRs anyway. BoG was not available on my first choice of Sunday night, but I was able to book it for Tuesday and Wednesday night I booked both nights and will cancel one of them once the hours come out and I figure out which day works best for us. And California Grill is still not available for booking, so that one has to wait

 

[babyberger]

The thinking cap is on and a big change may be in the works

Update...DH didn't like the changes and talked me out of it

 

[jennyjinx3]

What changes were you pondering?? I love that you got BOG twice! I think we might try lunch there next. When we did dinner we were in the West Wing, which was cool. But I have come to realize I don't like eating in the dark!

 

[babyberger]

What changes were you pondering?? I love that you got BOG twice! I think we might try lunch there next. When we did dinner we were in the West Wing, which was cool. But I have come to realize I don't like eating in the dark!

I am going to cancel one of the dinner ADRs, I just grabbed them both because Feb hours were not out yet and I didn't really have our days planned out. Now that hours are out, I will revise our plans and figure out which day we really want BoG. It's funny you mentioned eating the dark, I was wondering about that. But since the kids love eating at Sci Fi in the dark I think they will be okay at BoG.

As far as changes, the guilt of pulling them out of school for a week was really starting to bother me. So I looked at the calendar and was thinking we would go up New Year's Eve (but not do a park) and then stay for a week, that way the kids would not miss any school. I priced out a Downtown Disney hotel with a fireworks view for the first couple nights, then over to CR for the remaining 5 nights as BLT was not available. DH was aggravated, he said I spent so much time convincing him that BLT was the right choice and we know February works for us, etc, etc He usually doesn't say boo to me, so I decided not to rock the boat and leave the trip as it is and just deal with school as the time approaches.