A Year of Celebrations! July 29-Aug 2nd Dream

[kittyscrap1]

Hello DIS'ers. I'm paying it forward and will be writing a trip report in the next few days. It was a wonderful time!!

 

[DVC Jen]

I keep looking for a "like" button.

Maybe I have been on facebook too much lately.

Guess this will just have to do.

 

[kittyscrap1]

We are a military family who was separated for 6 mos last year due to our orders sending us from FL to VA. My high school aged sons' credits would not transfer unless he finished out the the year. So DH moved to VA to get our house (one we had for 14 years) ready after renters had left. Well that is a horror story in itself as these tenants NEVER cleaned ANYTHING!! He basically gutted the house while I became best friends with Home Depot in FL relaying it all to VA. DH would work night (in the dark as we have no overhead lighting in this house) and weekends on ripping out carpet..cabinets..linoleum..subflooring..etc. These people over flowed things and just left it obviously...black cob webs hanging from the ceiling..what looked like crunched up Cap'n Crunch on the base boards..etc...and SHE was an interior designer and he in the military as well. My sadness was their 3 children...how could you feed your kids in such filth. Bottom line...after many phone calls to my property manager or lack of one...firing the painter (DH just had no time)..new this, new that..ripping out 15 ft shrubs with our jeep (that was fun!)..painting the exterior trim by renting a cherry picker!...we FINALLY had our old new house back together...in fact my DH and DS finished up the wood floor in the foyer when we arrived here last June. It was a nice bonding weekend.

Then onto registering for school. Then, summer sports we went getting our kids involved again. DH went on several "workups"...school came..sports came..travel sports training came..holidays came..and then Jan 2011...deployment...grant it...6 mos verse others we know having 1 year IA's back to back or the many who just can seem to get a break and go time and time again. So even though we were on our own again for 6mos we felt blessed.

Upon that first few weeks out, DH and I chatted via email...that's a perk now adays...I can remember the snail mail out of order letters...and also when email first came out and EVERYONE would read them in the ready room..ie..common area in a squadron. Having lived in FL and enjoying just the pick up and go for Disney and DCL we chatted about doing a vacation when he returned from "the boat"..ie aircraft carrier. Thinking of our 20th anniversary he'd miss, two of the kids' birthdays (one turning 16), dd promotion from 8th grade, a Confirmation, etc...he said "well they aren't getting younger and I'd really like to go again before the college search next summer". So me, being a previous TA went into my mode...I love that mode!!! Disney mode!!

Of course I first grabbed a Family Verandah room and placed a 3 day hold on it...only to then chat about what if he didn't get back on time...hmmmm. Having just spent SO much on our house, is it really the right time for this...hmmm. What if summer ball interferes with the days once we get it's schedule...hmmm. Then SIL finds out...she wants to go but she is in FL and has to start back to her school job that week..hmmmm. Well the 3 day hold came and went. I believe I booked another time in there as well before going..this HAS to be done!! It's the DREAM guys...we have to book it or lose it! So DH left it in my hands..love that!

I booked July 29-Aug 2...2 weeks after his supposed return date and the week SIL had to go back but if she wanted to go, she'd have to miss only 2 days. At this point I could only get 2 connecting rooms...which was only a few dollars more and would give us extra space with 3 growing kids. I booked SIL about 10 cabins down. Knowing we wanted the Disney Parks as well (but this time prior to the cruise...last time after the cruise was a killer)DH had one stipulation...Boardwalk Inn overlooking the water by the ESPN zone!...but of course! SIL and her fam would not be on this part of the trip. After research and finally making a phone call to Disney, a wonderfully nice "Minnie" changed my res to a military discount..Innkeepers Club Dlx room overlooking the water by the ESPN zone. We opted out of the dining plan since it was to be soooo HOT (nobody wants to eat when it's super hot) and the Innkeepers Club had continental breakfast, snacks, cocktail time with appetizers). We also opted to get our own park passes through the military ITT office which gave us a 4day park hopper for $138 I believe it was...amazing! So once we were booked..deposits came and went..final payment came and went... Oh wait...transfers...hmmm...yes we are flying into MCO (got 2 tickets on AX points)...they offer a free transfer to BWI..done. BWI to port..hmmm...we'd like to try for the coveted #2 boarding card..we've never gotten it..only 6. And we also like having everyone waking minute on the ship. And Disney's transfer is only at specified times which won't get us there when we want. Hmmmmm....LIMO! But I might get a limo for homecoming...hmmm...but this nobody what supsect. Researched a little here on DISboards and booked FL Tours for $210 one way to the port. And oh ya...returning from the ship to the airport...just booked the DCL bus as I knew we'd HAVE to get off at some point. and we'd all depressed anyway. May as well sit on the bus with other sad cruisers watching yet another video about the cruise.

So we are booked with everything...I think. And all along I'm wondering..is this a good idea..6mos on a grey boat..no kids..no color and to throw DH right into the Magic Kingdom..hmmm...would it be overload? Homecoming plans progressed. DS (younger one) broke his pinky and had to be casted for 4 weeks! School got out! Travel baseball had us on the move every weekend. Dog kennel res made. Parrot and gecko sitter in place. Mail stop done. I think it's all set!

Homecoming came (YEAH!) and uh-oh...we are 10days away from OUR cruise and where is the table full of cruise stuff? Where are the piles of clothes we are taking? Suitcases? Birth certs and important papers? Parks list and plan? Cruise checklist? I have forgotten to even begin to think about packing!!! 10 days were here before we knew it..with more travel ball..DH was back to work already..kids had appts..me errands to get everything we needed...DS had grown to 6ft 3in and no longer fit in his dress pants..other DS feet had grown..DD needed ok wanted more clothes. So the lists were made, the piles began, the dog got depressed and we were ready for our magical celebration trip.

 

[LDISNEYFOX]

Looking forward to reading about your wonderful trip,

 

[kittyscrap1]

We woke up on Monday morning and still DH hadn't packed! The kids and I had done our thing the day prior. I had to get our sweet sad dog to the kennel and get back as I wanted our time of departure from home to be 830am...well that was more like 930am. We had a 40 minute drive to the airport without traffic..our flight was leaving at 1155am..and the "suggest" a 2 hour check in..which would be 955am. Well we have base traffic, tunnel traffic, parking, etc...and I did NOT want to miss this flight. Well we left around 930am and headed over..all along DH saying...wow look at this traffice..whoa it's soooooooo bad...we are never going to make it. Yes, he's a comedian. At least I had the kids on my side...for a while. We made it to the airport, parked and inside by 1030am..went through security (where my DS16 was held randomly for a cell phone screen..)...and sat in the gate area. Hmmmm...now what do we do for an hour they say. Really?! They start to board in a half hour people. DH was teasing me he could have slept for 1/2 hour more. Really?! We watched as a World Wrestling airplane came in and quickly people started to chat about who was on it. I don't watch wrestling so I had no idea. I was in Mickey mode! DH, DS16, DS11 went to get french fries and when they returned we were boarding.

The flight was uneventful...thank you AirTran..no leg room for 6ft3in DS16 but he'd survive. We joked at the landing as we watched people half asleep almost smack the seat in front of them. Really? Do they not know the plane is landing.

We arrived in Orlando a tad before 2pm...ahhhhh palm trees...I miss those. We followed the line off the plane and right into the outgoing security check...the family in the front must have been so excited they headed out the wrong way...so everyone turned around laughing and out we went to catch our monorail train ..DS11 hadn't traveled since he was 6 so that was cool to him...DH too as he scurried for the "ledge" at the front of the car. I had tagged our bags with Boardwalk Inn tags so we wouldn't see our luggage till we arrived at the hotel...this was questioned by everyone in my family. DS11 even told the Disney Magical Express person as such...to which he replied..oh you'll get it in a few days..don't worry. DS11 then got VERY worried....so worried that the bus driver said he wouldn't let him on until he smiled! He then explained how he wondered why wouldn't get our luggage for 3 days. The bus driver said...3 days! oh my that is quick..normally it's longer than that. Of course, we had to convince my litteral DS he was joking!

On the bus we are...a Disney Cruise Line bus too...YEAH!!! Even though we have 4 nights at Disney BWI the cruise on the Dream would be soon within our reach!! At this point everyone is excited yet tired..the late night and early (as they say) wake up is setting in and we haven't had any food. Well the boys did have fries. ....to be continued...