All Our Wishes Will Come True-A May 2010 PTR!-Trip Report is Started 7/14

[bellebookworm9]

So, mom and I were talking and decided that we wanted to add some room requests to our reservation. We wanted an upper floor room close to the lobby, so we e-mailed the guy we're renting from and he added it for us. This picture is from allears and we don't think it's a bad view at all. It is a studio with a standard view on the top floor in the section closest to the lobby, about midway down that section.

I also decided that I want to do the Pick a Pearl in Japan. I saw a thread on here yesterday about it, and someone put pictures of a Cinderella carriage holder they bought on ebay for $3.50. They were pleased with the product and the seller has 100% positive ratings, so I bought one as well. It includes a chain and I think it's a much cheaper option that paying Disney prices for a setting. These pictures are from the person on the DIS who recommended the product.

Finally, we decided that we are going to celebrate our birthdays while we are down there. Yes, we are cheating a bit since I just had mine and mom's isn't until July, but we'll be there at about the midway point between our birthdays. We were going to do this three years ago, the year we both had milestone birthdays (me 16, mom 50), but it didn't work out. So I added birthday celebrations to all our ADRs and our room ressie, in addition to the "personal triumphs"-Mom losing 30+ pounds, me finishing my freshman year of college! And, since my birthday celebration Friday night was a bit of a letdown, I want a do over!

We also started a list of last minute things to buy. We need another memory card-ours is only 256MB-, a disposable water proof camera for the water parks and pool, sunscreen (SPF 50 because I'm a ginger who burns soooo easily and then I turn this color ), a pre-paid Visa gift card, sandwich bags (because they're cheaper here than at Garden Grocer), and ponchos (for Kali River Rapids, rain, and possibly Splash Mountain). I also started a discussion about what shoes people wear to the water parks. Most said they either wear water shoes (which I can't stand) or just leave their flip flops at their chair and go barefoot. I think that's the option we'll be going with.

 

[lindsayp]

all caught up that Cinderella necklace is adorable! I've never done the japan pearl thing before tho. We've decided to celebrate my birthday when we go as our trips a week before it, but i think we should celebrate all our birthdays

 

[bellebookworm9]

all caught up that Cinderella necklace is adorable! I've never done the japan pearl thing before tho. We've decided to celebrate my birthday when we go as our trips a week before it, but i think we should celebrate all our birthdays

The necklace arrived a few days ago and it's so pretty that I've already been wearing it-it looks fine without the pearl. I agree, everyone should celebrate their birthdays-just be like the Mad Hatter and say it's your Unbirthday.

 

[bellebookworm9]

We are officially one month away!! I think that deserves a lot of happy smilies, so we interrupt this post for a lot of dancing, smiling, and cheering.

Okay, so I can start crossing off my countdown calendar tonight! And I have OA training all day today and tomorrow, so that should make the days go by a little faster!

Last night I was looking through some threads here on the DIS and decided that instead of making/buying an autograph book, I'm making a binder. Using templates I found here on the DIS I saved a page for each character I'm hoping to meet, and some I might not (ie., I saved all 5 fairies, even though we'll only meet 3, saved Cinderella on the off chance we have time to meet the princesses in Toontown and she's there),and some generic extras for some I'm not expecting. I will put two templates on a page and print them out, then throw them in a binder. That way I can just take the templates and cut them, then put them in the scrapbook. Here's are some examples (templates are all from Natalie on the Creative DISign board):

This is a generic one:

 

[Kellybelly777]

love the binder thats really cool!!!
About the necklace in the japan area of epcot: how much does it cost if you buy a necklace there?

 

[bellebookworm9]

love the binder thats really cool!!!
About the necklace in the japan area of epcot: how much does it cost if you buy a necklace there?

Thanks! I figure, if we're already taking a backpack, the binder won't be a terribly heavy addition, I can have the characters pages organized in the way we'll meet them (ie, Crystal Palace, Adventureland, and Liberty Square characters, followed by characters found on the left hand side of Disney Studios), and it's a sturdy surface! I also won't feel bad about taking them out/cutting them to put in the scrapbook.

I'm not sure exactly, but I know the pearl itself is $17 or so, then you have to pay extra for the setting, and more for the chain if you get a necklace. Plus, different settings have different costs. I think it's about $25 for a cheap setting.

 

[jenbear123]

30 days!!!!!

The luggage tags come with your final booklet with the Planet Hollywood vouchers, etc that you mentioned. The luggage tags don't have Tinker Bell on them anymore though. It's just the castle with the "What will you celebrate?" slogan. They're still nice tags.

Hi-five on being another who burns easily. I have two skin tones - pale & burnt. No tanning for this girl. It totally sucks but I'd rather be pale than burnt and get skin cancer. I always carry a 60SPF sunblock with me just in case. If I want to get a little sun, I put on the 30SPF. I have freckles (not the fat ones that are all over the body) but little ones on my face, shoulders, knuckles, etc. They spread like crazy in the sun!

Love your notebook pages! Hope you get lots of character signatures!

 

[bellebookworm9]

30 days!!!!!

The luggage tags come with your final booklet with the Planet Hollywood vouchers, etc that you mentioned. The luggage tags don't have Tinker Bell on them anymore though. It's just the castle with the "What will you celebrate?" slogan. They're still nice tags.

Okay, looks like we won't be getting fun luggage tags as we're not booked on a package

Hi-five on being another who burns easily. I have two skin tones - pale & burnt. No tanning for this girl. It totally sucks but I'd rather be pale than burnt and get skin cancer. I always carry a 60SPF sunblock with me just in case. If I want to get a little sun, I put on the 30SPF. I have freckles (not the fat ones that are all over the body) but little ones on my face, shoulders, knuckles, etc. They spread like crazy in the sun!

My mom said she found SPF 80 the other day. I almost don't believe her! I am very freckled as well. They're most prominent on my face, but I have them on my arms and legs as well. They aren't large, but there are a lot of them!

Love your notebook pages! Hope you get lots of character signatures!

Thanks! I hope we get lots of pics/signatures too!

 

[YukiPhnx]

I'm here!

Wow, you're so close to your trip! I'm so giddy for you! Now to catch up on your links....

 

[bellebookworm9]

I'm here!

Wow, you're so close to your trip! I'm so giddy for you! Now to catch up on your links....

Yay! Yeah, it's finally just around the corner. Even though it's still 29 days away, I feel like those little kids in the commercial who are "too eschited to schweep" (too excited to sleep)! You might have to invest some time reading all my links-I know there's a lot

 

[YukiPhnx]

By the time I catch up, you guys might have already left for your trip!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Since the pic of my mom is rather grainy in the second post, here's an updated one taken last month.

And this is from last June, but the only difference between then and now is that my hair is a bit longer now.

I don't see the relation, do you?

So now you have a visual of who you may actually see in the parks-no graininess, no sunglasses, no black & white/half shadow faces, and me not wearing glasses

 

[wdwgirl03]

Hi Gretchen! Followed you over from my TR...thanks for posting, it's always fun having new readers and I love to return the favor.

I have to go back and get all caught up but I did happen to see your dorm pictures. That is so funny because I had a HUGE Disney princess poster and Pirates of the Caribbean poster in my bedroom in my apartment at school. I even did the same thing as you and printed some pictures I got off the DIS that I really liked.

YAY for being less than a month away now!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Hi Gretchen! Followed you over from my TR...thanks for posting, it's always fun having new readers and I love to return the favor.

I have to go back and get all caught up but I did happen to see your dorm pictures. That is so funny because I had a HUGE Disney princess poster and Pirates of the Caribbean poster in my bedroom in my apartment at school. I even did the same thing as you and printed some pictures I got off the DIS that I really liked.

YAY for being less than a month away now!

Hi! Thanks for joining in! I love my posters, but unfortunately they've fallen down so many times that I've had to peel off the tape and retape, so they've started to rip, and I finally took them down for good the other day-less to do in 23 days when I'm done! But, good excuse to buy more next year.

Yes, now I'm playing the "This time next month game". This time next month we should be finishing up our meal at Ohana and heading over to the Grand Floridian to look around.

 

[999ghostslover]

hey Geneseo!
I'm on page 4 and trying to finish reading before my little ones wake up. Your trip planning sounds awesome. You have a beautiful family. Good for you for planning things the way you want them. I think you and your mom are going to have a fabulous trip.

 

[bellebookworm9]

hey Geneseo!
I'm on page 4 and trying to finish reading before my little ones wake up. Your trip planning sounds awesome. You have a beautiful family. Good for you for planning things the way you want them. I think you and your mom are going to have a fabulous trip.

I'm so surprised that you know where this little middle of nowhere town is! I think our trip will be awesome too!

 

[bellebookworm9]

So, my mom was fired today. She's been on administrative leave since April 2nd and it was for a really stupid thing too. Basically, her boss doesn't like her and just wanted her gone. So, she's collecting unemployment while looking into working for another agency, or going back to school (well, not back, since she didn't go to college in the first place), or both. My aunt can't believe we're still going because of the lack of secure income, and my mom told her "no way are we canceling, we've put too much money in already, and it's been planned for too long!"

On the upside, I got my financial aid award info for next year, and it looks like I may be getting another large refund, so maybe we can make this trip an annual thing. But, I'm not counting on it, though it would be nice!

Only 24 more days!

 

[Kellybelly777]

Thats so sad about your mom I'm deffinetly hoping for the best for you guys!!!
And it's so great that you're still going on your trip, you guys really deserve it!
And only 24 (now its 22 i guess) days?!?! woow haha im so jealous!!!

 

[wdwgirl03]

OMG that sucks about your mom!

Yay for the financial aid and getting closer to your trip.

 

[YukiPhnx]

20 more days! And I'm STILL not caught up yet! >_<

I hope your mom is able to find work soon. Times have been hard for a lot of people lately