An ordinary family's first pre-trip report...

[learnhome]

Well, I am not sure this will interest anyone, but I thought I would post our pre-trip plans for our first ever family trip to WDW

(background)......the year 2005 struck our family with great sadness and tragedy. My Father died after a year long battle with cancer, and several weeks later, I lost my beloved mother to kidney failure. Very unexpected. Very devistating as you can imagine. It was a terrible, sad year.....

Fast forward to present......although time has passed, a very heartbroken family still remains. However, I thought "what better way to cheer us up, but a nice trip to WDW???".....So, with months and months of planning, reading this site, buying books and having a fantastic travel agent thru Mouse Fan Travel, and a best friend, Jen, who has been going every year to Disney since childhood, our trip is payed for and quickly approaching....

We are:
Me, Chrissy, 36 - the "mom".......
Scott, my hubby, 34 the "dad" (and was NOT SO THRILLED ABOUT GOING TO DISNEY....)
Ryan our oldest at 12
Jordan our middle son at 9
and little Olivia, our baby girl at 6 years old!

We are going from January 13 - 20, 2007 and we have two rooms booked at Pop Century. Originally, we were staying at ASMovies, but I changed to POP when I realized the pool would not be done during our stay....We purchased the Dining plan and made dining reservations as well.......

We have 6 days myw tickets w/hopper and water park passes.

Our PLANS ARE AS FOLLOWES:
Saturday, January 13th - Arrival day...expected time of arrival 1:30 pm. We plan to get oriented with hotel that day, perhaps swim at hotel and we have reservations for dinner at Chef Mickey's at 6:15 p.m., where we will meet up with friends...
Sunday, Jan 14th - Epcot for the day, dinner at LeCellier for 4:10 p.m.

Monday, Jan 15th - MGM for the day, Fantasmic Dinner package at Mama Merose, 3:40 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan 16th - Magic Kingdom for the day, Crystal Palace for dinner at 5:10p.m.

Wednesday, Jan 17th - Donald's Breakfastosaurus at 10:10 am, then Animal Kingdom for the remainder of day

Thursday, Jan 18th - Ohana's Character Breakfast, 9:20 am, then Magic Kingdom for the day

Friday, Jan 19th - Morning at Water park, then afternoon at Epcot, dinner at the Garden Grill for 5:10 pm

Saturday, Jan 20th - Last day, check out at 11:00, plane doesn't leave until 5:30 pm, so we plan to hang around hotel/do whatever comes to us that day......

We are not renting a car, we will be using the Magical express....
So far, that is our trip in a nut shell. It is our first time, it is so hard to plan things when you have never been and have no real clue as to how it looks like?

Any thoughts??? THANKS!!!!!

 

[MomofCKJ]

First off, that was a very hard year for you I am sure. I am sorry for your losses.

I think WDW is a wonderful place to go and have some happiness. I hope you have a great trip! Your itinerary sounds great and I can relate to the DH that doesn't want to go. We leave in 18 days and my DH is less than excited!

Allyson

 

[learnhome]

Thank you, Allyson Yep, those grouchy hubby's, gotta luv em!!
Actually, he is less grouchy about it, especially after I sat down with him, and went over the menues for each restaraunt we will be eating at Then, he started getting excited!! HAHAHA!!!

My travel agent made all the ADR....do you think it is necessary to call each one to confirm, just in case???????? Should I call the hotel to confirm just in case???? Now the true worry wart is coming out in me......

thanks again!
Chris

 

[MomofCKJ]

My TA made ours too and yes I did call and reconfirm them all about a month ago. I might even call one more time though I told myself I wouldn't. I have not called the hotel to confirm. I received my documents a few weeks ago and we looked all set for that and now that I have the papers to prove it I think we are okay.

My DH is a wonderful, funny, laid back guy, except when it comes to Disney! He just feels like it is one big money trap. He doesn't "get" the magic. I am hoping something on this trip clicks and makes it special for him. He is going because it is our kids first time and he felt he should be there (he's a great Dad). Maybe seeing them see it all will melt his heart a little!

He did tell me my Christmas gift (the trip is really our gift!) is that he won't gripe, complain or give me any "I told you so's" the entire time we are there!
Allyson

 

[learnhome]

My DH is a wonderful, funny, laid back guy, except when it comes to Disney! He just feels like it is one big money trap. He doesn't "get" the magic. I am hoping something on this trip clicks and makes it special for him. He is going because it is our kids first time and he felt he should be there (he's a great Dad). Maybe seeing them see it all will melt his heart a little!

Oh my gosh....are we married to the same guy??
That is my Scott exactly! He is also very sweet, quiet and kind, but is not sooo magically thrilled at the mickeymouse shaped hole that this has burned into his wallet But, he likes to see me this happy, and the kids are also so excited, so - I think he will behave himself and even enjoy it!! He just had to get over the $$$$$$$$$$$$

thanks! I will call the reservations to confirm!!

 

[OhMari]

Sorry for your family loss this past year.

I think your itinerary looks pretty good. You have early enough ADR's for supper and if your kids get tired you can leave the park soon after dinner. They might even get recharged a little and you can do more at the parks.

I saw you are going later to some parks, which is good, otherwise your little ones might get burned out. I've read get to the parks early, take an afternoon break and then go back later at night, but if the parks are closing at 7:00, then I would stick with your plans.

 

[Blaynexox]

I am also sorry for your families losses that is really hard.

On a happier note, I know exactly what your going through with Disney! I've never been either and I must say it is extremely difficult to plan a trip when your not sure how everything "really" is. Yes I've made my ADR's , yes I have an intinerary. BUT ive never been there - so its REALLY hard to envision it! I feel your pain! Hope you have a gREAT vacation!!

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

I can relate to you in so many ways ...........

I lost my precious father 3 weeks ago on November 4th. He was my everything and I was and still am totally devastated. I had considered cancelling our Disney trip May 3-10 2007, but I was going to lose my $831 in airline tickets and now looking back, I am glad I wasn't able to do it because I think myself and my kids will really benefit from this time away. I am so sorry for your loss. Two parents passing so close in time seems totally unbearable to me. My mother has colon cancer that has spread to her lungs, but she is responding well to her chemo so we have positive thoughts about her recovery and will be praying for the best.

On a lighter note: My husband is totally "what is so special about this place" He is very quiet and laid-back as well (voted best blusher in high school ) but I can't seem to get him to go more than every 3 or 4 years. Money does play a part in that decision as well I should say.
Your trip itinerary does sound very good though. Dinner ressies all set up

You will have a wonderful trip. I look forward to a trip report if you decide to one ! We are staying at POP in May so I love reading reports from dis'ers who stay there

 

[lori1043]

My DD8 had her Make a Wish trip to WDW in March of 2002. We had to postpone it a few days due to unexpected fever(and when your on chemo and have a fever, you are put in until 2 days after fever subsides)- well, her labs kept plummeting and by the end of day 4 of very low blood counts and symptoms reminiscent of her pre-diagnosis, the doc said he was thinking she'd relapsed and that if her labs did not improve in the LEAST-they would do a biopsy(BMA) to see. Well, I cried all night and prayed all night for God's grace on her and even though I thought it was last minute- her labs came up a bit-her fever went away and 2 days later we were free-but late by 3 days for her Wish. She was mad we did not go straight to the airport! Well, DH and I were nervous to go on the trip so soon after whatever illness she had and did not want to wind up back in the hospital-but in Orlando-so we decided to have her blood work checked the next morning- if they were higher, we'd go, if they were not, we were going to wait. It was rough since we were totally packed for the wish trip-it was all over my den when her fever spiked! Any way- her labs were amazingly SKY HIGH and so that made our minds up to head to WDW. Her symptoms had not subsided completely, but we felt good about going.

Well, I have to tell you- WDW and GKTW was HEALING. She did have to have chemo and labs done while on her MAW trip, but we watched her symptoms subside completely-she was a happy kid and it was wonderful.

Strangely, she got the same symptoms and fever back 2 weeks after the trip, thought she relapsed, again was going to do a biopsy, counts came up on the day before they were going to do that. Watching her heal at home was dramatically and emotionally different-my DH and i wished we were back in WDW being sidetracked. She is 9 on 12/1- I am amazed!!!

To US, WDW and GKTW are amazingly healing places to be-emotionally and physically and even spiritually if you have it in your heart. It was refreshing from a desperate and despairing situation. It was a calm in our storm.
I beleive God gives you peace, but He uses many avenues. I hope you find your peace in WDW or where ever you may be.

 

[learnhome]

Well, I have to tell you- WDW and GKTW was HEALING. She did have to have chemo and labs done while on her MAW trip, but we watched her symptoms subside completely-she was a happy kid and it was wonderful.

Strangely, she got the same symptoms and fever back 2 weeks after the trip, thought she relapsed, again was going to do a biopsy, counts came up on the day before they were going to do that. Watching her heal at home was dramatically and emotionally different-my DH and i wished we were back in WDW being sidetracked. She is 9 on 12/1- I am amazed!!!

To US, WDW and GKTW are amazingly healing places to be-emotionally and physically and even spiritually if you have it in your heart. It was refreshing from a desperate and despairing situation. It was a calm in our storm.
I beleive God gives you peace, but He uses many avenues. I hope you find your peace in WDW or where ever you may be.

OH.....what a touching story!! BIG HUGS TO YOU AND YOUR LITTLE GIRL It was really touching! Thank you all so much for such kind responses....I am personally so thrilled about going to disney, you would think I was 9 years old myself (pushing 36)....hahaha! I am excited with glee and cannot believe how close we are to going!!
THanks again, and I pray for your daughters health recovery

Chrissy

 

[Lovelise]

<<<Oh my gosh....are we married to the same guy?? >>>

LOL..Same thing here.My family is going on thier 3rd trip to Disney World this coming January.Our trip is from Jan 6-12 in the parks,and we will have a day before and after outside the parks for whatever else.My dd and I love the place,and when we aren't there,we are dreaming of the next trip.My DH goes because he loves us,but he just hasn't been bitten by the bug as we have.He thinks we are all a little too nuts over Disney..lol. He told me this coming trip is going to be his last for awhile now,but he also said if we want to go ourselves,that is perfectly fine with him,as long as we dont make him go. So of course that has my daughters and I deleriously happy because now we can go to DW every year if we want,and DH will be happy because he will have a week of peace and quiet at home,which is his idea of a vacation anyway! We haven't even made our next trip yet and my dd and I are already making plans for another one! LOL.

I am also very sorry for the loss of your parents. I cant even begin to imagine the pain you and your family experienced over that.
I will be leaving DW just as you are arriving for your trip,but this time I wont feel so sad as I usually do when our trip is over and I see all the new arrivals ...instead I will think about your family just arriving and I will pray that you all have a wonderful vacation and that it will be a healing time for you especially,and I will be happy thinking of all the wonderful magical moments you and your family will soon experience for the first time.