~And It All Started With a Wish...and a Quarter and a Fountain~TR link, page 32!

[hcmommy]

I'm still here!

Just got back from WDW on Saturday and we had so much fun Can't wait to read about yoru adventures. My 3 year old a 5 year old rode Tower or Terror and just about every other "big" ride they could and loved them, but they were scared of the Haunted Mansion, how crazy is that?! You are going to make so many fun memories with Seth!

I think you had Kouzinna on your list of places to try and just wanted to let you know it was so good! I had the Fisherman's Stew and dh had the braised lamb dish and both were excellent. The olives, dipping oils and bread they serve before the meal were really good too. Dh got the baklava and I had the loukamades and neither were great but the main dishes were delicious. Le Cellier and Cape May Cafe dinner buffet turned out to be really good too. Hope you still get to do some yummy sit downs despite budgetary cuts

 

[punkin413]

We've stayed at Sports twice - once in the Surf's Up building and once in the Tennis building. The buses were not a problem either time. The few times we shared, Sports was first to be picked up and dropped off. On pick-ups, Sports people got seats, Music filled the seats and added some standers, and the poor Movie folks didn't have a chance at getting a seat.

I had one of the best burgers I have ever had on Disney property at the Sports food court. It was either reall, really good or I was really, really hungry. The second time we went, the rooms had been refurbished, so it was bright and clean. The only negative Sports memories were of the large groups of young teenage boys running around, especially in the gift shop. They were doing an AAU tournament, so there were tons of teams there at that time. It still wasn't awful - just a little loud and some boisterous boys.

I hope it works out nicely for you. I don't think you'll regret having the extra space, extra bathrooms, etc. Like I said on FB, if I could afford to get extra for our October trip, I would. I always get up way earlier than anyone else, and I'd like to be able to stir around freely, turn lights on, etc. without disturbing anyone.

Order burger....got it!

We will probably be driving a good portion of that part of the trip anyway. Ray won't be there until midday Saturday, and I'm not attempting to get on a bus with baby AND stroller without him there to help me. Anna is perfectly capable of helping me, but I don't want to burden her. And it's just so easy to hop in the car and go!

We stayed at Sports once and enjoyed it. The buses were always quick and we were always first--although that doesn't really matter here! We really liked the Food Court and we were in Surfs Up which was very convenient. The football field is fun to run around on. Funny MeMom said the downside were the teenage boys---my reason for not liking it was the teenage GIRLS! We went in March and had cheerleading and dance comps going on...lots of underdressed pre-teen and teen girls!!

I think we'll be in Surf's Up b/c I splurged on a preferred room. I hope we don't see underdressed teenage girls....not at Disney World anyway. I can just turn on MTV for that.

I think Sports is a good choice and two rooms is an excellent idea. Luke will love the sports theme too I bet!

I bet so! Can't wait....

I was going to try ASSp for the first time this Oct but as soon as I can I will book my first DVC trip .

I had a great pin code so I am kind of bummed that I will be giving up sucha great rate. I wish there was a way I let you guys have it. $55-62 a night can't be beat!

Thanks for thinking of us! Yeah, that is a great rate. Congrats on the DVC!!!

I have had two excellent burgers during all of my Disney trips - one was at All Star Sports food court, and one was at Old Key West Goods to Go.

We stayed in Surf's Up once, too. Perfect place to be!

It would have been interesting to see what could have happened if the AAU teams had been there at the same time as the cheerleaders!

The boys weren't bad - there were just a lot of them in groups, and they were loud, as teenage boys can get. In the gift shop, they were throwing balls to each other and making dramatic catches, just having fun, yet it wasn't an ideal place for that since people were shopping with little ones and someone could have gotten hurt. They weren't meaning any harm - just not thinking, really. I raised boys, and I can picture them doing the same just having fun and not really thinking about how it might affect someone else until an adult chaperone reminded them to tone it down.

We should be in Surf's Up b/c I reserved preferred rooms. We'll see! I'm crossing my fingers for no rowdy teenage boys but if they're there we will be fine and just laugh at them. That is unless we encounter them after a long day at the park and then I'll probably get annoyed.

I'm still here!

Just got back from WDW on Saturday and we had so much fun Can't wait to read about yoru adventures. My 3 year old a 5 year old rode Tower or Terror and just about every other "big" ride they could and loved them, but they were scared of the Haunted Mansion, how crazy is that?! You are going to make so many fun memories with Seth!

I think you had Kouzinna on your list of places to try and just wanted to let you know it was so good! I had the Fisherman's Stew and dh had the braised lamb dish and both were excellent. The olives, dipping oils and bread they serve before the meal were really good too. Dh got the baklava and I had the loukamades and neither were great but the main dishes were delicious. Le Cellier and Cape May Cafe dinner buffet turned out to be really good too. Hope you still get to do some yummy sit downs despite budgetary cuts

Awesome that your kids rode ToT! My favorite ride....can't wait to get back on it! And scared of HM? Too funny.

We are still going to Kouzzina for dinner. No Le Cellier for us (we did it in 2007 and haven't been back since - I personally think it's overrated but that's just my 2 cents. Not bad but just not worth the effort it takes to get a dang reservation there! We took away Flying Fish and added Cape May for dinner, so glad to hear you liked it!

 

[punkin413]

Okay, back with an update! First thing's first....here is my revised schedule:

Thursday, 9/29 –
Drive down, arrive, check in

Friday, 9/30 –
Sleep in (as much as we can)
Animal Kingdom
Boma for dinner @ 4:35pm with Erica and Will
Go by Expo to pick up 5K package
To bed early!

Saturday, 10/1 – (Ray to arrive today)
5K for Dawn
Anna & Luke – EPCOT; Dawn & Seth – rest/maybe pool
EPCOT (meet around lunchtime)
Dinner at Kouzzina @ 6:35pm
Anna & Luke – back to EPCOT, maybe to Poly to watch Wishes; Dawn, Ray & Seth – to bed early

Sunday, 10/2 –
Check out of All-Star Sports
Breakfast at Cape May @ 10:05am
Anna & Luke – DHS; Dawn, Ray & Seth - Check into VWL
DHS
Fantasmic! Dining package at Mama Melrose @ 3:55pm
Fantasmic! at 8:00pm

Monday, 10/3 – (Anna & Luke leave today - probably late afternoon)
Anna & Luke - MK
Dawn & Seth - Breakfast at Kona Café @ 9:05am with Mary-Margaret
Free day
Dinner at Cape May Cafe @ 6:55pm

Tuesday, 10/4 -
MK
Seth’s 1st Haircut at Harmony Barber Shop @ 9:00am
Breakfast at Crystal Palace @ 10:20am w/ Erica and Family
Afternoon break
*Maybe* Dinner at The Wave @ 5:00 OR 1900 Park Fare @ 4:55
Back to MK for Wishes

Wednesday, 10/5 –
EPCOT
Free evening
Dinner at Kona @ 6:30pm

Thursday, 10/6 –
*Maybe* Breakfast at Whispering Canyon @ 10:00 OR Lunch at The Wave at 12:15
Free day
LONG nap
MNSSHP

Friday, 10/7 –
Check out and hit the road

As you can see, I dropped 1900 Park Fare breakfast b/c I found out my friend Mary-Margaret will be there the same time as me, and we wanted to do breakfast at Kona that Monday. This way Ray can have that morning to sleep in.

Also, I dropped Flying Fish on Monday night. I needed to cut our budget a little bit and this was the most expensive meal. So I decided we'd try the Cape May Cafe dinner buffet (did someone say crab legs???) instead.

Also, the dinners I have scheduled for Tuesday night and the breakfast and lunch I have scheduled for Thursday are all *maybes*, depending on our money situation and also if we want to make the time for them or not.

So those are the major changes since last update.

On with the overviews. I believe I left off with Day 4, Monday. That day has totally been changed, but I don't feel I need to re-do it for you. You can manage without that, right?

Day 5, Tuesday, October 4th. A big day for us....Seth's first time to be in Magic Kingdom, my favorite place in the world!!!!

This is the one park we will be doing for rope drop.....

Then we will head here....

....for Seth's first haircut! I'm thinking we will just probably have the whispies cut off that fall over his ears. I don't want to cut the back on the off chance he will have some curl. So that will probably take all of 10 minutes (if that)!

After that we will most likely head here....

....and let Seth enjoy those rides. I doubt we'll get them all in before our breakfast here.....

....with Erica and her family. I'm looking forward to Seth meeting this guy....

....because we always call him Tigger since he loves to bounce!

After that we will just enjoy our day here and enjoy these favorites with our little man!

Seth is so lucky I love him enough to tolerate this one....I hate this ride!

(Single rider line for this one, of course!)

We'll most likely head back to the WL for an afternoon break, then we'll either have dinner here....

or here....

or we may just wind up here for dinner after we head back to MK.....

Then we'll end this fantabulous day with these....

 

[punkin413]

Just so anyone who's still reading knows, I'm pretty sure I'm done with this pre-TR. I don't have time to update it like I should and when I do no one comments, so why bother? I know I'll have more readers for the TR and more fun writing it, so I'll post a link when I start it once we return. Thanks to those of you still here!

 

[<3myfamily]

I'm still here! Although... I'm more of a lurker than a poster sorry!
It has been fun getting the updates and seeing Seth growing up. Can't wait to see how much he enjoys your (and hopefully his) favorite place! Good luck in the 5K (I keep telling myself someday, but first I have to get back to walking!)! I'll be sure to join in on your TR.

 

[ArielSRL]

I'm still here but believe me, I understand kind of being done/over the PTR. There's only so much you can post. The TR will get the readers I'm sure, so save up your writing energy for that! I'll (hopefully) be on maternity leave with our new little bundle of joy when you return so I'll be able to read it when I get a chance (whenever that will be...lol).

 

[eeyore7360nc]

I am still here also. I will keep my eye out for you at MNSSHP on the sixth.

 

[IluvXU]

Still reading... just super busy sending kids back to school and starting my year of teaching too!

 

[MeMom]

Just so anyone who's still reading knows, I'm pretty sure I'm done with this pre-TR. I don't have time to update it like I should and when I do no one comments, so why bother? I know I'll have more readers for the TR and more fun writing it, so I'll post a link when I start it once we return. Thanks to those of you still here!

Although I do comment occasionally, I don't do nearly as well on keeping up with pre-trip reports as I do with trip reports. Time is limited, as you well know, so you just have to pick and choose what you can keep up with.
They have implemented a new teacher evaluation system and core curriculum in our school district, so I have been swamped at work. I went in as the 6:30 a.m. train went by yesterday, and I left shortly after the 6:30 p.m. train went by.

I'm looking forward to sharing in Seth's first trip through your pictures, and if he ever needs anybody to ride Small World with him, I'll volunteer. I like that ride! If we had kept things like they were with Jill, the girls, and I going on 40th Anniversary weekend, we could have taken him for a couple of rounds on Small World and the Carrousel while you and Ray tackled Space Mountain.

 

[burly]

Still always reading . Promise to do more posting on the TR.
Thanks for all the work you spend on these. They get me through the wait.



KIM

 

[micandminforever]

I am still here. I look forward to your trip report of Seth's first visit to WDW.

 

[LMO429]

Hey Dawn! I am another lurker as well. I have been keeping up and am super excited about your return back to wdw. I am just missing you by a little bit.

Your plan looks great and I am all for trying restaurants once at walt disney world. that being said I was not a fan of the wave..I found it to not have any disney magic, food was just ok and it was so dim, gloomy and the color gray was everywhere also no windows..anyway I was not a fan and I know everyone has different opinions about places all over the world but unless I was staying at BLT or the contemporary i think that would be the only reason why I would go there. at least with p fare..you have the grand hotel, nicer atmsophere, the beautiful lobby etc just an overall happier atmosphere.

I hope you have a fantastic trip!

 

[joy13]

Sure - I just find your trip report and now you are done updating it!! LOL! I got caught up with your links though and it sounds like a wonderful vacation. I can't wait to hear how much Seth loves Disney World!

 

[Poolrat]

I am still here too. I cannot believe how close we are.


I hope to see you. I am keeping my reservation at ASSP so maybe we will cross paths.

I will send you a pm with my number and you can text me if you want.

 

[ArielSRL]

They have implemented a new teacher evaluation system and core curriculum in our school district, so I have been swamped at work. I went in as the 6:30 a.m. train went by yesterday, and I left shortly after the 6:30 p.m. train went by.

Its nice to see another teacher who works like me on the boards. We are implementing a new eval system next year, though it is getting rolled out in some of our schools in January. We our constantly changing our core curriculum b/c we use the state's as a guideline and then ramp them up (we are one of the top districts in our state). I work late quite a bit, but part of it is b/c I don't like to take anything home with me. I have a baby on the way (due in about 5 weeks) so I am trying to priactive leaving earlier though. Anyway, just wanted to share and commiserate with you!

Sorry for the hijack, Dawn!

 

[punkin413]

Thanks, guys! I feel loved.

I'm finished with the updates b/c they take a lot of time and I don't feel like it's worth it at this point. But I did want to share these pics with you.

As you can see from my nifty little ticker below, we are 27 days away from returning to Walt Disney World!!!

As such, Anna and I have created countdowns for fun with our boys.

Here's Anna and Luke's. She did the outline and just let him fill in the rest. There was no S in the Mickey head stickers, so he drew it.

And here is Luke taking off the first and second days.....woohoo!!!!!

Here is the countdown I did for our house. I actually found the one I did for my April/May 2008 trip, so I didn't have to much work. Just whited out the dates and put the new ones in, then swiped a few Mickey heads from Home Depot!

This is Seth and I getting ready to take down the first Mickey head. We look excited, huh? My boss said it was so funny how Seth is happy and he has no idea about what....he's happy by osmosis.

Seth is more interested in playing with the discarded Mickey heads than the actual countdown!

I also thought I'd share these. They are the family pics we had done back in June. I'm missing one of me and Seth, but should be getting it any day. He would NOT smile that day!

Seth's birthday is this Sunday....can you believe it???? I can't! Time flies. We are having a party on Saturday and I'm sure I will be back to share pictures.

 

[nowellsl]

GREAT pictures

I love the countdown calendars!

 

[hcmommy]

Cute pictures!

Happy Birthday Seth! I cannot believe he is already 1!

 

[DisneyLaura]

I'm still here too! I can't wait to read your TR. I'm so excited for Seth.

I cannot believe he's going to be 1. Happy 1st Birthday Seth.

 

[joy13]

Happy 1st Birthday to Seth! I can't believe it - where did that year go?