Another dream vacation...this time, in the making!!

[jaycns]

The tentative plans are set (in foam...not stone at this point)!!


Arrival Date Sunday, September 2: Arrive EARLY in the morning (drive through the night to get there...I promise, dh LIKES to do that )! Plan on arriving by 9:00 AM. Check in and make our way up to the concierge lobby for breakfast. I figure our room will not be ready yet (but you never know, our room was ready and waiting for us last September when we checked in at about 9:00 AM at the Contemporary). After relaxing a bit and eating some breakfast we will be off to explore the lodge. After exploring and doing a bit of shopping it will be time to take a dip in the watering hole (aka the pool). Hopefully our room will be ready by the time we are done swimming. If so, dh will take a nap (the rest of us will have slept during the drive) while I take the kids to some of the scheduled lodge activities. We are looking forward to the ostrich egg painting, cookie decorating, animal tracking and all of the rest. As the kid's and I take part in that we will hop back up to the lounge when they are setting out snacks. Lunch today will be an OOP experience. We will just supplement our snacking with a few offerings at Mara.

Finally by about 6:00 PM we will have had time to enjoy a relaxing day (yet fun packed day) at the resort and we will clean up and head over to the Poly (via taxi). Upon arrival we will check in and eat at Ohana (dh's favorite TS meal at WDW). Hopefully we will get seats from which we can watch the fireworks. I will ask nicely upon arrival!

After a nice meal we will hop on the monorail (and hope to ride up front) and make our way over to MK's EMH night. We will hit a few of our favorites and take the time to soak up the castle at night. We will take a bus (shudder) back to AKL if it is not packed to the gills and ready right away. If a bus is not ready to go (or it looks like a sardine can) we will taxi our way back to AKL. I plan on planting a big old kiss on dh right in front of the castle shortly after midnight (it will be our anniversary technically after midnight).

Thus ends day one.


Day 2, Labor Day, Monday September 3 (also our 12th anniversary): We will start the day out one of two ways...if we happen to roll out of bed early enough, we will head over to AKL and do a bit of exploring in the morning. If not, we will just spend another late morning/early afternoon enjoying the resort. Lunch will again be a combo of snacks and Mara's offerings (again OOP) The late afternoon will find us at DTD. We will do a bit of shopping ( okay, who am I kidding, I will do a LOT of shopping) and have dinner at the Earl of Sandwich (YUM...dh's favorite CS place at WDW).

After shopping we will head over and see Cirque!! WOO HOO! Dh said this is what he would most like to do so we will do it on our anniversary. After seeing Cirque we will drive back to AKL and relax OR head over to whatever park is having an EMH that night (depends on how the kids are holding up and what dh wants to do...this is his anniversary too and since I am going to control the ENTIRE rest of the week...I can share this one day ). **We cannot go to Cirque this day...they only put it on Tuesday-Saturday I am now thinking to try and add Cirque in to our Thursday and spend Monday at a park. UGH. This changes everything! Of course, it only means I can now spend more time thinking about what we should do...which is tops in book!! **

Day 3, Tuesday 9/4: It's about time to hit a park!! So we will go to MK (unless TGM tells me not to go there that day...I take his advice seriously!!). We will start off with breakfast at the Crystal Palace BEFORE MK opens!! Then we will hit all of our favorites and have a CS lunch and eat with Cindy in her castle for dinner. We will stay until close and drive back to AKL. **Option 2...same day but with lunch with Cindy and dinner at LTT...still debating this**.

Day 4, Wednesday 9/5: We will be at Epcot this day (or MK if we avoided it the day before). We will start out by spending the entire morning/early afternoon exploring the Future World areas. After a late lunch at the Garden Grill (my boys really love this place) we will head back to the World Showcase area. We will make sure to stop and watch Miyuki and buy yummy rice candy. We will eat at Le Cellier for a late dinner. Illuminations will end our day. **Option 2...same day but with a late lunch at Le Cellier and then dinner at the Rose and Crown Pub with Illuminations viewing during dessert.**

Day 5, Thursday 9/6: This will be the day we go to AKL. So breakfast will find us eating with that cranky yet lovable duck. We will do this before the park opens. Lunch with be at the Flame Tree BBQ or Tusker House CS. We will stay until the AK closes. Then we will hoof it back ASAP to AKL and drop our kid's off (at least the younger two....maybe all three) at Simba's Clubhouse for the evening. While they are there dh (and maybe "Aladdin") and myself will do the Sunset Safari tour at AKL out on their savannas. Included with that tour is a private dinner at Jiko where the chef comes out and explains the meal. YUM. Sounds fun, amazing, relaxing and like a great way to get some really awesome photos. We will follow this up with a night spent enjoying the concierge lounge and our animal views and doing the night vision goggle viewing activity and the story time around the fire pit. ** We may have to move the night vision goggle viewing and the story time to MONDAY night and try to see Cirque after our Sunset Safari at the 9:00 PM show...they don't do Cirque on Sunday/Mondays**

Day 6, Friday 9/7: We most likely will hit a water park. Dh loves them. So do the boys. Not my favorite...but still a good way to spend a day. We will hit a park in the evening and have dinner at whatever park we chose. Most likely will be Epcot.

Day 7, Saturday 9/8: MGM!! We will start off the day with breakfast at Boma (early) and then head over to MGM. We will spend the day there and eat at Sci Fi for lunch (a family favorite) and then at ???? for dinner. I have yet to pick a TS for dinner. Any suggestions? We will end with Fantasmic. Ahh....Fantasmic!!

Day 8, Sunday 9/9 *sniff sniff...our last day*: We plan on doing the Sunrise Safari tour and then taking a few last rides at AK and then....WAAAAAA, heading out for home right after lunch. This should get us home by the middle of the night.

This trip will focus on doing stuff that dh finds enjoyable while still not making the boys and I feel like we are losing our minds by being at WDW and not doing the parks and character meals. However, knowing that I have an entire second set of 8 days to work with planning just 2.5 months later makes this plan easy to accept!!

We have booked a stay before this trip at a resort in GA on Lake Oconee (sp?). So our trip will really start Thursday night at about 3:00 AM when we head out to arrive by early Friday morning. We will do a lot of jet skis and other water sport stuff there. Thus, adding the platinum plan at WDW just didn't make any sense. Not with being on the dining plan and staying at the concierge level already. We will save that for another trip. We will leave that resort at about 3:00 AM Saturday night/Sunday morning to head for WDW.

After our Days Inn cockroach infestation fiasco last trip, we are staying at a resort we know and like on our way down this time! NO MORE BUG NIGHTMARES!!

 

[Blaynexox]

that all sounds awesome!! Question - Earl of Sandwich is not on the DDP anymore?? OH NO .. this messes up all my plans! .. well not ALL my plans (thats a little dramatic!) When did you find that out?? Anyways, i cant wait to hear all about your planning and im glad you won't be sleeping with cockroaches on this trip!

 

[MouseTriper]

I so SHOULD have gotten out the video camera! I am so mad at myself that I didn't think of doing that. I will be double sure to have it running when we pull under the welcome to WDW sign (how am I going to keep them from seeing where we are until then??!!).

I will offer up a trade...my trip tips for your photo tips. I could use some photo tips from you sometime. The pictures you take are amazing!

Yes get that video camera ready!! Hehehe...I am willing to bet that "Aladdin" at least figures out where you are going before you get there!!! I just have this feeling....!! That is as long as you don't spill the beans again..hahaha. Just kidding!

Wow, I will take that trade in a heartbeat! Your WDW tips in exchange for some photo tips. I am honored that you really like my pictures. How sweet! Thank you so much!!!

 

[PrincessAlways]

What a great quote. Do you mind if I borrow it and use it on my desk top as well? And NO...it is not over the top...nothing TRUE is!

Be my guest! Nothing like sharing a bit of Disney happiness with a fellow Diser! When I first put the quote on my computer, some of my coworkers got a good laugh. Now they just shake their heads & I laugh! I'm the one going to Disney!

 

[jaycns]

Yes get that video camera ready!! Hehehe...I am willing to bed that "Aladdin" at least figures out where you are going before you get there!!! I just have this feeling....!! That is as long as you don't spill the beans again..hahaha. Just kidding!

Wow, I will take that trade in a heartbeat! Your WDW tips in exchange for some photo tips. I am honored that you really like my pictures. How sweet! Thank you so much!!!

Okay, I am the world's sneakiest mother (I do feel just a tad bit bad about the "lying" part...but I am way more excited about the WE WILL GET AWAY WITH IT part!!

At bed time tonight we told the kids that since we were going to Disney in September we thought it might be nice to travel with dad when he has to be gone in November. We told them that we would be going to Moblie, AL. I grabbed a map and we showed them how we would have to drive into FL to follow the free way to get there but that in the upper part of FL we would turn and go west instead of still heading south east to Orlando. This tid bit will have even my most intelligent of children sure that we are not going to WDW. They now know that we will be driving through FL on our way to AL (lol as if we couldn't have cut down from Atlanta if we were really going there). We told them we just didn't want them to be sad cause they might be seeing familiar Disney signs and such along the highway but since we would have just been in September and since dad has to work we won't be able to drive over way down to Orlando.

Being as my kids are NOT morning children and we have now explained away the FL signs alongside the road I am really starting to think that we might get away with it. At least until we reach the area of Orlando where you come upon all of the signs and the Disney Casting office...at that point the game will be up if any of them so much as look out of the window, but my hope is to have them A. asleep B. engrossed in a movie (oh thank you van with DVD player in it) or C. so wrapped up in their little Nintendo DS's that they don't know if they are still in the U.S. let alone that they just passed a huge ToT sign on the side of the road.

My dream is that they are all napping (in the past I have had to wake my kids to drive under the welcome to WDW sign) and we are able to wake them up right before driving under the Welcome to WDW sign. What a way to start a day!

Now the truth be told, "Aladdin" is smart and a good reader and good with maps. He WILL catch on earlier IF he is awake and IF he is looking out the window. I will have a stash of movies to pop in and make sure he has a few good books (that kid could get lost for days in a great book). But the groundwork now laid...I think I can get him within at least 2 hours of Orlando before he would figure it out.

I am SOOOOO excited!

Now...how 'bout some photo tips?

 

[jaycns]

A quick update of what has gone on this week (trip wise of course ).

1. The plans (and lies) are laid. Our plotting is now in full effect! As I said above, the boys have all been told that they are going to be heading to Alabama (the Mobile area) after Thanksgiving. We told them the way we were driving down would have us cutting over through the top part of FL. Thankfully a few fingers placed creatively over the map covered the freeway cutting from Atlanta down to Mobile on the map. My boys now think that the way to Mobile is through FL. Maybe not so good for their geography skills...but we can worry about correcting that later! Now I KNOW we can get them very close to WDW if not all the way their before they would have any clue where we are actually headed. It will even explain the packing. The swimsuits. The everything! I am patting myself on the back big time over this surprise planning! Dh and I came down from tucking them into bed snickering quietly to ourselves. Hee hee hee...we will make this happen.

2. I did some shopping at Disneyshopping.com and got some great deals. I got an entire 4 piece set of Mickey luggage (I have always wanted Disney suitcases!!).

Matching Mickey Mouse Christmas sweaters for the boys and I (I tried to talk dh into letting me buy him one...but he said no way and I figured why fight it...more Disney stuff for me!!). My sweater will just be the women's version of theirs.

So instead of dh getting a matching sweater, I threw in another shirt for myself...YO HO YO HO...

I also bought another auction's worth of Disney pins from eBay and now have a total of 250 pins to split up between the four of us (dh doesn't care about pin trading) for both trips! *shush...obsession is sometimes a good thing *

I also hit up the local Disney Store and purchased more then a few cute shirts and jackets for myself and the boys while they were on clearance. I am so excited about our December trip (didn't really find much for our September trip as the clearance stuff was all winter apparel but I finally have a Disney holiday time trip to plan/buy for!!).

Other then that, I have been going over some educational yet fun Disney ideas on a thread I started "way back when". I am going to start doing a Disney lesson every other week until the end of July...then we will go full force Disney until it is time for our trip. If you would like to sneak a peek at some GREAT Disney ways to make learning fun and work Disney into almost any lesson plan or fun (yet sneakingly educational) weekend project or activity with your kids be sure to click this link: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1145853

As the big cheese himself likes to say....That's all for now folks!!

Thanks for reading along!

 

[jaycns]

that all sounds awesome!! Question - Earl of Sandwich is not on the DDP anymore?? OH NO .. this messes up all my plans! .. well not ALL my plans (thats a little dramatic!) When did you find that out?? Anyways, i cant wait to hear all about your planning and im glad you won't be sleeping with cockroaches on this trip!

NO...you are right!! WOO HOO Sorry for that misinformation. My AAA agent told me nothing from Downtown Disney was on the plan. I should have known better then to listen to someone who also told me that "Animal Kingdom is like a zoo with a roller coaster and a few kiddie rides." EEESSHHH!

Thanks for making me recheck her info. She was wrong. You are right! And that is good news for me...I LOVE the Earl of Sandwhich! It's my favorite CS place in all of WDW!! My very favorite sandwhich there is: The Caprese - Sliced fresh Mozzarella, Roma tomato, fresh basil and drizzled virgin olive oil. - $4.95

OH so good!

Once again, thank you and sorry .

 

[SoonerGirl]

Ooooo, I love the luggage you ordered - very cute!!

I have that same pirates shirt - I wear it all the time, summer and winter - it's thin so it's easy to wear over a long sleeved t-shirt

I'm glad you have the plan in place for your big surprise - sound like it just may work!! I can just hear all the screams of joy in your car when they figure out where they are headed - what a fabulous surprise

Thanks for the Disney education tips - I'm going to have to check that out!

 

[2BusyPlanning]

I just had to tell you... I LOVE your trip reports! It has inspired me to do a pre-trip report for my upcoming trip in September. Your stories were so moving and your pictures are brilliant!

 

[jaycns]

Be my guest! Nothing like sharing a bit of Disney happiness with a fellow Diser! When I first put the quote on my computer, some of my coworkers got a good laugh. Now they just shake their heads & I laugh! I'm the one going to Disney!

Thank you kindly! I just added the saying to my laptop(although, I have no idea how to make it scroll so it just sits there across the bottom of my desktop)...it now greets me when I boot up my computer! Dh just shook his head when I showed him and rolled his eyes WAY back in his head. I pity those who don't understand...

Thanks again! I think it's a great quote!!

 

[Blaynexox]

NO...you are right!! WOO HOO Sorry for that misinformation. My AAA agent told me nothing from Downtown Disney was on the plan. I should have known better then to listen to someone who also told me that "Animal Kingdom is like a zoo with a roller coaster and a few kiddie rides." EEESSHHH!

Thanks for making me recheck her info. She was wrong. You are right! And that is good news for me...I LOVE the Earl of Sandwhich! It's my favorite CS place in all of WDW!! My very favorite sandwhich there is: The Caprese - Sliced fresh Mozzarella, Roma tomato, fresh basil and drizzled virgin olive oil. - $4.95

OH so good!

Once again, thank you and sorry .

Hey Jay!
haha! thanks god that it is still on - its actually one of the restaurants im looking forward to the most! That Caprese sandwich sounds great! I looked at that and also thought the Florentine looked great! However, I would like to order them all and I don't think thats gonna happen! I cant believe how cheap they are!

So anyways! I just read your post and omg those clothes are too cute! I also looked at that pirate shirt for the pirate and princess party .. but im a little bit broke with all the saving for Disney I've been doing. Moving on to things that don't DEPRESS ME - that is so adorable what you told your boys. Its wonderful how kids will believe anything their scheming parents will tell them - makes it all the easier to surprise them!! Oh and Im SO jealous of all your pins! I really want to bring a couple pins to WDW to trade - I think it would be so fun. All though once again NO MONEY! So I am jealous jealous jealous! Gosh Im being such a downer today huh? SORRY! Im going to head down to the Disney store this weekend and see if theres anything in clearance! Although, read my pre trippie because I replied to your post about that insanely adorable Mickey shirt! Alright well talk to you soon! I've been loving all your posts!

-Blayne

 

[blue_river]

Wow! That's just about what comes to mind when I finished reading your pre-trippie!!!

I am totally amazed at the time and effort that you have put into the planning of your next trip. I could really take some lessons from you Jay.

Do you think you'll really be able to keep it a secret this time around?? Myself, I couldn't do it. No way. No how.

I can't believe you ordered 100 pins. I should do that...see I am a newbie in training here...getting lessons from a Master.

I'm really looking forward to the TR. It's going to be a FUN ride.

 

[cheerbop]

Here are our dates (as of right now...they may change slightly)

9/2-9/9 and then 11/28-12/3

Will you be there either time? I only travel during LOW times...I am a wimp when it comes to crowds.

Any info you have on WDW at Christmas time would be very helpful!!

And as far as the stalker thing....not a chance...part of the reason I had to start a pre trip report was I was gonna miss you and a lot of others I had come to know through the trip report. I didn't want to have to say goodbye.

Hopefully the pre trip will serve that purpose and we can all discover some neat Disney tips and tricks together in the process of me sharing the planning of our next trip (s)!!

I JUST started reading this thread as we are Planning a stay at CR (at least for now) during the dates you are planning for Sept (we are going the 3-10)!!!

Anyway, loving your reports. Still haven't finished your other one for 2006. BTW, I about peed my pants reading your description of the hotel in GA!

 

[jaycns]

Ooooo, I love the luggage you ordered - very cute!!

I have that same pirates shirt - I wear it all the time, summer and winter - it's thin so it's easy to wear over a long sleeved t-shirt

I'm glad you have the plan in place for your big surprise - sound like it just may work!! I can just hear all the screams of joy in your car when they figure out where they are headed - what a fabulous surprise

Thanks for the Disney education tips - I'm going to have to check that out!

I am really looking forward to my big Disney box to arrive at my door! I have never been excited about luggage before...but stick a mouse on something and I am jumping for joy.

That pirate shirt just had to be mine!! Funny that you also have one, you must have GREAT taste!

Please add any ideas you have to the educational thread. It sort of fizzled when it fell off of the first page way back when...by now it's buried...but I KNOW people have good ideas and great suggestions about how to make some of the Disney magic into something very educational...I just have to find them again! Although, I did find a few things that really worked out well. I am excited to go back and start in on what we didn't get to do before our last trip for this next trip!!

 

[jaycns]

I just had to tell you... I LOVE your trip reports! It has inspired me to do a pre-trip report for my upcoming trip in September. Your stories were so moving and your pictures are brilliant!

Thanks! I needed that today! This pre-trip report is really helping me keep the planning straight. It is also helping me NOT go insane with the LONG wait I have until I am able to go back to WDW!!! Yep...I am the freak already doing the banana dance all these long months in advance!!

Thanks again and have fun planning, doing your pre-trip (and trip report) and most of all...at the happiest place on earth!!

Let me know when you start your pre trip. We can compare notes and tips!

 

[jaycns]

Hey Jay!
haha! thanks god that it is still on - its actually one of the restaurants im looking forward to the most! That Caprese sandwich sounds great! I looked at that and also thought the Florentine looked great! However, I would like to order them all and I don't think thats gonna happen! I cant believe how cheap they are!

So anyways! I just read your post and omg those clothes are too cute! I also looked at that pirate shirt for the pirate and princess party .. but im a little bit broke with all the saving for Disney I've been doing. Moving on to things that don't DEPRESS ME - that is so adorable what you told your boys. Its wonderful how kids will believe anything their scheming parents will tell them - makes it all the easier to surprise them!! Oh and Im SO jealous of all your pins! I really want to bring a couple pins to WDW to trade - I think it would be so fun. All though once again NO MONEY! So I am jealous jealous jealous! Gosh Im being such a downer today huh? SORRY! Im going to head down to the Disney store this weekend and see if theres anything in clearance! Although, read my pre trippie because I replied to your post about that insanely adorable Mickey shirt! Alright well talk to you soon! I've been loving all your posts!

-Blayne

Here's a great big heap of in hopes of you finding an awesome Mickey shirt on clearence!!

I know I am totally out of control with the pins...but what can I say? I just cannot help myself...and the boys really do like it too! Although, I must admit, I would be buying them still even if it were only me who wanted them I have no shame when it comes to pin trading.

You can always explore pin trading NEXT time! It's a whole lot of fun!

Not long for you now!!!

 

[MouseTriper]

Okay, I am the world's sneakiest mother (I do feel just a tad bit bad about the "lying" part...but I am way more excited about the WE WILL GET AWAY WITH IT part!!

At bed time tonight we told the kids that since we were going to Diseny in September we thought it might be nice to travel with dad when he has to be gone in November. We told them that we would be going to Moblie, AL. I grabbed a map and we showed them how we would have to drive into FL to follow the free way to get there but that in the upper part of FL we would turn and go west instead of still heading south east to Orlando. This tid bit will have even my most intelligent of children sure that we are not going to WDW. They now know that we will be driving through FL on our way to AL (lol as if we couldn't have cut down from Atlanta if we were really going there). We told them we just didn't want them to be sad cause they might be seeing familiar Disney signs and such along the highway but since we would have just been in September and since dad has to work we won't be able to drive over way down to Orlando.

Being as my kids are NOT morning children and we have now explained away the FL signs alongside the road I am really starting to think that we might get away with it. At least until we reach the area of Orlando where you come upon all of the signs and the Disney Casting office...at that point the game will be up if any of them so much as look out of the window, but my hope is to have them A. asleep B. engrossed in a movie (oh thank you van with DVD player in it) or C. so wrapped up in their little Nintendo DS's that they don't know if they are still in the U.S. let alone that they just passed a huge ToT sign on the side of the road.

My dream is that they are all napping (in the past I have had to wake my kids to drive under the welcome to WDW sign) and we are able to wake them up right before driving under the Welcome to WDW sign. What a way to start a day!

Now the truth be told, "Aladdin" is smart and a good reader and good with maps. He WILL catch on earlier IF he is awake and IF he is looking out the window. I will have a stash of movies to pop in and make sure he has a few good books (that kid could get lost for days in a great book). But the groundwork now laid...I think I can get him within at least 2 hours of Orlando before he would figure it out.

I am SOOOOO excited!

Now...how 'bout some photo tips?

Oh my goodness...that is way too funny. I love your scheming little mind! Hehehe. Get that video camera ready, even if you only hear their squeals of joy, it will be well worth it! I am so excited for you!!! How fun!!! Take LOTS of pictures...'cuz I wanna see it all. Hahahaha.

Now for those photo tips - remember I am not a professional but this is what I "try" to do. Hahaha.

1. Take LOTS of digital pictures. That way you are sure to get at least one good shot. (I took enough pictures to completely fill up 10 CD's...OMG!!!)

2. FILL the frame with your subject. Avoid any unnecessary stuff in the background.

3. Speaking of backgrounds - when you want to focus on the subject in the foreground, blur the background by choosing an appropriate aperture (f-stop). The smaller the f/stop the larger the lens opening & the more blurry the background. The larger the f/stop the smaller the lens opening. & the more clear background. Blurring the background makes the subject pop a little more.
(Now you will see in my TR that I screwed up on this one quite a bit on this first trip....LOL)

4. Get CLOSE-UPS of the boy's expressions when possible. For example, when my daughter was on the rides I tried to take a picture showing the ride and then I took close-ups so I could get her expressions.

5. Eyes. When shooting portraits or wildlife, try to focus on the eyes. They should be in focus and well lit.

6. Shoot both vertical and horizontal pictures. They show different perspectives.

7. The rule of thirds....sometimes subjects in the very center of a frame are boring. Think of a tick-tac-toe grid and try to place the subject anywhere 2 of the lines meet. (Note...this was hard for me to do with a toddler at Disney...sometimes I was just lucky to get the shot). Hahaha

Well there are a few for you...I will try to think of some more. What kind of camera are you using?

Now get outside and take some pictures of those adorable boys of yours and let me see them!!! Hahahahaha.

 

[jaycns]

Wow! That's just about what comes to mind when I finished reading your pre-trippie!!!

I am totally amazed at the time and effort that you have put into the planning of your next trip. I could really take some lessons from you Jay.

Do you think you'll really be able to keep it a secret this time around?? Myself, I couldn't do it. No way. No how.

I can't believe you ordered 100 pins. I should do that...see I am a newbie in training here...getting lessons from a Master.

I'm really looking forward to the TR. It's going to be a FUN ride.

The whole hundred pin thing...well.....ummm....I did order 100 pins...the first time After that...I ordered 200. BUT BUT BUT....there are FOUR of us and we found so many we didn't want to trade away in the first batch and we are going on two trips so it is really like splitting it up eight ways and....yeah, well, okay...it actually is going way overboard any which you slice it...but it sure is a fun way to do it! But really, if you are going to pin trade anyway...why pay so much more at WDW? If you are new to pin trading I would suggest looking for an auction of about 10-15 pins. If you look and wait for the right auction, you should be able to get that for about $20-$25 for the 10 pins or $30-$35 for the 15 pin lot.

I PROMISE you cannot get that many pins in the parks/DTD for anywhere near that price!! And ten to fifteen pins gives you a lot of opportunity to try out trading and see if you like it.

I know I love pin trading...I think more for the opportunity to chat with CMs then the actual pins sometimes...but I do love them as well...they are like little metal tidbits of our vacation that I can bring home with me. With the number of pins I ordered (after snagging out the ones we "had" to keep and then splitting them four ways) I will have about 25 pins to trade each of the two weeks we will be at WDW I take this year. Each of the boys will end up with about 15 pins each week.

And YES *I hope* I will be able to keep the second trip a surprise. I don't know what I was thinking in hoping I could keep both trips under wraps...but I will succeed at the Nov/Dec trip being a surprise (that or explode trying ).

I am so excited about our upcoming trips. I am so glad I have the DIS boards to pour my excited trip energy out on. Dh thinks it is a bit strange (to say the least) and everyone I know "in real life" thinks it is flat our crazy to even want to go back to WDW more then once every five years. So...I truly relish having found a place where my lunacy is appreciated!

 

[momoftriplets]

Hi, Jay. Just checking in. Love your sneaky little mind! Have a great day! Barb

 

[jaycns]

I JUST started reading this thread as we are Planning a stay at CR (at least for now) during the dates you are planning for Sept (we are going the 3-10)!!!

Anyway, loving your reports. Still haven't finished your other one for 2006. BTW, I about peed my pants reading your description of the hotel in GA!

I almost peeped my pants living through it!! It was !! Not one of my favorite parts of our trip! Thanks for reading along!

We need to have a mini DIS meet! I promise you a cameo in my trip report!

Have you ever stayed at the CR before? It is my very favorite resort. I love the new rooms. I love walking to MK. I love the chocolate cake in the Food and Fun Center...YUMMY!!!

Anyways, thanks for reading along!!