Are you going to Disneyworld AGAIN? Can we join you?**Updtd 7/2/08 Final Thoughts**

[Tanya90210]

After our trip last year... (see link in my siggie if you want to check out the trip report)... I had been trying to talk DH into returning again in 2007 if they offered Free Dining again... he said yes... but only if free dining....

I feared it wouldn't be offered... I worried that I would have to wait a few years to go back.... then it happened....

We are at his parents... visiting with DH's cousin and her DD7 who were in town for the week from Texas.... and she says to me..

"Sooooo... are you guys going to go back to Disney again next summer?"
Me "Not sure yet... depends on if they offer free dining again"
"Well if you are we would love to go when you go so we can do Disney with you guys, that'd be so much fun!"
"Tell me more about this free dining thing"

So I go into detail about what the free dining is..... I won't here because if you DIS then you already know....

"Well that sounds really cool"
Me "I'll keep you posted... free dining is the only way I can talk your cousin (my DH) into going"
"Maybe if I tell him we want to go with you then you can go no matter"
Me "Doubt it... but you can try"

So she does... and he says... "we'll see"

He and I talk about it for all of a week or so and he says... "Well if we are going with them then yeah... let’s do it... but then we are taking a few years off from Disney... OK!"
I sheepishly agreed in hopes he would change his mind and emailed his cousin to tell her that he'd agreed to go this year... SCORE!

So the planning stages begun... before free dining even an option!! YIPEE!!!

I will go more into the story in my next post... but didn't want to finish this one without listing off this years ...


CAST OF CHARACTERS


Me : If you have read my previous trippie you know some about me so I won't bore you with too much... planner by nature but when it comes to Disney planning I dive right into the deep end.. no dipping toes in... just right on in... and stay in until the trip is over. I am love my 3 children dearly and will do everything I can to make them happy and give them as many really fun vacations as I can... as well as regular days too, but I go out of my way to make sure their vacations are remembered forever... cuz those are the good times... when nobody has to go to work or school for 2 weeks straight... sometimes more...

DH :My ever so handsome other half... I really feel I got the jackpot when he and I got married. We have been married for 12 years already and more in love with each other each year... as I had always dreamed! He's a SAHD by our combined choice... I scored a great job that made it so we didn't really need a 2nd income if we choose... he'll work here and there just so he can get out of the house... but with the cost of daycare it's alot less stress for one of us to stay home. Lucky him!! He is a closet Disney lover, but not afraid to wear his Disney clothes in front of anyone.. when the mood strikes that is... he is sometimes easily irritated (friends tell me that's normal though... guy thing I guess) but he is sweet as can be when it really counts... he is not big on the Disney bus system so we will likely be driving alot during the trip... at least if he's with us that is... He's hoping to get LOTW status this year since we're going to the Food & Wine Festival...

DS12 Forest : As I write this posting he is actually still 11... but he'll be 12 in just 3 short days and he's been counting down for a month...He's a planner too... vicariously thru me of course.. but loves knowing as many details as I will give him... He loves Disney as much as the next kid... but sometimes likes to pretend he doesn't... that gotta be cool preteen thing going on and all... Great kid all around and a wonderful first child for me to have gotten.. oh yeah... and if I haven't mentioned... he's less than an inch from being taller than me! He's very proud of that... even more than turning 12...

DD3 Mini : My sweet and beautiful princess... she does have her tumultuous moments as any 3 year old does... but she's such a wonderful gill and such a blessing! My dream if you will... a DD that is all girl... in every sense of the word, she loves dressing up, loves barbies, loves pink, and loves her "babies" (regular size dollies)... she also loves to dance and sing... my kinda daughter... I must have done something right! She loves to call Cinderella castle "my la castle" (she calls Cinderella ... la... for short alot, she can pronounce the whole thing... just likes calling her la better) She's very stubborn and can be quite a handful when she wants... has a hard time with letting go of her baby things... mostly I think because of jealousy about our youngest...

DS1 Ry :My baby... my third... the cutest little guy ever... he's so cute with his curls sticking up because he unfortunately got the wild curly hair that I hate on myself... he's as silly as you get...I have no doubt he'll be getting in trouble some day for clowning around. He's as sweet as can be and truly my little mama's boy... for at least 6 months of his life he treated his father as a pariah .. especially when I was around... but he has come around and is back to being loving with daddy too.. just not quite as much as mommy.

And for the 1st 6 days of the trip... .I will give them character names for now since I don't have approval from them to use real names as of yet...


OUR GUEST STARRING CAST

DC Andy : Only calling her Maleficent because she's the one who helped me with the duty of talking DH into going back.... and you see how it worked.... witchcraft I tell ya! I kid you not... without free dining there was no way he'd agree to go back... and he did... thanks to her ... (more on that all later) She too is a planner by nature... not a Disney planner ... but her 2 children are very active kids ... lots of stuff to do... and she manages to do it all... She and I cliqued from the moment I met her... when the boys were both 2 years old and we went back to Pennsylvania (where she and her family used to live) and stayed with them for our week long vacation... His whole family is wonderful... but there's something about her that is just fun... and she brings out the fun in you too... the shopaholic in you too... more on that I'm sure during the trip report lol

DCH Tim : Went with the silly sailor thing for him... because he is... silly of course... He's the loving husband and father to the family... DH spends most of the time with him when we see (we are usually shopping or something it seems) He keeps the ship running... with a bit of silliness... but running none the less... He's a great guy, and he and DH love having a good time together... late nights with a bottle of some foreign alcohol he got on a business trip... Don't even get me started... He was all a go for us to do this trip... just waiting on DH to say yes... I think in part because DH knew the 2 of them would probably hang back here and there and just relax... or golf... or whatever...

DC DS12 Chris : 2 months older than Forest... He's the quintessential Chip to Forest's Dale... the Tweedle Dee to Forest's Tweedle Dum.... they are 2 peas in a pod... when they are together all the rest of us get to relax... it's only about the 2 of them.... we were at their house after our 1st Disneyworld trip in 2005 and for the 3 days we were there we only saw them when they needed to eat or wanted to swim... no fighting... no problems... just being the best of friends... probably Forest's best friend... from a distance... but still... they are wonderful together... since the day they met... when they were both only 2

DC DD7 Dominique : The girl I hope my daughter will be 4 years from now... still as girly as she has always been and just as sweet as you could dream. She and Mini fell in love the moment they met... since they were the girls... they didn't really get a choice...but didn't need it... Mini looks up to her... She's just as girly as Mini if not more... she does "cheer" as they call it... and even competes... from everything I know she is DC's dream come true... and DC is loving every minute of it...


Ok... that's the cast.... and my fingers are tired.... more on what has transpired since the "agreement" to go later tonight or sometime tomorrow I hope...

TTFN
Tanya


If you don't like reading pretrippie stuff and wanna get started... here's a chapter list for the Trip Report... that way you can catch up faster

Chapter List​

I-- Here we Goooo!!!!!!!!! AKA The Drive
II-- The check in….. and the bubu in Alohaland!
III-- What do we do…. We’re over an hour early!!!
IV-- My 1st Dis Meet!!! How will it go? And what’s up for the evening? MGM or not?
V-- Magic Kingdom… HERE WE COME!!! The cousins join in on the fun!!!
VI-- Attention Rangers…. Let’s Race!
VII-- We are hungry!!!! What should we eat???
VIII-- Let’s get back to Magic Kindom… it’s Dinnertime!!
IX-- 7 times??? You are a Crazy ones Dominique and Tim!!
X-- Wild Cats Everywhere…. Waive your hands up in the air!
XI-- Sci Fi…. And beyond… the story of a mommy distracted... in more ways than 2!
XII-- Dining with the Ladies… Would it be worth the wait… and what a wait it was!
XIII-- Where to??? Hmm…. Shall we Ride a Clam? Or shall we chat with a Turtle??? Or both???
XIV-- SPECTROMAGIC or Bust!
XV-- Yetis… Giraffes… Dinosaurs… OH my!
XVI-- Around the world we go!!!
XVII-- Lost & Found here I come!!!
XVIII-- Ring around the Rosie and The Limbo
XIX-- A Cruise, A Hottie, and A Limbo
XX-- Daytona Baby!! Here we come!
XXI-- Chugga Chugga Ooh Chugga Chugga Aah
XXII-- Hey Canada! Here we come!! I hope you are ready ~eh!
*****INTERMISSION****PODCAST TIME!!!*****
XXIII-- GIRLS ONLY!!! You boys can do your own thing!
XXIV-- Girls just wanna have fun! And get made up perty!
XXV-- Daddy, Don't I look Pretty!!!
XXVI-- Shop...Play & Dine...
XXVII-- Can I trick him??? Do you think he'll fall for it???
XXVIII-- Mom dares to take all the kids to MK alone…. Brave much??[/URL]
Ending--Final Thougths

 

[mvazul]

You have a great start to your report. Sounds like it's going to be a ton of fun.

I look forward to more!!

 

[dismom9761]

Sounds like you have a great group of people going.

Looking forward to reading about the details.

 

[SerinaEmily]

subbing

 

[kandmwedding]

Sounds like a good group. Can't wait to hear more of your plans!

 

[keliblue]

Can't wait to hear more..

I loved your last TR

 

[Tanya90210]

Can't wait to hear more..

I loved your last TR

hey keli ! Can't wait to see u at the GLOW party!!

The other trip report isn't over yet... but trying to finish by my 60 day mark on the 23rd of this month....

 

[Illuminations_Rocks]

subbing!

 

[Tanya90210]

ok... so we had suceeded in talking DH into going and decided it'd be the same time as our trip the year before... we decide on August 12-22 so that we are there this time ON my birthday rather than a few days later. I put in a quote with my favorite disney travel agency thru themouseforless group that I belonged to ... we loved them last year so figured... if it ain't broke don't fix it....

A few hours later I got an email from Mic... the same agent they assigned me last year... She told me she'd just been thinking about me a few days earlier wondering if we were going back so she was excited to see we had decided to go back and she got us again... she gave me our quote... same as I'd thought so I told her "Book it!"

A few hours later she emailed to let me know we were booked attached the confirmation....

WHOO HOO!!!

I then called DC and told her we were set and where and if she wanted to use Mic too to shoot her an email....

Now busy as a bee DC took a few weeks to get her booking done but had succeeded and would be staying at Pop... a few days less than us... but together none the less...

now the wait was on.... will we be free dining or not....

then it happened!!! They announced.... August 26th till September 22nd.... I was totally distrought! That just wouldn't work for us.... the kids are back in school.... and so are DC's children!! and they'll just be going back so we can't take them out!!!


We waited.... and DH and I talked and priced.... and with a 1200 savings by going during free dining... were we fools to pass it up?


Now we are no fools I tell ya... after much talk and decisions we just couldn't miss out on this because of silly dates.... we can get the homework.... DS won't miss but 10 days of school.... awww what the heck!

So I called DC with the news... and she said the same thing... but we can't take the kids out of school just when it started....

me... "but what if we start the last few days it is offered... it's good for your whole stay"
"Let me talk to DH about it and I'll let you know as soon as I can... but you guys do what you have to... that'll suck if we have to go apart... but I understand the need to save money"
me.... "ok.... see what you can do... maybe if we start on a thursday or friday your kids will only miss a few school since you are only going for 5 or 6 of the days anyways"
"hmm.... that might work... let me see what he says and we'll go from there"


I emailed Mic and told her we'd given in and would like to book during free dining and save us some money! She got us set up for September 22 till October 2nd w/ free dining and non park hoppers....we wanted to save as much as we could!


DC called a few days later and said that they were going to go for it and would let me know once they'd booked exactly what they had.

COOL!!! We are back on for all of us!!

I then called Disney dining and began the rebooking process... cancelled all the august ADR's and booked all of our ADR's for the upcoming trip....

One BIG .. GYMONGOUS problem! No availability for LeCellier!!! Dang it!!! I really wanted that one too.... Oh well.... maybe next year

What ADR's did we get??
Whey are the dates I mentioned off from what my sig shows????


You'll have to tune in tomorrow to find out... it's way past my bedtime!!


TTFN
Tanya

 

[ChrisLei]

Of course I am jumping aboard!!!

 

[Tanya90210]

So now we'd gotten all our days set.... got some shirts designed... thanks to the thread about tye dye mickey heads and another with color removal mickey head shirts...I'll share them in next posting tonight as they are on my home PC

Then it happens....


I have an opportunity to get a job 20 minutes from disney... so I go for it and GET IT! ... then the bad news.... the cost of the move itself will be way too high... So we back out... which turned out to be good in the long run.

Well... while all that was going on I changed the dates to match up with DC and family so that we will be there 1 extra day together... Since we'd be living just down the street it wouldn't really matter what day we started.

After deciding to stay in Colorado we figured we'd just leave the dates alone and just adjust my vacation time so that it'll work. So now we are Oficially Sept 21st till October 1st... and staying with it!

I joined an awesome group planning a meet for the last week of free dining... See my sig if you are going at same time and haven't already joined the group...

I got my fridge swap organizer to change part of my dates but while I was waiting I was fearful I wouldn't get anything so I started a swap of my own... and kept the other dates for DC ... But they decided to book CBR so wouldn't need it.... but I kept it for quite a while in hopes they'd change their minds. NO luck! So eventually I made a new friend here on DIS when she found that she was in the swap ahead of me and our dates were same... I figured pixiedust! and gave the dates she needed to her! *yw serina * Thru that we became fast internet/Dis friends and are now IMing...

But I digress... getting way ahead of myself!

So back to the planning...

Once we got all the ADR's set and I checked TGM for his reccomendations ... listening to some... sort of listening to others... but remembering his warnings none the less...


Here's what I have for Touring plans... which will more than likely change at least 1/2 a dozen more times before we go.... because I have OCD when disney planning and can't just leave well enough alone... It won't change much... but I am sure it will a little at least...

Day 1 Sept 21 Ohana’s Breakfast 11:50am
Tour MK today with a break early afternoon ... or when room ready

Day 2 Sept 22 Liberty Tree Tavern 745pm
MK until after Dream parade 3pm then hotel till 6:30
Magic Kingdom by dinnertime See Wishes if done eating in time

Day 3 Sept 23 Sci-Fi Dine In 5:20pm
MGM all day... See Fantasmic!

Day 4 Sept 24 PSB at Akerhaus 10:15a
Epcot… sleep in a little, PSB then do FW rides
After resting at hotel, Return to Epcot & tour WS See Illum

Day 5 Sept 25 Donald Breakfastsaurus 8am
Animal Kingdom in time ADR then tour until too hot
evening go to Magic Kingdom See Spectromagic! Parade

Day 6 Sept 26 Ohana’s Dinner 7:40pm
Epcot or MGM morning, do rides missed or DC family wants to do
Magic Kingdom until 7p DC family choice for rides, then monorail to Poly

Day 7 Sept 27 Supercallifragalistic! 8:05am
Head to Daytona after we finish breakfast & have a great day at the beach, If rainy going anyways so we can see ocean.

Day 8 Sept 28 Le Cellier (Canada) 8:50pm
MGM until we get tired then back to hotel till 7 Epcot Evening

Day 9 Sept 29 Whispering Canyon Café 8:30p
Open Day Daddy & Mommy may separate depending on what everyone wants to do.
Meet back at hotel for lunch and see if we want to do evening together or not

Day 10 Sept 30 Restaurant Marrakesh 6pm
Tour Epcot Future world in AM Food & Wine Festival
After resting at hotel tour World Showcase & enjoy F&W

Day 11 Oct 1 Biergarten 5:30p (Germany)
Magic Kingdom in am to do rides we want to do 1 more time
Epcot until after dinner then off towards home or to see DH's uncle that lives just north of Orlando

And there's what I have so far regarding Plans...

But wait.... Didn't she say she couldn't get LeCellier??? I sure did... but thanks to pixiedust from somone on the Dining board who was changing their dates and couldn't use the ressies we were able to get it switched so that my family and I could go instead!! My "godmother" shall remain nameless unless she reveals herself

Only the days when DC and family are with us have gone untouched as far as the ADR's... They won't be joining us on the 21st... and depart early AM on the 27th but other than that all 9 of us will be hogging up spots in the above restraunts... enjoying them to our hearts content!



UP NEXT.... The shirts.... do you want to see em??? They're really cool!!

 

[SerinaEmily]

Still so psyched about the fridge lol!

You did the shirts? I want to see them .. that could be another project for me! I'm so excited we'll be there at the same time

 

[Tanya90210]

So... I relocated my brain (I had 4 12yo boys at my house that never went to sleep before I went into work to do OT today so i am running on fumes) and remembered that I DID upload the pics online and WHERE they were !!!

SO without further adeu...The Mickey Head Shirts!!

Tye Dye Mickey Shirt (this one is Mini's)

Navy Blue shirt w/ color removal (either Mini's or Ry's)

Red shirt w/ color removal (Ry's)

Lime Green with color removal (My shirt... haven't been able to find lime green in Mini and Ry's sizes)

And after may successful LGMHPC swipes... here's a shot of Mini holding 1 that we scored that day!!

OK... more of the stories tonight or tomorrow (depends on if I get to nap later)


TTFN
Tanya

 

[keliblue]

Ahhhh you forgot something


Day 2 Sept 22 Liberty Tree Tavern 745pm
MK until after Dream parade 3pm then hotel till 6:30
Magic Kingdom by dinnertime See Wishes if done eating in time
GLOW PARTY WITH BESTEST BUDDY's

 

[Tanya90210]

I'd never forget that.... I just haven't written that on there yet... but I will add it to my official Itenerary.... I am fully stocked for the party.. no way to forget...

Ahhhh you forgot something


Day 2 Sept 22 Liberty Tree Tavern 745pm
MK until after Dream parade 3pm then hotel till 6:30
Magic Kingdom by dinnertime See Wishes if done eating in time
GLOW PARTY WITH BESTEST BUDDY's

 

[dismom9761]

Color removal mickey heads...can you explain what that is??It is probably simple but I can't wrap my head around it.

How hard are the tye dye shirts to make?

 

[Tanya90210]

it's the same concept as the tye dye mickey shirts... except after it's all banded and such you use Rit color remover on them instead.... (directions on box) and after done doing the rit you put in washer in hot water and bleach and do it on hot to remove just a bit more color...

 

[heath-and-javens-mom]

subbing Love it so far!

 

[Tanya90210]

Ok....
Told you about our cast.... Check!
Told you about our ADR's..... CHECK!
Showed you the shirts we made... Double Check!
Told more about why and how we got the ADR's we did.... no check!

Soooo... that's what I'll do today.... because so far it's been a crazy mess.... each weekend changing something it seems... except for the last 2.... not sure how that happened... maybe I am finally happy.... nah... probably not! I'll give you a bit of background on how and why... and how we will be doing 11 meals but only have 10 days of credits... sharing... DS and I do it well....


Day 1 is traditionally Chef Mickey’s for us.... you know... to break us into the spirit.... but in going thru all of our meals I realized we were overloaded on Character meals... which I had promised DH that I would try and do 1/2 or less of character meals.... so we could just ... eat... relax.... and that particular day I looked and we had 6 Character meals... and 4 non.... ok...

"Honey... if you had to pick between Ohana's breakfast or Chef Mickey’s breakfast.... which would you pick"
DH "Ugh, you are bugging me with Disney stuff again!!! Ohanas!!"
"Why?"
DH "That was my favorite breakfast last time"
"OK"

So Ohana's at 11:50 am it would be... I was sad..... but I'd see Mickey either way sooo... whatever... and Forest would be happy since he gets to see his favorite... Stitch!! Why that time... because we will have checked in and maybe gone to MK for a while... but are using this to kill time if room isn't ready... since we will be tired from the drive to DW from Colorado...

Yes I said Colorado... long drive... yes it is... but my lovely DH is not into flying so if I want Disney... I must deal with the 28 hour drive to get there.... straight thru.... we don't waste time stopping at a hotel for the night... if we get tired... find rest stop... sleep till one of us feels like driving for a while ... then off we go...

Day 2 was hard yet easy to decide... I really want the DC family to experience LTT so I knew I wanted to do that one for sure... and we were on a MK day... but we’d be back at MK a few days later... so which one.... Well the other one is also one of our few AK days and we want to do Donald’s... so we'll make Day 2 LTT... and the time 7:45... not my choice... only time we could get for a table of 9... but I'll keep calling till it's time to go to see if I can get an earlier time so we can see spectro and wishes that night instead of just wishes. Plus... GLOW Party tonight... gotta have full bellies in case any of us feel like drinking! (DH that is )

Day 3..... well it was Primetime... but DH wants to try Sci-Fi sooo bad that I agreed to go for it and DC didn't care one way or the other... I am really worried about this one as I have read a ton of bad reviews here on DIS ... but I have read good ones so I am hoping we will get lucky and have a spectacular experience... besides... the restaurant looks soooooo cool! DS12 and I will be sharing our meal here... we have already agreed this would do for Sci Fi.. so long as I buy him a glow-cube and if we get hungry we'll just have to burn a CS credit later at Pizza Planet!

Day 4.... PSB.... no brainer... 2 girly girls.... it is a must.... and DC and her DD7 are both enamored with Mulan and this is the most likely place to see her other than China Pavilion... we saw her there last year...Food was awesome last time.... so why not do it again... and DH likes checkin out the "hot princesses" so he didn't put up a fight... (Belle is usually there... and if you've ready my prev trippie you know she's his fave... followed closely by Jasmine... sometimes jasmine more... she shows more skin lol... whatever)

Day 5.... Donald’s Breakfastsaurus (sp?)... I really really wanted to do this one last year but upon the agreement of no more than 1/2 of the meals are Character I had to take it out of the plans... so this year... it was a must... instead of CP or CRT... which were good mind you... just don't need to do them every year... gotta check out the others!! My main goal and reason for doing this one.... to get into the park early!!! Beat the crowds... score some EE FP before we go on the Safari!! Nuff said!

Day 6... Ohana's dinner 7:40... I have heard good and bad on this one... but leaning towards the good... plus we love breakfast.... so we will probably love dinner.... why so late though??? because I read somewhere that if you time it right and request a window table you can see wishes from there... plus they play the music in the restaurant... plus a special surprise... but I won't say here... only 3-4 members of the cast know... and it's going to stay that way! PM me if you want to know (but remember you mustn’t put what it is on the thread!)... otherwise you'll have to wait till I get to it in the trip report!

Day 7... DC's family will be gone early today so we will be back to dining for 5... Since we are heading to Daytona we decided to do a breakfast... as early as possible... so we can get to Daytona and have a long day at the beach with no worries on rushing back to a meal.... Supercallifragalistic?? why??? because we wanna see the mad hatter and Alice of course... and celebrating all our UNBIRTHDAYS!!!

Day 8.... Lecellier... no explanation needed... if you have read my other posts.. you already know why... because of love for their food... and some pixie dust!! Forest and I will be sharing here too.... we managed to be full even though sharing last time... so shouldn't be a problem... I'll just pay OOP for another soup!!

Day 9.... Whispering Canyon Cafe... why... cuz we love it!! The food is just..... well... YUMMY!!! no more.... no less... We may even ask for Ketchup this time!! NO sharing... we get the all u can eat and can't w/ that so.... oh well!!

Day 10.... Marrakesh.... I am having a hard time w/ this one...but Forest and I are sharing so if we don't like we'll get a CS somewhere in the WS to make up for it.... DH really wants to try the dining in Morocco... plus there's belly dancers... whatever!... if it keeps him from getting upset at all the stuff I planned... Making him happy here and there is worth it.. ya know! Besides... F&W fest going on so plenty to eat if we don't fill up!

Day 11.... Beirgarten.... why??? because I read so many great reviews... and DH is German... so we're giving it a shot..... no more... no less... it is what it is!.... Doubt this one will change.... DH liked that I thought of him when planning this one

 

[dismom9761]

Ypo have chosen some really good ones! We loved Ohanas last year when we went and I wanted to try the breakfast but my kids have no interest in Stitch.

How long does it take to get to Daytona from WDW?