auntchelle
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2013
- Messages
- 18
So...I've been stalking PTRs and TRs since January and finally decided to start one of my own. Just please be patient with me, not sure how must I'll be able to post, but we'll give it a shot!
For as long as nieces and nephew have been born we have talked about them coming spending the summer with me in Nashville. Well...it's finally my oldest niece's turn! She'll be 11 in July. We have talked about the things we would do while she was here and thought about a couple long weekend trips to ATL and Gulf Shores, but when we were talking one night she mentioned Disney. I kind of dismissed it. The more I thought about it though...the more I thought it might be possible. So...I talked to my sister (her mother) to see what she thought about DN going without her brother and sister. She shocked me and said it would be okay. The other 2 will have the same opportunity when they come stay. Next...I called WDW to see how much it would cost. Turns out...I had a PIN! That's it...it was meant to be!
Next...it was time to tell DN! I thought about keeping it a surprise, but (1) there was no way I could keep that secret and (2) I think half the fun is talking about it and planning. Needless to say she was VERY excited! 6 years ago I took my sister and all 3 kids (4yo - 9months), so they have been wanting to go back since then. We have tried several times since then, but there's always been an issue...finances, health, jobs, life...
Next DN and I decided to invite my dad. I come from a blended family (my mom died when I was 17 years ago and my dad remarried) and we are far from the Brady Bunch. When I invited him, I made it very clear my step-mother was not invited and this was just us. She is difficult to travel with (and in general). She sleeps late, eats slow, and is moody. He asked me to look into the cost of his own room. I thought a family suite would be cheaper, but it was actually less to book 2 rooms. Because we are 2 adults and 1 minor we are guaranteed to have joining rooms! So...we booked 2 rooms at All Star Music for August 10-17! We we're official! We are hoping that the summer crowds won't be quite as bad this week, because a lot of kids will be back to school then. My dad hasn't been on a Disney vacation in over 20 years! About 8 years ago my family went to MK just a for a day on a FL vacation. He's never been to AK or seen a lot of the major stuff at HS. SO EXCITED he is going!
The plan was DN and I would drive down and my dad fly down on the 10th and stay off property to get going early on the 11th! While I was talking to a co-worker about our plans she mentioned she was DVC member and offered us a room at a DVC resort. I kind of blew it off, because it's a new job and I didn't know how serious she was and it seemed overly generious. Well...a few weeks later she mentioned it again. This time I asked her how much it would be and she said FREE! I asked her again if she was sure, because it seemed like a lot...she insisted! We looked at the resorts we had to chose from and decided on AKL. She booked us in a svannah view studio in the Jambo House. SO EXCITED! We don't want to just sleep at AKL and leave, so now we're going to drive down on the 9th and have the day at AKL to relax. Hoping my dad can get an early flight to be able to spend some time there with us. It's going to be rough though when we have leave AKL for ASMu.
One of my concerns about the trip has been that DN is EXTREMELY picky eater and stubborn about trying food. She's great with veggies, but not with meat. She only eats chicken nuggets (not really meat) and hot dogs (not really meat). Not long after I told her about the trip I sent her a couple travel books, so she could get excited. This also helped in deciding on ADRs. After several lengthy phone calls we decided our ADRs and she agreed to try stuff (we'll see if it happens). Here are the ADRs we wound up with...
Sunday: Tony's Town Square
Monday:1900 Park Fare Breakfast (DN is in Alice in Wonderland musical at school in May, so she is very excited about this one)
Tuesday: Biergarten
Wednesday: Mama Melrose Fantasmic!
Thursday: Sci-Fi Dine In
Friday: Chef Mickey Breakfast
I'm pretty sure she can find something to eat at all of these places. The only one I'm a little worried about is the Biergarten. I'm also thinking about paying for one of the breakfasts and adding the Coral Reef. We're hoping to get reservations for the Wishes desert party, but when I called they said they were only making those 30 days out right now.
Fingers crossed! After looking at all of the restaurants with for this trip I've gotten really excited about my other DN's trip next year...she is a lot less picky!
After all of the reading here, I decided to do the photopass+. I just don't think we can put a price on all of those pictures with everyone in them. Also,after what I have read we are going to do BB Monday, so we can get the PP+ bracelet. I made a reservation for a chair at BB. Because of breakfast that morning we may not be there at opening, so this should make it so we don't have to fight for a chair. Well worth the $...I think!
I've started shopping for the summer and have found some really great things. I'll post those pictures as soon as I figure out how to.
For as long as nieces and nephew have been born we have talked about them coming spending the summer with me in Nashville. Well...it's finally my oldest niece's turn! She'll be 11 in July. We have talked about the things we would do while she was here and thought about a couple long weekend trips to ATL and Gulf Shores, but when we were talking one night she mentioned Disney. I kind of dismissed it. The more I thought about it though...the more I thought it might be possible. So...I talked to my sister (her mother) to see what she thought about DN going without her brother and sister. She shocked me and said it would be okay. The other 2 will have the same opportunity when they come stay. Next...I called WDW to see how much it would cost. Turns out...I had a PIN! That's it...it was meant to be!
Next...it was time to tell DN! I thought about keeping it a surprise, but (1) there was no way I could keep that secret and (2) I think half the fun is talking about it and planning. Needless to say she was VERY excited! 6 years ago I took my sister and all 3 kids (4yo - 9months), so they have been wanting to go back since then. We have tried several times since then, but there's always been an issue...finances, health, jobs, life...Next DN and I decided to invite my dad. I come from a blended family (my mom died when I was 17 years ago and my dad remarried) and we are far from the Brady Bunch. When I invited him, I made it very clear my step-mother was not invited and this was just us. She is difficult to travel with (and in general). She sleeps late, eats slow, and is moody. He asked me to look into the cost of his own room. I thought a family suite would be cheaper, but it was actually less to book 2 rooms. Because we are 2 adults and 1 minor we are guaranteed to have joining rooms! So...we booked 2 rooms at All Star Music for August 10-17! We we're official! We are hoping that the summer crowds won't be quite as bad this week, because a lot of kids will be back to school then. My dad hasn't been on a Disney vacation in over 20 years! About 8 years ago my family went to MK just a for a day on a FL vacation. He's never been to AK or seen a lot of the major stuff at HS. SO EXCITED he is going!
The plan was DN and I would drive down and my dad fly down on the 10th and stay off property to get going early on the 11th! While I was talking to a co-worker about our plans she mentioned she was DVC member and offered us a room at a DVC resort. I kind of blew it off, because it's a new job and I didn't know how serious she was and it seemed overly generious. Well...a few weeks later she mentioned it again. This time I asked her how much it would be and she said FREE! I asked her again if she was sure, because it seemed like a lot...she insisted! We looked at the resorts we had to chose from and decided on AKL. She booked us in a svannah view studio in the Jambo House. SO EXCITED! We don't want to just sleep at AKL and leave, so now we're going to drive down on the 9th and have the day at AKL to relax. Hoping my dad can get an early flight to be able to spend some time there with us. It's going to be rough though when we have leave AKL for ASMu.
One of my concerns about the trip has been that DN is EXTREMELY picky eater and stubborn about trying food. She's great with veggies, but not with meat. She only eats chicken nuggets (not really meat) and hot dogs (not really meat). Not long after I told her about the trip I sent her a couple travel books, so she could get excited. This also helped in deciding on ADRs. After several lengthy phone calls we decided our ADRs and she agreed to try stuff (we'll see if it happens). Here are the ADRs we wound up with...
Sunday: Tony's Town Square
Monday:1900 Park Fare Breakfast (DN is in Alice in Wonderland musical at school in May, so she is very excited about this one)
Tuesday: Biergarten
Wednesday: Mama Melrose Fantasmic!
Thursday: Sci-Fi Dine In
Friday: Chef Mickey Breakfast
I'm pretty sure she can find something to eat at all of these places. The only one I'm a little worried about is the Biergarten. I'm also thinking about paying for one of the breakfasts and adding the Coral Reef. We're hoping to get reservations for the Wishes desert party, but when I called they said they were only making those 30 days out right now.
Fingers crossed! After looking at all of the restaurants with for this trip I've gotten really excited about my other DN's trip next year...she is a lot less picky!After all of the reading here, I decided to do the photopass+. I just don't think we can put a price on all of those pictures with everyone in them. Also,after what I have read we are going to do BB Monday, so we can get the PP+ bracelet. I made a reservation for a chair at BB. Because of breakfast that morning we may not be there at opening, so this should make it so we don't have to fight for a chair. Well worth the $...I think!
I've started shopping for the summer and have found some really great things. I'll post those pictures as soon as I figure out how to.
