I've enjoyed reading trip reports while I did my planning for our recent Disney vacation. Now it's time for mine.
Here's the cast--
Me--got hooked on Walt Disney World on a family trip during Christmas Break 1971.
DH, Rick--First trip to Disney World was with me and our infant daughter in 1986. He indulges my addiction.
DD, Elsie (18)--Freshman in college who wants to apply for a job as Cinderella.
DS, SaxPlayer (15)--Sophomore in high school, reformed roller coaster enthusiast.
Five years ago, our daughter's band marched at Disneyland on Thanksgiving Day. We didn't plan to go along on the trip--our kids really want to enjoy their school trips without us! But as the day drew closer, I really felt the urge to watch her march at Disneyland. Alas, the last minute flights were too expensive so we didn't make it.
The band had next planned a trip to Europe Elsie's
Junior Year (Winter Break, 2001). The highlight of that trip was to have been a concert featuring a number of high school band in a concert titled "A Tribute to America". The September 11th attacks left many parents feeling very uneasy about sending their kids abroad, so the trip was canceled. Each kid lost about $900 in cancellation fees, so the school and the parents were kind of nervous about planning another trip. I figured if losing $900 was the worst thing that happened to our family as a result of September 11, I could live with that.
After the controversy over that canceled trip, the band director wanted to go somewhere that they could go by bus. He was concerned about the logistics of getting all the instruments through the heightened security. He had the opportunity to take the band to almost any bowl game, but wanted to go someplace where the kids would have fun too. Finally, during the summer, he made the decision to go to Disney World and to the Gator Bowl. I was not going to make the mistake I made last time, and started planning our family trip immediately!
SaxPlayer would be traveling with, and staying with, the band. They were going by coach bus from North Suburban Chicago to Orlando. They were staying off-site at the Rosen Center. They were spending three days at Disney and then would head to Jacksonville for the remainder of the trip. Not being interested in the conferences that play in the Gator Bowl, we decided not to follow the band to Jacksonville.
We knew the parks were going to be crowded, and that Elsie was not going to be interested in getting up early, so I looked at how we could enjoy DisneyWorld the week between Christmas and New Years, without spending all our time in line. I eventually decided to reserve the Gold Plan and spend time eating and taking advantage of Disney Recreation. Most of my time spent on the DIS has been to get ideas of how to maximize our use of the Gold Plan. I had a hard time deciding on resorts but I wanted Queen sized beds and to be close to the Magic Kingdom. We'd enjoyed our stay at the Wilderness Lodge back in 1996, and had heard it was beautiful at Christmas, so we decided to stay there. One of the downside's of WL is the transportation, so we rented a car after finding a great rate on the Internet at Thrifty.
As the time for our trip grew closer, I made priority seating requests for dinners and reservations for recreation. I felt a little guilty about flying and staying in a Disney hotel, so I made SaxPlayer's chaperone a little gift basket. With help from folks on the DIS, I packed a six-pack cooler with a lot of things to make her trip more enjoyable. The basket included:
Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets
Worst Case Survival Guide, Travel
A few Disney Dollars
A Serenity CD
Travel Bingo Cards
Foot and Leg Healing Lotion
A Deck of Cards with Mickey (.99 at Target)
Christmas Mad Libs
Phone Card
Inflatable Neck Pillow
Wipes
Calming Tea Bags
She seemed to really appreciate it. She wrote me a nice note and told me she'd asked to chaperone SaxPlayer's group because she enjoys him so much. That made me feel good
We got a little nervous when the terrorist alert level was raised to Orange, but didn't change our plans.
Next post, our trip begins...
Here's the cast--
Me--got hooked on Walt Disney World on a family trip during Christmas Break 1971.
DH, Rick--First trip to Disney World was with me and our infant daughter in 1986. He indulges my addiction.
DD, Elsie (18)--Freshman in college who wants to apply for a job as Cinderella.
DS, SaxPlayer (15)--Sophomore in high school, reformed roller coaster enthusiast.
Five years ago, our daughter's band marched at Disneyland on Thanksgiving Day. We didn't plan to go along on the trip--our kids really want to enjoy their school trips without us! But as the day drew closer, I really felt the urge to watch her march at Disneyland. Alas, the last minute flights were too expensive so we didn't make it.
The band had next planned a trip to Europe Elsie's
Junior Year (Winter Break, 2001). The highlight of that trip was to have been a concert featuring a number of high school band in a concert titled "A Tribute to America". The September 11th attacks left many parents feeling very uneasy about sending their kids abroad, so the trip was canceled. Each kid lost about $900 in cancellation fees, so the school and the parents were kind of nervous about planning another trip. I figured if losing $900 was the worst thing that happened to our family as a result of September 11, I could live with that.
After the controversy over that canceled trip, the band director wanted to go somewhere that they could go by bus. He was concerned about the logistics of getting all the instruments through the heightened security. He had the opportunity to take the band to almost any bowl game, but wanted to go someplace where the kids would have fun too. Finally, during the summer, he made the decision to go to Disney World and to the Gator Bowl. I was not going to make the mistake I made last time, and started planning our family trip immediately!
SaxPlayer would be traveling with, and staying with, the band. They were going by coach bus from North Suburban Chicago to Orlando. They were staying off-site at the Rosen Center. They were spending three days at Disney and then would head to Jacksonville for the remainder of the trip. Not being interested in the conferences that play in the Gator Bowl, we decided not to follow the band to Jacksonville.
We knew the parks were going to be crowded, and that Elsie was not going to be interested in getting up early, so I looked at how we could enjoy DisneyWorld the week between Christmas and New Years, without spending all our time in line. I eventually decided to reserve the Gold Plan and spend time eating and taking advantage of Disney Recreation. Most of my time spent on the DIS has been to get ideas of how to maximize our use of the Gold Plan. I had a hard time deciding on resorts but I wanted Queen sized beds and to be close to the Magic Kingdom. We'd enjoyed our stay at the Wilderness Lodge back in 1996, and had heard it was beautiful at Christmas, so we decided to stay there. One of the downside's of WL is the transportation, so we rented a car after finding a great rate on the Internet at Thrifty.
As the time for our trip grew closer, I made priority seating requests for dinners and reservations for recreation. I felt a little guilty about flying and staying in a Disney hotel, so I made SaxPlayer's chaperone a little gift basket. With help from folks on the DIS, I packed a six-pack cooler with a lot of things to make her trip more enjoyable. The basket included:
Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets
Worst Case Survival Guide, Travel
A few Disney Dollars
A Serenity CD
Travel Bingo Cards
Foot and Leg Healing Lotion
A Deck of Cards with Mickey (.99 at Target)
Christmas Mad Libs
Phone Card
Inflatable Neck Pillow
Wipes
Calming Tea Bags
She seemed to really appreciate it. She wrote me a nice note and told me she'd asked to chaperone SaxPlayer's group because she enjoys him so much. That made me feel good
We got a little nervous when the terrorist alert level was raised to Orange, but didn't change our plans.
Next post, our trip begins...
