Birthday surprise 11 months in the making...8 days of FUN in WDW!

[lemondog]

Finally, I get to write a trip report! Just got back from WDW. Spent 8 days/7 nights at the Polynesian. Visited every park, including MK twice. Also spent 1/2 day at DTD.

For my Polynesian review, click HERE

For complete dining reviews, click HERE

Onto the cast...

DH (36) - aka Mr. Picky (due to his extreme pickiness regarding food). Never been to WDW, despite being born on Oct. 1, 1971, a very important date in Disney history! HATES theme parks, crowds and heat, in that order. Will he like Disney in July???? Stick around to find out!

Me (36) - Been to Disney 4x in my life prior to this trip. Last time was in 1993 with then boyfriend. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Disney! Will this first family vacation to WDW be all I ever dreamed it would be??? Stick around to find out!

DD (7) - aka Superstar. 7 going on 17. Obsessed with Hannah Montana. This trip is her 7th birthday gift.

DD (4) - aka Bashful. My very sweet, shy child. Princess-in-the-making.

DD (4) - aka Grumpy. Twin to Bashful. In a foul mood 3/4 of the time, with a temper to match! But I love her to pieces anyway! Obessed with Ariel and all things mermaid.

Stick around for a full review of our trip of a lifetime, and find out the answers to these burning questions...

-Will Mr. Picky actually like (gasp) a theme park???
-Will our custom-designed touring plans work?
-Will Grumpy actually be in a good mood?

...and most importantly...

-Will mommy survive a trip to Disney in July???????

Stay tuned!

 

[accountingbabe08]

i'm so glad you started your trip report. Now I'm going to read it.

 

[Paparazzimama]

I'm so looking forward to your trip report - enjoyed your dining review immensely!

 

[sandybobandy]

Loved your dining reviews-excited for this one!

 

[mom_of_3_70737]

Yay!!! You started a Trip Report!!! : I am subscribing!!! Can't wait to read more!!!

 

[fenfur]

YAY!! This will help my 20 more days go by FAST!!!!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I'm climbing on board too! LOVED your dining review and will now hop over to see your Poly review.

 

[LITTLEKID58]

Subscribing... TFS

 

[TigerKat]

Arriving from the dining reviews......

 

[jessily]

Loved your dining reviews! Can't wait to read your trip report your kids are adorable!

 

[jeminni]

I followed you over from the dining board too. Looking forward to your review.

 

[ChelleinNC]

Finished the Dining review and now I'm ready for the trip report

 

[JoanieS]

I'm in

I really enjoyed your dining report, and can't wait to follow along on your TR!

 

[LuccaDrake]

Just finished reading your awesome dining report and came over here to fill in the blanks with the rest of your trip! Your girls are beautiful and I can't wait for this TR to start!

~Beka~

 

[patclairesmom]

I loved you dining report, so of course, I had to come here for your trip report. Looking forward to hearing all about your adventures.

 

[Angelrose]

I LOVED your dining report and can't wait to read your trip report.

 

[lemondog]

Friday, July 18th & Saturday, July 19th

Our journey began in August 2007, when I booked our July 2008 trip. I am one of those parents not willing to pull my kid out of school for Disney, so we were limited to summer months. And DD's birthday is July 18th, so we decided to "give" the trip to her as a birthday gift. Lucky for us, value season at our hotel started on July 20, so it worked out perfectly!

After 11 months of planning, making ADRs, feverishly writing and rewriting touring plans...oh, and keeping the whole thing one BIG HUMONGOUS secret from the girls, the big "reveal" day finally arrived. To say Superstar was excited is an understatement! We told them on a Thursday night, packed on Friday, and headed out about 9pm on Friday night for our 12 hour journey to the house of mouse!

Now let me tell you, if you have kids and are planning to drive a long distance to WDW, driving overnight is SOOOOO the way to do it!!!! Our 12-hour trip took 11 hours, with only 1 stop for refueling (both the car and Mr. Picky). No whining kids, no fights, no kids music for hours on end...just 11 hours of quiet, caffeine-fueled bliss! The girls passed out less than an hour on the road, and so did I! Gotta love sleeping pills. We slept fitfully, but the kids got in at least 8 hours and I got about 6...not bad. Of course, in order to make this happen, Mr. Picky had to sleep all Friday afternoon while I kept the kids out of the house...not that he was complaining!

The sun started coming up about the time we reached Ocala. It was around 6:30 am, and as usual the kids woke up starving. Mr. Picky decided he needed to stop and sit somewhere so we hit the local Cracker Barrel...along with all the other overnight, disheveled families driving to Disney. Kids still in pajamas...hair awry....moms with bags under their eyes...YEP, we fit right in!

After breakfast Mr. Picky decided he was DONE! He needed to rest, so I took over. I drove the last hour to Orlando, via the Florida Turnpike. Let me tell you, the Florida Turnpike at 8 in the morning is about as fun as getting a root canal. It was loooong and boooooring. Although I had slept some, 6 hours is still not near enough for me and my eyes were SO heavy! Luckily the sound of whining, screaming and Leapsters drifting up from the back of the minivan were enough to keep me awake, and before I knew it we were on Western Way and driving under that beautiful Walt Disney World sign!!!

After making several wrong turns, thanks to the *wonderful* driving directions on our AAA Trip Tik , we pulled up to the front door of the Polynesian right at 9:00 on the dot! As we were pulling in, my cell phone rang. It was my best friend from high school, who I have seen exactly TWO times in the past 18 years, telling me she and her DH were in the Magic Kingdom and were coming over to the Poly for lunch at the Kona Cafe!!! Whoohooo! The pixie dust was already flying!

A nice valet helped us unload the now-completely-trashed minivan. Out came suitcases, bottled water, pillows, blankets, table fan, bags and more bags. They must have thought we were nuts! DH has a genetic aversion to paying for valet parking, so while he self-parked the car, the girls and I walked into the GORGEOUS Polynesian lobby, walked right up to checkin, and...here comes the pixie dust again...OUR ROOM WAS READY!!!

By 9:30 we were in our room. Mr. Picky was laying semi-comatose in the bed, I was trying to unpack, and the girls were completely destroying the room. Just like at home! Well, at least the girls were comfortable in their new surroundings.

By 10:30 Mr. Picky was BEGGING me to get the kids out of the room, so we headed over to the Great Ceremonial House to check out the shops and pick up our refillable mugs. The girls also spent some time in the children's corner of the GCH coloring and watching TV. There were tons of activities going on as well. I just sat in a chair, drinking my ever-present Diet Coke (Diet Coke is my crack) and soaking in the ambience.

Shortly thereafter we all went back to the room for a quick nap, and by 12:30we were all up and starving. We put on our swimsuits and walked over to Capt. Cook's for lunch. My BF from high school and her hubby walked in just as we were sitting down to eat, so I spent time talking to them before they had to head off to DHS.

Our first afternoon was spent at the Volcano Pool and the whole family fell in love!!! This pool was crowded, but SO fun! And the view...OH MY GOSH...it just cannot be beat!

Around 4:00 we went back to the room to rest and clean up for Superstar's birthday dinner at 1900 Park Fare!

Superstar and Grumpy getting ready for their first ever monorail ride!

After dinner we checked out a couple of the shops in the Grand Floridian, then took the monorail back "home" to the Poly. We were all pretty much exhausted and the clock read 8:30 when we turned out the lights. Oh well...we needed our beauty rest...tomorrow was going to be a BIG day!!!

Up next...Magic Kingdom

 

[inkedupmomma]

totallllllly subscribing!!!! loved your food reviews!

 

[MissMagnolia]

Great start - I'm in.

 

[TigerKat]

Great start!