Book it. Buy it. BELIEVE it! - TR is started! link posted 8/11

[eandesmom]

Yeay for your trip getting closer and closer! I do hope you hear something about the tournament soon.

We have news! Busy making changes and alterations based on the news and some other things and will update once it's all finalized!

 

[dizneeat]

We have news! Busy making changes and alterations based on the news and some other things and will update once it's all finalized!

Hope it all works out in your favour!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I was looking for the "like" button! I hope it's all going to be good in the end!

 

[KatMark]

Anxiously awaiting to hear what needed to be changed, etc.

 

[Tiresius]

Killing time at AKL is easier than at some of the others, since there are a much larger number of scheduled/staffed activities. Most of these are published, but we had a trip where we had 24 hour at AKL with no parks and no pool (it was closed and 30 degrees out anyway) and still managed to be in our room for less than an hour one afternoon. We went to every single activity - drumming, flamingo feeding, radio telemetry something, night vision goggle animal spotting, the list was pretty extensive. Not only could you collect beads for each activity, but if you collected all of the "regular" beads, you could do a special "secret" scavenger hunt through the entire resort that took about an hour and required things like reading clues on the artwork in the hallways, finding dates and names, and walking the whole length. Turning that hunt in earned each person a special Totem bead and required swearing of an oath and everything. It wasn't advertised anywhere, but since we had spent so much time with the staff at all of the other activities, they pulled out the special stuff. Now, that doesn't mean that it will all entertain every member of every group (some of the activities were definitely aimed at very young children), but if there is a goal at the end that requires putting up with some silliness, perhaps it can stave off some boredom.

 

[Misskitty3]

We have news! Busy making changes and alterations based on the news and some other things and will update once it's all finalized!

Yay! Hope everything works out for the best!

 

[MEK]

I was looking for the "like" button! I hope it's all going to be good in the end!

Me too! I just hope you post before I leave on Saturday!

 

[glennbo123]

We have news! Busy making changes and alterations based on the news and some other things and will update once it's all finalized!

Just getting caught up and I saw this right at the top of the page. That's great! Can't wait to hear how it all works out.

 

[Charleston Princess]

I am another person who went instinctively for the "like" button.

 

[Flossbolna]

I wonder how sad it is that I am sitting here and feel like I can't take the suspense to find out what dates you got and what adjustments you made... What a cliffhanger you left us with!!

 

[dizneeat]

I wonder how sad it is that I am sitting here and feel like I can't take the suspense to find out what dates you got and what adjustments you made... What a cliffhanger you left us with!!

Same here! Sometimes the 6 hour time change just sucks!

 

[eandesmom]

Hope it all works out in your favour!

Thanks!!!

I was looking for the "like" button! I hope it's all going to be good in the end!

LOL on the Like button. I think we need a like smiley, I guess this is as close as it gets

Anxiously awaiting to hear what needed to be changed, etc.

Will try to get it up soon...someone is pressuring me with a timeline!

 

[eandesmom]

Killing time at AKL is easier than at some of the others, since there are a much larger number of scheduled/staffed activities. Most of these are published, but we had a trip where we had 24 hour at AKL with no parks and no pool (it was closed and 30 degrees out anyway) and still managed to be in our room for less than an hour one afternoon.

That is definitely what I was hoping when I booked it and a big part of the reason I chose it. Really great to hear from someone whose actually done it! Very encouraging!!!

We went to every single activity - drumming, flamingo feeding, radio telemetry something, night vision goggle animal spotting, the list was pretty extensive. Not only could you collect beads for each activity, but if you collected all of the "regular" beads, you could do a special "secret" scavenger hunt through the entire resort that took about an hour and required things like reading clues on the artwork in the hallways, finding dates and names, and walking the whole length. Turning that hunt in earned each person a special Totem bead and required swearing of an oath and everything.

Oh I could see the E's getting really into that, need to really make sure we take advantage of this. We've never really taken advantage of much of the activities at any of the resorts and I'm hoping this trip will be different in that area at all our locations!

It wasn't advertised anywhere, but since we had spent so much time with the staff at all of the other activities, they pulled out the special stuff. Now, that doesn't mean that it will all entertain every member of every group (some of the activities were definitely aimed at very young children), but if there is a goal at the end that requires putting up with some silliness, perhaps it can stave off some boredom.

Thank you so much for this info! You re right, the teens may or may not get into it...but it can't hurt to try!

Yay! Hope everything works out for the best!

Thanks!

 

[eandesmom]

Me too! I just hope you post before I leave on Saturday!

Oh great. Nothing like a little pressure!

Just getting caught up and I saw this right at the top of the page. That's great! Can't wait to hear how it all works out.

Yep, we have news and as of late yesterday, I think everything all arranged.

I am another person who went instinctively for the "like" button.

That's as close to "like" as I can find.

I wonder how sad it is that I am sitting here and feel like I can't take the suspense to find out what dates you got and what adjustments you made... What a cliffhanger you left us with!!

I really didn't mean to! I just wanted to have things settled first and then well...it was Evan's 13th birthday yesterday so I was a little busy! Plus all the arrangements weren't really done until maybe mid day yesterday and then the birthday and life took over.

Same here! Sometimes the 6 hour time change just sucks!

You guys are cracking me up!



Soon I hope.

 

[eandesmom]

Guess what!
The trip has stopped turning.

At least for the moment.


You never know with us, right?
But first…Happy Birthday to Evan! He turned GASP, 13 yesterday! A fun day, will update on that separately.

They did not get into the tournament. It’s funny, when we first heard they were trying we were both kind of surprised it would even be an issue, the getting in part. My how things change when you are away from something. As we waited, I became much more educated on the process and did my own little probability analysis. Despite the fact they’d gone before (granted, probably 4-5 years ago…it’s all a blur), and even went to the Thanksgiving version of it just this past November where they made it to the semi finals, the reality is that as these kids get closer to college, the competition for the exposure at this level gets a little insane. Widely touted as “the best of the best” apparently…we aren’t quite good enough to make it into being one of the 36 teams accepted.

Honestly? Fine by us! While we’d kind of love for K to have that exposure to college coaches, the reality is she had a bunch of it last weekend, will this weekend and will at the alternate tournament they are doing instead. And the pressure of that particular one, the one they didn’t get into, honestly I don’t think is something she’s quite ready for yet. She took 3 years off from this kind of intensity and it’s ramping up so fast, I’m happy to have it be a little lower key.

Not to mention the fact that we will ALL be going for ALL days on our vacation!!!!!!!!!!!!

I spent the past couple of days deleting duplicates, dropping and adding nights and a few other fun things that I felt I could actually do now that we knew.

Updated, and hopefully FINAL itinerary!

Sunday 7/22
• Jeff heads to airshow, C gets back from 4 day work trip and starts packing!

Thursday 7/26
• Drive to airport

Friday 7/27
• C & kids Catch Red Eye
• C & kids land around 11:23
• Catch DME to OKW!
• Jeff lands around 12:30
• Jeff meets us at OKW, we may be in room or at pool depending on what is ready or not.
• Lunch at DTD – EOS. Give kids pins for trading
• DTD shopping/pin trading or back to pool or combo
• Dinner at DTD – WPE
• DTD Shopping after dinner if people want, or more pool time.

Changes:
Room:
1. I have upgraded us to a 1 bedroom and am very excited to see it! I’ve booked one near Hospitality House and have requested a marina view. Kids are super excited for one night here and checking out the slide. Evan’s asking for dinner at Planet Hollywood but was somewhat consoled by the menu at EOS for lunch as well as WPE for dinner. He has NO idea we are hitting PH later in the trip so that will be fun!

2. I gave up our Friday night at Vero. Someone will be very happy about that! It was a little stressful on the phone to be honest as they had to cancel and rebook since it was a member cash rate ressie, not points, but made it happen somehow. I am HOPING that more folks check out on Sat, then on Friday and we get a view room but I know it’s a crapshoot. Right now my request is simply for top floor. I’ve thought about narrowing it down to 2 out of the 3 buildings but am not sure if that would help, or hurt my chances.

Car: I cancelled picking up a car at MCO

Dining: We will be postponing Margaritatville till the next day and doing the Quick Serve Plan for our one OKW night. Current plan is EOS for lunch and WPE for dinner.

Saturday 7/28
• Use snack credits for breakfast (unless I just pack something instead…considering that) since I could see the snack credits disappearing at Goofy’s the day before
• If up and want to, one last swim at OKW. I may hit the gym but that’s probably unrealistic.
• Pick up car from Hilton, probably around 10am
• Check out by 11 and head over to Margaritaville for an early lunch
• Drive to Vero!
• Check in at Vero
• Go to grocery store. We might do this as a group before check in, will play it by ear
• Dinner in the Villa

Sunday 7/29
• Sunday brunch at Shutters. I’m a bit confused about this as I though both Shutters and Sonya’s offered brunch, with the Sonya’s menu looking a little better to me but when I called to reserve, was just told Shutters. So that’s what I booked!
• Enjoy Vero!
• Dinner in the Villa

Monday 7/30
• AM: if we feel the need to explore, we may do a day trip to try and see Manatees.
• Dinner in the Villa
• PM: Turtle Walk! I’ve booked us on a turtle walk that night. Hopefully we will see mama loggerheads lumbering up the beach out of the ocean, digging nests and dropping hundreds of eggs! For those that just got the Disney Files magazine, we booked the one referenced there.

Tuesday 7/31
• AM: if we feel the need to explore, we may do a day trip to try and see Manatees.
• Dinner out, most likely at Squidlips

Wednesday 8/1
• Happy Birthday Kendall!!
• Eat up anything left in the villa or pack to take with us if makes sense
• Check out and drive to Cape Canaveral
• Return car
• Board the Dream!
• Check out tween/teen clubs, eat lunch, swim, head to room, etc
• Be greeted by a birthday stateroom surprise for Kendall!
• If we receive our requested rotation, dinner at Enchanted Garden

Thursday 8/2
• Arrive in Nassau
• Leading contender at the moment is a day room at the Sheraton. Confirming with them on prices, they keep sending me info for a group of four, not 5. I still have Atlantis booked but will likely be cancelling.
• Deliver FE gift #1
• If we receive our requested rotation, dinner at Royal Palace, “dressy” night. Will try to get some new family pics!

Friday 8/3
• At Sea
• Brunch at Palo!
• If we receive our requested rotation, dinner at Animators, “pirate” night.

Saturday 8/4
• Castaway Cay!
• Delivery FE gift #2
• Adult dinner at Palo!
• If we receive our requested rotation, kid dinner at Animators

Sunday 8/5
• Disembark. BOO!
• Pick up rental car
• Drive to AKV. This will be interesting as the kids may well think we are going to the airport. No discussion has been made about when we are actually leaving but they assume after the cruise.
• Enjoy AKV, hopefully our room is ready!
• Return car to Hilton
• DTD shopping
• Dinner at Planet Hollywood, surprise Evan!

Monday 8/6
• Animal Kingdom! Surprise Everyone!
• I will be upgrading to an AP once inside the park. Though ticket prices went up, the DVC discount did as well and it will cost me the same to upgrade my one day, as to buy a new 6 day in Oct so figured I might as well just get the AP and enjoy the extra discounts, 7th day in Oct and since I will need one in Dec of 2013, I’ll still save by renewing this one.
• Lunch at Flame Tree (most likely)
• Kendall and Jeff go to Backstage Safari. Surprise!
• Dinner at Sanna

Tuesday 8/7
• Pack up. WAH!
• Brunch at Boma
• Pool time, enjoy resort
• 3:30pm….board the not so magical express and go home.

 

[KatMark]

Cynthia, I am so glad it all worked out (and that it is behind you). The plans sound great!

 

[dizneeat]

Cynthia, plans sound fantastic!

Did I read correctly that you upgraded to a 1bedroom at OKW? You are going to LOVE it!!!!!
If you need info of pics, just let me know - we usually stay there in the summer!

I cannot wait to hear what the kids say when they find out that you are going to AKV.

Must not forget ......

Happy belated Birthday, Evan! ​

 

[Flossbolna]

Wow - it sounds like you have a true plan now! And it sounds like a fantastic vacation!!!

I am sorry that the team did not get into the tournament, but as you say it might be better this way.

I am already looking forward to your TR about the Dream, I want to go on a Disney cruise so much!!! I am actually thinking about the Fantasy for next year - or a cruise on the Wonder while she is in Miami. There are a few 5-night cruises when I am thinking about going to Florida...

 

[MRYPPNS]

Stick a fork in it!

 

[jedijill]

I'm glad your plans are finally solidifying! I hate all the up in the air business and I just have to worry about myself.

Jill in CO