xoktenox
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2008
- Messages
- 3,176
Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!
Hello, hello, and welcome to a celebration vacation PTR! I'm Kristen and I will be your tour guide through this fun adventure through Walt Disney World celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, and most importantly, bringing my family back to WDW for the first time since 2001 and PRAYING they like the place! Now I know it sounds a little cray cray to have to PRAY that people would like what is us DISers favorite place in the world...however, I unfortunately don't come from a family of Disney lovers. My mom enjoys WDW well enough but my dad and my brother would be perfectly fine if they never had to go back again, ever. SAD AND DERANGED, I KNOW!
Anywho, before I get into my crazy family I'll introduce myself. This isn't my first rodeo here on the DISboards but I have been super MIA for a few years now. I've lurked around here and there but that's about it. As I mentioned, I'm Kristen, a 26 year old 1st grade teacher who currently lives in the Tampa area of Florida. I was born and raised in NY but my husband, our puppy and I moved to FL last October. It's been a rollercoaster of emotions to say the least but it's feeling like home a little more each day. I've been to Disney 13 times and this trip will be my 14th. There is no place in the world I'd rather be than WDW. If I'm not at Disney, I'm daydreaming about being there, or living vicariously through friends who are there at that time.
Next, we have Chris, my 29 year old hubby who has been working in the cable/internet/phone business for the past 6 years. We've been married for a year and a half but just celebrated being together for 7 years! When we first went to Disney together in 2009, he had only ever been to the MK one time when he was about 12. So, he was basically a newbie. I'm proud to say that I picked a winner and Chris has worked his way up to a Disney lover and will now look for any excuse to get to WDW, even if it's just for the day. Between his WDW love and his love for me, theres not much more a girl could ask for!
Since we moved to FL last year, we are now a little less than 2 hrs away from the World. Life has been crazy since our relocation and up to this point, we've only made it to WDW twice since we got here. We plan to change this over the summer because, as I mentioned, I'm a teacher and will have the whole summer off!
Day and long weekend trips, here we come 
Here's a few pictures of us from our wedding in 2012...
And from our Disneymoon, right after the wedding...
At our first Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party...yes, Chris is wearing eyeliner lol
We also have another super important part of our lives, our little baby girl, Daisy. Daisy was 10 weeks old when we picked up and moved 1200 miles away into our home. Probably not the most intelligent decision weve ever made but we wouldnt trade it or her for anything. Daisy is a Sprocker Spaniel (half cocker spaniel, half springer spaniel) and brings us SO MUCH joy on a daily basis. We are those dog owners who treat their dog like its their actual child. Chris and I just love our fur baby!!
Thats her at 10 weeks on the left, in my car on the way down to FL from NY and then on the right is her just last week. Isnt she absolutely precious?!
Since I said this PTR is for a trip that includes a birthday celebration, let me fill you in on that now! My 27th birthday is on August 4th, so it's me we'll be celebrating!
And, as if spending your birthday in WDW with your loving husband isn't great enough, we'll be staying at the Villas at the Grand Floridian Resort 
ANDDDDD, as if THAT isn't enough, my mom, dad and brother will be joining us, making their first trip to WDW since 2001!! 
To say I'm excited is the understatement of the century!!!
And now, for the rest of the trip participants...
That is my brother, Kevin. He is 24 and will always be, to me, my baby brother. He pretty much thinks hes too cool for everything, except his sister. We get along great now (I say now because up until about 3 years ago, we didnt lol) and are super protective of one another. Kevin and Chris get along great top! Since Chris and I moved to FL, Ive been nonstop trying to get him to move down here. Like I said earlier, he doesnt have much of an interest in Disney but is excited to get to spend my birthday with me and happy to do it to please me!
Here is my mom, Karen (mom from here on out). Do you believe this woman is 50 years old? Well, in this picture she was a month shy of 49 but she basically looks the same now. Clearly she looks great and won't mind the fact that I put her age out there on the internet lol My mom is, aside from Chris, my best friend. It has been extremely hard for me to be away from her since my family is still in NY. She is the most amazing mother in the world, no competition. I am ECSTATIC that Ill get to spend my birthday with her (and my dad and brother) and that Im getting to do that in my favorite place!
And last, but certainly not least, we have my daddy, Kevin (dad from here on out). Hes 52 (looks darn good, too!) and would move heaven and Earth if he thought thats what I wanted. No joke, the man lives and breathes for me and our family. Had it not been for my begging, my dad wouldn't have gone back to Disney until there were (2-legged) grandkids in the picture. However, he knew I wanted him to come, so hes coming!
Since I've introduced my parents, I should add in that it is their anniversary that well be celebrating in the World! On June 3, they'll have been married for 30 years. AND THEY STILL LIKE EACH OTHER! lol but for real, they enjoy spending time with each other and I aspire to have a marriage as strong and withstanding as theirs. They don't know that I plan to do a few things to surprise them for this milestone while were in Disney.
Now you know the cast of this excursion, let me get into the details.
When: August 3-7, 2014
Where: August 3- AS Music (ASM), 2 rooms
August 4 (my birthday)- Villas at the Grand Floridian Resort (VGF), studio villa
August 5-7- Pop Century (Pop), 2 rooms
Why: Birthday and Anniversary Celebrations
How: My parents are flying down to our house near Tampa on the 2nd and then were driving over to WDW on the 3rd
Actually, my parents and brother are heading back to NY on the 6th and Chris and I are staying the extra day and night before driving home. I should also mention that weve never done a split stay before. Now, were not only switching resorts once, but twice. Im hoping that goes smoothly because Chris isnt hugely thrilled about it. Chris and I are DVC members (WOOHOO!) and VGF was only available on 8/4, hence all the resort switching. There was NO WAY I was passing up the opportunity to stay there on my birthday!
I hope youll stick around to hear all the fun that is to come in just a few months for myself and my family. School is out in two more weeks for me and then Ill have lots of time to update, too! So say hi, make yourself comfortable, and stay tuned for more!!
Hello, hello, and welcome to a celebration vacation PTR! I'm Kristen and I will be your tour guide through this fun adventure through Walt Disney World celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, and most importantly, bringing my family back to WDW for the first time since 2001 and PRAYING they like the place! Now I know it sounds a little cray cray to have to PRAY that people would like what is us DISers favorite place in the world...however, I unfortunately don't come from a family of Disney lovers. My mom enjoys WDW well enough but my dad and my brother would be perfectly fine if they never had to go back again, ever. SAD AND DERANGED, I KNOW!
Anywho, before I get into my crazy family I'll introduce myself. This isn't my first rodeo here on the DISboards but I have been super MIA for a few years now. I've lurked around here and there but that's about it. As I mentioned, I'm Kristen, a 26 year old 1st grade teacher who currently lives in the Tampa area of Florida. I was born and raised in NY but my husband, our puppy and I moved to FL last October. It's been a rollercoaster of emotions to say the least but it's feeling like home a little more each day. I've been to Disney 13 times and this trip will be my 14th. There is no place in the world I'd rather be than WDW. If I'm not at Disney, I'm daydreaming about being there, or living vicariously through friends who are there at that time.
Next, we have Chris, my 29 year old hubby who has been working in the cable/internet/phone business for the past 6 years. We've been married for a year and a half but just celebrated being together for 7 years! When we first went to Disney together in 2009, he had only ever been to the MK one time when he was about 12. So, he was basically a newbie. I'm proud to say that I picked a winner and Chris has worked his way up to a Disney lover and will now look for any excuse to get to WDW, even if it's just for the day. Between his WDW love and his love for me, theres not much more a girl could ask for!
Since we moved to FL last year, we are now a little less than 2 hrs away from the World. Life has been crazy since our relocation and up to this point, we've only made it to WDW twice since we got here. We plan to change this over the summer because, as I mentioned, I'm a teacher and will have the whole summer off!
Day and long weekend trips, here we come Here's a few pictures of us from our wedding in 2012...
And from our Disneymoon, right after the wedding...
At our first Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party...yes, Chris is wearing eyeliner lol
We also have another super important part of our lives, our little baby girl, Daisy. Daisy was 10 weeks old when we picked up and moved 1200 miles away into our home. Probably not the most intelligent decision weve ever made but we wouldnt trade it or her for anything. Daisy is a Sprocker Spaniel (half cocker spaniel, half springer spaniel) and brings us SO MUCH joy on a daily basis. We are those dog owners who treat their dog like its their actual child. Chris and I just love our fur baby!!
Thats her at 10 weeks on the left, in my car on the way down to FL from NY and then on the right is her just last week. Isnt she absolutely precious?!
Since I said this PTR is for a trip that includes a birthday celebration, let me fill you in on that now! My 27th birthday is on August 4th, so it's me we'll be celebrating!
And, as if spending your birthday in WDW with your loving husband isn't great enough, we'll be staying at the Villas at the Grand Floridian Resort ANDDDDD, as if THAT isn't enough, my mom, dad and brother will be joining us, making their first trip to WDW since 2001!! To say I'm excited is the understatement of the century!!!And now, for the rest of the trip participants...
That is my brother, Kevin. He is 24 and will always be, to me, my baby brother. He pretty much thinks hes too cool for everything, except his sister. We get along great now (I say now because up until about 3 years ago, we didnt lol) and are super protective of one another. Kevin and Chris get along great top! Since Chris and I moved to FL, Ive been nonstop trying to get him to move down here. Like I said earlier, he doesnt have much of an interest in Disney but is excited to get to spend my birthday with me and happy to do it to please me!
Here is my mom, Karen (mom from here on out). Do you believe this woman is 50 years old? Well, in this picture she was a month shy of 49 but she basically looks the same now. Clearly she looks great and won't mind the fact that I put her age out there on the internet lol My mom is, aside from Chris, my best friend. It has been extremely hard for me to be away from her since my family is still in NY. She is the most amazing mother in the world, no competition. I am ECSTATIC that Ill get to spend my birthday with her (and my dad and brother) and that Im getting to do that in my favorite place!
And last, but certainly not least, we have my daddy, Kevin (dad from here on out). Hes 52 (looks darn good, too!) and would move heaven and Earth if he thought thats what I wanted. No joke, the man lives and breathes for me and our family. Had it not been for my begging, my dad wouldn't have gone back to Disney until there were (2-legged) grandkids in the picture. However, he knew I wanted him to come, so hes coming!
Since I've introduced my parents, I should add in that it is their anniversary that well be celebrating in the World! On June 3, they'll have been married for 30 years. AND THEY STILL LIKE EACH OTHER! lol but for real, they enjoy spending time with each other and I aspire to have a marriage as strong and withstanding as theirs. They don't know that I plan to do a few things to surprise them for this milestone while were in Disney.
Now you know the cast of this excursion, let me get into the details.
When: August 3-7, 2014
Where: August 3- AS Music (ASM), 2 rooms
August 4 (my birthday)- Villas at the Grand Floridian Resort (VGF), studio villa
August 5-7- Pop Century (Pop), 2 rooms
Why: Birthday and Anniversary Celebrations
How: My parents are flying down to our house near Tampa on the 2nd and then were driving over to WDW on the 3rd
Actually, my parents and brother are heading back to NY on the 6th and Chris and I are staying the extra day and night before driving home. I should also mention that weve never done a split stay before. Now, were not only switching resorts once, but twice. Im hoping that goes smoothly because Chris isnt hugely thrilled about it. Chris and I are DVC members (WOOHOO!) and VGF was only available on 8/4, hence all the resort switching. There was NO WAY I was passing up the opportunity to stay there on my birthday!
I hope youll stick around to hear all the fun that is to come in just a few months for myself and my family. School is out in two more weeks for me and then Ill have lots of time to update, too! So say hi, make yourself comfortable, and stay tuned for more!!
we'll be there 9/21, Chris works on Saturdays so we can't come earlier than that. What time is your flight on the 20th? Maybe we can drive over just for a few hours on the 14th. If you're leaving early. Go figure! 
I love your wedding pictures. 
I hope you've had a wonderful day! Did you do anything exciting to celebrate?
We are coming back home on July 26th.
I bet yall are going to love it! 
I remember when we ate there together with our strong Lapu Lapu's. ALways a wonderful choice!
