Can I pull it off again...

[Poohlove]

Welcome to my first ever pre-trip report!!! We will be taking our 4th trip to Disney is January - and it is a surprise. I thought that if I do a pre-trip report it will be my release valve until I can speak openly about it in the house

Our party of three consists of myself - Mom, DD 12, and DS 14. The kids' birthdays are not long after our trip so we will be doing something special while we are in the World to celebrate. We will be staying at the Yacht Club (more on that later) from January 16-22.

This trip is a Christmas gift to my darling children from myself. We had a trip planned earlier in the year but some unexpected events kept us from travelling. They will be ecstatic to find out that we are going to Disney, both think that the soonest we'd be able to take a real vacation is next summer - My plan is to do a scavenger hunt type of thing on Christmas morning where they will collect clues that will lead them to a box at the end with all of our travel specifics. Once they find that I will be able to obsess openly but for now, I need to keep it under wraps - pun intended!!!

 

[t_daniels]

I'm in.

How fun!

 

[Poohlove]

Yay - my first reader!!! Thanks!

 

[t_daniels]

Yay - my first reader!!! Thanks!

Very welcome!

Love reading PTRs.

 

[Poohlove]

Our first trip ever was 5 years ago, we had such a blast I just knew we had do go again - several times!

Our second trip (4 years ago) was a TOTAL surprise! My kids had absolutely no idea that we were going anywhere. After months of meticulous planning I got everything done around the house, stopped the mail, packed their bags and loaded them into the car. In the wee hours of the morning, it was still dark, I woke the kids early to "take a friend to the airport". We went over the bridge to PHL where upon arrival I told them we were the ones travelling. My son had happy tears streaming down his cheeks and my daughter couldn't believe that I had "lied to them" LOL!!! It was one of my most memorable moments EVER!!! We had such a great time and I was so sad to return home, what a magical time!

Our third trip was not as enchanted as our first two, I wasn't even sure that we would return. I thought for sure I had lost the Disney bug, but lo and behold here we are going - again! That marketing department Disney has is full of geniuses!

DS and DD had been itching to go so we were going to take a trip in June but I had to have a minor surgical procedure done and we all know how insurance is. Although my OOP expense was minimal in the grand scheme of things it still ate up our Disney funds. We took a long weekend trip to Hershey PA in July instead with my sister, BIL and Niece (3). We had a great time despite some nasty thunderstorms and icky heat. It sure felt like FL!!!

I have managed to get our travel fund built back up sooner than expected and due to awesome room only deals and being able to book RT on Southwest for $130 pp we are going south in January.

 

[rebeccaariel]

Joining in! I love the way you're planning to reveal the trip to your kids. Their reactions will be absolutely priceless.

 

[Poohlove]

Thank you! I just hope that they aren't too old for this type of thing. I know that when I was their age I'd have loved something like this, plus the end result is a trip to Disney. Can't go wrong there right

 

[t_daniels]

Thank you! I just hope that they aren't too old for this type of thing. I know that when I was their age I'd have loved something like this, plus the end result is a trip to Disney. Can't go wrong there right

I'm 26. I would love a scavenger hunt !

 

[rebeccaariel]

I'm 26. I would love a scavenger hunt !

Seconded! I'm 20, and if my parents did that for me right now, I'd be thrilled.

I think the most wonderful thing about WDW is that it brings out the child within us all.

 

[t_daniels]

Seconded! I'm 20, and if my parents did that for me right now, I'd be thrilled.

I think the most wonderful thing about WDW is that it brings out the child within us all.

Yes!

 

[Poohlove]

DS tells me he wants sharpies and a new back wheel for his bike - that's all.

I reply, "Really, are you sure? Isn't there anything else?"

DS says "Nope" in his now man voice.

DD shrugs her shoulders and says "I don't know". She is finicky as all get out when it comes to clothes, and pretty much everything there is so I tell family to get her gift cards to stores she likes to make it easy on them. Me, I am a glutton for punishment. Every year it is my mission to find that one gift that really strikes a chord.

Last year for DD it was her clarinet Christmas tree ornament and for DS it was the Nikes he had been eyeing up since right after school started. They are pretty easy to please and don't ever ask for much at all. They are also very grateful for what they receive which makes me feel better about sometimes going a wee bit nuts in the gift department

This year rather than buying a ton of small things that by their February birthdays are old news I figured I would combine Christmas, birthday and a little extra to take a trip to Disney. Since I want it to be their Christmas gift it has to be a surprise. (I will also get them some presents to put under the tree but this is the mega gift.) Then I got to thinking how cool would it be to do a scavenger hunt that would lead them around the house (and the yard, weather permitting) and end with a vessel of some sort containing the specifics of our travel plans. I have picked up a couple of things so far, but the clues aren't flowing just yet, suggestions anyone???

 

[t_daniels]

HMM.

What are their fave attractions?
Fave hotel?

 

[Poohlove]

HMM.

What are their fave attractions?
Fave hotel?

We will be staying at the Yacht Club this time, it is a little pricier than I would normally go for but I love the idea of how close it is to Epcot and HS.

Their favorite attraction is Space Mountain and Expedition Everest. I am going to keep my eye out for a Matchbox/Hot Wheels space shuttle (we are also going to take a day trip to Cape Canaveral while we are there). Christmas would be a good time to keep an eye out for a white yeti -kind of like the one that is the Snow Monster in the old Christmas cartoons.

 

[t_daniels]

We will be staying at the Yacht Club this time, it is a little pricier than I would normally go for but I love the idea of how close it is to Epcot and HS.

Their favorite attraction is Space Mountain and Expedition Everest. I am going to keep my eye out for a Matchbox/Hot Wheels space shuttle (we are also going to take a day trip to Cape Canaveral while we are there). Christmas would be a good time to keep an eye out for a white yeti -kind of like the one that is the Snow Monster in the old Christmas cartoons.

Yes! My mom has a little yeti. Was a grow your own type.

Could give one of them say, a golf ball...a toy castle, little blue hat.. the 'icons' or something...

 

[Poohlove]

So I've had a bit of a delay in adding to my story but as you all know Hurricane Sandy came barrelling up the coast with her sights set on New Jersey so I had a bit of a distraction for a few days. My town was fortunate enough to not even lose power. I am so sad for the people along the shore, I think a lot of people are still unable to return to their homes. Then there's NYC, it is crazy the havoc that something as calming as water can do. I feel very blessed to be able to keep my plans on track for travelling to Orlando. My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by Sandy!

 

[Poohlove]

I wasn't so sure that financially I would be able to pull off a trip to Florida so after some serious saving and thanks to a newly aquired Disney Visa I had the room in my budget to take a leap and commit to making a reservation. With the Disney Visa discount a poolview room at AKL seemed to be the way to go. Were we actually able to stay Deluxe? I have grappled with making the leap from moderate to deluxe for a while but decided that this trip darnit we were staying deluxe. With there being 3 of us and my kids growing steadily (I hear that is what happens when you feed them) a little extra space in the room is always nice. Also, our travel style is late day commando. We tend to get a later start on account of sleeping in a bit and being HUGE breakfast fans. Give us a huge breakfast and we are good until dinner, we LOVE breakfast!!! Once we leave our room we like to mosey to the parks and then look out - we are all over! We try to do as much as we can while we are there but, we also are able to realize when we (I) have had enough. Then we head back to the resort for some leisurely activity. We have been known to spend an entire day chilling by the pool and strolling the resort enjoying the bikes and surreys and that sort of thing.

Of course it can't be that easy, after some reading and looking at pics, and worse some spare time on my hands, the Yacht Club resort started to grow on me. Well of course I couldn't leave well enough alone and changed our reservation to ht Yacht Club. I really love the idea of being able to walk to Epcot and take the boat to HS. Last time we were at Disney we stayed at POR but explored the other resorts a bit and I remember my kids and I talking about how cool it would be to stay at one of the resorts on Crescent Lake. I do like the Boardwalk but the pool there looks like it's a little creepy

 

[Poohlove]

I know that we had some time but I was really starting to panic about the cost of flying to Orlando. We would be flying from Philly with Atlantic City as on option. We have always flown SW and I am a creature of habit, I like to stick with what I know. Not to mention that 2 bags flying free is just awesome!!! The carrier in AC makes me very nervous, I have heard so many horror stories about them and by the time that you join their fare club and then pay all of the fees the cost is about the same as a fare would be with other carriers. Not to mention that AC is about a 45 minute ride as opposed to about 15 to PHL.

In a panic, I booked a flight south with one carrier at a price I was ok with and then a return flight with a second carrier, also at a price I was ok with. Again, I couldn't leave well enough alone and something happened that justified my obsessive tendencies - SW had a sale offering $65 each way per person. I couldn't believe my eyes - I cancelled my return flights with SW and used the funds plus and extra $48 to book 3 round trip tix. Now would I be able to cancel my flight south? After a call to the first carrier's customer service dept, the answer was a quick, firm NO!!! Again, my obsessiveness (I like to call it persistence) paid off when I went on the carrier's website and saw that the time of my flight had changed and there was a number to call if you don't accept the changes. After a second quick call, I was able to cancel my original flight south for a full refund - Shot, SCORE!!! At the end of the day i scored 3 round trip tix for slightly more than the price of 3 one way tix.

It all hurts my head a little and those closest to me don't quite understand why I am so excited but I am sure someone here does. Who doesn't love a great deal!!!