Can we? Should we? A Spring 2009 PTR - New 5/6 - The TR has begun!

[DisMomAmy]

I was just doing some shopping on www.amazon.com and I saw it there! (Search: Music: Walt Disney World.)


Kathy

The 2006 album is showing up but listed as "unavailable"... the Laughing Place (or whatever that WDW shopping service is called) is also saying it isn't available...

The other year's albums probably have a lot of the same music though, huh?

 

[DisMomAmy]

How wonderful of your DH to be encouraging you take a "girl's weekend"! Free dining is so tempting isn't it? My DH and I have actually been talking about going for a weekend in late Sept. just the two of us. We haven't had time away as a couple since Caitlin was a baby! The great deals Disney keeps offering are really encouraging extra trips!

Isn't that their plan... suck us in and never let us go!

Sniff! Sniff! I smell it, too!
Kathy

I'd love to meet you guys - we'll see...

 

[mrsksomeday]

Now I might be missing Kathy AND Amy ??

How the heck can I talk Bill out of Christmas stuff into the first week of November??

 

[DisMomAmy]

Now I might be missing Kathy AND Amy ??

How the heck can I talk Bill out of Christmas stuff into the first week of November??

I thought about you guys, but I don't think we can do early October. As of now Free Dining is only through October 3rd. If Free Dining is extended, then it's a possibility but my friend has a work thing one of the first weekend in October - a big annual event that there's no way she could miss. I'm just not sure which weekend it is...

Baby steps... we need to decide if we are even going first.

 

[cjackearl]

Oh no, I'm behind! First, yea for Autism Awareness month. I think we all know someone affected. It's great there's a month to help draw attention to it.

So sorry Zachary is still sick. Everyone needs a break after awhile.

Ooh, that CD looks cool. Where did it come from?

LOVE your tags! Good job!

I'm so jelous of your packing! We have to try on summer stuff this weekend and see what we need. I have a feeling its going to be a lot.

 

[mrsksomeday]

We got a free dining code in my email last year when we went for Super Soap Weekend. I could see them doing something like that or might just extend the dates to get people in the park. That might work to my advantage for November if that happened .

 

[Charleston Princess]

The tags are super cute!!!

The last time I was on hold with Dining, they said it was "Where the Magic Lives: The Official Album" or something like that -- I hope they have it when we go in June as I really need it for the car.

A girls' weekend would be a lot of fun!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

A girl's weekend at Disney!! That would be so much fun! I hope all the details work out for you.

I turn 40 next year...think I could talk my DH into a birthday trip just for the two of us????

 

[Hedy]

for a girl's weekend.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Oh no, I'm behind! First, yea for Autism Awareness month. I think we all know someone affected. It's great there's a month to help draw attention to it.

So sorry Zachary is still sick. Everyone needs a break after awhile.

Ooh, that CD looks cool. Where did it come from?

LOVE your tags! Good job!

I'm so jelous of your packing! We have to try on summer stuff this weekend and see what we need. I have a feeling its going to be a lot.

Zach is finally feeling better today - not 100% but getting there.

I think I got the CD from Disneyshopping... I've ordered so many things online recently I'm not completely positive though.

Don't be jealous of my packing... I have made more of a mess than anything else. It's too early to completely pack so I have bits here and pieces there - just a big ol' mess everywhere. But it does feel good to see the suitcases every day.

We got a free dining code in my email last year when we went for Super Soap Weekend. I could see them doing something like that or might just extend the dates to get people in the park. That might work to my advantage for November if that happened .

Maybe there will be a bounceback offer when we are there in a few weeks?

The tags are super cute!!!

The last time I was on hold with Dining, they said it was "Where the Magic Lives: The Official Album" or something like that -- I hope they have it when we go in June as I really need it for the car.

A girls' weekend would be a lot of fun!

I think I've figured out that there is a "Where the Magic Lives" album for each year. I just haven't figured out how they are different... I plan to find one while we are there & maybe a Wishes CD.

A girl's weekend at Disney!! That would be so much fun! I hope all the details work out for you.

I turn 40 next year...think I could talk my DH into a birthday trip just for the two of us????

It's always fun to get away without the kids - I've been lucky enough to do it almost once a year - either with DH or a girlfriend or last year with my mom. It's very rejuvinating!

for a girl's weekend.

Thanks!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Day 2 - Tuesday, April 28th

8:15 bus to AK (does this sound right to make it for RD?)
9:00 Rope Drop @ AK
Get stroller then head straight to EE!
Hit Dinoland, and see FOTLK
Lunch at FTBBQ (CS #1)
Ride the Safari, Walking Trails?, Kali River Rapids
Leave park by 1:00 for mid-day break

3:30 Bus to DHS
PHD Live! (See this show today and save LMA Stunt Show for later it the week to see with DBIL & family.)
Tower of Terror?
Toy Story Mania?
Rockin’ Rollercoaster? (& HISTK playground?)
Dinner (CS #2)

Day 3: Wednesday, April 29th

Wednesday 4/29
8:00 Bus to MK (does this sound right?)
9:00 Rope Drop @ MK – enter through right tunnel!
Head to Fantasyland – Pooh, Peter Pan, IASW,
Head to Tomorrowland – Buzz Lightyear, Laugh Factory, Car?
Head to Frontierland – (CS #3)
TSI to run off steam
Haunted Mansion, BTMRR, Splash Mtn., POC, Jungle Cruise?
4:15-4:30 Head out of park to the Contemporary
5:00 Chef Mickeys (TS #2)
Back to resort for an early night

So what do you guys think? I'm not set on the MK schedule...

 

[DisMomAmy]

These are the three days DBIL will be with us. I don't know how much I have talked about them... I know I've talked about them but I don't know how much I have told you about each of them...

In my last TR I made up fake names for them - but that was too confusing so I'll just call them...
DBIL - Jeff
Jeff's girlfriend - Karen
Dnephew (16) - "J"
Dniece (13) - "K"

J & K are not Jeff and Karen junior - just a coincidence... and Karen isn't their mom. Jeff was married to "R" for 16+ years - I think they are technically still married - they wanted to do their 2008 taxes together before officially splitting up. But they have been on & off for years. Now that they are getting divorced everyone is soooooo much happier. He wasn't very happy in his marriage and everyone could tell - I've never seen Jeff happier then he is now. Karen is really good for him. Jeff & Karen now live together and it's like Jeff has his own home for the first time in his life. R's mother always lived with them and it definitely complicated matters. R actually has a boyfriend now too, which makes things easier for Jeff & his girlfriend.

We met Karen a couple years ago when they flew to NH together - she has a son in Maine and Jeff was coming to see us. They didn't spend the week together and they were very mysterious about their whole relationship. Finally they visited us "together" over Thanksgiving and it was a great visit. We couldn't wait to get back to see them. That's when we extended our Disney trip to include seeing them. I'm so glad we did.

Karen has been my planning contact... Right from the beginning she said to include them in any plans we have for the 3 days they are with us - dining included. So once I made up our itinerary, I sent it along to her and got her OK. She said they prefer TS dining over CS so don't worry about the cost - just plan away. We will be eating 4 TS meals with them. I'm glad we have planned it this way because our kids aren't big restaurant eaters so we'll have help for the majority of our TS meals. We're doing out 3 character meals without them - those shouldn't be too hard without help.

And the most recent update was when the Florida resident discounts were announced - I emailed Karen, but she didn't do anything about it. So a couple weeks later I checked out the rates and it would save them almost $100/night! So this time I called her. She called me back a little while later - instead of saving the money - they added a third night! They will just stay over the third night and leave in the morning rather than driving back home on the third evening/night. Everyone was excited, except J.

J is 16 - nuff said.

J/K - He is a hard working 16 year old. He goes to a military school & his parents are pretty strict with him & it has paid off. He's made a few teenage mistakes - but overall he's a great kid. He has a job and is very loyal to it. He didn't want to add the extra night because he didn't want to miss any more work. But it all worked out OK because he doesn't work Sundays anyways. I'm sure he'll be happy to spend time with us at Disney - once he's there.

K is 13 (almost 14) - hopefully not too much like a teenager yet... But I think that starts around age 11-12 these days so we could be in for some drama. Last time she spent any amount of time with the boys she was 11 and loved playing with them. She was old enough to watch them and young enough to enjoy playing with them. I'm afraid that might not be the case this year. We'll see...

On to the plans... next post...

 

[DisMomAmy]

We're not sure what time Jeff, Karen, J & K will be arriving. The kids are skipping school Thursday & Friday so they should be able to leave first thing in the morning. However... Once I find out their timing for their arrival I'll be able to plan better for Thursday.

Day 4: Thursday 4/30

This is an Animal Kingdom day. I know we have a lot of AK days planned, but Karen has never seen AK so it's a must-do while she is there. Depending when Jeff arrives we'll either head to AK early and take a break - or more likely arrive at AK late and go straight to WCC for dinner without a mid-day break.
Whatever we/they want…
Depending when we arrived…
Lunch (CS #4)
mid-day break or straight to WCC
Head to Wilderness Lodge for 5:30 ADR (TS #3)
Take boat to MK for Spectro & Wishes!!


Day 5: Friday 5/1

DHS whenever (w/ DBIL & family)
TSM if we make RD – want to see the regular line
LMA stunt show
The Great Movie Ride ?
ToT
RnRC
Whatever else…
50s PTC lunch ADR @ 12:25 (TS #4)
depending on time we arrived… back to resort for R&R – Sea Raycers?
MK for the evening??
Dinner (CS #5)


Day 6: Saturday 5/2

Epcot @ RD
Send a runner for Soarin' FPs
Character Connection?
Get Kim Possible FP
Test Track
Mission Space
Club Cool
Soarin'
Nemo
Crush?
SSE?
12:00 Lunch ADR @ Teppan Edo (TS #5)
Ladybugs at Germany (1:00 & 3:00)
Back to resort for break??
Explore World Showcase
5:15 Dinner ADR @ LeCellier (TS #6)
Stay until we feel like it…
Illuminations? (early morning tomorrow, but last day w/Jeff…)

As you can tell from the touring plans, or lack there of, I am using the flexible side of my flexible OCD during the family visit days. I really don't want to go all commando on them. kwim??

Jeff, Karen, J & K will head back to the west coast first thing Sunday morning. We probably won't see them on Sunday b/c we have our 8:00 AK character breakfast.

Coming right up... Day 7 - our last day.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Day 7: Sunday 5/3

Today we will put our park hoppers to work for us... this will be our third morning at AK. I really want to go to the Tusker House breakfast before park opening, but it didn't work out on our other two AK days. We've never visited 3 parks in one day, but today may be the day!

7:15? Bus to Animal Kingdom
8:00 ADR at Tusker House (TS #7)
ride favorites (EE & ?)
Then we'll head out of AK to visit favorite rides at other parks - or things we missed earlier in the week. We won't have any more ADRs to make so we'll just go with the flow today - we may even split up... we'll see.
open park day…
Lunch (CS #6)
Dinner (CS #7)

Based on what we've been hearing, today won't be a good day to visit DHS because it's a F! night. It's also not a great day to visit MK - EMH night... And we'll have spent the whole day at Epcot the day before. So I'm not sure how it will all work out today... We'll all just have to wait and see... me included.


Day 8: Monday 5/4

I'm sure we'll have an early ME time - our flight is at 10:45. We'll have about enough time to finish packing up and head out to the bus.

 

[cjackearl]

Plans look good!

I think your niece will still be helpful, maybe even more so! Although teens are, well, unpredictable. Even my 11 year old has her moody moments.

Is the ladybug thing in Germany only during certain times of the year? That sounds really neat, as long as they're real ladybugs. The other guys bite!

 

[MRYPPNS]

Day 7: Sunday 5/3

7:15? Bus to Animal Kingdom

That's what time I would be out for the bus.

Based on what we've been hearing, today won't be a good day to visit DHS because it's a F! night. It's also not a great day to visit MK - EMH night... And we'll have spent the whole day at Epcot the day before. So I'm not sure how it will all work out today... We'll all just have to wait and see... me included.

No better day than your last day to play it by ear. Don't rule out just hanging out at the resort....or even doing some resort hopping in the afternoon for lunch or dinner.

I'm sure we'll have an early ME time - our flight is at 10:45. We'll have about enough time to finish packing up and head out to the bus.

Normally ME departure time is 3 hours prior to your flight. But Sunday is a big check-out day so it wouldn't surprise me if your pick-up was closer to 7am.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Plans look good!

I think your niece will still be helpful, maybe even more so! Although teens are, well, unpredictable. Even my 11 year old has her moody moments.

Is the ladybug thing in Germany only during certain times of the year? That sounds really neat, as long as they're real ladybugs. The other guys bite!

Thanks!
The lady bug release is a Flower & Garden Festival thing. You're just missing it, aren't you?

 

[DisMomAmy]

That's what time I would be out for the bus.

That's what I figured for the buses - 45 minutes for everything except MK - I added a little extra for that since it's further away...

No better day than your last day to play it by ear. Don't rule out just hanging out at the resort....or even doing some resort hopping in the afternoon for lunch or dinner.

Great idea to do some resort hopping - or maybe DTD or the Boardwalk. There are a lot of great CS places out there.

Normally ME departure time is 3 hours prior to your flight. But Sunday is a big check-out day so it wouldn't surprise me if your pick-up was closer to 7am.

Luckily we're checking out on a Monday.

 

[cjackearl]

The lady bug release is a Flower & Garden Festival thing. You're just missing it, aren't you?

Yep, bummer. Can't wait to see some pictures!

 

[MRYPPNS]

Luckily we're checking out on a Monday.

LOL! I'm lucky I can remember my own name at this point so just ignore me We flew out of Orlando on a Tuesday last time and I don't think I will ever fly out on the weekend again.