Cast Of Fools Pre-trip Report

[Nancee74]

Cast of fools:
DM ( Disney Mom) me, 51 – Loves everything Disney and has been only 6 times
DS1 – Dear oldest son, 30
DDIL – Dear oldest son’s wife and my favorite daughter-n-law , 28
DGD – Dear granddaughter, 21 months
DD- Dear daughter, 26
DGS1 – Dear daughter‘s son and my grandson – 2 years old
DGS2 – Dear daughter’s son and my second grandson – 3 months
DS2 – Dear youngest son, 20
AR – Dear daughter-n-law’s sister, 30 ish
MR – Dear daughter-n-law’s nephew, 16
MM – Dear daughter-n-law’s nephew’s friend, 16
BD – Dear Son’s best friend, affectionately called my “other” son

What a cast.

We made our first trip to Disney together last Nov 17 – 24, 2006, and now
going back for our now 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Trip, Nov 15 – 23, 2007

What started my head spinning, I mean thinking, was when my DS1 and his beautiful wife bought into a timeshare package in 2005 that included a spot close to Disney. They decided they would save all their points and we would all go for a week at Thanksgiving. We had been through a very rough year; Hurricane Katrina had devastated our homes, turned our lives upside down and changed our world forever. We were all in need of a little joy and happiness.

We did almost no planning for this trip except to purchase our tickets and off we went. Had a great time but knew we missed out on a lot. We were not able to eat in any restaurants, as we had no reservations and everything was booked, so I knew we could do better the next time.

January 2007
Reservations were again made at the condo (which, by the way, is great for a group like us) for November 15 – 23, 2007, and I could not wait for May to get here so I could start making ADR’s. We actually have two condo’s this year, 1 2-bedroom and 1 3-bedroom.

As a group all 12 of us decided on doing the Playhouse Disney dinner at MGM. All other events we were on our own. Since in my group it would be my DD, DGS1, DGS2 and DS2, we sat down and looked at our options. Here is what we chose to do:

Disney Dining Reservations

Date Park Where Time
November 16th Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 7 pm to Midnight tickets
November 17th MK Crystal Palace -Breakfast with characters 10:30 AM
November 18th EPCOT San Angel Inn (Mexico) - late Lunch 1:00 PM
November 19th MGM Playhouse Dinner- breakfast-9 adults/3 children 11:30
November 19th MGM 50's Prime Time Café - late lunch 4:15 PM
November 20th Poly Ohana's - late dinner 8:20: PM**
November 21st MK Libery Tree Tavern (character lunch) 4:20 PM


**Reservation made late to view fireworks at Magic Kingdom

I am so excited about our trip this year. I have made several purchases for my grandchildren: 2 Mickey Mouse costumes and 1 Minnie Mouse, plus several Disney shirts for them to wear while we are there.

I have also made reservations in Tallahassee, Florida for two nights, one on the way down and one on the way back. With three children under two, we all decided to take two days to make the trip. From where we live, Tallahassee is a 4 ½ hour drive and from Tallahassee to Disney is another 4 hour drive. Our plan is it leave on Thursday (15th) no later than 1 pm for arrival in Tallahassee by 6 pm and leave Tallahassee no later than 8 am for arrival at our condo by 1 pm. I am hoping that will give us time to run to the grocery store for food and a little rest before we head out to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at 7 pm.

We have 56 days to go and I am so excited already. The next month and a half will be extremely busy for us. We have 3 birthdays to celebrate, one wedding show to put on, and one wedding to go to. I am not even counting work and other things, like this morning, we are getting ready for a possible “tropical storm” weekend. Life keeps us busy.

Let me hear any suggestions that anyone may have to make our stay "disney-great":

 

[TinkAsh2001]

You have a BIG group going! Sounds like LOTS of fun! I am plannin our trip for spring break and want to start a pre-trip report but I dunno if its to early or not?!

 

[Nancee74]

I have never done a pre-trip report before. I have only been a member of DIS boards for a very short time.

 

[Nancee74]

Opps, forgot to add my DD friend, 29, who will also be going with us. Yeah, another pair of hands to help with the babies.

 

[Nancee74]

I have been reading trip reports about the heat well, let me tell you about our trip last year.

Last year when we went to Disney for this same week (Thanksgiving), we had freezing temperatures every day but the last one. We are hoping for better weather this year. We had reservations for the Luau at the Poly and they cancelled it due to snow flurries. Can you imagine snow flurries in Orlando.

I will have to wait much closer to our departing date to decide what to bring as far as clothes go. My DS1 and I both wore our crocs to the parks every day and never did our feet hurt.