Celebrating 2007 with two weeks at the World...with pics; updated:a Day at MGM!

[slk537]

I am loving this whole Pre-trip report thing! I obsess DAILY about our trip and to keep a running thread for myself and for my family is just great!

NOTE: If you'd like to skip the pre-trip parts, the trip journal actually starts on Post 39

Warning: I am an overplanner, who changes her mind constantly and then scraps 50% of my plans.....

2006? Not the best year. Not the worst year of our lives, by any stretch, but when DH and I sat together on New Year’s Eve this year I thought to myself, “You know…2006 really sucked.” I turned to DH and said, “what did you think overall of 2006?”

“It sucked.”

It’s moments like this when I am reminded of why we’re together. We think alike.

2006 was rough. We had a long winter followed by a great May trip to WDW. Then over the course of the next six months, I was promoted without new pay to a higher managerial job with a lot more responsibility and stress and limited training, DS was suspended from two daycares and diagnosed with ADHD, and DH almost quit his fantastic job several times due to being overworked and hugely stressed out.

But 2007? In the last quarter of 2006 I was promoted again – this time into a position I grew into and with which I have fallen in love. I have found my stride and the money (should) be following at the end of May. DH’s job has settled back into what it was before – a job he truly enjoyed. And DS? Best of all, our little angel is in a fantastic daycare he loves – where they care about and truly understand him. I no longer come home, praying he didn’t have a bad day – I now come home knowing he had a good day! And while we were contemplating meds for the ADHD immediately – now we can wait until this summer before he starts kindergarten. My sweet little boy is BACK!!

So what to do to celebrate 2007? How about another unbelievable two week DVC vacation in May?? Absolutely!

Last year, we had a split stay. We began with a two nights in a studio at SSR, followed by two nights in a king one bedroom suite at the Universal Royal Pacific (and two fun filled days at US and IOA!), then five nights in a one bedroom at VWL (with DDP), ending up with four nights in a lagoon view concierge room at the Poly. And while we really liked SSR and Universal, we felt back at home at VWL. So (and I know many would disagree with me) we were sad to leave VWL for the Poly and really didn’t fall in love with the Poly or Concierge. We missed our DVC something fierce! So this time? DVC all the way baby!

So humor me….here’s how the booking of the trip panned out:

1. DS’s AP expires May 6. So we decide to plan the trip around it. This means we leave around April 21.
2. I have this lovely, lovely, lovely thing called “Personal Growth Leave” this year – this, the 10th year of my employment with my company. This means I have 20 business days (4 weeks!!) of paid time off above and beyond my normal vacation. The catch? I have to do something “personally enriching”. And what is more personally enriching than 2 weeks at my favorite place on earth with my favorite boys? My boss agrees so I sign up for April 21 returning Monday of the week before Memorial Day.
3. We search for Northwest flights costing 25,000 miles as we have finally accumulated enough miles for 3 tickets. We don’t find any.
4. We start looking at funky travel dates – Tuesday to Tuesday….Thursday to Thursday….
5. May is starting to look good. We like May. This would be the fourth May trip in a row.
6. We like Mother’s Day at WDW…
7. We decide to bite the bullet and renew DS’s AP. We tell ourselves we’re DVC members so we still save money on it. It hurts, but DH and I shrug and say “it’s only money, right??” (sigh…..)
8. I fill out the leave paperwork again and am now off from April 27 through the Tuesday after Memorial Day. Barely any May days at work! This makes me smile broadly…
9. After weeks of pondering flight options which are all seemingly devoid of 25,000 tickets, (so do we book 2 tickets with 35,000 miles and cash for one???), we finally strike the Mother Lode – not just 3 tickets at 25,000 miles each out of MSP…but 3 tickets at 25,000 miles each originating out of OUR city in Wisconsin, a 25 minute flight to the cities! And we can leave after work Tuesday night (May 1st), not worry about parking or finding a hotel for the night in the cities (see!! Saving for that AP renewal money already!), come home on Wed, May 16…and be back in our house by noon!
10. It takes me about 3 minutes and $30 total fees to book 3 round trip plane tickets.

Now…where do we stay?

1. We book 5 nights at BCV, 4 nights at VWL, and 4 nights at SSR, all in a studio. The first two nights were on hold, as we rented points to a friend for a trip to the BCV in January and she was thinking about canceling her first night (Saturday) and this would put points back in our holding account. SSR and OKW have plenty of availability, so we know we can hold off until March 1st to book.
a. May 1-3: open
b. May 3-8: BCV
c. May 8-12: VWL
d. May 12-16: SSR
2. She cancels the night. Points go into holding.
3. DH calls again to get us on a waitlist for a few more days at BCV and scores two more nights! WOO HOO! A full week at our favorite resort! And he is able to get the first night at SSR moved to VWL. So now we have:
a. May 1-3: still open
b. May 3-10: BCV
c. May 10-13: VWL
d. May 13-16: SSR
4. And this is good…if nothing else changes, we’re happy. But we still waitlist the last three nights at SSR for BWV (never been there – always wanted to!) for any view, and also at VWL to prevent another move.
5. I’m idly checking on our reservations about three days later and lo and behold: we got the last three nights at BWV!!! In a standard view, which floors me…there are only about 20% of the rooms with this view (and lower points, which make them crazy popular) and I never dreamed we’d get them. More points for 2007 use year – we’re thrilled!
6. March 1 comes and frees up our holding account so DH books our first two nights at SSR. I’m still not sure, as I like OKW too. But as things stand today:
a. May 1-3: SSR
b. May 3-10: BCV
c. May 10-13: VWL
d. May 13-16: BWV

We are waitlisted for the BCV for the first two nights, just to forestall another move if needed, but if nothing changes, we’re still happy with our plans. We get to MCO on the first night at 11:20 pm, so based on our last two trips, by the time we get our luggage, SUV lite (I have been able to book an Alamo intermediate SUV for about $380 for 16 days) and get to SSR to check in, it will be about 1-1:30 am, so the location doesn’t truly matter. We can sleep in the next day and start vacationing and then move over to BCV for a week. We love VWL as well, and are looking forward to three nights around the MK at this resort and then topping off the trip at BWV, back at Epcot, and most important: being able to say we’ve stayed at all five WDW location DVC’s!

Of course, we still have about 6-7 weeks to make changes…yes, we’re that kind of vacationer. I’m still pondering if I want OKW for the first two nights, if we should try to head down to Vero for a day and get a cheap points room so we can enjoy the pool and ocean, and we’re WLed for BCV for the first two nights until 7 days before we leave, so who knows?

And gluttons that we are, we have booked the DDP for the whole trip! Fifteen nights!!!

Next up: Introducing our “cast” and There’s No Way Three People Can Eat THAT Much!

 

[ILMICKEY]

Hi. Looks like your second trip is almost exactly when I am going! I love Disney at Christmas.

 

[praisehisname]

Subbing. Sounds like a great trip you have planned!

Denise

 

[slk537]

Hi. Looks like your second trip is almost exactly when I am going! I love Disney at Christmas.

Me too!!! I am getting close to obsessive planning for that trip...about two weeks after we get home in May I'll be able to make our ADR's. Sadly that will probably help immensely with the post WDW trip letdown.

I love what you have next to "DH" in your signature. That sums my DH to a tee!

 

[slk537]

Subbing. Sounds like a great trip you have planned!

Denise

Thanks for reading!!

 

[slk537]

So…who are we? We are a tiny little happy family of three…just me and “my boys”. DH, DW, and DS.

Me – DW, newly 35 and still adjusting to not being in my “early 30’s” anymore. Born and raised in the great state of Wisconsin and happy about it. I would say I am a princess – although a very sweet person at work once told me I can’t be a princess, because a true princess would be oblivious to the fact. I told DH this and he laughed. Yeah. Because I AM a princess. I went to WDW for the first time when I was in junior high school. I liked Disney – I grew up wanting to be Cinderella (she was blonde, I was blonde…it worked). I hate to admit this on the DIS, but for the first trip, I really wanted to go to WDW because…well…my best friend at the time was doing Spring Break in the Cayman Islands and I also wanted to go somewhere and get a tan. Which, if you’ve ever seen me in my lily white Wisconsin glory, you would know how ridiculous THAT dream was…! I am a communication person – words, written and oral, are my thing. Technical? Mechanical? Nope….

DH, 35, my very best friend and cohort. The yin to my yang. He is the “tall, dark and handsome” I dreamed about when I was a little Cinderella loving girl. He used to be the only Disney nut in our mini family. I got to plan the wedding, he got to plan the honeymoon. We went to WDW for 10 glorious days. I am very, very lucky to have him – he treats me like gold and we just have so very much fun together. He works in IT and next to DS and me, he loves computers more than anything in the world. Right before cars. He can take an engine apart and put it back together and that “weird thumping noise” will be gone. He is a hands on person - numbers and equipment and operating systems. Verbal? Communicator? Nope…

(as you can see from our photos, DH and I must have some compulsive need to pretend we have dimples...I have no idea why we're both pointing at our faces.... )

DS, 5, our One and Only. He has been to WDW seven times since he was one. My mom was killed in an accident when he was 8 months old and I…well…I compensate for the spoiling she would have given him. He is an amazing combination of DH and I…he never stops talking, can add and subtract with the best of them, writes and illustrates his own stories, while taking apart his toys and putting them back together. He can use a computer better than many adults and I swear he is right AND left brained. Is he perfect? Well…this mom sometimes thinks so. But alas, no. He is a very optional listener, has no impulse control and has very strong opinions. I adore him!

My boys:

DH and I took DS to WDW for his first trip when he was one. We had a trip planned with my parents, but then my mom’s accident happened so it was down to just the three of us. It was exactly what we needed. We needed to get away and we needed to begin developing as a family of three. We fell in love with WDW from a family perspective. We toured DVC and were tempted, but decided we wanted to own our FIRST home before buying a second one. We went back the next year at Christmastime and were hooked. And then DH managed to get us into OKW through our Interval exchange in May 2004. We stayed on property for the first time and were hooked! Fortunately we had just purchased our house the previous Labor Day and were ready to be welcomed home to DVC.

Since then we have traveled down to WDW several times a year and each time we try to do something just a little bit different. And I plan and plan and plan for each trip. I have excel spreadsheets with multiple tabs – ADRs, Restaurants we might like to try, resorts and how many points, daily itineraries, park schedules, packing lists, you name it. Simply put: I love planning/obsessing about WDW trips. And now with the DDP and a few resort moves, we are having an absolute blast planning how we can use ALL our credits without losing many and get to all our favorite places…with as few OOP expenses as possible. Pure obsessive fun! Although knowing how fooded out (is that really a phrase??) we were after only less than a week on the DDP at VWL last May, I can only imagine how much we’ll be waddling after the first few days…

Next up: Credits? Schmedits! I can plan 15 nights of DDP with four resorts!

 

[princessjv]

HOW YOU FIGURED THE MATH, IS BEYOND ME! You are far better at fuzzy wuzzy Disney math!

I am so excited to hear about this whirl wind vacation! My goodness...keep it coming, I gotta live through your words...

 

[ILMICKEY]

I have already became the obsessive, compulsive planner and we still have 8 months left. My family is really getting annoyed with me. What park do you guys want to go to this day?, what restaurants sound good? Mom, are you on that Disboard again??? Oh, well, when all is said and done, they will appreciate it.

Can't wait for more!

 

[joiev98]

Great report so far! Can't wait to read more!

 

[MomofCKJ]

Another crazy planner signing on for your journey! Sounds like it is going to be an outstanding trip! Can't wait for more!

Allyson

 

[praisehisname]

Your little boy is adorable!!! I would love to own DVC, but hubby still needs convincing. Maybe someday...

Denise

 

[slk537]

I have already became the obsessive, compulsive planner and we still have 8 months left. My family is really getting annoyed with me. What park do you guys want to go to this day?, what restaurants sound good? Mom, are you on that Disboard again??? Oh, well, when all is said and done, they will appreciate it.

Can't wait for more!

Thanks! You are the same as me - plan plan plan! I already have my spreadsheets all set for the trip in November....

HOW YOU FIGURED THE MATH, IS BEYOND ME! You are far better at fuzzy wuzzy Disney math!

I am so excited to hear about this whirl wind vacation! My goodness...keep it coming, I gotta live through your words...

HA! I can justify anything -it helps with the Disney fuzzy math, believe me! Thanks for reading!

Great report so far! Can't wait to read more!

Thank you!

Another crazy planner signing on for your journey! Sounds like it is going to be an outstanding trip! Can't wait for more!

Allyson

Welcome! I love knowing there are others out there like me

Your little boy is adorable!!! I would love to own DVC, but hubby still needs convincing. Maybe someday...

Denise

Thank you SO much! We think he's pretty special too...

DH had to talk me into DVC and I was a hard sell. But I don't regret it one bit!

 

[slk537]

Credits? Schmedits! I can plan 15 nights of DDP with four resorts!

Ah…the Disney Dining Plan. When it first became popular, DH and I agreed wholeheartedly that although it seemed like a nice idea, it wasn’t for us. Nope, we were DDE people. Saving that 20%! And then all of a sudden DVC adopted the plan and our thoughts changed – we were on board!

On our last trip, we didn’t opt for the DDP for the first two nights when we were at SSR – it wasn’t really cost effective. We checked in around 1:00 AM and after one full day at the resort we moved to Universal. We would have had one day to eat 6 snacks, 6 CS meals, and 6 TS credits. We did opt to use the DDP during the time at VWL and we loved it. And the bonus? We like to resort hop so I get even more planning time out of this.

So I have 15 nights to work with. I start with charting everything in an excel spreadsheet: where we’re staying, where we’re eating, what credits we’re using. I add the special events we have booked for DS and “dates” for DH and me. I plan and plan and plan and call and book. And then I plan and rethink and then call and cancel and rebook. And in the middle of all of this, I plan and ask DH his opinion and read him menus and disregard his opinions and the go back and listen to his opinions and then compromise. And then I cancel and rebook. And as I look at these plans and type them up I realize that after this trip I will never, ever have to eat again.

Or at least not until June….

So as we stand today:

We fly out at 5:20 pm and will arrive at MCO around 11:20 pm. Assuming Alamo will be as insane as always, we should arrive at SSR ready to check in around 1:30 EST.

***Author’s note: why is it that no matter how early or how late you arrive at MCO, Alamo always has at least 427 people in line? Budget? None. Dollar? Maybe 2. Alamo? The queue winds back and around and back again. Author’s note/rant over**

We will wake up on Day One with 2 nights worth of DDP credits. CS plans? Well…I shame myself here, but we play this by ear. I know at some point it will involve Artist Palette. We ate there last time and really enjoyed it. So….TS ADR’s:

Day One - SSR:
Dinner at Boma – my favorite!!
Boma – I love it. I love the prime rib and the Durban chicken and the hummus and the kid’s mac and cheese and the carrot ginger soup and oh how much do I love the desserts! DS loves the watermelon, chicken fingers and mac and cheese. Also the prime rib. DH loves me, so he pretends he like the prime rib and anything else recognizable at the pods. The service here is awesome and the staff is always so sweet and helpful. Love this restaurant!

Day Two – Move to BCV:
Dinner at Coral Reef - Epcot
This one is new for us. We are really intrigued by the aquariums and the sea turtles. We’re not seafood lovers, but they have some seafood items we’re interested in and they do have that lovely roasted cow we both enjoy so much. I have to say…the Chocolate Wave has me thinking this place has major potential…

Day Three
Breakfast: Spoodles - Boardwalk
(OOP) for DH and me while DS enjoys the Pirate Cruise
from the Beach Club Villas. DS loved the PCruise from the GF last
year and we know he’ll love this one. He got some money from my
Grandma for Christmas and decided to spend it on fun things at WDW.
This is one of them. And DH and I will either have a nice date
breakfast or we’ll get some doughnuts and just enjoy being together..

Dinner: Cape May Café – Beach Club
a family tradition. Again, we’re not seafood fans (and truth be told the
clams and mussels kindof creep me out a little ) but we really enjoy the American side and we love the whole beach feeling.

Day Four:
Breakfast: Chef Mickey’s - Contemporary
OOP at Chef Mickeys because DS asked. Chances are we might cancel this one. I hope. I really, really hope….

Dinner: Le Cellier Steakhouse – Canada Epcot
Le Cellier for DH and me, while DS plays with the transformers at the BC Sandcastle Club. Yes, he would rather play with transformers at the Sandcastle Club than spend the evening with his boring Mom and Dad

Day Five:
Breakfast: Yacht Club Galley – Yacht Club
OOP at Yacht Club Galley – to use DS’s TS credit we didn’t use at Le Cellier. This one we may cancel – I don’t know.

Dinner: Spoodles - Boardwalk
YUM! We tried this for the first time last trip and loved it. I see they changed the menu, but as long as they have the Mediterranean dips, I’m a happy pig!

Day Six:
Dinner: ‘Ohana - Polynesian
‘Ohana. DS loves the coconut races and we all enjoy the atmosphere. We missed this one last year (went to Spoodles a second time instead) and will try to make it this year. I made the ADR close to Wishes time so we can either watch from the restaurant, or the beach afterwards.

Day Seven:
Dinner: Yachtsman Steakhouse – Yacht Club
DH and I alone at Yachtsman Steakhouse. DS again wants to ditch us for the lure of the transformers. I almost wish I was joking. The child has plenty of them at home that he has collected from birthday, Christmas, allowance. But something about ordering his own dinner and playing at the SCC (or any kid’s club for that matter) makes those places better than hanging out with us. So we’re stuck having a date. Yup, just me and my best buddy alone together having a night out. I guess I can live with it….

Day Eight:
Breakfast: Kona Café – Polynesian
DH and I have breakfast at the Kona Café after dropping DS off for the GF Pirate Cruise. He just loves these experiences and we like giving him a change to have some time to enjoy himself without us. And yeah, we like our “dates”

Dinner: Mama Melrose Fantasmic Dinner Package
Did this one last year and loved it – it was the first time we’d had dinner at MM and the first time we saw Fantasmic. I am looking forward to this again. Oh yeah – and DS will be with us!!

Day Nine – move to VWL:
Breakfast: Whispering Canyon Café – Wilderness Lodge
Another breakfast OOP to maybe use up one of DS’s TS credits from when he’s at the kid’s club. How’s this for fuzzy Disney math? We spend money for US to eat so we don’t waste DS’s TS credit. Yes, I am the Queen of Justification. I mean, after all…we get 10% off from our DVC or AP ( I never remember which)

Dinner: Narcoosee’s – Grand Floridian
DS will be spending the evening at the Neverland Club while DH and I suffer eating lobster and that lovely steak while celebrating our anniversary (which…okay…is in October) or my birthday (yeah…again, not May but February) or just celebrating making it through nine and a half years of wedded bliss. I plan to order a special cake or something for us. Last year DH planned a wonderful and romantic private dining dinner at the Grand Floridian, and I want to do something for him – even if it’s not as elaborate as what he did for me. I am really looking forward to this meal. It’s a first for us here and DS really, really loves the Neverland Club.

Day Ten:
Breakfast: Kona Café – Polynesian (yes, again)
DS will be spending some time at the GF doing Grand Adventures in Cooking. He saw this on Walt Disney World Unwrapped and he is very, very excited about this. DH and I will be having another nice breakfast, which I can say WILL include a mango/orange smoothie. Yum…..

Dinner: Whispering Canyon Café – Wilderness Lodge
Haven’t had dinner here in a few years and we’re looking forward to it. Another OOP for us and TS for DS unless we’ve cancelled something. We shall see.

Day Eleven:
Dinner: Le Cellier
Like it or not, this time the little man is coming with us. Maybe we’ll let him bring one of his transformers from home and he can pretend we’re kid’s club counselors and not his mom and dad. Hopefully the chocolate mousse moose will distract him from the fact that he’s at a WDW park having a lovely dinner with his family and not back in a (albeit very nice) room watching a Disney movie with a transformer toy. We really love this restaurant so we reserved a do over this trip. Twice….!

Day Twelve – Mother’s Day – move to Boardwalk Villas!!!
Brunch – Mother’s Day Brunch at Epcot
Can’t WAIT for this – we did it two years ago and it was unbelievably good. They were testing something and had lots of “hero” characters there which I don’t believe will be there this year, but I’m not a huge fan of character meals (see comments on Chef Mickey’s reservation. Been there, done that).
If anyone out there will be at WDW for Mother’s Day, I can’t recommend this brunch enough!

Photo of DS and me from our last MD Brunch:

Dinner – Mother’s Day – Boma – Animal Kingdom Lodge
Yup, Boma Take Two. What can I say? It’s my favorite…

Day Thirteen:
Dinner: Spoodles – Boardwalk
Spoodles Take Two. Another favorite of ours. And as we’re staying at the Boardwalk and the trip is winding down…it seemed like a good idea.

Day Fourteen – last full day:
SURPRISE: NO ADR’S!!! I have planned them all and I have a sneaking suspicion we’ll have most of our BWV CS credits left on this day. I might make an ADR at Raglan Road if we can get in and haven’t used all our credits yet, otherwise we’ll be eating CS all over.

Yeah...I think when we're done with all this it'll be at LEAST two weeks before we want to eat again...

 

[slk537]

Happy pretrip planning event....our bright red Baggalini messenger bag arrived...!

Is that sad? DS and I were so excited! It has disappeared however, as DS has fallen in love with it and is holding it hostage until I order him his own in orange (DS love love loves orange)! I think he'll be sticking with his Buzz Lightyear backpack though, as it's more his size...

Next event: DH and DS want matching Disney crocs. And soon it will be time to pull out T-Shirts and shorts and shop for new ones. DS has worn holes into so many nice jeans that I am tempted to cut them off and sew hems into them to make shorts. Great idea except....well...I have no idea how to sew.

I do have a very best friend who can.....hmmmmm........maybe a lesson is in the cards.

I can't wait for the smell of sunlotion in my house!

 

[ILMICKEY]

Sounds delicious!! Do you happen to know when Disney gives the dates for the MVMCP? I want to do an Dinner at MK one night, but don't want to pick a night they are doing that.

 

[OhMari]

I want your job. Where do you guys live and work in Wisconsin.

Dinner: Cape May Café – Beach Club
a family tradition. Again, we’re not seafood fans (and truth be told the
clams and mussels kindof creep me out a little ) but we really enjoy the American side and we love the whole beach feeling.

This statement is so true. I just got done asking Marla-one of the Moderator's on here about Cape May Cafe. I have an ADR for Easter nite, and we are not big sea-food lovers, sometimes the shrimp gets lumped into that category. I really have to make up my mind today if I want another ADR for Easter nite.

 

[slk537]

One more month!!!

I can almost hardly stand how excited I'm getting. Work has been crazy and we've been dealing with some health issues for DH and related issues at his job. And...our DS is finally confirmed with his ADHD diagnosis (which we've been working on, medication free, for about 9 months now) and started taking Concerta this week. From the differences we've noted, this trip will be a different one. I am very curious to see how the flight goes. Not only will he be on meds that help him with the boredom, but DH bought us a video iPod for Christmas so DS can watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse until his eyes can't take it anymore. TS dinners (when he graces us with his presence ) are going to be great! We spent 2 hours at dinner last night with my dad, just enjoying conversation and good food and DS was fantastic...colored, played games on the paper menu, joined the conversation. I almost cried I was so happy!

So where do things stand with 30 days to go?

Found the Baggalini and filled it with the DVC confirmations - shockingly, nothing has changed yet. We still check almost daily to see if our Waitlist has come through for the first two nights at the BCV, but it's more of an idle curiosity than urgency. We love SSR and starting the trip there will be great. We like to hit DTD right away and DS is itching to get a custom Mickey rice krispie bar at Goofy's Candy Co. And I am itching to sit down somewhere and gaze across the water at SSR and breathe in deeply and let it sink in that I'm HERE!!!

Lost my wallet on a string from last year. It's here somewhere in the house, just don't know where. The expired DDE cards are in there (no big). The extra DVC cards are in there (we each have another in our wallets, so no big). All our room keys from last May are in there (very much no big). About 107 Mickey round stickers the CM's all handed DS last May are in there. Sigh. No big. BUT...two old hopper passes with 2 days remaining on each are in there. VERY big. We need those to apply towards DH's or my new AP. So now I have to scour the house for something I haven't see in 10 1/2 months. Argh.

I have filled DS's wardrobe with plenty of shorts and T-shirts. I've started acquiring new ones for me. And I have bought several new polos and T's for DH. Check.

Plans made with dad to pick up our car at the airport and check on our cats while we're gone? Check.

Lengthy list of to do's for spring cleaning the house so it's immaculate when we leave (and more importantly, come back)...? Check.

Loss of the extra 4578 pounds I wanted to lose? One answer:

Darn. I'll have to get on that when we get back...

Everything ready at work for me to leave for 30 days? Hmmmm....in process? Does that count?

Booked and rebooked and rebooked Alamo - currently have an SUV lite for $389 total for 16 days and double nwa miles for each of those days. Pondering throwing away the extra space and double miles for a full size car at $339 and single nwa miles.

I just can't believe it's only 30 days away. I keep scouring trip reports and dining reviews and looking at old photos and forgetting that DH and I have to go shop for the Easter Bunny's basket and eggs, which is a bit more urgent than tracking down the exact Disney Crocs DH and DS really want. Right after Easter, we have another trip to Mayo Clinic for DH before the trip and from there it's a straight stretch until it's time to leave. I just can't wait for my last day of work: April 27th. This time, I'll have 4 full days to finish scrubbing the house, shopping for the multiple disposable aluminum roasting pans that we fill with litter downstairs and cat food upstairs, and packing. In theory, on the actual day of departure, I should be able to sleep in, meet my best friend for lunch, pick DS up from daycare, and be ready to head to the airport, 10 minutes away from our house, when DH gets home. I say in theory, because it never works out that way. I always spend the last day racing around, scrubbing and dusting and packing and shopping and sweating and showering and panicking until I finally collapse, waiting for the moment to leave....

 

[slk537]

So...what am I most looking forward to?

1. Being away from work, school, and work and being with my two favorite people in the whole world in our favorite place in the whole world.

2. A whole week at Beach Club Villas

3. Drinking a mojito. I don't know where and I don't know why, but I am dying to try one of these and I have set our trip to Florida as the time and place. Somehow a Cuban speciality doesn't seem to fit in with snow and ice up here at home. Although I've become addicted to the Orbitz mojito gum...

4. Laying around the pool at SAB

5. A chicken caesar salad at Artist Palette

6. Seeing the Top 7 things to do at WDW the first time.

7. Taking hundreds of photos of my family having fun

8. Being back on my balcony at VWL

9. Staying at BWV for the first time

10. Soarin'...!!!

11. The DDP. It's fun and I know it's too much food, but if we set aside the idea of "getting our money's worth" and "saving as much as we can" and just not overeating then we can have a blast.

12. Wishes.

13. Walking through DTD with my boys.

14. DS's adventures - Pirate Cruises and Grand Adventures in Cooking

15. All the familiar and all the new experiences we'll have.

And the things I don't look forward to?

1. Sweating

2. Also sweating.

3. the actual travel part

4. the little, inevitable family squabbles everyone has. We'll try to avoid them, but I'm being realistic.

5. Not having laundry in our rooms this time.

7. Sweating. Also just being hot.

8. Watching the Top 7 Must Sees every time AFTER the first

9. Still more sweating.

6. Coming home

Hmmm...I think the pros way outweigh the cons. And no, I don't have a medical excessive sweating issue , I just hate being uber hot. But I'd rather be sweaty and flushed and practically swimming through the air at WDW, than freezing on my way to work up here.

Sighs happily. Thirty days.....

 

[KathyRN137]

Ahhh..fourteen days!

I am very, very, very jealous!

You will be writing a trippie when you get back, right? Hope so!

Kathy

 

[BrerMama]

It sounds like you have a great trip -- with lots of yummy meals -- planned. I can't wait to read more. All that changing resorts has the homebody in me freaking out, but you make it sound like an adventure!