Celebrating my Un-Birthday Disney Style-April 2010-New 5/3 - The TR has started!

[eandesmom]

Oh my goodness! It's sure to get better... March weather is always a bit schizophrenic!

Happy Five Weeks!!

I noticed that you are planning to buy Easter basket grass... I have stopped buying the plastic grass because no matter how hard I try to clean it up, I find shreds of it around the house for several months afterward!!


Kathy

ugh on the Easter basket grass. I like to use it for decorating around candles at this time of hear and Evan's cat Melvin is ALL over it.

 

[DisMomAmy]

This has been the coldest winter here in the south that I can remember in a long, long time. I didn't think spring would ever get here.

Yet we have had a very mild winter... strange! I guess we can blame it on El Nino!

Oh my goodness! It's sure to get better... March weather is always a bit schizophrenic!

Happy Five Weeks!!

I noticed that you are planning to buy Easter basket grass... I have stopped buying the plastic grass because no matter how hard I try to clean it up, I find shreds of it around the house for several months afterward!!


Kathy

I HATE Easter grass!! We get the shreaded paper kind that's used in gift bags. The dollar store sells all different colors.

ugh on the Easter basket grass. I like to use it for decorating around candles at this time of hear and Evan's cat Melvin is ALL over it.

I was going to mention cats... my mother's cats go crazy over the stuff too!

 

[carissanboys]

Looks like you're making good progress with your lists! Only 5 weeks!

I'm sure the weather will be warmer for your trip.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Looks like you're making good progress with your lists! Only 5 weeks!

I'm sure the weather will be warmer for your trip.

It'll probably end up being a heat wave with temps in the high 90s!

 

[DisMomAmy]

I'm a little bit frustrated this morning. So much that I had to go find some new "frustrated" smilies.

Karen called last night to say that Jeff has to work the weekend they had planned to come to Orlando...

so they'll be coming Wednesday - Friday. Jeff has to work at 5am Saturday so they'll leave sometime Friday (I suspect mid-day).

What does this mean for our trip plans? Well it means we might not be able to make it to our Le Cellier ADR or our Crystal Palace ADR! On Friday and Saturday we had expected Jeff & family to be with us, therefore DMIL would be spending her time with them and our family of FOUR would hit the parks. That's right... four! Our ADRs are for four people but DMIL WILL be with us, which makes us five. We can try to get into Le Cellier with five (unlikely) but we definitely won't get into Crystal Palace because we'll have to enter the park early for the 8am ADR... I know they won't let five of us through the gates with an ADR for four. I checked online & I even called Disney Dining. No luck modifying the ADRs at this point. I'll keep trying. The CM I spoke with said that calling is definitely the best way to modify an ADR because if I do it online, I either have to cancel the old one first to free up those four spots or try to book a whole new ADR first hoping they have five new spots open.

I know... had I been smart I would have made the ADRs for 5, just in case. But the CP ADR was made before we even knew DMIL was coming with us. When I made the Le Cellier ADR, it was only available for four. And it was made as a back-up ADR for our Thursday lunch ADR.

Tim was chuckling at my anxiety last night and said, "The only way to avoid this is to not vacation with other people." Point taken...

I have to go get ready to take Zach to his art class but I'll be back later to fill you in on the revised plans.

 

[jenniferkeala808]

ugh!! That is frustrating!!!!! And it's Le Cellier and Crystal Palace! I really hope you can get things change around! Wish I could help! Let us know what happens!!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

What a headache! I hope you are able to get things all squared away.

 

[carissanboys]

Argh! Seems like it wouldn't be a big deal to change an ADR from 4 to 5 people? It's not like they actually reserve a table for you ahead of time, which I could see being difficult to change because you would need a bigger table.

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

Oh no! I hope you're able to change the ADRs.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Good luck Amy! I hope you can get your ADR's all straightened out.

BTW -- The front gate CM's have never checked my ADR when we've had an 8:00am ADR at CP. They just ask us what we are there for and they send us right through into the park. . .

 

[MRYPPNS]

Tim was chuckling at my anxiety last night and said, "The only way to avoid this is to not vacation with other people." Point taken...

I've got to agree with Tim....they did this to you last year too. I guess at this point (for this vacation) you have to decide how much you are willing to change your plans for them based on the fact that this is more of a mid-week getway for them, not a vacation that they have been planning and saving a year for. Plus I'm still worried about the Prom.....more than one kid has been invited and gone to a Prom with less than a couple week notice. Sorry to be Debbie Downer....I just hate to see you go all thru this.

PS: When are you going to the Disney store? We so need a road trip!!

 

[DisMomAmy]

ugh!! That is frustrating!!!!! And it's Le Cellier and Crystal Palace! I really hope you can get things change around! Wish I could help! Let us know what happens!!

Thanks! I will definitely let you know what happens!

What a headache! I hope you are able to get things all squared away.

Thanks! I'm sure it will all work out!

Argh! Seems like it wouldn't be a big deal to change an ADR from 4 to 5 people? It's not like they actually reserve a table for you ahead of time, which I could see being difficult to change because you would need a bigger table.

You would think, righ? Apparently not! At least not officially... Maybe they will let us have an extra person when we walk up. But I'm not sure I want to wait to find out.

 

[KathyRN137]

Oh Poops!! So sorry this wrench got thrown into the works!

As far as the Crystal Palace is concerned... I've done pre-park CP twice now and the CMs have never asked for an ADR # at the gate. They have no way of knowing how many people are on the ADR.

If it were me, I would just show up with MIL. How hard can it be to grab an extra chair and stick it on the end of the table? They do that with high chairs all the time!

You may have to wait a few minutes more for your table, but you'll still have your table, KWIM??

Good Luck!


Kathy

 

[DisMomAmy]

Oh no! I hope you're able to change the ADRs.

Hi Julie!! No baby yet??

I'll keep trying to change the ADRs... We'll see...

Good luck Amy! I hope you can get your ADR's all straightened out.

BTW -- The front gate CM's have never checked my ADR when we've had an 8:00am ADR at CP. They just ask us what we are there for and they send us right through into the park. . .

Thanks! That's good to know! I guess I could always play dumb and act like I made the ADR for 3 adults & 2 kids...

I've got to agree with Tim....they did this to you last year too. I guess at this point (for this vacation) you have to decide how much you are willing to change your plans for them based on the fact that this is more of a mid-week getway for them, not a vacation that they have been planning and saving a year for. Plus I'm still worried about the Prom.....more than one kid has been invited and gone to a Prom with less than a couple week notice. Sorry to be Debbie Downer....I just hate to see you go all thru this.

PS: When are you going to the Disney store? We so need a road trip!!

I totally hear what you're saying Heidi... there are just two problems... First, the kids LOVE hanging out with their cousins, uncle & "aunt" so, for them, we want to take advantage of the time we have with them. With that said, we were still planning to have some park time while they are in Orlando with us, just less. Second, it's not that we have to miss ADRs because they are coming on different days, it's that the numbers are off for the end of the week because DMIL was going to be hanging out with them & now she'll be hanging out with us... we go from 4 to 5. It's not her fault so I don't want to leave her out and make her sit at the resort while we all go eat.

If it were simply a matter of leaving them behind to go to Le Cellier I would totally do it... but it's not that simple.

We don't have to worry about the prom thing at all now, because with their new travel dates, they'll be back home by Saturday night whether they go to the prom or not.

Disney Store trip... I'll get back to you on that! It will definitely be sometime in April. The next two weeks are crazy busy - so probably after Easter.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Oh Poops!! So sorry this wrench got thrown into the works!

As far as the Crystal Palace is concerned... I've done pre-park CP twice now and the CMs have never asked for an ADR # at the gate. They have no way of knowing how many people are on the ADR.

If it were me, I would just show up with MIL. How hard can it be to grab an extra chair and stick it on the end of the table? They do that with high chairs all the time!

You may have to wait a few minutes more for your table, but you'll still have your table, KWIM??

Good Luck!


Kathy

Hi Kathy! Oh poops is a great way to sum up this situation!

I'm actually considering that option now... Tim said we can squeeze Zach into a high chair if it means keeping our ADR!

It just makes me nervous in case they say "no"... then what do we do?

 

[Happydog]

Oh NUTS! WEll we had ADRs for 5 and were able to make it 6, and it was at Le Cellier, but I think that was because they usually put a group of 5 at a table big enough for 6.. you know? SOOOOOOO, I guess that is a bit of a dilemma.. I would still try to get into CP. I bet if you told them that DDining TOLD you to come with all 5 guests, they would not hassle you. You DO have an ADR, afterall.. I bet it would work out.

Sorry for the "best laid plans" problem!!!! BUT vacation is coming soon!!!!

 

[eandesmom]

I've got to agree with Tim....they did this to you last year too. I guess at this point (for this vacation) you have to decide how much you are willing to change your plans for them based on the fact that this is more of a mid-week getway for them, not a vacation that they have been planning and saving a year for. Plus I'm still worried about the Prom.....more than one kid has been invited and gone to a Prom with less than a couple week notice. Sorry to be Debbie Downer....I just hate to see you go all thru this.

PS: When are you going to the Disney store? We so need a road trip!!

I'm glad Heidi said that, I was thinking this too...



Worry about your gang first and then hope for the best with the rest because honestly...it could change yet again.

Oh Poops!! So sorry this wrench got thrown into the works!

As far as the Crystal Palace is concerned... I've done pre-park CP twice now and the CMs have never asked for an ADR # at the gate. They have no way of knowing how many people are on the ADR.

If it were me, I would just show up with MIL. How hard can it be to grab an extra chair and stick it on the end of the table? They do that with high chairs all the time!

You may have to wait a few minutes more for your table, but you'll still have your table, KWIM??

Good Luck!


Kathy

everything I've read and heard confirms what folks are saying, they aren't looking up your actual reservation or how many folks you have with you.

I know all of my ressies are for 9...if we end up only 8 for some reason on some or all of them I am NOT changing or calling.

I would just go for it and have a CS back up plan or a booking elsewhere that you can cancel if it works out.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Oh NUTS! WEll we had ADRs for 5 and were able to make it 6, and it was at Le Cellier, but I think that was because they usually put a group of 5 at a table big enough for 6.. you know? SOOOOOOO, I guess that is a bit of a dilemma.. I would still try to get into CP. I bet if you told them that DDining TOLD you to come with all 5 guests, they would not hassle you. You DO have an ADR, afterall.. I bet it would work out.

Sorry for the "best laid plans" problem!!!! BUT vacation is coming soon!!!!

Yes, vacation is coming soon!! I see exactly what you're saying about table size. Adding a fifth to a table for four might not fly unless there's room to add a chair or they have larger tables that they use for 4-6 people.

I'm glad Heidi said that, I was thinking this too...



Worry about your gang first and then hope for the best with the rest because honestly...it could change yet again.

everything I've read and heard confirms what folks are saying, they aren't looking up your actual reservation or how many folks you have with you.

I know all of my ressies are for 9...if we end up only 8 for some reason on some or all of them I am NOT changing or calling.

I would just go for it and have a CS back up plan or a booking elsewhere that you can cancel if it works out.

I wouldn't worry at all about having fewer people show up for an ADR, I'm just not sure about the extra person... we'll see...

I agree with what Heidi said too... it's just unfortunately that the kids and/or DMIL are the ones who will suffer the consequences.

 

[mousescrapper]

Five weeks to go!! Here's an update on my 6 week list:


• Buy large Ziploc bags - DONE
•

ha ha like that this is an item on your list

[COLOR="Purple
Tim was chuckling at my anxiety last night and said, "The only way to avoid this is to not vacation with other people." Point taken...

[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]

[COLOR="seagreen"]Oh Amy...[/COLOR]

Sorry to be Debbie Downer....I just hate to see you go all thru this.


me too!


PS: When are you going to the Disney store? We so need a road trip!!

and can I come


J~

 

[DisMomAmy]

I'm still letting some ideas float around in my head regarding the possible itinerary changes... once I have things figured out you guys will be the first to know! (Since nobody else wants to listen to me talk about it... )

But I wanted to share our lovely day with you... first of all it was about 70 degrees here today so we spent some time outside. Did a little yard work - it's so nice to have that done early! I also got Zach's bike out of the basement and we went for a little ride. He has two identical bikes (Alex's old one & his own) one has the training wheels on, one does not. EVERY year we go through the same thing... He learned how to ride without the training wheels two falls ago (2008) but forgot how by the spring so we had to backtrack a little. Same thing happened this year. First time out he wanted to ride with the trainers, but then I got him out on the other bike. Unfortunately he took a little spill and scraped up his arm. But I was so proud of him, he got back on and rode home.

After that we offered to take the boys out for dinner, but Alex didn't want to go. So Tim took Zach for pizza and brought some home for me (Alex doesn't like pizza) along with a Happy Meal for Alex. Then we watched Monsters, Inc. (which we'd never seen but recorded on Starz earlier this week). We are expecting rain for the next few days so while they were out, Tim & Zach rented Toy Story Mania for Wii. We tried it out briefly before the movie. We might have to buy it.

Alex can't sit still long enough for a movie so I told him I'd play Monopoly with him (we don't get to play that one very much because it takes so long) while we watch the movie. He decided to pull out his older version, the Disney version, so it could be a "Disney Saturday"!

It was a good day.

Plus I got our condo requests submitted to Sheraton.

Hope you all had a good "Disney Saturday" too! (Or at least a good Saturday...)