Come on read it!! Time to gain weight but so worth it! Pretrip report 06/23-07/06!!!

[snookie5605]

Ok so I know my trip isn’t for another 54 days but I figured I would start a pre-trip report. So a little about me….i’m Courtney. I’m 25 and have been going to Disney if not every year since I was born, it’s been every other year. My family has time sharing down in Lake Buena Vista, so even if we weren’t staying on Disney property, we still went to the parks. My biggest obsession came when I went back to Disney back in 2005.Me and my boyfriend at the time, Mike, were only dating for about 2 months, and he decided to come along on vacation with me and the family. Of course we were at the time share place but we still went to the parks and had a ball. Well the next year in July 2006, we all went back again, again staying at the timeshare. Then on July 30, 2006, Mike proposed to me at Cinderella’s Castle. That began the craziness! this made me a princess according to my husband! After that day, our wedding was Cinderella based, we then proceeded to go on our honeymoon at Caribbean Beach in September of 2007, and then went back at All Star Movies for our one year anniversary just last year in September 2008.

On that trip, I decided that instead of giving my niece money or a gift for her high school graduation gift in june 2009, I was going to take her to Disney on a vacation as her gift. So that leads us to now. My husband and I are taking my niece, Chynna, to Disney on june 23rd-july 6th for her high school graduation gift. We are staying at Pop Century. We have the deluxe dining plan (which equals to 39 meals per person and 2 snacks per person) and we have 8 tickets to the parks along with the water park and fun option added on.

So needless to say I am a Disney freak! I was a nut planning my wedding and I have been a nut ever since planning our trips. This year is no exception. My DH and DN have even been making fun of me askng me if I scheduled time to go to the bathroom because I have every mnute planned for us for this trip.

My husband is a bit sick of the Disney stuff but he puts up with it because I love it so much. But I will say I can see where hes coming from since hes been there every year since 2005 and hes a man and could care less about characters and stuff.

My niece is also THRILLED! Shes started a countdown a couple days ago! Shes mainly excited because she has never been on a trip without her two little brothers and hasn’t been to Disney since she was probably 10. so she is very excited to be going.

Since this is her graduation gift, I have tons of stuff planned for her. I have already bought her a basket from memoriesbybetsy.com which has the graduation ears engraved with her name, a 2009 mickey graduation plush, and a 2009 graduation pin. This will be delivered to our room the day we get there. I have alreadty orderd the mini cake princess surprise for her at one of the restaurants and the pop up surprise centerpiece for another meal. I am planning on getting the room decorated through the disneyflorist and I am also ordering her a custom cake. Plus of course she will have the rgaradution pin to wear everywhere! So I guess I will get down to the itinerary now. On and one other thing, can someone please let me know how to post pics on here. Every time I try, it doesn’t work so that would be a lot of help if someone could let me know.

On june 23rd we leave from the Philadelphia airport. Now our flight leaves at 7:05 in the morning so of course we have to be there by 5am. The DH and the DN are not too thrilled with that and neither is the DF who has to take us to the airport. But hey I figured if I am paing for that day I might as well get my money’s worth and spend the whole day there. So I figured we should be arriving to the hotel by around 10:30 or 11am, so here we go:

2:15pm-initially I had reservation for Cap’n Jacks but after reading someone else’s reposrt trip and seeing pics of the food from the Cookes of Dublin, I am canceling and going there instead, so Cookes of Dublin for lunch (DDP)

7:45pm- Tutto Italia (DDP)

june 24th:
8:30am- Boma (DDP)
pool time!
2pm- Whispering Canyon (DDP)
7:30pm- Chef Mickey’s (DDP)

June 25th:
Animal Kingdom Day!
8:10am- Donald’s Safari Character Breakfast (DDP)
lunch-Rainforest (OOP)
7:05pm- 1900 Park Fare(DDP)-added on the mini cake surprise!

June 26th:
Epcot Day!
8:15am- Princess Storybook Breakfast (DDP)-added on the pop up centerpiece
lunch- eating at the different stands using snacks on DDP
8:40pm- Le Cellier (DDP)-so excited about this one because I have heard so many good things about it but have never been there!

June 27th:
7:20am- Chef Mickey(DDP)
9AM- Typhoon Lagoon
lunch- Leaning Palms at Typhoon Lagoon(DDP)
9pm- Narcoosee’s (DDP)- this is mine and my husbands favorite restaurant!

June 28th:
Magic Kingdom Day!
8:05am- Cinderella’s Royal Table (DDP)
12:50pm- Liberty Tree Tavern (DDP)-really disappointed that they got rid of the pound cake with the walnuts in the sweet caramel and the ice cream, that was the most heavenly dessert ive ever eaten!
6pm- Crystal Palace (DDP)-adding on a custom cake!

June 29th:
Hollywood Studios Day!
8am- Starring Rolls Café (DDP)
1:15pm- 50s Prime Time Café (DDP)
5pm- Brown Derby-Fantasmic Package (DDP)

June 30th:
7:30am- Grand Floridian Café (DDP)
9am- Blizzard Beach
lunch- The Warming Hut (DDP)
8pm- Spirit of Aloha (DDP)

July 1st:
7:30am- Pop Century (DDP)
9am- Universal Studios
lunch- Bubba Gump’s at Universal (OOP)
8:15pm- 50s Prime Time Café (DDP)

July 2nd:
7:35am-Ohana (DDP)
9am- one of the water parks
lunch- Earl of Sandwich (DDP)-another favorite
6:30pm- Miceky’s Backyard BBQ (DDP)

July 3rd:
8am- Cape May Café (DDP)
pool time!
2pm: Afternoon Tea at the Grand Floridian-just me and Chynna (OOP)
7:15pm- Hoop De Doo (DDP)

July 4th:
8am- 1900 Park Fare (DDP)
heading over to MK because im too afraid they will shut down due to crowds for the 4th
lunch- Cosmic Rays (DDP)
5:30pm- Cinderellas Royal Table (DDP)

July 5th:
8:05am- Crystal Palace (DDP)
lunch- Fulton’s at Downtown Disney (OOP)
mini golfing!
Dinner- TREX (OOP)

July 6th-
DEPARTURE DAY!
Am-breakfast at Pop Century using snacks!

So that’s it! Hope you all enjoyed and will enjoy the info when I get back. Also don’t forget if someone could tell me how to post pics that would be great! For anyone who is leaving soon or before me, hope you all enjoy your trips, im jealous, but enjoy! Talk to everyone soon!

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

your plans look good, and welcome to the TR world...i dont think you can post pics yet until you hvae more posts...not sure of the exact number but i think it is over 10 posts..it says somewhere on the DIS but not sure where.

what i do and alot of people on here is they upload there photos to photobucket and then you copy the last of the 4 links below your picture into your post where you want it and there you go you hvae your picture posted.

i think this is the first time i was ever first on TR to respond. mini dance for me.

 

[snookie5605]

thank you so much for letting me know that! and congrats for being the first one!

 

[snookie5605]

so can i just say with 47 days and counting i am absolutely jumping out of my skin! im so excited to go, even though i know the crowds will be insane and its going to be soooooo hot! but i just cant wait, especially because im taking a break from disney for a couple years, mainly because my husband wants to, but also because i know soon we will be trying to have our first child. so this may be our last trip for a while!

but what i was wondering is, does anyone have any ideas on what i can ask the cake hotline to do for her graduation cake? or has anyone gotten a grad cake for someone? how did you get it decorated, etc? i know she loves the fairies from sleeping beauty, so i wanted to incorporate them but i also wanted to have something on it to do with her graduating. so any ideas would be a huge help!

also has anyone ever gotten the room decorating package aka the grand welcome from the disneyflorist? i am doing this and was just wondering how it was, so let me know that too!

 

[snookie5605]

so i am now 41 days out! i cant wait. its like the excitement is just building and building and looking on here and reading peoples dining and trip reports just makes me want to be there so much more!

i was reading about some cake information the other day and someone posted info and pictures on ordering cakes. they took a picture of individual cakes that they sell in the food court area of POP that you can buy. they come in either chocolate or vanilla and just have some celebration mickey sprinkles on them. i was wondering if when i fax my room request over, if i asked them if they could have one of those cakes in our room for when we arrive, since i am having the disney florists decorate it, if they would do this?! anyone know if they will or have had any experience with them doing this?

im also wondering how much longer i should wait to call the disney florist to order the room decorating. it says no more than 48 hours but that kinda worries me to wait that long. what do you all think?

well i guess i will leave this little update for now! will update as it gets closer!

 

[snookie5605]

here are some pictures of the cast for my trip:

here are the three of us, chynna (17), me (25), mike(23)

here is one of me, yes very typical with cinderella cuz of course i am a princess!

and there's mike, my prince charming, but here he couldnt be pictured with anything other than the manly pirates!

 

[snookie5605]

so just a little update. i am now at my 32 day mark!!! which is totally exciting. im thinking pretty soon i should be getting my disney mail which i just cant wait for.

on monday i went ahead and called the disney florist to order the mickeys welcome to have in the room. im a bit disappointed that it wont be done the day we get there but whatever, ill deal. it is going to be done the day after between 4-6pm, which totally messes up my schedule and im going to have to stay away from the resort between our lunch reservations at 2 and our dinner ones at 7:30! this should thrill the DN and DH. that final cost was $222 for anyone that is interested in getting it!

yesterday i went on amazon and ordered my passporters guide and hidden mickeys book so i cant wait to get them and start planning some stuff!

i am getting a bit nervous about the crowds though. i keep on hearing about how crazy and hot and packed it is during that time, especially for the 4th of july! i just know that wont go over well with the DH cuz he has no patience whatsoever! but i guess he'll just have to suck it up!

other than just waiting for the day to get here and reading trip and dining reports and getting more and more excited, im not doing anything. this is finally the holiday weekend so i have monday off from work which is awesome! then next weekend is DN grad party which i have to make the cake for, and then she graduates on june 5th which is so surreal!

so i guess ill sign off for now! anybody that's reading and going soon, enjoy yourselves! hope the weather stays nice!
__________________

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

and there's mike, my prince charming, but here he couldnt be pictured with anything other than the manly pirates!

i don tthink i have ever seen that pirate statue? i will have to look for that on the next trip.

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

ohh also a tip, PM one of the mods and ask them to move this to the preTrip report thread, that way you will get more readers and people commenting, alot of people find threads over there then follow them up to and through the trip.

 

[snookie5605]

thank you for that advice, just did it! ya know what i was wondering though, like when i get back, should i start an actual trip report or just continue off of this one? this is my first, i figured everyone else helps me with my obsession when im not there, so i wanted to give back and let other people read my report.

 

[snookie5605]

ohh also a tip, PM one of the mods and ask them to move this to the preTrip report thread, that way you will get more readers and people commenting, alot of people find threads over there then follow them up to and through the trip.

oh and that statue is in front of the big store in downtown disney, right under where stitch spits water out at you

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

thanks, i will look for that statute when i go next time.

thank you for that advice, just did it! ya know what i was wondering though, like when i get back, should i start an actual trip report or just continue off of this one? this is my first, i figured everyone else helps me with my obsession when im not there, so i wanted to give back and let other people read my report.

that is really up to you, from the reports that i read, i would say about half and half of people continue on with there pretrip reports and the other half starts a new TR just to keep them separate.

the first report i did was all together i just continued on as a TR and th is one i did this year, i did them seperate,

i kindof lean toward starting the TR seperate when you get back.

 

[snookie5605]

ok so we are now at our 25 day mark! so totally excited. still waiting for the mickey mail to get here but my AAA travel agent said it should be here soon. usually at the 3 week mark and right now im at 3 weeks and 5 days! so just a little update, i got my hidden mickeys and passporters on friday and they are both really cool. i cant wait to do the hidden mickeys, and surprisingly my DH is really excited too!



the passporters is ok. there isnt enough room to put all of my plans so im going to have to get a book and do it that way. right now i have all of my stuff in a folder but thats just falling apart!



other than that, i started to make my list of things we need to get and then my packing list. next week i have to go out and get some new clothes which im looking forward to, not so much the bathing suit shopping though. but thats it for now. ill check back in probably next week!



thanks for reading!

 

[snookie5605]

here are just some pics i found of my dogs at halloween. they didnt come out too well because they are from my cell phone so i apologize for that.

this is chase. he just turned 1 on march 21st and he is my little loverboy! he is dressed up at mickey mouse.

and then this is mocha. she just turned 2 on march 31st and she is a typical girl. she can be moody at times but i still love her. she was my little puppy i got when my 1 1/2 year old puppy died of kidney cancer in 07 right before i got married. mocha helped me get through that so she will always hold a special place in my heart! she is minnie mouse

 

[tinkgurl]

june 24th:
7:30pm- Chef Mickey’s (DDP): We'll be at Mama Melrose at 4 p.m.

June 25th:
Animal Kingdom Day!: We'll be there that day too!
7:05pm- 1900 Park Fare(DDP): We'll be at Chef Mickey's at 7:55 p.m.

June 26th:
8:40pm- Le Cellier (DDP): We'll be at CRT at 7:10 p.m.

June 27th:
9pm- Narcoosee’s (DDP): We'll be at the Luau at 8 p.m.

June 28th:
6pm- Crystal Palace (DDP): We'll be at 1900 PF at 6:25 p.m.

June 29th:
5pm- Brown Derby-Fantasmic Package (DDP): We'll be at Olivia's at 6 p.m.

June 30th:
8pm- Spirit of Aloha (DDP): We'll be at Tony's at 6:30 p.m.

 

[snookie5605]

so here is just a little update. we are now 21 days out!!! 3 weeks to go! i cant believe it came so fast!!!

yesterday was little chynna's grad party! here is a pic of her from yesterday!

it was fun! she kept on saying how excited she is for her trip!!! i got her a little card with disney stickers all over the front of it!

and also for any fellow TWILIGHTERS out there, the clip of new moon that was on mtv last night was AMAZING!!! me and chynna are freaking out over it!!!! im sure youll probably see our pics of our twilight tees we have while we are away!!!

other than that, im STILL waiting for my mickey mail!! my travel agent said it should be here soon, and since my trip was split into two reservation numbers (she did that so we could get the 4/3 for both weeks), i will be getting mickey mail twice!!!

so ill sign off for now! ill update soon and thanks to all the readers!!!

 

[snookie5605]

just got an email from my travel agent letting me know that her document department just sent me all of my mickey mail so i should be getting it tomorrow!!!! SOOO EXCITED! and she also sent me my link to check in online and all the info which i have to do next saturday for the first reservation!! just wanted to share my excitement with everyone!

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

just got an email from my travel agent letting me know that her document department just sent me all of my mickey mail so i should be getting it tomorrow!!!! SOOO EXCITED! and she also sent me my link to check in online and all the info which i have to do next saturday for the first reservation!! just wanted to share my excitement with everyone!

all right documents are coming that is so fun actually besides planning one of the best things before the trip.

 

[snookie5605]

so how excited am i? with all this luck maybe ill get some kind of upgrade when i check in too!!! so i am now 19 days out. i got my Mickey Mail yesterday, a day earlier than it was supposed to get here. and since i have two separate reservations, i get double the amount of coupons through AAA. so i have 2 30 minute passes to the arcade, which my husband said he will be using when me and Chynna are at the tea. i also have two AAA diamond cards to get percentage off at stores and restaurants in DD. i have two mini golf vouchers plus an addtl 15% off another one. 6 passes to the storytime which i wont use, but still!!! we'll be able to get 6 refillable mugs, 3 per package!!!

and then i go on allears.net this morning and look at what i read!!!

"As of June 1, Southwest Airlines is testing the Resort Airline Check-in program at Pop Century Resort. Guests flying on this airline are now able to check their luggage and receive airline boarding passes right at Pop Century on the day of departure. The hope is that the airline will eventually expand this service to include other Disney resorts."

thats us!! we were kinda bummed that we couldnt participate in that and now they are starting it only at our resort! so im excited as you can see!!

i also decided yesterday that i am going to make up goodie bags for Mike and Chynna for the day we leave. Mike's im just going to put in some puzzle books, sunflower seeds, stuff like that. Chynna's ill get some cute Disney stuff! so hopefully that will make them happy. so again ill sign off for now! hope you all enjoyed my excitement!! haha!!

 

[snookie5605]

SINGLE DIGITS!!!! i cant believe it! finally! so we are now 8 days out! and i love how excited Chynna is for this! i think i converted her. she was over last night and all she wanted to do was talk about the trip. she kept on saying "why cant we be leaving now?!" im sure thats all we will be doing all week is talking about it, since she will be over every night for dinner because me and her started the special k challenge diet for this week to try and get some extra fat off! so shes eating dinner with us for the diet!

my 10 days was saturday so i did my online check in for the first reservation. simple as anything and it took like no time! other than that i guess i have no updates. we went out to get our toiletries and stuff, well chynna wants me to take her out that monday before we go cuz we will be out tanning and getting our nails done. oh and i couldnt believe she said to me, "aunt courtney, i think we should get a mickey painted on our toes!" i was like omg i love you chynna!!

so i guess thats it. ill update sometime later this week!