Copeland Crew plus Two - This time the kids are bringing the parents!

[froggy33]

Dates: January 18-January 23. These dates seem to be a little less busy (I don't handle crowds very well ). So hopefully everything will turn out nicely.
Where: POP century. This will be my first time in a Value. I have also stayed at CSR and PORS (honeymoon). I tried to talk everyone into PORS but they think for some reason we should save money I am excited about POP - have heard a lot of good things about it. We requested a "quite" 50's room (since my parents were born in the 50's) Sidenote: I really wish they would get done with the Legends POP century. I love the early decades of the 1900s - especially the 40s.
Why: I just had to go back (see below). I went three times as a child. We stayed off-site and hit one park a day(at first there was only MK and EPCOT) So much has happened since my parents last went that I just can't wait for them to see and experience it all. It will be a total role reversal - I have the reigns! Very excited!

The cast:
Me(24) - slightly obsessive planner (though not really compared to some on these boards, but my DH and parents sure think so! ). I LOVE Disney and try to get there as often as possible. I dream of some day bringing my children. In "real" life I am a graduate student in biomedical sciences and just passed my comprehensive exams - so PhD here I come. I plan on being the most qualified stay-at-home mom!
DH(25) - Likes Disney, but doesn't really NEED to go. He wants to travel other places (is there really anywhere else? ) He's the money maker and supports me and my decisions completely. I totally used the "I have been so stressed with studying and taking my exam that I simply MUST go to the world! He caved (it was really not that diffucult to convince him )
My mom(56) - The best! I live three hours away from my rents (some days I must say this is nice!) but I often miss them terribly. My DH just doesn't understand why I call them so often (he works with his mom!). I think she is really looking forward to going.
My dad(54) - Also great. He's always been there for us. He I think is almost as excited as I am. He keeps asking if we are doing (blank)? I am like, yep, got it all under control! I think most he is looking forward to not plannign anything and just going with the flow!

The Plan:
January 18 - Fly out EARLY (our plane leaves at 7am but this means we will get to Orlando by 11am ) We will arrive, do ME, check in at POP, and then it is on to MK. My husband and I had a similar plan last year, and we were able to land at 10:40 and be in the park by 12:30. I hope everything goes as well this time. We will be doing MK from 1-9pm, hitting all the parades/fireworks, with dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern
January 19 - EPCOT EMH! I love epcot! I am so excited for my parents to ride Test Track and Soarin'. We will hit up a CS (maybe Japan) and then dinner somewhere in the WS. I have an ADR for San Angel, but am thinking of changing it. Then Illuminations!
January 20 - MGM - Tower of Terror here we come! We're going to do Mama Melrose's for the Fantasmic Dinner Package (I can taste the Bruschetta already!)
January 21 - AK - I get to ride EE finally. It was being built the last time we were there. Very excited! I really like this park and am looking forward to a nice full day there. That night we're going to head over to Boma for dinner. My mom requested this restaurant. I am excited to see AKL, as I would like to stay there sometime.
January 22 - Breakfast at Crystal Palace (really excited to be in the park before opening), resort hopping (I want my parents to see the "big ones"), MGM for Rockin' Roller Coaster (it is closed until this day), and then MK for Pirates and Princess Party! (I've purchased tiaras and pirate scarves!! Yeah!) Dinner is just a Counter Service today.
January 23 - Sleep in - , Leaving - . Our plane leaves today so we'll board up ME and head to the airport. I am sad just writing about it. I can already see a future trip in the plans!!!

That's the bare bones. Only 27 days left!!! Any suggestions/comments are welcome!! Updates and a Trip report will follow someday. Happy holidays to all!!!

 

[Bee]

 

[Lovelise]

How nice of you and your dh to take your parents on a trip now! I can't wait for the day when my daughters are able to take me ..lol..seriously,that is really sweet of you. Have a great trip!

 

[KangaFan]

As someone who just finished paying off her student loans, but didn't get to use them a whole lot before DS8 and DD4 came along, I AM an overqualified stay-home Mom. LOL! However, you education will come in handy--DD4 is really interested in germs right now and I'm constantly looking up info on the internet just to answer her questions!

Great start to your trippie! We're going around the same time, so I'll look forward to the rest of your report when we get back!

 

[froggy33]

First of all thanks for the replies - it's fun to hear what people have to say.
Bee - I truly hope this report is/becomes popcorn worthy
Lovelise - I am truly thrilled to take my parents! I think that it will almost be as magical as taking my kids some day! (CANNOT wait for that) To see my parents experience all the new adventures since they last went is going to be great! They are truly great people!
KangaFan - I understand. It's funny that we go through all this school to stay at home, but really it's a crazy 24/7 job I understand. And I can't wait for it. And, yes I hope to one day go back to work after my kids go to school, so the ed. will be worth it.

Okay, so now some updates. Well, nothing much has actually changed in way of plans. I did however change my EPCOT ADR from San Angel to Marrakesh - just wasn't really feeling the Mexican food, I can have that anytime (no offense). I have spent my days at work doing what I do best - procrastinating. Plannign out everything! Really, if I keep this up I will never graduate. My husband says that Disney planning is a disease we all have - I am beginning to think he is right!

I have pretty much everything mapped out - at least what is going on when and what rides cannot be missed. I don't have a real "proceed to ____ followed by ____". I don't really work like that, plus it shouldn't be too busy when we go so hopefully, besides the BIG ONES, things shouldn't be too bad (I say that now. Give me two weeks and we'll see ) I have my passporter all stocked, and my liitle bottles of medicine and soap all ready, and have even begun to pack some clothes.

On that.....I really like clothes, and shoes, but I mean what girl doesn't right . So I must have all the best for this trip, and that means Disney apparel baby! I already have a gold shiny mickey shirt I got from Target last year, so in that goes. Then about November they had this kind of "trashy" (and I mean that in a good way) Tink shirt at Target, so I HAD to get that. Well, that's only two days out of 6 - Not Good. For Christmas I decided to get my 'rents some Disney threads too - they must fit in! I through in a Tink sweatshirt for me for good measure! Okay, so there is kind of 2 1/2 - it looks like it is going to be warm while we are there so the sweatshirt will be a night thing.

Okay, so just a bit more - we were at Walmart last night (can't live w/o that place ) And picked up another Mickey Tee. As I was finishing up I saw this fleece jacket. It's blue with Mickey on one pocket and then MICKEY spelled out across the chest. The hood zips open and has 28 on it. It's nice. It was there, it was my size, it was on sale, it was MINE! (I actually had to think about this one though, do I really need it YES!

My DH just doesn't get it. He likes Disney and likes to visit the World, but doesn't need to, or to spend every second planning and counting down. He's like if we go great, if we don't, that's cool too. If you would like to hear more check out the one trip report I have done. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=959245 I never got to one about our Disney Honeymoon..I truly am a procrastinator, but this one is about how we fell in love!

Anyway, about the real reason for this trip (like we REALLY NEED a reason! ) On December 14 I took my comprehensive exams for graduate school. For those of you who don't know what those are, after your first two years in a PhD program, after all your classes and you have begun your research, you have to write a long grant-like proposal about said research. Then you must present a power point version of this proposal to 5 PhD level researchers. Then each of them beats you with the proposal (not really, they just ask you a whole bunch of questions). But it does really suck and is very stressful - I'm okay now though I passed .

But back in late October/earlly November I was STRESSED. SO not looking forward to it, and just thinking about quiting the whole thing. But there was a light . My MIL was planning a quick trip to Disney, in December - we could go! (At the time I was planning on taking my test in the middle of Nov). So we started looking into that. But my BIL could only go in the middle of Nov!!! He had never been, so I was good and let them go. When the time for them to go came and went I was thoroughly bummed!

Sooooo.....my DH said we could plan a trip!!! Yes!

And that is where we are now. I get my trip. All is well with the world. And this long rambling post is over!

 

[Bee]

Yes you are worth . However, I can only have the 100 calorie pack.. as I am trying to lose some.. and go from this to this .

I crack myself up! Looking forward to more!!

 

[froggy33]

Seriously, it feels like I have been waiting forever to take this trip!!! But just 6 days and change to go! I can taste it now!

Last night, while getting ready for bed my husband decided that he would like to have seperate rooms for us and my parents. Not a bad idea - four adults in one POP sized room will be tricky, but we had decided to save money. He thinks the $175/couple I estimate is worth it. So being the good wife I am , and knowing that I would rather not spend 5 nights in a little room with my inlaws either eek: ), I told him I would email and ask our Travel Agent.

Side Note: Yep, I use a travel agent. Not really that it is absolutely necessary anymore, just that she is awesome! We used her last year for our honeymoon. Now at that time is was pretty necessary that we use her, I wasn't really a Disney newbie, but I was a planning newbie. Other trips had been planned by my parents or pretty spur of the moment. She was wonderful and everything went perfectly. So based on that and the fact that I HATE to talk to people on the phone, we used her again. So "shout out" to Karen from Small World Vacations!

Anyway, I emailed her and she explained how we would have to take my parents off our ressie, and be charged $50. Then they would have to book a whole new package just like ours, but with their own room and that it would be about $500 total extra (or $250/couple). Plus I know sometimes you can end up not right next to each other in rooms. This I told my husband, and being the good husband he is , decided that we could leave things the way they are. I figure if he is jonesing to spend $175 that I can definitely do that in the world.

Well, that "crisis" averted I must finilaze all our "data" aka planning spreadsheets. Start getting things packed. Get my house cleaned (I would really love to come back to a clean house - really I would just like a clean house....maybe I'm not such the good wife I thought I was ). Make that one last trip to Walmart for the essentials. Ask someone to pick up our mail. Geesh...that's alot and all in 6 days! This is why I so conveiniently told my boss that I would be out of town beggining next Wednesday, even though we don't leave til Thursday! HA! What he doesn't know won't hurt him!

Goodbye for now!