Dancing on Air, Floating on Clouds WAIT - don't change that song!!!

[jenr812]

I'm trying, I'm really trying, to read that, but it's making my eyes cross LOL I think we may be crossing paths somewhere, but I can't be sure right now

 

[Goofyluver]

My enforcer peters out quick too...so we're gonna take a nappy in the afternoon...such a gooood idea!!!

I love your plans...and you get to go before me!!! I will live vicariously through you!

 

[momstable]

Right – Kids are at school, computer is mine, Take 2 on this schedule thingy. This time it should be readable. Short or Long version, take your pick.

Short version(without commentary or explanations or justifications):

Monday.
Breakfast: With Gram, or on the Road
Check into Beach Club
Epcot in the morning
Lunch: ADR: Marrakesh – noon
A bit more Epcot touring
Get room at BC, swim nap
Dinner: Counter service
Evening: MK, Spectromagic, Wishes

Tuesday
Breakfast: in room
EMH MK
Lunch: ADR Chef Mickey’s 10:50am
Swim & nap
Dinner: Boma 6:20pm
Evening: Fantasmic

Wednesday
Sleep In
Breakfast: in room
Check out of Beach Club
Typhoon Lagoon or Miniature Golf
Lunch: ADR for Penguin Boy & Momstable, Grand Floridian Tea 3:30pm. Dadoo and DJ counter service
Check in – Buena Vista Suites
Dinner: Charley’s Steakhouse
Evening: relax, early bedtime

Thursday
Breakfast: buffet at Buena Vista Suites
Check out BVS
Check in Yacht Club
EMH: MK
Lunch: Crystal Palace 11:30am
Swim & nap or Typhoon Lagoon or Miniature Golf
Dinner: Café May 6:30
Evening: Illuminations or Pleasure Island

Friday
Breakfast: Donald’s Breakfastosaurous 8am
Tour Animal Kingdom
Lunch: Counter Service
More touring Animal Kingdom
Swim & nap or Typhoon Lagoon or Miniature Golf
Dinner: counter service
Evening: Illuminations or Pleasure Island

Saturday
Sleep in
Pack up, check out of Yacht Club
Breakfast: Boma 10:30am
Day: Unplanned, anything we didn’t do before. Expecting crowds.
Lunch&Dinner: Counter service
Hotel: Check into Crowne Plaza Orlando Airport

Sunday
Travel home





Long version, with all comments, wise-cracks, and snarks.

Reprinting some from the last time, and only including Disney Days, not MIL days.

Monday May 21 – up *early*, either eat breakfast with Grandma, if she’s awake for it, or on the road. Fighting commuter traffic all the way back to the Orlando area. It’s our first day in The World. Get to Beach Club, check in, get our passes and whatnot ( that’s where the prize pack pickup is). Head across the bridge into Epcot. After all – we’ll be resort, on-property guests at this point. We probably won’t have a room yet, but we will take advantage of this perk. Epcot opens at 9. We will try and be in line by 8-ish (depending on wake-up, commute, and check in delays). The park opens at 9. Tour Future World. We have 12 noon Marrakesh reservations for lunch. Which The DJ picked as his restaurant of choice. Because the chicken kabobs looked like something he might be willing to eat…maybe. We picked lunch for this meal because lunch is cheaper than dinner. And if it really bombs out, we can make up for it with an early dinner with bland, boring stuff. Tour World Showcase a bit. Then back to the BC to find out what room we really got. Nap and swim time. Dinner will be counter service, either at the hotel or the evening park. Evening plans are to meander over to the Magic Kingdom for SpectroMagic and Wishes. Note to self – double check to make sure that these are happening that evening. Most of our evening plans are interchangeable boxes. Most of all of our plans, actually, are interchangeable boxes. Except that the ADRs are geared to specific morning plans.

Tuesday May 22 – up early , 6am. Breakfast in the hotel room on stuff we brought. Arrive MK 7am, Early Entry 8am Reg. gate opens at 9am. Tour MK. ADR, Chef Mickey’s 10:50am (breakfast/brunch buffet). Back to the hotel for swim and nap. ADR for Boma, 6:20pm. Then over to MGM for Fantasmic, and maybe Star Tours. Okay, I know I’m going to hear from people about how little time I’m scheduling for MGM. Actually, we were going to skip it all together. My kids aren’t really interested in it. Except Penguin Boy, who really, really wants to see Fantasmic. We had seen it last year at Disneyland, and he LOVED it. The Great Dadoo and I like it as well. The DJ is a bit indifferent, but would like a chance to ride Star Tours, which he likes. That’s it. Nothing else is of interest to da boys. I’d like to ride the Great Movie Ride, but I’m not going to be horribly upset if I don’t get the chance. My kids dislike roller coaster/thrill rides, so R&RC and TT don’t even interest them. I like coasters, but I’m not going to insist that we do the park just for me. So, MGM is going to be a bit of a single strike for Fantasmic. Unless we change our mind. Again.

Wednesday, May 23. SLEEP IN DAY!!!!!!!! I know I need to build these into our schedule, otherwise the Great Dadoo gets grumpy. As does the DJ. Penguin Boy and I love to do mornings, if we get a nap. But the other two, it’s like hibernating bears. Curiously, though, The DJ does better in the morning once he’s awake, then he does later in the day. I think that just has to do with him having more energy and less drain on his stamina first thing upon wake up. I’m sure I’ll be up earlier than the guys, so I’ll probably do a bit of laundry, start to pack stuff up. We’ll eat breakfast from our supplies, probably. I did have a Cape May ADR for the character breakfast, but I cancelled it. Too many breakfast buffets had been scheduled. And this way, the guys can wake up when they want to, instead of when we need to get moving for breakfast. They can eat at whatever time they wake up, rather than having to wait for EVERYONE to get moving. If Penguin Boy and I are both up, we may steal away and have breakfast, just the two of us. Same thing if The DJ gets up earlier. We shall see. The Great Dadoo will sleep in. I know it. And then, all he’ll want for breakfast is his morning Coke. Then we check out of the Beach Club. Bye Beach Club!!

If we get rolling soon enough, we may go and do Typhoon Lagoon. The DJ really wants to go to this. Mind you, we have water parks at home, that he’s never shown an interest in. But for some reason, Typhoon Lagoon has really caught his interest. He probably won’t do the slides. So we shall probably hang out in the kiddie portion of the wave pool, the lazy river, and the playing areas. He says he will try a slide. I think he’ll take one look at how high up they are and change his mind. He’s afraid of heights. Penguin Boy will loyally do whatever big brother does. The Great Dadoo LOVES water slides. I can take or leave them. So I’ll be left. I’ll watch da boys while Dadoo gets his slide fix. After all, he does the same for my roller coaster fix, so fair is fair. If we don’t do this on Wednesday, we’ll go either Thursday or Friday or Saturday. This is one of those moveable boxes type plans. Whatever day it fits into, that’s the one we will do it on. If we don’t visit Typhoon Lagoon, we’ll go to Fantasia Miniature Golf

At 2, we need to stop everything, (shower in the bathrooms if we’ve been water parking), and Penguin Boy and I will need to get our glad rags on. We have a 3:30 reservation for tea at the Grand Floridian. Just he and I. Once finished with Tea, we rejoin the rest of the family, check into the Buena Vista Suites, rest a bit. Then over to Charley’s Steakhouse. Quiet evening planned. Early to bed.

Thursday, May 24 – and early to rise, 6 am. Breakfast at the buffet included at Buena Vista Suites. Check out of BVS, and zip over to the Yacht Club to check in. Yay!! We are resort guests again, so over to MK for Early Entry – trying to be there by 7:30 for 8am EE. Regular gates are open at 9. Once again, tour MK, hitting all the open stuff in the morning we want to do again, and anything we missed Tuesday once the park opens.
Lunch ADR at Crystal Palace 11:30 (couldn’t face eating another breakfast buffet in the same day). Get Momstable’s Pooh & Friends fix. Yay!!! A bit more touring, then back to Yacht Club to get our room. Then maybe a swim and nap. Or, if we didn’t Typhoon yesterday, we may go to TL right after lunch. Then a nap. Cape May ADR for 6:30 pm. Then maybe evening touring of Epcot, if we got the nap. Maybe seeing Illuminations. Or perhaps Pleasure Island for the Adventurers Club – Kongaloosh!! One Thursday, the other on Friday.


Friday. May 25 – up early 7am. Arrive at Animal Kingdom by 7:45am. We have an 8am breakfast ADR for Donald’s Breakfastasaurous. Then Tour Animal Kingdom. Lunch is counter service. And yes, I know about Rain Forest Café. We ate there at California’s Downtown Disney last year. We all hated it. Especially The DJ. Not even a question about going this time. My kids like Elephant Bar for their “steeped in the Jungle” animal experience. It’s a lot quieter. Less of a sensory issue for The DJ. The afternoon plan is whatever we didn’t do the last couple of days. Then a nap. Then Epcot touring. And whatever we didn’t do the night before. Dinner is whatever we catch, counter service, or Downtown Disney.

Saturday, May 26 – SLEEP IN DAY!!! Pack up the gear. Check out of Yacht Club. Breakfast is 10:30 am at Boma. Then we can do whatever parks and rides and stuff we missed during the week. We know it will be crowded, so we will probably cherry pick stuff we wanted to do and just couldn’t get to. Maybe Star Tours. Maybe Typhoon Lagoon. Maybe a parade. Maybe more Epcot. I have no plans made after the breakfast ADR. We will stay as long as we want to. Do whatever evening thing we decide to. Then we will say good-bye to The World. We will go to the hotel near the airport – Crowne Plaza Orlando Airport. We will check in. And we will go to bed.

Sunday, May 27 – time to go home. We can sleep in a bit, but only a bit. We have a noon flight home. Which means, we really need to check out of the hotel and be rolling by 9. We won’t have unloaded the car much, so packing up shouldn’t be that big a deal. This will give us plenty of time to return the rental car, check in at the airport, probably eat breakfast at the airport. And pick up food for the flight home. We’ll land at the home airport at 5:30 pm, California time. Unless there are delays. Which there might be. Which is why I like the flight time. Even with a delay, we will probably still make it home before late. We’ll reverse the arrival process to get our car. Have a Spaghetti Dinner (because everyone will eat it), and drive home. Then a bit of unwind time, and then sleep.

Monday, May 28 – Memorial Day. Sleep, catch up on laundry, mail, computer games, etc. Recover for work and school on Tuesday.

Comment, questions, suggestions, snarky remarks and smilies all accepted.

Whew, my typing fingers are tired!!!

 

[momstable]

I'm trying, I'm really trying, to read that, but it's making my eyes cross LOL I think we may be crossing paths somewhere, but I can't be sure right now

I had lots of spaces in there, to line up columns, but it just didn't work out right. I'm sorry. Uncross your eyes. Reprint is up. And yes, we will be there May 21 - May 26, so we are on site at the same time. Though we won't be in the parks on May 23rd. Watch for lime green mickeys?

Mer

 

[Goofyluver]

I've been thinking about doing the brontosaurus breakfast thingy...just DS and I. You need to hurry home and PM me and tell me what you think...

 

[momstable]

I've been thinking about doing the brontosaurus breakfast thingy...just DS and I. You need to hurry home and PM me and tell me what you think...

Of course, I will!!! I'm hoping with the breakfast, we'll get a really good start on the opening park rush. Time enough to score some Fast Passes for Everest and maybe Dinosaur, and still make the Safari before things get ugly. It's Friday of Memorial Day weekend, so maybe it will be horrible, maybe it will be light, with more people going to MGM, Epcot, and MK. We'll just have to see how things pan out. And I WILL let you know.

 

[momstable]

So, in my cunning plan, I am trying to expose da boys, especially my NLD son, The DJ, to as many WDW sensory things before we go as I can find. I figure that this will help him make informed decisions about what to ride, and what not to. We have the guide books. He and Penguin Boy made some decisions regarding rides and attractions based on the descriptions. So, yesterday, I got onto YouTube and found ride videos of some of the rides I'm worried about, or I think they'd like - but they were hesitant about, or that they weren't getting a good handle on from just the words on the page.

Here are the results from that experiment

Test Track - "Mom, that looks boring. I'm not wasting my time on that"

Dinosaur - maybe. It looked okay, but read that it's bumpy.

Soarin' - maybe, probably yes. The DJ has height issues, and the video wasn't that good. I may try to ride on it before they do.

Mission Space - "hecka good Mom!" Definitely the non-spinning version

Splash Mountain - This was one I really, really wanted them to go on, but the drop was throwing The DJ off. I'd had to go alone last year when I ditched da boys for 5 hours. (Long story...maybe I should post it? Hmmm)
I tried to tell them the drop wasn't as bad as it was portrayed, forced perspective, clever optical illusions, etc. And that the main part of the ride wasn't about the drop, but inside the mountain. Listening to the CD with the music from the ride and watching the ride on YouTube finally not only convinced them, but they are raring to go on it.

So once we come back, I'll be able to report how well all this prep work has done for us.

Mer

 

[momstable]

Slightly off-topic and venting:

I hope all the prep does do well, because this morning as I was getting them ready for school, The DJ and I got into a huge arguement. Anyone who has a kid with NLD will know that this is part of course. Everything in their lives, pretty much, centers around words. Add a healthy heaping helping of TeenTude and you get a huge amount of grief. This morning he was bad mouthing his brother, and me. And then decides to acuse me of favoring his brother. He doesn't see how much of our lives are rearranged for him. He doesn't know how much his younger brother has been shorted because we have to do stuff for him. I'm sure we will get the exact same accusation from Penguin Boy once he hits teenage.

I'm ready to check them both into a kennel and go on this trip without them.

But I won't. And by morning, everything will probably have blown over. Or blown up all over again. Just part of the every day roller coaster ride. No wonder I love Space Mountain...at least I know how long it will last, and even if I'm in the dark on some of it, I know where it will stop.

 

[Goofyluver]

Slightly off-topic and venting:

I hope all the prep does do well, because this morning as I was getting them ready for school, The DJ and I got into a huge arguement. Anyone who has a kid with NLD will know that this is part of course. Everything in their lives, pretty much, centers around words. Add a healthy heaping helping of TeenTude and you get a huge amount of grief. This morning he was bad mouthing his brother, and me. And then decides to acuse me of favoring his brother. He doesn't see how much of our lives are rearranged for him. He doesn't know how much his younger brother has been shorted because we have to do stuff for him. I'm sure we will get the exact same accusation from Penguin Boy once he hits teenage.

I'm ready to check them both into a kennel and go on this trip without them.

But I won't. And by morning, everything will probably have blown over. Or blown up all over again. Just part of the every day roller coaster ride. No wonder I love Space Mountain...at least I know how long it will last, and even if I'm in the dark on some of it, I know where it will stop.

I know how it is...I know how it is...we ride that "roller coaster" every day... But, the good parts of the ride make the scary ones not last so long...

Anywho...have you done Dinosaur?? Because I did with DS...and he loooooved it...and he definitely not a movement kid. He hates all movement and bumpy and scary things...and he loved it. I, on the other hand, hated it. I think I got whiplash. The pic that we got at the end...he is grinning ear to ear and I am bent down grabbing onto him. Very sad...

 

[momstable]

I know how it is...I know how it is...we ride that "roller coaster" every day... But, the good parts of the ride make the scary ones not last so long...

Anywho...have you done Dinosaur?? Because I did with DS...and he loooooved it...and he definitely not a movement kid. He hates all movement and bumpy and scary things...and he loved it. I, on the other hand, hated it. I think I got whiplash. The pic that we got at the end...he is grinning ear to ear and I am bent down grabbing onto him. Very sad...

Thanks...and yes, the good parts do make up for the scary ones.

The last time I was at WDW was 16 years ago...Dinosaur and AKL didn't even exist yet. So, no, I haven't yet had the pleasure.

I HAVE ridden Indiana Jones at Disneyland, though. I understand the ride is similar mechanically, even if the theme is different. Love Indy!!!

Mer

 

[jenr812]

We'll both be in Epcot the evening of the 25th Got your lime green mickey heads ready? hehe

Sorry you and DS got into an argument *hug* There've been times when I have considered leaving the whole family home and just going by myself or kidnapping one of my best girlfriends

 

[momstable]

Okay, <deep breath>, credit where it is due. When The DJ came home from school that day, I pulled him aside. We had a long talk about his accusations, yelling and about what had started it. I pointed out a few facts he had overlooked. He APPOLOGIZED to me. He said he shouldn't have yelled or said what he said, that he had been in a bad mood and took it out on me. It was almost worth the arguement itself. We hugged and talked some more. It was the "whee" on the roller coaster that balanced the scary.

Why was this such a big deal? It was the first time he'd pulled back and saw that his view point was - not only NOT the only one around - but that his was incorrect due to insufficient information (or information he was choosing to ignore). This is giant step. Maybe it's that Disney Magic starting early. Or maybe my baby is growing up. Or maybe I did something right for once. I dunno. But I'm going to hug the moment to myself and treasure it.

Thanks for all the support, everyone. It helped. More than maybe you know.

Mer

 

[jenr812]

Okay, <deep breath>, credit where it is due. When The DJ came home from school that day, I pulled him aside. We had a long talk about his accusations, yelling and about what had started it. I pointed out a few facts he had overlooked. He APPOLOGIZED to me. He said he shouldn't have yelled or said what he said, that he had been in a bad mood and took it out on me. It was almost worth the arguement itself. We hugged and talked some more. It was the "whee" on the roller coaster that balanced the scary.

Why was this such a big deal? It was the first time he'd pulled back and saw that his view point was - not only NOT the only one around - but that his was incorrect due to insufficient information (or information he was choosing to ignore). This is giant step. Maybe it's that Disney Magic starting early. Or maybe my baby is growing up. Or maybe I did something right for once. I dunno. But I'm going to hug the moment to myself and treasure it.

Thanks for all the support, everyone. It helped. More than maybe you know.

Mer

I'm smiling big for you right now!

 

[Goofyluver]

OMGosh Mer!!!! You have no idea how much hope this gives me!!!

DS is growing up too...the other day at his school carnival...he went off with his friends...BY HIMSELF!!!!!!! I was sad and happy at the same time...

They grows up tooo fast!!

 

[momstable]

Shopping -

Now this is my big downfall. I have spent so much time, money and energy on "shopping for The Trip(tm)". I went to the 99cent store before picking up da boys from school today. I HAD to get light up Mickey and Pooh lollypops. They also had fat Mickey and Friends pens on a cord. Perfect for autographs. And 3 for 99cents had to be a better deal than 5 bucks for one at the park with no cord. And there were glowstick lanterns...even better than glowstick necklaces, right? Of course, right!! And while I was there I picked up a Mickey Mouse journal, because Penguin Boy had announced he wanted to write a trip journal. And "mom, wouldn't this be cooler on a Mickey notebook"? I'm turning him into...a DISer. I think.

And I had to get myself some skorts the other day. It's going to be hot and humid in Florida. Absolutely had to have them, right? Of course, right! I did get some really cute ones. Including one from the Disney store that hadn't even been put out on the floor yet. But the saleslady and I started chatting and she told me about them. It was so cute, I had to get it. And a pirates shirt. Just because. And an light up orbital thingy for parade nights.

I wonder if it's something they put in the water. Or if it's just an addiction. I almost got some Disny popcorn ...then I remembered, our room won't have a microwave.

Anyway, I think I've bought almost everything I need. I hope. The box to the MIL's house gets mailed this week. As soon as I repack it for the 4th time.

Mer

 

[jenr812]

Fat disney pens @ 3/99 cents!?!? Awesome! I want some.

 

[Goofyluver]

We're stillllll buying...

Does it ever end???

 

[momstable]

10 days to go. Time to actually check the extended weather forecast. Woo Hoo!!!

 

[momstable]

Ahh, how time does fly....and drag. I'm into the final days, almost final hours, of pre-planning. And I'm running out of time!!!!!!!!!!! I forgot that there are other things in life happening. Like square dancing with Penguin Boy Wednesday night. And his school's Open House is on Thursday night. I had a meeting on Sunday, while The Great Dadoo worked with Penguin Boy to get his Science Project board finished - early. Then we all met for a Mother's Day dinner (really, all I wanted for Mother's Day was NOT to have to deal with this part of the homework supervision). I skipped a meeting Monday night, but had to run all sorts of errands. Today, Tuesday, is really my only day to pack. Mostly. I had my nails done early this morning. On Thursday we are all getting hair cuts. So what am I doing right now, instead of dishes, laundry and packing? I'm changing my mind...again

I've decided to reverse Monday and Tuesday nights' plans. So instead of Spectro Magic and Wishes on Monday, we will do Fantasmic. And vice-versa on Tuesday. That way, we don't have to rush our Boma dinner reservation to try and make Fantasmic. We'll grab dinner and snacks to eat while waiting for Fantasmic to begin. Probably be able to get Star Tours in easier, too.

Tuesday is EMH in the evening at MK. We can go and just see the late parade and fireworks. Ride anything that happens to be low wait and suits our fancy. No pressure. Even if there are crowds, we'll have already hit the highlights earlier that morning. And we'll have had a nap in the afternoon. Much better plan, I think.

Oh, and last night, the T-shirts I ordered on Friday from Disney Shopping.com/Zazzle arrived. Yes, THAT fast. I was so surprised - and pleased - by the ultra fast turn around time on delivery. I was sure I'd messed up waiting so long.

So, back to chores and begining the packing for me. 3 more days to launch.

See you in The World (though I'll probably post here before I go...this TR stuff is addicting.)

Mer

 

[Parla]

Hey Momstable. I was told to check out your TR a while back but just had time to read up on it. I won a trip from Alamo also. How many times did you enter that one? Do you enter a lot of sweepstakes?

Did you get any kind of package with luggage tags in the mail (not magical express just regular old stuff) from them? I remember getting a travel pack with everything finalized when I booked through AAA last year and just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

I'm so glad you were able to stay longer and split it up. We thought for just a second about staying longer but really just couldn't afford to add a few nights of hotels and the extra things that come along with staying longer. We were there eight days last time and missed quite a bit but after organizing what all we want to do this time we really have enough time to get it all done. The only thing that I wish we had more time to do right was Disney Quest. We plan on going there one evening but don't have time to spend a whole day like I'm sure that DH and DS would like.