Dazy Days at Disney

[amandaraye]

We began planning a few months ago. I remember when the idea first came about between myself and my sister…”Hey let’s all go to Disney next year.”…”yeah right, as much as I’d LOVE to, that’s not going to happen.” “Well, we’re going. So get planning.” Well, ok, then. She IS the older sister after all….

It all started out very innocently, looking at hotels, browsing the internet about Disney…thinking back to the other trips I’d had and how it’s just been WAY too long since I’ve last been. Next thing I know I’m in the throes of planning, quoting trips for ‘Regular’ season travel to get an idea of the cost of a trip. Tirelessly taking notes. Reading and re-reading the Mousesavers site until my eyes felt like they were going to bleed. I am becoming obsessed.

Then a light at the end of the tunnel. Well, more like the real beginning of the tunnel…the 2009 rates are released! I wake in the early morning hours and log on only to find am email from Karen at Small World Vacations with my quote! Not nearly as bad as I thought. Trying to keep my feet on the ground, though, because I know that that number doesn’t include airfare. I break the news to my husband who didn’t flip out nearly as much as I thought he would. Bear in mind that my DH is NOT a Disney fan. Has never been, has no desire to go and considers it a terrible waste of money that would better be put to use repairing things around the house, and in initially flat out refused to go. blah blah blah…well, that’s just not very magical is it??? “Too bad” I tell him “you’re going! You are NOT going to miss out seeing your kids faces when they experience this.” So he agrees, but makes it perfectly clear he will NOT have fun but will go for the kids’ sakes. (we’ll see about that) Good. That’s settled.

So I continue to obsess day and night about this trip. Created a nice little ticker for myself that started off at 9 months 3 weeks…what a long wait this is going to be! My sister reminds me of this ever time we talk when I chew her ear off about all things Disney. She’s excited but apparently I take it to a whole new level. She goes yearly and just loves it, yet I’ve become educated enough I’m enlightening (and annoying) HER.

Full steam ahead…let’s get this trip going….

 

[amandaraye]

Fast forward to a bit over 7 months to departure and this is where I stand:

Who? Me, DH, DS17, DS7, DD3; my Sister and her DH and their DS5; my Mother and step-dad (More the merrier I hope!)

What? LONG overdue magical vacation

When? April 21, 2009-April 28, 2009

Where? ASMo for 7 nights, Preferred Room, hopefully building 10 so my DS can be near his fellow space ranger Buzz Lightyear

What’s for dinner? Basic Dining package. Most of us (except DH) can easily eat a QS meal, snack and bid TS meal and be completely satisfied. I’ll bring something quick for snacking in the morning (poptarts, cereal bars, etc.), we’ll get refillable mugs and we’ll be good to go. DD3 will share with use or I’ll make her some PBJs from the food court to bring for the day.

So…The day we arrive, we will be likely heading to EPCOT so my DS7 can ride Soarin’. He’s been faithfully listening to me talk about the parks and he reads Birbaum’s Best with me and has decided that is something he really really wants to do first. Since he’s never been to WDW and my other DS has, we will grant him this wish.

On our 2nd day of the trip (the first full day) is my DD 3rd birthday. While I would love to have run right to MK the afternoon before, when we first arrived, we’ll be putting that off to the 2nd day as we will be having a late birthday breakfast at Crystal Palace. Then we have a full day at MK.

One thing I need to do is a dinner at San Angel Inn with my sister’s family and my parents. I would also love to eat at Coral Reef but that’s two table service in a park I have no desire to spend more than a day in. (please don’t beat me too harshly for this…EPCOT’s just not my thing) IO really would love to do the custom menu and the divers so we'll see. Might just be worth it to run abck for one TS meal.

I want to have DD’s 1st haircut in MK if time permits. Any ideas of something special to do for DS7? I’m thinking one of the treasure hunts with his cousin. WDYT? I am SO psyched to take him on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin!!!! As mentioned in my first post he is obsessed with him!

I promised DH he could ride Test Track. While reading my book out loud to him he accidentally let me see him get excited about this as well as the stunt show at HS. His interest was also piqued when I mentioned the lazy rivers at the waters parks….DH better watchi himself or he might accidentally catch himself having fun!!!

I’m concerned about DS17…he has been to WDW before so he and I had our special time of sharing things together just the two of us. But I feel like he’s being left out. I’ve posted all over DIS to find him a “friend” who might be going the same week who might like to hang out, but no luck. Any ideas???

More to come!

 

[amandaraye]

Yay! I received my maps from Disney.com today...the ones you can personalize and they're really perty!!! I highly recommend ordering some!

 

[xoktenox]

Sounds great so far! I can't believe you're not into Epcot ( I just love it there. San Angel Inn looks great I hope that we can have one of our meals there. I also ordered the customized maps and I got them back in April of this year since we were supposed to have gone already but they're so nice. Keep writing more I'd love to see what else you have planned!

 

[amandaraye]

I just realized that I can start making my ADRs in a few weeks. Well, I don't know that I can plan which parks I want to be at when this early and stcik to it. The thought of being so tied down is totally freaking me out!!! I wonder if I can get away with NOT making ADRs? My sister says she never makes them and is always able to be seated. The only one I have no trouble making and sticking to is CP for my DDs 3rd birthday breakfast.

OMG why am I freaking out? What do I do? I guess I just don't want to be on a rigid schedule revolving my whole trip around meals. AAAAACK!!!!

 

[xoktenox]

I just realized that I can start making my ADRs in a few weeks. Well, I don't know that I can plan which parks I want to be at when this early and stcik to it. The thought of being so tied down is totally freaking me out!!! I wonder if I can get away with NOT making ADRs? My sister says she never makes them and is always able to be seated. The only one I have no trouble making and sticking to is CP for my DDs 3rd birthday breakfast.

OMG why am I freaking out? What do I do? I guess I just don't want to be on a rigid schedule revolving my whole trip around meals. AAAAACK!!!!

trust me i know what you mean! i mentioned making dinner reservations to my DBF and he thought I was crazy that we had to make them this early! Don't freak out over it though, planning is supposed to be fun!

 

[Disneylove1228]

Hi! I just started to read your PJ!!

So excited for you!!

Subscribing - YAY!!

 

[amandaraye]

Ok so I have made a huge decision here...well, for me it's huge... My PERSONAL believe is that the Magic Kingdom is the most magical place of all and that's where we should head as soon as we arrive. I've changed my mind about that plan. We're heading to Epcot for our first afternoon in Disney. Here are my reasonings:

1) My DS6 who has never been to WDW expresses an interest in Soarin'. I would like for him to do something HE really wants to do since it's his first time. my older DS has already been once and our DD will be too young to know the difference.
2) Since I don't care for Epcot as much as the other parks and want to spend minimal time there, and we MUST do a dinner Mexico with my sister, her DH, their DS and my parents, that will require a trip to Epcot mid-week at some point.
3) I REALLY want to dine at Coral Reef with just my DH and kids and get the personalized menus and arrange the diver. I think that will REALLY get us off to a magical start.

So my plan is to go to Epcot the first afternoon like I said, and do Coral Reef dinner that first night (Tuesday). Wednesday is our DD 3rd birthday so I'm going to make an ADR at CP Wednesday morning to celebrate. That way he have our first full day to dedicate to Magic Kingdom.

whew...that's two days down....5 more to go...This planning business is really difficult !

 

[Michelle_and_Aaron]

Hi there!
Good start to your PTR. It is hard to get readers isn't it? I hava a faithful few on mine but it took a while.
So what new plans have you made? I can't wait to read more!

 

[*Seanaci*]

Great Pre trip report.

I'm subscribing.

Getting readers is a tough thing...I haven't got any on mine...and we go to WDW in 43 days.