December 9, 2007 4 night

[krdisneybound]

Crystal_57 - family reunions are the best. You get to see and meet family members that you wouldn't spend time with otherwise to a large extent.

About 4 years ago oen of my sisters got all of us together and it was just awesome. We had two more family reunions since and it was very nice.

In researching we found a grave yard in N.C. that is just our family name and what a surprise. We have cleared the land off and have found most of whom are buried there and put new stones and memoralized everything. Has taken lots of time and money to do it also.

To think of families who have this in their family and don't find the sites and eventually the land gets sold after centuries and building built on it is beyond my comprehension. I just can't imagine it at all. It takes a lot of research and time and determination to get all of it done.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Kay - Thanks! I will enjoy following your trip report. Soak up a little sun for me. It is too hot here. We are expecting a high of 97 Thursday! I dont even want to go outside. It is SO humid. My children are jumping on the trampoline with their bathing suits on with the spinkler spraying on them. That is the only way they want to be outside. We wanted to go to the ZOO. It is on our street.(walking distance) It is just too hot.

Crystal27 - I found DH, DD and me black and white only POC shirts. I have to find DS one. I dont know if I will go with that or get us some dressier white pirate looking shirts. I want our pictures to look good. Did you say you got your DD the pirate outfit at Disney?

They are suppose to be having a good sale on disneyshopping.com. I havent gone there yet. I did order some pins off of laughingplacestore.com. I may just start them a new lanyard and leave their old ones at home. I just dont know. They werent just a great deal but they are ones DD and DS would like. They enjoy pin trading.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

OMG!!!!! I just thought this afternoon to make sure I had my passes. (five days left over on a 10 day no expiration) I thought I had put them in my jewelry box. THEY WERE NOT THERE. I panicked. I searched for FOUR hours. I have ripped my house apart instead of cleaning it. I finally just said forget it, I will look for them later. I decided to look in my jewelry box again and they were there in a secret compartment. I guess I went staight to freak out mode when I didnt see them right off!! I found my receipt where I bought them but Disney said you have to have original card. Which they did tell me when I purchased them. I found our Busch Gardens tickets...everything from that trip but what I needed. I have put them with my passports. My daughter was like will I still be able to have my 13th birthday at WDW if we dont find them? I was thinking to myself who cares about 2008, I am worried about this year!!!!!! I was exhausted from the nervousness that overcame me. Now I am back on a disney high!!!!

 

[krdisneybound]

omGOODNESS - I would have freaked also.

Go over to the Hawaii thread and see what I did this morning. So I guess we both were freaking out about the same time.

So glad you found your tickets.

I wanna take another cruise when I get home. Anyone want to cruise???

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

I saw where you dropped your card in the computer. Did you get it out? I hope you did or have a plan.

My trip was ruined for four hours but i survived! You have no idea how relieved I am. That is how I talked DH into the parks. Of course he was like just relax and you will find them. I cant relax when I cant find something. We have been married for twenty years, you would think he knows that by now. I am sure I looked like a mad woman looking for them!

 

[krdisneybound]

Nope - haven't gotten it as of yet. I have to unplug it and take all the wires out and then make sure I get everything back the right way.

Taking the screws from the hard drive will the hardest for me and making sure the cover is back on the right way.

My DIL is having a true fit.......... If I do it, she wants me to do it when she is at school with the kids - she would never survive the process

I'll see and decide later if I want to do it or not. Decisions, decisions

What would you do??????

I saw where you dropped your card in the computer. Did you get it out? I hope you did or have a plan.

My trip was ruined for four hours but i survived! You have no idea how relieved I am. That is how I talked DH into the parks. Of course he was like just relax and you will find them. I cant relax when I cant find something. We have been married for twenty years, you would think he knows that by now. I am sure I looked like a mad woman looking for them!

 

[Crystal_27]

I hate when I go into "raging-mom-looking-for-something" mode. I did the exact same thing when I was looking for our birth certificates for our passports. I had taken them out of their normal location and put them in a new location where I just KNEW that I could locate them when we needed them. Unfortunately for me, I still don't recall the location of that "super secret" new location, despite the fact that I tore the house apart looking for them. Thankfully, I was able to order certified copies of our birth certificates without any hassle but you can bet I was furious at having to admit defeat. DH was rolling on the floor laughing at me because he told me to just leave them in their original location to begin with.

Minnie, I'm glad that you were able to find your tickets. **WHEW**

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

I am technically challenged! If there wasnt alot of pictures on it, I would leave it. Otherwise I would carry to shop for help. Sad but true.

I was looking at our cruise pictures (which I love) and it was so sad looking at the pictures when we were leaving........".See Ya Real Soon". I remember the feeling that morning. I was like a child. I didnt want to leave. I know the signs are meant to be polite but they broke my heart.

I have to pay school tuition today. If you pay today you get ten percent off. While I hate paying it, I can save 1,380.00 by paying a month early. Hard to pass that one up.

 

[GooFy_4_DisnEy]

I am not 100% but I didn't use a travel agent and I would almost bet that the dinning plan can be purchased for the length of your stay if you book 1 night and get the dinning for the complete time? I recall a CSR for Disney telling me this??? Not positive, but pretty sure. I will call when I get a chance and see?

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Goofy 4 Disney - Thanks for the info. I am going to check into it. I am not sure if it will pay off for us to do it, but it cant hurt to ask.

I am still leaning towards the dolphin encounter. I want to swim with them but I dont think there is an excursion like this at Nassau. I may still book this for us and nothing else. We can do it kinda early and get back to the ship. I want to just chill...but then again I want to do it all. My children are fine staying on the ship. They were not happy at Nassau except when we were at Atlantis. They were kinda freaking out. They said they wanted to stay on the ship if we went back, but they also mentioned the Dolphins. I just dont know.

The one thing I do know is that I want my DH to go back relaxed and not wore out. We both own our own businesses so when we get back we have too many Christmas parties, our own company christmas parties etc etc etc. Personally I will be ready. I want him to enjoy himself and relax because its not that often he gets to do that. If he goes back tired like last time, I may have a harder time talking him into it again. Last time we had five days at the parks and then the four night cruise. Saying that I want everybody up and dressed when the parks open and I like to shut them down. We have one night until midnight because of MVMCP. I am trying not to be so "drill sergeant" this time but that is why we go right?

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Crystal27 - I just noticed your post right before mine. I am SOOOOO glad I found them. I hate it when I do that. Have you got your BC yet? If so have you ordered your passports? I am sure you have seen the other thread where the are taking a really long time to get back. Just dont want you to be sweating it.

DH just sprung on me that we are going to Little Rock (about three hours) Thursday night and Friday to follow a Power Tour (cars). I am so excited. I generally would like this but we have been out of town it seems like every weekend. Then we have to drive back Saturday morning and race Saturday afternoon. At the rate we are going, I may not have to "hide" my luggage after all from the children when I start to pack. It seems they are always out.

 

[Crystal_27]

If so have you ordered your passports? I am sure you have seen the other thread where the are taking a really long time to get back.

Hey Minnie2! I actually ordered and have already received our passports. We just did standard delivery (non-expedited) and got them in about 4 weeks. Go figure! Have a wonderful time in Little Rock! OH, by the way, we are planning on doing the dolphin excursion too - hopefully, we'll see you there!

We are spending much of the weekend getting ready for our trip to South Dakota! It will be nice to get away for a week and just chill out and not have to deal with Atlanta traffic.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Goofy 4 Disney - You were right! You can purchase a one day pass and get dining for the rest of your stay. However, to do that I would be spending $720.00 basically for the dining plan. I dont need the passes and she said I could take that one day pass and upgrade it or something but I dont really want to fool with that either on this trip. I went through the menus and we would spend less than $400.00 and that was with snacks too. If we were going to our favorite California Grill, it would be worth the hassle. We dont have alot of time at the parks and I dont want to have to worry about reservations every time I turn around. We are doing our first night at WCC and our last night at Ohanas. I am glad you taught me this though for future trips. I will most like buy the 10 day no expiration again and it could come in handy on a park only trip.

Does anyone know what time Downtown Disney opens? That is the only other thing I have left to figure out as far as our land portion. I need to squeeze a trip for and hour or two in somewhere. If they open early enough we could go the morning we left. We use to go for the tree lighting ceremony at night. It is really cute "Tim Taylor - Home Improvement style".
The year before last Christie and I decided to go again the last night. The guys were too lazy!!!!! We came out of one of the stores and it was pouring down rain. She had her fanny pack with her pancho and I had nothing. I ended up buying one but it was raining so hard we were drenched when we got back. (Long way to buses when it is raining)

 

[krdisneybound]

Downtown Disney opens at 9:30 am.

I have waited on that time so many mornings - I think they should open at 8 am.

 

[GooFy_4_DisnEy]

Glad to hear about the dinning plan and me not being crazy?
I am counting the days to when I get to start making reservations for the land portion of our trip, DD's birthday is Dec 21 and we have lots planned: BBB, CRT, and a couple other non reservation things. Is there other things that people can do for 4 year olds? Also, I thought I read somewhere that there is horseback riding available? My wife loves riding and I am sure she would really enjoy a ride around DW.
Thank You and talk with everyone soon!
G4D

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Also, I thought I read somewhere that there is horseback riding available? My wife loves riding and I am sure she would really enjoy a ride around DW.
Thank You and talk with everyone soon!
G4D

Hi!
I believe you could do horseback riding at Fort Wilderness Resort.

We're now hammering out our land portion dining options. I'm so glad to see that December hours are finally released!

 

[Crystal_27]

Hello All! I hope everyone had a great weekend. We were so busy, but still managed to carve out a few hours each day to go swimming. My 3 year old surprised us yesterday by going off the diving board by herself (about 30 times in a row). She had floaties on, but I still thought it an impressive feat! Hopefully this means that she'll have no fear of water!

On another front, my wonderful Dreams Unlimited TA was able to secure all of our ADRs!! YAYAY! We got Ohanas on 12/6 at 6:30 p.m.; Cinderella's Royal Table on 12/7 at 8:05 a.m.; Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique on 12/7 at 11:00 a.m.; Crystal Palace on 12/8 at 8:05 a.m.; and Kona Cafe on 12/9 at 8:30 a.m. Since DH is going golfing on 12/8, I may actually cancel Crystal Palace and my DD and I may just hang out by the pool that morning. However, if I decide to brave, solo, Magic Kingom with a 3 year old, at least the ADR will be in place. Okay, now that that hurdle is over, now it's onto planning for our excursions! C'mon September!

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Sounds like a great lineup!

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Crystal27 - If you are up to it and if she likes the "pooh characters", you will love it. I dont know if you have ever been but we had great character encounters there. Plenty of time to take pictures. We didnt feel rushed at all. We went at dinner.

We ended up not going to Little Rock this weekend. Too hot!!! We went to Howards race and no one showed up in his class. He raced another fellow in another class. They both got first place points. Basically it was making a eight rounds around the track for points. The other races were good though.

My Mom(60) went to the hospital to see her MIL and fell. She is very overweight. She shattered her femur right above the knee. She is going to have surgery this afternoon. They are hoping to put a rod and pins in...if it is worse than they think, they will put in plates and screws. They said she would be down a minimum of three months with no weight bearing. Her husband cant drive because he has horrible epileptic(?) seizures. I am afraid me and my sisters are in for the long haul. We all live within 45 minutes of her. I have a couple of sisters that are about 15 mintues from her. Surely they will have physical therapy go to the house since neither of them can drive? What is even worse is she fell at the methodist hospital and her insurance is baptist hospital only. WHAT A MESS!!!!

No travel planning this week for me. If I didnt get to plan any more I would be happy with what I do have.

Goofy 4 disney - She will be so happy with BBB. Past that she will love the whole trip. When Christie and Howard went for the first time they were four and five. They were in complete Awe over the whole thing!!!! Outside of the parks the do have campfire story telling and making smores (all you have to purchase is the stuff for the smores if you want to make them) at fort wilderness also. They have carriage rides too!! Both of those would be inexpensive. Good luck!

Yall have a good day!

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

CRSNDSNY - Do you have the nursery ready? Thirty nine days? I hope you are feeling ok. I am glad you dont have to suffer all of the summer months!! Take care of yourself and keep us informed.