DH is home from Iraq (for a little bit)! Time to Celebrate at Disney! *ON OUR WAY!*

[carissanboys]

Well I did a bad, bad thing and DH was not much help in discouraging me!

I booked four nights at POFQ December 7-11 on the military room discount for a whopping total of $402.32!!!!!!! WAHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Adding on the military tickets we can get the room and tickets for just under $600.00! HOLY COW!!! I still can hardly believe it!

Now I can fulfill my dream of going to see the Christmas decorations! I am still in shock!

I'll post more about how our April plans are shaping up soon!

That's awesome! I've been seeing mention of a military discount of 40% off. Do you have a link to info about it?

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

YAy for you and hubby!! I am so excited for you! I adopt soldiers through a site called ADOPTaUSsoldier and I have been telling my soldiers that I have about it!! They are excited!

 

[luvfigment]

Well I did a bad, bad thing and DH was not much help in discouraging me!

I booked four nights at POFQ December 7-11 on the military room discount for a whopping total of $402.32!!!!!!! WAHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Adding on the military tickets we can get the room and tickets for just under $600.00! HOLY COW!!! I still can hardly believe it!

Now I can fulfill my dream of going to see the Christmas decorations! I am still in shock!

I'll post more about how our April plans are shaping up soon!

HOLY CRAP!!! The is freaking awesome! I have to go search for the military room discount info now. Now I think I could really talk DH into it...and make sure i use his little niece as bait. He has been dying to bring her to Disney and this could be our cheap chance!

And I can't wait to see how your April plans are shaping up!

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

That's awesome! I've been seeing mention of a military discount of 40% off. Do you have a link to info about it?

I didn't see an actual link to info, but I just called the WDW line and the CM knew about it. He said he just got a memo about it so he took a minute to read through it before he actually booked the room.

I did read somewhere that certain dates and weekends would probably be blocked out hence our Mon-Fri trip. I figure the crowds should be pretty low if it's during the week.

Now I have to cross my fingers that his schedule works out!

 

[carissanboys]

I just tried calling and asked the CM about it (I need some more info). She gave me a number to call, which I thought was odd. Well, when I dialed the number and it answered it was for Shades of Green. Argh.

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

I just tried calling and asked the CM about it (I need some more info). She gave me a number to call, which I thought was odd. Well, when I dialed the number and it answered it was for Shades of Green. Argh.

Oh no! I guess I got lucky then to get a good CM! Did you call back and get another CM? The Dis now has the info posted at the top of the main page with the code listed! Hope you have the same good luck I did! Sending pixie dust your way!

 

[carissanboys]

Oh no! I guess I got lucky then to get a good CM! Did you call back and get another CM? The Dis now has the info posted at the top of the main page with the code listed! Hope you have the same good luck I did! Sending pixie dust your way!

I *just* called back a bit ago and got a different CM who knew nothing about it. Thankfully I had the code and was able to get the deal.

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

Well, after a neighbor told me it's only an 8.5 hour drive to Disney from Fort Bragg, DH and I have decided it will be much easier to just drive. This way, just in case the Army decides to get tricky, we won't have to worry about canceling/moving non-refundable flights.

We will be able to take our time driving down if DH gets home on time and possibly stop in Savannah for a night. This would allow us to check in bright and early and fully utilize our arrival day in the parks. Then we can come back to check in to our room and have dinner at Artist Point. Then we can meander back over to MK to enjoy the evening. Even though it's a long hike in the car, it wouldn't be too much shorter once you add in arriving early at the airports, layovers, and ME drive to the resort.

Surprisingly, I am really excited about driving down with DH. He loves to drive, and it will give us some fun, quality time just the two of us!


Now here are the dining changes I've made (they're in red):

Mon, April 20 - Arrival Day!!!!
Morning: MK
Evening: MK
We will come back to WL long before our reservations at AP so we can check in to our room, shower, and take a nap too if we like!
Dinner: Artist Point - 2 TS

Tues, April 21
Morning: EP
Evening: MK
Lunch: Le Cellier - 1 TS
Dinner: Noodle Terrace (if it's open!) - 1 CS

Wed, April 22
Morning: AK
Evening: MK
Lunch: Yak and Yeti - 1 CS
Dinner: Cindy’s - 2 TS

Thurs, April 23
Morning: DS
Evening:EP
Lunch: We aren't too fond of the dining options at DHS, and we probably won't spend much time there, so I think we may opt to try a resort CS. Any suggestions???
Dinner: Sommerfest or the Fish Shop?

Fri, April 24
Morning:
Evening:AK/DTD
Dinner: Boma - 1 TS

Sat, April 25 - No park day! - DH's best friend and best man from our wedding, will finish up a 14 month tour in Iraq in January. We haven't seen him since our wedding in August 2007, and he has a sister that lives in Orlando. He is planning to come visit her whilve we are at WDW so we can spend the day together. DH and I are both so excited to see him!!!
Marshall/DTD

Breakfast: Kona Cafe - 1 TS - I am thinking this might be a nice way to start the morning before heading off to see Marshall. Now that they offer the military ticket though perhaps he'll want to come to the parks with us!
Dinner: Raglan Road? DH and his friend love their Guinness! (Unless Marshall would rather take us someplace off property.)

Sun, April 26
Morning: EP
Evening:
Lunch: Cafe Marakkesh - 1 CS

Mon, April 27 - Departure Day
Morning: MK/EP


Any ideas for changes or additions??????

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

I *just* called back a bit ago and got a different CM who knew nothing about it. Thankfully I had the code and was able to get the deal.

Glad you got it figured out! Is that for your trip in April/May???

 

[carissanboys]

Glad you got it figured out! Is that for your trip in April/May???

It's March/April.

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

I found this nearly a year ago somewhere on the DIS, but I have no idea who posted it! If you have any idea, please let me know so I can give them credit!

This person posted a 60 Day Countdown with various WDW facts. I am planning to put them on notecards or something along those lines to send to DH to open each day! I think he'll get a kick out of it!

I think there are a few days missing. If you can think of anything to fill in please let me know!

(60) mph is the speed trash travels through the AVACS system in the Magic Kingdom
(59) Oscar nominations for Walt Disney - the largest collection of nominations in history
(58) <<can't read this one... something about IASW, I think?>>
19(57) was the year then-President Harry Truman politely declined to ride on Dumbo in Disneyland, seeing as how elephants are the symbol of the Republican party and Truman was a Democrat
(56) acres in Typhoon Lagoon water park
(55) tons is the weight of each beam that makes up the monorail track
19(54) was the year that 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was released
19(53) saw the release of Peter Pan, whose Flight we will be riding in 53 days
(52) months of construction to complete the original structures at Walt Disney World before opening day in 1971
19(51) was the year that Alice in Wonderland was released. And yes, we will be riding the teacups. Repeatedly.
(50) degrees in the banked turn on Test Track
(49) thousand square feet of retail space in the Virgin Records Megastore at DTD... only the World of Disney is larger!
(48) frames per second in the movie on Soarin'
(47) million cokes consumed at WDW each year... and relatively little Beverly. 'Consumed,' not 'spit out'...
(46) -foot-tall Mayan Pyramid at the Dig Site at Coronado Springs
(45) minutes to experience Ellen's Energy Adventure - mental note: drink fewer cokes!
(44) inches is the height requirement for Mission:Space
(43) <<another one I can't read... sorry>>
(42) Presidents in the Hall of Presidents.. until 2009, that is
19(41) release of Dumbo, a classic movie and the classic WDW ride
(40) mph is the upper traveling speed of the monorail, and the maximum speed for the fastest part of Splash Mountain
(39) acres on the grounds of the Polynesian Resort
(38) thousand pounds of white glaze used annually at WDW - that's a lot of doughnuts and pastries
(37) is the number of floats + 'pods' in Spectromagic
(36) audioanimatronic figures in Ellen's Energy Adventure - only one of which is actually Ellen
(35) foot drop at the end of Space Mountain
(34) passengers per train on Expedition Everest
(33) acres of savannah at Animal Kingdom Lodge
(32) audioanimatronic figures in the Carrousel of Progress
(31) cars on Test Track, numbered 2-16 and 18-33... #17 was destroyed during a 'worst case scenario' test prior to opening
(30) rockets on Space Mountain, numbered 1-31... there is no #13
19(29) Walt creates the Silly Symphonies - the 'Flowers and Trees' in 1932 is the first cartoon to be produced in full color, and becomes the first to win an Oscar, too
(28) foot-tall LCD-covered globe is the centerpiece of Illuminations
(27) feet is the depth of the tank in the Seas at Epcot - almost twice as deep as the Seven Seas Lagoon
(26) times a year the horse-shaped hitching posts on Main Street USA are scraped and repainted... every two weeks!
(25) tennis courts among the WDW resorts
(24) riders fit in each limo on the Rockin' Roller Coaster
(23) countries sent representatives to bring water from 23 different lakes and rivers around the world to pour into the Millennium Plaza fountain at Epcot
(22) different languages are used to say 'goodbye' in the last room on it's a small world
(21) slides at Blizzard Beach
(20) million copies of Finding Nemo sold in the first 14 days of its release
(19) torches surround the lagoon for Illuminations - representing the first 19 centuries of modern history
(18) towers on Cinderella's Castle
(17) stunt performers in the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular
(16) million pounds is the empty weight of Spaceship Earth - more than three times the weight of a Space Shuttle fueled and fully loaded for flight
(15) million miles travelled by WDW buses each year
(14) minute cruise through the Epcot greenhouses in Living with the Land
(13) lanterns hang in the Liberty Tree to represent the original colonies
(12) hundred people eat at Chef Mickey's every day
(11) Disney theme parks worldwide... and we'll be visiting some of them soon!
(10) mph is the average speed of travel on the train around Magic Kingdom
(9) minutes to do the Jungle Cruise, and the Tikis are 9 minutes too. Pirates of the Caribbean is only 8 and a half.
(8) million cubic yards of earth was moved in the construction of the Magic Kingdom... talk about moving mountains!
(7) pumps keep the water in the Kali River at AK moving along... rapidly.
(6) theaters/rooms on Carrousel of Progress. More people have watched this show than any other musical comedy in the history of American theater.
(5) minutes to completely drain all 965,000 gallons of water from Splash Mountain
(4) percent of all amateur photos taken in the country are taken at WDW... don't forget to pack your camera!
(3) million Mickey ice-cream bars are eaten in WDW each year. I only need one... how about you?
(2) animated films were produced entirely at the Studios before they removed the animation operations from there - Mulan and Lilo & Stitch.
(1) day until we leave... what else is there to think about today?!

 

[carissanboys]

We (well, I - dh not so much) love driving places and with you being in NC, I think that's a great idea. We drive from here to SC on our first day and then drive the rest of the way to Orlando.

We always stay in Savannah on our way back home. It's only like 4 or 5 hours from Orlando to Disney.

 

[iluv2go2disney]

Just followed you over from my TR. That was such a wonderful dream that your DH received. I'm sure it made it feel like he was a part of the trip. Your plans sound great. I hope your DH gets to be a part of the flag retreat ceremony. I was able to sign my dad up on our last trip and it was the highlight of his trip. It's a very moving ceremony.

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

I realized this morning that I forgot to tell you all that....



I QUIT MY JOB!!!!!



My last day in the office will be next Thursday, and I am so excited to start a new adventure in my life. You're probably all thinking I'm nuts for being 24, without kids...at least human ones...., with a deployed husband and I quit my job, but let me explain.

I have always wanted to finish my Masters' degree before DH and I start having kids (which is still 4-5 years down the road so don't get any idea! ). We are planning to try to leave Fort Bragg for some training at Fort Benning, GA in early 2010. DH and I decided that now is a great time for me to start my Masters' so that around the time he leave Fort Benning for yet another post, I will be nearly done. We will be at Benning for roughly a year so I won't be looking for a full time job and it would be the perfect time for me to get a good chuck of classes out of the way.

We also took into account that DH will have 18 days of R&R in April and up to 30 days of block leave after he returns this summer, and I want to be able to spend all of this time with him without worry of scheduling vacation. I will also be spending almost the entire month of February at home in Michigan! I haven't been home since last May, and I can't wait!!!

So now...I need to get my rear in gear and find a GRE test location and date and get studying! I also need to find an online Masters program to apply for...Oh yeah....About that...

So that's my mini life update...And, ironically, I'll be done working just in time to spend January 20 making my ADR's and watching the very historic presidential inauguration!

 

[carissanboys]

I don't think it's crazy at all! Congrats! When my husband and I first moved in together, I quit my job and went back to school. I think I was the same age as you actually. I did do a work study job, but that was simply to help pay for school - not to bring in an income. Good luck on your Masters! What will your degree be in?

 

[The Moonk's Mom]

First...congrats on going back for your Master's! Great!

Second...no the drive is not bad at all from NC...we drove it with 3 kids in the car last year so it won't be bad for you guys.

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

First...congrats on going back for your Master's! Great!

Second...no the drive is not bad at all from NC...we drove it with 3 kids in the car last year so it won't be bad for you guys.

That's good to know! As long as DH arrives on time stateside, I think we'll stop on the way down in Savannah to spend an evening there. Who knows! I'll just be over the moon to see his face!

 

[luvfigment]

Congrats on going back to get your Master's. And I dont think you are crazy for quitting your job. I quit mine in April and went to my sisters to watch her baby over the summer and then moved back to my parents in Sept. Now I do have to find a job while DH finishes his time in England.so we shall see how that goes. Best of luck and hope you get the assignment after ft bragg that you want.

 

[bound2travel]

Congrats on deciding to finish your Master's. What are you getting it in - if you don't mind me asking. Just think, you'll be closer to WDW when you are at Ft. Benning -

 

[Ennazus8810]

congrats on quitting your job! I quit mine on December 15, and I love the feeling

Good Luck on your masters!