podsnel
<font color=blue>just skippin' around, amusing mys
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2007
- Messages
- 7,069
Hi! I am finally ready to start my 09 DHHIR TR! 
The planning began a year ago, when we went down for our first visit with DBIL & DSIL (OH, as in OHIO, excuse me, OHHIO!) and their boys and we fell in love with the place. The whole place. The island is beautiful, but we all felt the resort itself was just so special, and we were anxious to experience it again, but with all the family. As in, my DH is one of 5 sons, all with wives and kids- 27 in all!! Not to mention my very proud, very generous MIL (FIL passed away 8 years ago) who wanted to treat her family to an AMAZING vacation!
Now, we knew everyone wouldn't be able to make it, right off the bat. Our oldest nephew has followed in his father's footsteps (bootsteps?) and is serving in the Airforce. And our oldest son, Sean, is just not up for this trip at this point (although we hope he will be one day)- he is autistic, and currently having issues with sleeping anywhere but home (but we are working on it for our WDW trip this November, and he has slept away from home the past 2 weekends with us, so keep your fingers crossed and please keep him in your prayers!) That still left a family of 26 looking for a good time... so we secured a GV (with rented/transferred points from a WONDERFUL DISpal- I bet you can guess who!) and 2 2bdrm villas on a DVC 25% cash discount. In case you didn't know, DHHIR has only 5 GVs- so getting one of them during the summer when they are fully booked is a BIG deal! We were all so excited!! We had NEVER all gone away together before, and since we are spread out between NJ, Ohio and Florida, our kids would be all together for the first time in 3 years- when we all met in Florida at Grandma's (and 2 BIL's). But THIS time, the playing field was even- no mail or Dr's appts or work to get in the way. Just vacation uber-happiness for all!!! Or maybe I should change that to for most... since one BIL from FLA backed out a month before the trip (his eldest daughter was accepted into a prestigious ballet school, so all 7 of them stayed home to support her ) and....since one BIL & SIL found a way to complain about pretty much everyone and everything.
Isn't that just exhausting??? I think it stinks, so I will be staying away from THAT topic as much as possible (although if it creeps in a little here and there, I hope you'll forgive me- I am REALLY PISSED!!!!
).
Sooo.....where to begin....we were arriving from NJ on Friday and staying at the Hampton for 2 nights before checking into DHHIR on Sunday. Why not check in early at Disney's resort? Well...DBIL & family (NJ) were already there, spending the week in HHI before the whole clan arrived. So we figured since we would be spending all our time with them at their resort, we would be ok at the Hampton. KWIM? So....here we come!
Always ready for Disney in my car!
I took pics of the room, because on the HHI lovers thread people who haven't stayed here wonder how the Hampton is. It's fine! But it's no Disney!
Actually, all the people who work there are VERY nice, it is very clean with comfy beds and the first morning at breakfast I met 2 lovely sisters who I shared my table with. We were in a deluxe room, it would sleep 6 as there was a pullout couch in addition to the 2 queen beds.
A quick wash-up, and we were on our way over to visit some family who were staying just down the road.....
The planning began a year ago, when we went down for our first visit with DBIL & DSIL (OH, as in OHIO, excuse me, OHHIO!) and their boys and we fell in love with the place. The whole place. The island is beautiful, but we all felt the resort itself was just so special, and we were anxious to experience it again, but with all the family. As in, my DH is one of 5 sons, all with wives and kids- 27 in all!! Not to mention my very proud, very generous MIL (FIL passed away 8 years ago) who wanted to treat her family to an AMAZING vacation! Now, we knew everyone wouldn't be able to make it, right off the bat. Our oldest nephew has followed in his father's footsteps (bootsteps?) and is serving in the Airforce. And our oldest son, Sean, is just not up for this trip at this point (although we hope he will be one day)- he is autistic, and currently having issues with sleeping anywhere but home (but we are working on it for our WDW trip this November, and he has slept away from home the past 2 weekends with us, so keep your fingers crossed and please keep him in your prayers!) That still left a family of 26 looking for a good time... so we secured a GV (with rented/transferred points from a WONDERFUL DISpal- I bet you can guess who!) and 2 2bdrm villas on a DVC 25% cash discount. In case you didn't know, DHHIR has only 5 GVs- so getting one of them during the summer when they are fully booked is a BIG deal! We were all so excited!! We had NEVER all gone away together before, and since we are spread out between NJ, Ohio and Florida, our kids would be all together for the first time in 3 years- when we all met in Florida at Grandma's (and 2 BIL's). But THIS time, the playing field was even- no mail or Dr's appts or work to get in the way. Just vacation uber-happiness for all!!! Or maybe I should change that to for most... since one BIL from FLA backed out a month before the trip (his eldest daughter was accepted into a prestigious ballet school, so all 7 of them stayed home to support her ) and....since one BIL & SIL found a way to complain about pretty much everyone and everything. Isn't that just exhausting??? I think it stinks, so I will be staying away from THAT topic as much as possible (although if it creeps in a little here and there, I hope you'll forgive me- I am REALLY PISSED!!!!).Sooo.....where to begin....we were arriving from NJ on Friday and staying at the Hampton for 2 nights before checking into DHHIR on Sunday. Why not check in early at Disney's resort? Well...DBIL & family (NJ) were already there, spending the week in HHI before the whole clan arrived. So we figured since we would be spending all our time with them at their resort, we would be ok at the Hampton. KWIM? So....here we come!
Always ready for Disney in my car!
I took pics of the room, because on the HHI lovers thread people who haven't stayed here wonder how the Hampton is. It's fine! But it's no Disney!
Actually, all the people who work there are VERY nice, it is very clean with comfy beds and the first morning at breakfast I met 2 lovely sisters who I shared my table with. We were in a deluxe room, it would sleep 6 as there was a pullout couch in addition to the 2 queen beds.
A quick wash-up, and we were on our way over to visit some family who were staying just down the road.....
Wherewere the Zebras you know the ones with stripes and the Giraffes!!!
I am looking forward to hearing all about this vacation!!!
).
Unfortunately, the floor/ceiling of the GV and the 1 BDRM below it is not well insulated, so even though we were trying to be good, I'm sure it was not pleasant for those beneath us, even with us just walking around. 
Do I win anything ???
Same as Cammi I bet
