Discovering DVC timandlesley style-A PTR, 19 days TRIP REPORT LINK PG.119!!!!!

[dddisrunner]

Hi Lesley! I can't wait to see how your final dining plans look! I am still tweaking ours. With no SWW and the many refurbs in the MK, I think we won't be spending as many days there as originally intended especially as the 4th of July gets closer. I think the crowds will be OVERWHELMING even at rope drop What do you think? I hope it hasn't been too difficult getting back into your routine!

 

[timandlesley]

Hi Lesley! I can't wait to see how your final dining plans look! I am still tweaking ours. With no SWW and the many refurbs in the MK, I think we won't be spending as many days there as originally intended especially as the 4th of July gets closer. I think the crowds will be OVERWHELMING even at rope drop What do you think? I hope it hasn't been too difficult getting back into your routine!

I will be posting them soon. I know, that stinks about SWW. Luckily most of the MK refurb's only last until the 30th so we should still be able to ride the TTA and Space Mtn. (at least that's the date I saw). What did you see?
Lesley

 

[timandlesley]

Hi guys...
So, we have had a revelation today and have mad a big decision in regards to our trip................................................................................
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drumroll please...........................................................................
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We have decided to...........................................................................
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DRIVE TO ORLANDO INSTEAD OF FLY!!!!!
We decided, 16 days in Orlando we would want our car, plus to cost savings is a win win
Tim (in usual Tim style) decided he wanted to announce this on our Dis thread by creating a slideshow (hence the "shut up and drive" song). I have TRIED AND TRIED to post this to photobucket tonight but it is too big (HUGE BUMMER), so we posted on youtube,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGTx9j5SfT0
O.K., edited today: looks like they deleted the audio on Youtube, check it out on my blog instead:
www.livinglifeaslesley.blogspot.com
I am hoping this link works, it is some of Tim's best work and funny and MAKES US WANT TO GO TOMORROW!!!!!
Enjoy!!!!

Lesley
some of his best work, I just love it. We all watched it together as a family tonight

 

[Nicole786]

Driving will definitely give you some freedom!

 

[DreaGirl]

We love having a car there. We haven't drove down, but usually rent one. Our last trip we didn't and we felt so trapped!

How long is the drive?

 

[dddisrunner]

TTA is listed as being closed 4/19-8/19 and Space is listed as 4/19- 11/09!

Awesome video...great job Tim! That is great you will have your car!

 

[Spartangirl]

Great job, Tim! LOVED the video!!! It will be nice having a car...

 

[punkin413]

oh, lesley, you guys will LOVE having your car there. we always do (makes more sense for us since it's only a 7-hour drive) and we do the busses about half the time and drive about half the time. it will cut so much time off your transportation time plus you get to park for free everywhere when you stay on property. the only place it's a pain is at MK because you have to park at the TTC and then get on the ferry or the monorail to get there whereas with a bus you just pull right up to the entrance. good decision! i know it'll be quite a trip from ohio but you guys will be okay. if you decide to stop in georgia let me know!!!!!

 

[donaldsgal]

I will be posting them soon. I know, that stinks about SWW. Luckily most of the MK refurb's only last until the 30th so we should still be able to ride the TTA and Space Mtn. (at least that's the date I saw). What did you see?
Lesley

All Ears says "until late 2009". We'll miss it for our nearly two-week extravaganza in May.

We're driving in May from Fairborn (just up the road from you), so we'll probably take the same route. We've driven twice before but from northcentral Ohio, so that takes us down 77 most of the way. We actually really like the drive. Load up on the Disney CDs/movies and enjoy! I think you'll LOVE having the car there - so nice not to fight lines for buses, and since you use TGM, you'll always have a good parking spot up front when you pull into a park. Plus everyone gets a seat at the end of the day. Think of all the creative car games you can create - Disney 20 questions (our favorite), Car Bingo, the Disney alphabet game, etc.

ETA: I forgot one of my favorite perks of having the car there. It takes us literally 10-15 minutes to get to the parks! That saves time to sleep in in the mornings and the waits at the bus. We leave at 8:15 to get to, say, DHS by 8:30. SOOOOOOOOOOO nice!

 

[scottny]

YIKES! We loved Southwest last time so I recommend them always. I know, doesn't that stink about Star Wars WEekends, wonder why they changed the dates so drastically.
Lesley

I think it was to get people in during May. or they expect after the 14th to be really busy and they don't need to have something going on. either way it stinks.

Good idea of the car. I would love to drive down but Biff will not do it.

Watched some of the video and it looked great.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Lesley - Once you have a car down there you will never want to be there without one. Trust me!

 

[LISAMWDW]

So cool! I can't wait to watch the video! I'm at work so I'll have to wait until later!

 

[morgtroy]

Loved the video. Driving is not so bad. Not a drive I'd want to do every day or every month, but not bad.
It is such a huge savings, especially with gas coming down. We went down and back for $75.00 in early Dec. Much better than $800.00 to fly.
Plus you can take whatever you want. Save up some new movies the kids haven't seen and keep them for your trip, they'll do fine.
I decided if we ever go just 2 people flying is worth considering, but for 4, the drive is much cheaper.
My Cinci family I've spoken to you about drove last year. I don't remember their drive time?

 

[luvfigment]

The pictures of the video were great but I had no sound it said it was muted b/c of copyrights. I liked all the pictures though and sang "Shut Up and drive in my head" and I am sure that the song will be stuck in my head for the rest of the night. Something about those Rihanna songs...they never leave my head!

Driving will be a great choice espeically since you will be there for so long. I was just saying last night that if DH and I eventually move to VA like we want to that I would drive to Disney more often.

 

[timandlesley]

The pictures of the video were great but I had no sound it said it was muted b/c of copyrights. I liked all the pictures though and sang "Shut Up and drive in my head" and I am sure that the song will be stuck in my head for the rest of the night. Something about those Rihanna songs...they never leave my head!

Driving will be a great choice espeically since you will be there for so long. I was just saying last night that if DH and I eventually move to VA like we want to that I would drive to Disney more often.

Shoot, just edited the post to have another link that still has audio : )

 

[pooh'smate]

The video was great.

 

[mystikgarden]

Hi Lesley. I just wanted to say that I have read your pre-trip reports and trip reports and now have gotten caught up with yet again with this amazing pre-trippie! You helped us out with our itinerary for our first trip and I wanted to say thank you again. The video is awesome (THANKS TIM!!) You all are very brave driving down. We have done it two times now and it's no easy task. You and your family has been through so much and I've been right there with you guys. Thanks for letting us all into your lives and keep up with the great job you all are doing! God bless.

-Amber

 

[Mouse511]

Lesley, you will love having your own car! During our last trip we finally rented a car and now I can't imagine ever going to disney without one. It was so nice to leave the parks, get in the car and be back at the resort in no time

Kristina

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Thanks for sharing the video! Very cute and creative!

We went to Disney for the first time this past November for 12 days and we drove 10 hours. We did it in 2 days because of our daughter (I just didn't think she would do well in the car for 10 hours in one day). My DH and DD wanted to fly, but I am terrified at the thought of getting on a plane. Besides, we took my DH's company car and used hotel points, so the trip down didn't cost a dime . But I have to say, even I wished we had flown after 2 days on the road. It just seemed to eat into our trip too much. I kept thinking......"we could be at Disney right now if we had flown".

And maybe it was because we were new to Disney and it all seemed so massive and intimidating to drive around, but our car never moved from the hotel parking lot for the 12 days we were there. I never even thought about the car. The buses were too easy. But it was not crowded at all when we were there. Since you are going in July, I'm sure the buses and other transportation will be crazy. I am very interested in how it will work out for you. Please do let us know how the kids handle it and how you like driving around WDW. Maybe it will help me to decide what to do on our next trip..........whenever that might be

Can you drive it one day from where you are or will you have to stay overnight?

 

[momof2forever]

I have been following your reports and they are great. You have gave me lots of great advice.

We drove one trip and flew the next time.

Driving has it's good points and bad. It takes us about 14 hours. We drive over half way and stay the night in a hotel and then drive the rest of the way the next day. It can be tiring, but it can be good b/c you have that alone time with the family. I bought new movies, books for the kids and that helps alot. The good thing about driving you can take things with you. So I had bottled water, breakfast food and such.

When we flew it was super nice. My husband who does most of the driving wasn't tired and he was ready to go when we got to Disney, so that is the nice thing about flying.

We are going back this year and we were going to drive but his parents decided to go and they do not want to drive. So we are flying.

So whatever you do will work out as long as you get to go to Disney!

blessings
Regina