I am not the most creative writer but wanted to get this in before we leave on Saturday. Here goes.
Characters -
Me - Ellie May, mother to one child (officially but unofficially several nieces and nephews plus the dogs and cats and DH who is like another child so why do I need more) and full time Disney trip planner for me and the family
DS16 - Jethro, really tall son, (this comment comes from a neighbor who called my son "that tall boy" and which we thought was so funny for some reason) my favorite child (my only child), loves Disney but only the thrill rides and the food, absolutely will not help me plan a trip. How can he be related to me? His only contribution is no breakfast with Pooh (been there, done that) and one meal at San Angel Inn.
Staying at Pop Century
Traveling 3/10/07-3/17/07
I have to say I am still not positive this trip will ever come about. It seems like I must have really made the Disney gods mad at some point. Just about everything that could go wrong in planning this trip has gone wrong. Example, I had a possible great job offer that would have interfered, money just did not materialize like it should have, foot problems for me, etc. Money has been the main obstacle on this trip. I had planned and budgeted just fine until our tax return did not materialize. See, I had made the mistake of using some of my precious Disney savings for other things thru out the year with the understanding that I would get it back when the tax return came in. Well, stupid me. Fortunately I had already paid for the airline tickets, the room and our park passes. I only had one special event scheduled, Segway Tour Around the World for me and DS. I ended up cancelling it and using that $140 or so for other more important things like food!!! DH was very upset that I was about $400 behind on the amount of money I wanted to bring and still keeps trying to talk me out of going. Yeah, right.
I had originally booked Pop as we had stayed there 2 years ago and liked it. Then I got to thinking that POFQ was so nice 4 years ago so I switched over. Then my savings account and I had a heart to heart and my savings account said Pop was more in agreement so back to Pop. I was getting dizzy there for a while and used up a lot of Disneys postage budget mailing me my confirmations. I did splurge and asked for a Preferred room whatever that means. I still cannot get a definition of that from Disney. I did ask for 60's building, facing away from the pool since I wanted quiet but not too far from the buses and food. We will see what I get. With all the money woes I tried to get the preferred changed back to a standard room but was told they were all booked up. Yikes. Looks like it will be busy.
I have been planning this trip since about 2 hours after our last trip ended about 2 years ago. Really, I am on this message board several times a day just in case I miss some big piece of news. If you are wondering where DH is in all this, DH loves us both enough to not go with us the WDW again. He went with us 4 years ago and liked it okay. When we were almost home (driving) and literally about 5 miles from the house he said he liked it but didnt want to go again. I could have turned the car around right then and gone back. He just really doesnt get it. He hates crowds and hates to wait in line and is not that big into thrill rides. Besides, he just slows us down. Why did I marry him? Oh, yeah. He is cute and I love him.
DS will go with me just about anywhere if I am paying but this may just be his last trip with me to WDW until he is married with small children (in that order please). So I am trying to make this trip a little more special (like any trip to Disneyworld is not special) I was shooting for more sit down dinners at some nice places but after a consult with Uncle Sam, he decided I had not forked over enough money just yet so some of the ADRs are being cancelled. We will play it by ear with the remainder. I told DS last night that we will keep the ADRs we have (OHanas, Chefs, Boma, Le Cellier, San Angel Inn) and if the money holds out and we feel like it we will eat there. If not, I can always eat a burger or go to the Earl of Sandwich again (to me the best value of a counter service at WDW).
The plans for ADRs for right now are
Monday - Chefs de France. Jethro wants French and even though I hear it is not that great at Chefs I will let this one stay for now. It may be one of the first to be cancelled.
Tuesday - OHanas. One I really want to do.
Wednesday - San Angel Inn. I know a lot of people dont like this place but we really like it and I love the margueritas.
Thursday - Le Cellier. This one may or not may not make it. I have heard so many good reviews and I cant wait to try it myself but geez, $100+ for a meal? I can buy a lot of t-shirts for that.
Friday - OHanas again or Boma. I know. Double booked but I promise to cancel one. It will just depend on how well OHanas goes on Tuesday. If it is totally awesome, we will eat there again. If not, we may get to Boma.
We had planned to fly our last trip two years ago but DS was absolutely terrified of flying at that time. The whole terrorist thing really got to him. Well, this time he is more confident in security and I guess has figured he is going to Heaven anyway so lets go for it. I had been waiting for months for SW to open up our dates and finally they opened up the schedule. I bought our tickets for about $420. Not bad and within my budget. Well, it just so happens the next day I found out I may be in for a really cool job. Can you believe the timing? And it was a job that I probably could not get the time off even without pay. So, I get my money back from SW because it was less than 24 hours since I bought the tickets. Well wouldnt you know it the job fell through but I still get to go to Disneyworld so not all bad. The bad is I bought the tickets again and ended up paying about $100 more. Oh, and did I mention we were out of town during all this? We had to go to the in-laws for Thanksgiving (grrrrr) so I didnt have my computer. Fortunately Hampton Inn had free internet access so I am constantly on the internet checking to see if the rates will go back down. Had to fight with one old guy for the internet access. He would not get off of the computer! I even sat behind him at a table reading a newspaper and mumbling to son that I would check on the airline tickets as soon as the computer was free. The guy would not take a hint. Imagine him wanting to check his email, message boards, etc. when I had important work to do! Didnt he know I had a trip to Disneyworld to plan? I finally point blank asked him how much longer he would be. Oh! Did you need to use the computer? Duh!!!!!! Even though the tickets were a little more, at least no driving 11 or more hours, no hunting for a bathroom on the tollroad (our last trip I came this close to pulling over and peeing on the side of the highway, note to self, do not drink anything within 5 hours of getting on a tollroad). I did read on SW website that the bags have a 50 pound limit!!! How am I ever going to do that. We are going for a week. But...we are taking 2 bags each so hopefully we can get by with only 200 pounds of stuff.
Now I have not flown in about 12 years so anyone in the Jackson, Mississippi airport on March 10, please ignore Ellie Mae and Jethro. That will be us (actually I do have blond hair and DS is well over 6 feet tall so it is not a stretch to call us that). Please dont laugh. I honestly have no idea what to do when I step out of the car. DH is dropping us off and he knows even less than we do and will make a quick exit from the airport. I hope some kind soul will take the bumpkins by the hand and lead us around.
This brings up another bump in the road. I figured that everyone got to check in online with Southwest and print out their boarding passes. You just had to be sure to get it done exactly 24 hours prior to the flight so you would be assurred of getting an "A" boarding pass. Well, I found out that is not necessarily so. Some people are flagged and don't get to check in online. Then I found out that DS's youth fare also made it impossible to check in online. I quickly upgraded him to an adult fare and the SW lady said I should have no problem (unless one of us gets flagged). Now I am paranoid about not getting 2 "A" boarding passes. I have discussed it with DS and the plan is whoever gets the "A" pass can go ahead and board and save a seat (and save it with your life) for the other. Hopefully there will be no screaming and hollering if someone tries to take that seat.
I have done just about all the planning I can do at this point. I have my spending money and travelers checks, quarters for arcade or pressed pennies, tickets printed out (will get the boarding passes hopefully Friday). I have just about finished my packing. I have told DS his packing is up to him. If he doesnt bring enough clothes he can do laundry while I am out having fun.
Characters -
Me - Ellie May, mother to one child (officially but unofficially several nieces and nephews plus the dogs and cats and DH who is like another child so why do I need more) and full time Disney trip planner for me and the family
DS16 - Jethro, really tall son, (this comment comes from a neighbor who called my son "that tall boy" and which we thought was so funny for some reason) my favorite child (my only child), loves Disney but only the thrill rides and the food, absolutely will not help me plan a trip. How can he be related to me? His only contribution is no breakfast with Pooh (been there, done that) and one meal at San Angel Inn.
Staying at Pop Century
Traveling 3/10/07-3/17/07
I have to say I am still not positive this trip will ever come about. It seems like I must have really made the Disney gods mad at some point. Just about everything that could go wrong in planning this trip has gone wrong. Example, I had a possible great job offer that would have interfered, money just did not materialize like it should have, foot problems for me, etc. Money has been the main obstacle on this trip. I had planned and budgeted just fine until our tax return did not materialize. See, I had made the mistake of using some of my precious Disney savings for other things thru out the year with the understanding that I would get it back when the tax return came in. Well, stupid me. Fortunately I had already paid for the airline tickets, the room and our park passes. I only had one special event scheduled, Segway Tour Around the World for me and DS. I ended up cancelling it and using that $140 or so for other more important things like food!!! DH was very upset that I was about $400 behind on the amount of money I wanted to bring and still keeps trying to talk me out of going. Yeah, right.
I had originally booked Pop as we had stayed there 2 years ago and liked it. Then I got to thinking that POFQ was so nice 4 years ago so I switched over. Then my savings account and I had a heart to heart and my savings account said Pop was more in agreement so back to Pop. I was getting dizzy there for a while and used up a lot of Disneys postage budget mailing me my confirmations. I did splurge and asked for a Preferred room whatever that means. I still cannot get a definition of that from Disney. I did ask for 60's building, facing away from the pool since I wanted quiet but not too far from the buses and food. We will see what I get. With all the money woes I tried to get the preferred changed back to a standard room but was told they were all booked up. Yikes. Looks like it will be busy.
I have been planning this trip since about 2 hours after our last trip ended about 2 years ago. Really, I am on this message board several times a day just in case I miss some big piece of news. If you are wondering where DH is in all this, DH loves us both enough to not go with us the WDW again. He went with us 4 years ago and liked it okay. When we were almost home (driving) and literally about 5 miles from the house he said he liked it but didnt want to go again. I could have turned the car around right then and gone back. He just really doesnt get it. He hates crowds and hates to wait in line and is not that big into thrill rides. Besides, he just slows us down. Why did I marry him? Oh, yeah. He is cute and I love him.
DS will go with me just about anywhere if I am paying but this may just be his last trip with me to WDW until he is married with small children (in that order please). So I am trying to make this trip a little more special (like any trip to Disneyworld is not special) I was shooting for more sit down dinners at some nice places but after a consult with Uncle Sam, he decided I had not forked over enough money just yet so some of the ADRs are being cancelled. We will play it by ear with the remainder. I told DS last night that we will keep the ADRs we have (OHanas, Chefs, Boma, Le Cellier, San Angel Inn) and if the money holds out and we feel like it we will eat there. If not, I can always eat a burger or go to the Earl of Sandwich again (to me the best value of a counter service at WDW).
The plans for ADRs for right now are
Monday - Chefs de France. Jethro wants French and even though I hear it is not that great at Chefs I will let this one stay for now. It may be one of the first to be cancelled.
Tuesday - OHanas. One I really want to do.
Wednesday - San Angel Inn. I know a lot of people dont like this place but we really like it and I love the margueritas.
Thursday - Le Cellier. This one may or not may not make it. I have heard so many good reviews and I cant wait to try it myself but geez, $100+ for a meal? I can buy a lot of t-shirts for that.
Friday - OHanas again or Boma. I know. Double booked but I promise to cancel one. It will just depend on how well OHanas goes on Tuesday. If it is totally awesome, we will eat there again. If not, we may get to Boma.
We had planned to fly our last trip two years ago but DS was absolutely terrified of flying at that time. The whole terrorist thing really got to him. Well, this time he is more confident in security and I guess has figured he is going to Heaven anyway so lets go for it. I had been waiting for months for SW to open up our dates and finally they opened up the schedule. I bought our tickets for about $420. Not bad and within my budget. Well, it just so happens the next day I found out I may be in for a really cool job. Can you believe the timing? And it was a job that I probably could not get the time off even without pay. So, I get my money back from SW because it was less than 24 hours since I bought the tickets. Well wouldnt you know it the job fell through but I still get to go to Disneyworld so not all bad. The bad is I bought the tickets again and ended up paying about $100 more. Oh, and did I mention we were out of town during all this? We had to go to the in-laws for Thanksgiving (grrrrr) so I didnt have my computer. Fortunately Hampton Inn had free internet access so I am constantly on the internet checking to see if the rates will go back down. Had to fight with one old guy for the internet access. He would not get off of the computer! I even sat behind him at a table reading a newspaper and mumbling to son that I would check on the airline tickets as soon as the computer was free. The guy would not take a hint. Imagine him wanting to check his email, message boards, etc. when I had important work to do! Didnt he know I had a trip to Disneyworld to plan? I finally point blank asked him how much longer he would be. Oh! Did you need to use the computer? Duh!!!!!! Even though the tickets were a little more, at least no driving 11 or more hours, no hunting for a bathroom on the tollroad (our last trip I came this close to pulling over and peeing on the side of the highway, note to self, do not drink anything within 5 hours of getting on a tollroad). I did read on SW website that the bags have a 50 pound limit!!! How am I ever going to do that. We are going for a week. But...we are taking 2 bags each so hopefully we can get by with only 200 pounds of stuff.
Now I have not flown in about 12 years so anyone in the Jackson, Mississippi airport on March 10, please ignore Ellie Mae and Jethro. That will be us (actually I do have blond hair and DS is well over 6 feet tall so it is not a stretch to call us that). Please dont laugh. I honestly have no idea what to do when I step out of the car. DH is dropping us off and he knows even less than we do and will make a quick exit from the airport. I hope some kind soul will take the bumpkins by the hand and lead us around.
This brings up another bump in the road. I figured that everyone got to check in online with Southwest and print out their boarding passes. You just had to be sure to get it done exactly 24 hours prior to the flight so you would be assurred of getting an "A" boarding pass. Well, I found out that is not necessarily so. Some people are flagged and don't get to check in online. Then I found out that DS's youth fare also made it impossible to check in online. I quickly upgraded him to an adult fare and the SW lady said I should have no problem (unless one of us gets flagged). Now I am paranoid about not getting 2 "A" boarding passes. I have discussed it with DS and the plan is whoever gets the "A" pass can go ahead and board and save a seat (and save it with your life) for the other. Hopefully there will be no screaming and hollering if someone tries to take that seat.
I have done just about all the planning I can do at this point. I have my spending money and travelers checks, quarters for arcade or pressed pennies, tickets printed out (will get the boarding passes hopefully Friday). I have just about finished my packing. I have told DS his packing is up to him. If he doesnt bring enough clothes he can do laundry while I am out having fun.
