Family 1st trip to WDW ...

[basketlover]

I have been on these boards for months researching and lurking which means I don't excpect alot of comments on my pre trip or trip report but I'm going to write one anyway. I've made myself wait and now we are within 24 days of our trip. I will try to post something every day.

First the cast...

Me (michelle) 37 haven't been to disney since I was 3ish, and I don't remember hardly anything about it. NOt even the castle which amazes me how could I not remember the castle?

DH (Jason) 35 he doen't belive in vacation so in the 10 years we've been married we've been on very few. Myrtle Beach and I cruise. And some trips to Gatlinburg because its close and friends go often.

DS (Nick) 17 he has been to disney with grandparents twice at 5 and about 10. He wanted to go to the beach or universal and I said when you are paying you can pick. I did give him the option to go to his dad's if he didn't want to go with us.

DD (Emily) 13 she was in disney with grandparents at 8, she also wanted to go to the beach, she keeps saying how do we go to Flordia and not see the ocean? And you know what I say... when you are paying you can pick, I also gave her the same option but she would rather go to Flordia (even if its not the beach) than go to dad's.


So that's the cast. We are leaving KY on Friday around 3pm. Wanted to leave earlier but ds has a rule at his high school they can't miss days 5 days before or after a vacation or they can't make up the work and we are going on fall break and he has to really try so missing days right before the end of the 9 weeks isn't an option.

 

[basketlover]

THe frist day we are leaving around 3pm and will stay in Cordele GA. Which is around 7 hours from here. My dh and ds both stop for bathroom breaks way to often. I wish that they could learn to hold it, but it won't ever happen.

On Saturday we will leave Cordele GA around 9 am stop at walmart when we arrive in the Orlando area. Then to the condo for my hubby to watch Notre Dame, yes in Orlando and we have to watch football. This will give me time to unpack everything and the kids can swim or hang out. I wanted to go to MK this night but they changed the hours a few weeks ago it closes at 9 pm now. We don't have park hoppers but I now have a day on my tickets that I can't use. We are going to DTD on Saturday night which is going to be crazy crowded I'm not real excited about that but oh well.

 

[basketlover]

On Sunday we plan to be at Epcot at rope drop.

On Monday we plan on DHS at rope drop and lunch at primetime cafe, and stay for Fantasmich

ON Tuesday and WEdnesday rope drop at MK and Wednesday we will stay for wishes and spectro.

On Thursday we will sleep in and then go to epcot around noonish, and dinner and illumniations at the rose and crown dining room.

Friday is AK day for us and that leaves friday night becasue it closes at 5pm we might just hang out at cond or DTD again we will play this by ear.

 

[basketlover]

 

[basketlover]

 

[basketlover]

 

[Sara*s_Mommie]

Hi Michelle - congrats on your first DW trip! I take mine in December. Haven't decided about doing a PTR though.

I saw that your name is basketlover...what kind of baskets? By chance is it Longaberger? I've been a Longaberger collector for 12 years and love their products. Anyway, was just curious.

Have fun - and be sure and write about your trip when you get back to

 

[basketlover]

Yes it is Longaberger been a collector about 8 years and sold them for a short while. I've been to Dresden (where they make them) about 8 times I think. It is great there you should visit if you haven't it is wonderful. The factory smells just like the box when you open new product. I love that smell. One of the times I went we stayed in Dave Longabergers house which is now a bed and breakfast.

 

[Sara*s_Mommie]

I haven't been to Dresden - being in California, that would be an entire vacation, and well, I always go to Disneyland for vacation (sorry longaberger!). This time I'm celebrating the adoption of my daughter and am really splurging for this DW trip.

I sold it too for a while - mostly to myself I have so much of it, I feel guilty whenver I buy another piece!

 

[basketlover]

How exciting for you, adoption. We have several friends who have adopted international over the last couple of years and we do a big gottcha day celebration every year with one couple.

Dresden would be a vacation but maybe when you retire Its a really nice place.

 

[basketlover]

So I have an addiction to travel size stuff from walmart. I've been buying for a few months but had not had it all out at once. The other dayII got it all out and wow I have to much. I think a picture is worth a thousand words

 

[disneydreamin247]

Congrats on your first trip! You're going to have a blast. Can't wait to hear more.

 

[basketlover]

Well as far as the budget for our trip we are going to have to be careful. WE can't just spend spend spend but we do have a little room to wiggle. Food is the thing I just can't figure out. I have looked at the menus on the other site so I have a guess but I wish I could have a more for sure number. I have Snacks $12 per person per day
counter service at $40 per meal
table service $125 per meal

what do you think? does this seem ok?????

 

[nts4wdw]

What a good start! Your family is beautiful! I too am the mother of teens (Jake 14 and Em 12). Can't wait to see all the fun you will have.

Love the travel size stuff. I am the same way. I can't pass up that aisle!

 

[awaldo]

Always love to support the new PTRs! If you REALLY want to make sure you stick to the budget, check out one of the dining plans. That way, it's all a sunk cost. We tried it, and that part was nice. We had a problem with it in that with young children, all the Table Service was too much. But now with the counter service plan, maybe it would be a good fix! Just a thought. I've seen people push the pencil to the hilt and say how they could save $.73 a day buy going on their own, but the dining plan kinda forces discipline, since you already bought the food, basically!

Anyhow, that's my two cents.

 

[Sara*s_Mommie]

Well as far as the budget for our trip we are going to have to be careful. WE can't just spend spend spend but we do have a little room to wiggle. Food is the thing I just can't figure out. I have looked at the menus on the other site so I have a guess but I wish I could have a more for sure number. I have Snacks $12 per person per day
counter service at $40 per meal
table service $125 per meal

what do you think? does this seem ok?????

I got the dining plan for trip but wish I hadn't. After looking at the menus (I'm picky), I would have been much better off at just counter service meals with one or 2 TS meals thrown in. I also don't like having to decide so far in advance what I'm going to eat and when I eat it with the table service meals. One some days, I'm saving a few bucks - but that will be eaten up on the TS tip. If you are REALLY watching you $'s, you might want to bring snacks in - I saw a suggestion on another board where you can buy 2 pieces of bread for less than $2 then load up the condiments (now I kinda see that as really stretching your buck). I say, pop a few things up on ebay to sell, make a few bucks and eat wherever you want w/o worrying about $'s.

 

[disneydreamin247]

I got the dining plan for trip but wish I hadn't. After looking at the menus (I'm picky), I would have been much better off at just counter service meals with one or 2 TS meals thrown in. I also don't like having to decide so far in advance what I'm going to eat and when I eat it with the table service meals. One some days, I'm saving a few bucks - but that will be eaten up on the TS tip. If you are REALLY watching you $'s, you might want to bring snacks in - I saw a suggestion on another board where you can buy 2 pieces of bread for less than $2 then load up the condiments (now I kinda see that as really stretching your buck). I say, pop a few things up on ebay to sell, make a few bucks and eat wherever you want w/o worrying about $'s.

I also regret doing the DDP now. I would have been better off using DDE this trip. Next trip I will definitely use the DDE instead. It's only DS so we can easily share meals with an app instead of getting separate meals. Oh well...live and learn right?

 

[basketlover]

We are staying off site so the dining plan wasn't an option for us, and I agree that I don't want pick what I want to eat months in advance. We will manage on whatever. I just hate somthing new and unknown. I like to have as much information as possible.

You are right about Ebay I could just sell some Longaberger.

 

[Sara*s_Mommie]

We are staying off site so the dining plan wasn't an option for us, and I agree that I don't want pick what I want to eat months in advance. We will manage on whatever. I just hate somthing new and unknown. I like to have as much information as possible.

You are right about Ebay I could just sell some Longaberger.

Yep - I have about 10-12 or so baskets to sell....the best being a laundry. I pick up lots off craigslist then resell them, plus other stuff from auction/flea markets. I think I have enough stuff to finance my trip - I just gotta get off my behind and get it up there!

You could get the kids to go through their old toys - that's what I usually sell - stuff like groovy girls, polly pockets, thomas the tank, legos...if you got these just hanging around, you'd be surprised by how much you could get!

 

[basketlover]

Ok so back to the planning. I'm really wishing i could pull the kids out early that Friday. If my son has no tests (end of 9 weeks) I may pull him out like an hour early but really I won't be able to pull him any earlier than that.

And packing I wish I could start packing today but its still 3 weeks away proably next Sunday. I have been collecting things in the storage closet but I haven't officially starting packing. I wish I could just put the suitcases out and go for it. Wouldn't it seem closer that way? It sure seems like it would.

more later