First PTR and First Trip ever to WDW/US

[WyldLynx]

I've been reading all the PTRs and thought I'd give it a shot.

Cast:
I'm Sheila. I'm 35, a true farm girl/tom-boy, my heart is in farming but I also work a FT job to bring in extra money. Never been to WDW, Universal Studios, or Florida even. But I love amusement park especially thrill rides. Harry Potter freak can't wait for IOA. Favorite Disney character who I have to get a picture with - *drum roll* T-I-double gger....lol

DH is Ricky, he is 38, he also works another job besides the farm so we can be able to do more then just survive. Never been to WDW or US. Would rather see shows then get on rides but is willing to try. Muppet's and Star Wars fan.

Our two boys Ben who is 11 and Davy who is 5. Both boys are homeschooled. Ben did go to public school for 3yrs before we decided to homeschool him. He is absolutely thriving now and swears he doesn't want to go back. He is testing very well so we are now doing with same with Davy. Both boy have numerous activities; Ben has 4H, soccer, swimming, and scouts, while Davy has peewee football, scouts and weekly play-dates. The closest either has come to any type of amusement park was Splash Country in Pigeon Forge, TN. Harry Potter Fans! Oldest thinks he wants to take on the trill rides with his momma. Favorite WDW characters Captain Jack Sparrow and Mickey Mouse respectively.

My DNephew is Will who will be 18 soon and graduates High School in May. And this trip to WDW and US is his graduation present from me and my DH. Has never been to WDW. Not much of a thrill seeker either, but I'm going to try to change that...hehehe. He is Harry Potter...lol...no seriously though he does look like a heavy set Harry Potter. Favorite Disney character Captain Jack.

My mother Barb who is 55, who worked hard for years to raise me alone with the help of her parents, my grandparents. Another WDW newbie, but loves theme parks. More of a show person then rides but has surprised me by what all she wants too try. She is really looking forward to Epcot. Favorite Disney Character - Cinderella.

This trip is a first for all of us but we are not the only ones going.

My mother's BF Derek, who is 59(who is secretly planning on proposing to my mom on the trip .) This will be his 2nd or 3rd trip to WDW but first time to US. Loves thrill rides, is planning on doing all the coasters he can get on. Favorite Disney character - Winnie the Pooh

Derek's daughters:
Megan who is 39 (not into the thrill rides but loves Dumbo) and her 3 kids, Justin who is 11 ( another Pirate at heart, also another HP fan), Katie who is 6 (can't wait to meet Belle), and Brittany who is 4(wants her picture with Pooh and Eeyore). All of whom (except for Brittany who has only been 1x when she was >1yr) have been to Disney several times. (She also home-schools)

Heather who is 29 and will be graduating college in Dec. She has also been to WDW 3 times. Harry Potter Fanatic, and Favorite Disney Character - Brother Bear

Yes that gives us 12 total half of us have never been. None of us have ever been to US, none have been to Animal Kingdom the rest of the parks they have seen but for 2 it has been 10 or more yrs since the last time they went.

I have been given the wonderful job of planning the trip (for the most part by myself)

We are going to go September 11-17, 2010. I love homeschooling we can take vacation in the off season when the crowds will be lighter.

I have found us a very nice hotel offsite near US for us. We have made our reservations.

I have been doing tons of research in my spare time. Usually in the middle of the night...lol. Isn't the internet a wonderful thing.

At first we were only going to do 2 days at WDW but with the new promotion coming up (we will be doing the Give a day Get a day) so we will have 3 days now and the only one we will have to buy a 3 day pass for is Davy since he is too young for volunteer work. Still it will give us 4 adult tickets and save us some $$.

more to come....

 

[WyldLynx]

Having to take a bit of a break from planning and organizing our trip just because so much has been going on in other parts of our lives. We have been trying to get through DH adoption of my oldest DS. DH is from a prevous relationship but DH is really the only father he has known. So after 11 yrs of no support from DS's bio-f, the jerk decides he wants to play daddy and is fighting us over the adoption. So that has been a lot to deal with. Plus now it is getting close to the holidays and this is the first yr that we won't have my dad with us, he passed away this past April, so those emotions are hitting too.

On top of everything else DH is still looking for a job since his lay off in June. He has a prospect so our fingers are crossed. Luckily my job is stable and pays well. Maybe I should just make him a HH lol

Our Trip is still on thanks to my job. I found out that we will be getting a bonus this year and mine is going to a nice one, enough to pay for our theme park tix and pay off a little of xmas. YEA!!!!! I'm glad we have planned far enough in advance to cover some of these hiccups that life throws our way.

Well I'll get back to planning and researching here soon and get back into the swing of things[/COLOR]

 

[WyldLynx]

I am sooooo excited. I just heard from another Dis'er about Homeschool Days at WDW. Held twice a year in Jan then again in SEPT I'm so holding bated breath to see when it will be held in Sept. Going by this year's schedule our dates would be close enough to get the discounted tickets which would end up saving us BIG $$$.

My problem is trying to wait that long I just can't help it my ocd is driving me crazy I want everything set and I want it now... lol

Ok so let me get back to this update.

1. We have our dates Sept 11-18, 2010 (I include travel days in this)
2. We have our hotel reservation, 2 rooms 5 nights (possible 6 nights)
3. We decided to drive. (I don't fly!)
4. We have our car rental (so glad I was able to work this into the budget)

So far that is completed, off to a good start for a blonde TN redneck (it is a bit of a running joke with me and my friends. plus I still have some purplish-pink streaks from Halloween. That is the last time I use hair paint)

Anyways I digress, I have been working on my planning book. granted my family thinks I have completely gone nuts. But I just tell them it wasn't a far trip. It looks pretty good. Needs a few more details but it is getting there.

I have read 5 books so far;
1 Fodor's Walt Disney World with Kids 2010 : With Universal Orlando and
Seaworld
2 Little Black Book of Walt Disney World: The Essential Guide to All the
Magic
3 Walt Disney World & Orlando For Dummies (good book, funny name)
4 Fodor's Walt Disney World 2010 : with Universal Orlando and SeaWorld
5 AAA Florida Guide

I've read I don't know how many TRs, I think I have read them all on the US side of this site and at least 9 here on the WDW side. It has been a lot to absorb, but I'm obsessed. I have never been to Florida and I want to squeeze as much in as possible with out killing ourselves, especially since we are doing both Disney and the Darkside.

I bought our tickets for US last week. I know I'm ahead of schedule but I have good reason to have already buying them, one I got my Christmas bonus that I didn't think I'd be getting this year, and two I wanted to take advantage of the Unlimited parks + Wet and Wild for $123.99 a person before they discontinued the deal.

 

[WyldLynx]

grrrr computers can be so argumentative, blasted thing kept trying to freeze up on me and I lost all train of thought...

oh well, where was I?...

Oh yeah I bought our US tickets, now just to wait to get our Disney tickets. But the wait may drive me nuttier then I already am.

I have made a tentative itinerary and already changed it twice I'm sure it will change several more times before all is said and done. Here is my first attempt:

Sept 11- Leave out from TN in the evening

* leaving enough time for bathroom breaks and breakfast in Orlando
* remembering to leave all swimwear in small tote bags on top of other luggage

Sept 12- Arrive in Orlando between 7-9am and locate a good breakfast location (TBD)

* Stop for breakfast
* Head for Wet n Wild have a bit of fun
* After several hrs at the water park leave to check into hotel (snack only at park)
* Order in pizza for dinner?

Sept 13- Wake up by 6am

* eat breakfast @ hotel
* head for Animal Kingdom (either by car or shuttle)
* Be at AK when the park opens stay until 2pm do as much as possible (eat lunch at AK)
* leave AK and head over to MK
* Stay in MK until closing (watch the FW) (eating dinner in park)
* head back to hotel for showers and bed

Sept14- Wake up by 6am

* eat breakfast @ hotel
* head for HS to see Muppets 3D, Playhouse Disney Live, Rock n Roller Rollercoaster, and Studio Backlot Tour. when done head for Epcot
* Spend the rest of the day at Epcot until after Illumnations
* head back to hotel for showers and bed

Sept 15- Wake up by 6am

* eat breakfast @ hotel
* either have 3rd day at Disney to have a "rerun" day or see what we missed before or go to Universal Studios

Sept 16- Wake up by 7am

* Head for IOA for Character Breakfast
* Spend all day in IOA

Sept 17 - Wake up by 6am

* pack up
* eat breakfast @ hotel
* load car/check out
* depending on the 15th either US for last fun before heading home or return to US/IOA for a rerun day
* leaving park at a reasonable time to start the drive home.

But it has changed a bit, including adding an extra day

Sept 11- Leave out from TN in the evening (planning on about 8pm but knowing us we'll end up leaving earlier)

* leaving enough time for bathroom breaks and breakfast in Orlando
* remembering to leave all swimwear in small tote bags on top of other luggage

Sept 12- Arrive in Orlando between 7-9am and locate a good breakfast location (TBD)

* Stop for breakfast
* Head for Wet n Wild have a bit of fun
* After several hrs at the water park leave to check into hotel (snack only at park)
* dinner TBD

Sept 13- Wake up by 6am

* eat breakfast @ hotel
* head for Magic Kingdom rope drop
* lunch TBD
* dinner Liberty Tree Tavern
* watch fireworks

Sept14- Wake up by 6am

* eat breakfast @ hotel
* Epcot rope drop

Sept 15- Wake up by 6am

* eat breakfast @ hotel
* head for Animal Kingdom
* Be at AK when the park opens stay until 2pm do as much as possible (eat lunch at AK)
* leave AK and head over to HS
* see Muphets 3D, RNRC, and Playhouse Disney
* Leave by 7pm and head for US RPR Island Dining Room for Character Dining

Sept 16- Wake up by 7am

* Head for IOA for opening
* Harry Potter
* Spend all day in IOA

Sept 17 - Wake up by 7am

* eat breakfast @ hotel
* USF for opening
* if we see everything at USF and there is time left in the day we can head over to IOA- for more Harry Potter!

Sept 18 - sleep in
* pack up and check out
* hit a Cracker Barrel for a late breakfast
* head home

It will be full week but I know I'll have fun.

 

[WyldLynx]

I was planning on updating this fairly regularly until time to go and I just haven't done it. I know we all get tied up with other aspects of our lives but I thought I could do it all...haha just doesn't work that way.

Well I'm going to try to update this at least every couple weeks.

now on to an update.

I just watched Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince last night and watched the special features which had updates on the WWoHP and my excitement is renewed. I can't wait to go!!!!!

I started re-researching my park itineraries and am making changes again but this will probably keep happening until we actually go. And the funny thing is that we probably won't hold too strict to it either...lol

I'll work on another update soon because some of my stuff has changed.

 

[weezy26nm]

Hoping to hear more.

 

[WyldLynx]

It ha been a while since I did an update but thing have been crazy.

We are 157 days out. OMG where has the time gone?

I did get our ADR for Beirgarten a couple weeks ago but forgot to blog it. I was so excited when I saw we were at the 180 day mark. I can't believe it is just 5 mths away. The clock is running down so much quicker then I thought it would.

We did our Give a Day - Get a Day project, we made blankets for Project Linus here in Middle Tennessee. They give homemade blankets and quilts to seriously ill or traumatized children. It is a wonderful program that we were happy to be involved with for this. Whomever at Disney came up with this promotion had an absolutely wonderful idea. We plan on making another set of blankets later in the year and taking them to Project Linus. I just love the whole concept of the program. Plus when my youngest was born and spent 2 weeks in NICU it was Project Linus whom gave him a blanket. At the time I didn't know who or what they were but it was precious to us none the less.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa95/wyldlynx/087.jpg

We have our vouchers already and they are waiting in my planning book. Which has gotten so heavy that it is not worth carrying but it does have a lot of info in it. All our Itineraries printed out on 3x5 index cards, our tickets, photocopies of our tickets (sounds a little redundant but it is always better to be safe then sorry), map (and instructions for our new GPS), copies of all of our reservations (hotel, car), lists of items needed, packing lists, etc.

I so can't wait to go.

I shall try to keep this a bit more up to date.

 

[weezy26nm]

It ha been a while since I did an update but thing have been crazy.

We are 157 days out. OMG where has the time gone?

I did get our ADR for Beirgarten a couple weeks ago but forgot to blog it. I was so excited when I saw we were at the 180 day mark. I can't believe it is just 5 mths away. The clock is running down so much quicker then I thought it would.

We did our Give a Day - Get a Day project, we made blankets for Project Linus here in Middle Tennessee. They give homemade blankets and quilts to seriously ill or traumatized children. It is a wonderful program that we were happy to be involved with for this. Whomever at Disney came up with this promotion had an absolutely wonderful idea. We plan on making another set of blankets later in the year and taking them to Project Linus. I just love the whole concept of the program. Plus when my youngest was born and spent 2 weeks in NICU it was Project Linus whom gave him a blanket. At the time I didn't know who or what they were but it was precious to us none the less.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa95/wyldlynx/087.jpg

We have our vouchers already and they are waiting in my planning book. Which has gotten so heavy that it is not worth carrying but it does have a lot of info in it. All our Itineraries printed out on 3x5 index cards, our tickets, photocopies of our tickets (sounds a little redundant but it is always better to be safe then sorry), map (and instructions for our new GPS), copies of all of our reservations (hotel, car), lists of items needed, packing lists, etc.

I so can't wait to go.

I shall try to keep this a bit more up to date.

The blankets look fantastic. What a great way to give back. And thanks for reminding me, I have to photocopy our tickets and passports.

 

[WyldLynx]

Sorry this thread has been quiet for so long but here is a quick update

I just can't believe where the time has gone!!!

it is almost time to go. I have gotten so lax on updating here but here goes.

I have started packing what I can.

The two youngest are completely packed with the only exceptions being their hand held games and the little odds and ends for the drive down. I have my nephew (18)(can you believe I have to pack for him because he could not fit enough in the bag he was planning on using. He could only fit 3 pair of shorts, 1 pair of jeans, 2 pairs of socks and 1 pair of underwear in the bag. In the same bag I have fit 6 pairs of shorts, 1 pair of jeans, 7 shirts, 5 pairs of underwear, and 9 pairs of sock with room to spare) I have started to pack mine and my hubby's bags. We have found that we are going to pack one box with much of our msc stuff but it is not too big so it should fit fine in the back of the van.

We are all so very excited. But 9 days!!!!! OMG!!! we are going to be so much worse next week about this time.

I have a cooler full of flavored waters and other drinks waiting for the trip, have most of our snacks ready. Have a bunch of those horrid plastic grocery bags that we are going to reuse as garbage bags for the trip.

I have the whole drive planned out with a little wiggle room. Yes we are taking the GPS but I still planned where to stop for gas. I have been buying gas gift cards 1 or 2 at a time for a while now so it wouldn't be so much at once and in hopes that I can leave the credit cards alone. I am hoping to use it only in case of emergency. We have scrimped and saved for a year now and have been placing money on a couple pre-pay card so that it will force us to stay more on a budget. But I digress, I have been using the AAA web site to plan out our gas stops (within reason) trying to find what may be our cheapest route or at least cheaper.

I'm sure my family thinks I'm freaking nuts but if all my research and planning makes our trip go smoother then it will all be worth it.

Well time to get back at it. I'll blog more later

 

[WyldLynx]

The blankets look fantastic. What a great way to give back. And thanks for reminding me, I have to photocopy our tickets and passports.

Thanks they were a lot of fun to make. I was actually a little sad when we were done. We are planning on doing another batch after vacation.

 

[WyldLynx]

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