Okay, it's 1am, so I'm not sure how far I'm going to get with this tonight, but as we are now down to 12 days to go (according to my ticker) I thought I might want to do something or there will be no PRE-trip report.
First things first. The cast:
Me: 31 year old elementary school teacher who has been on "hiatus" since DS1 was born 5 1/2 years ago. I'm hoping to be back to teaching soon (read: once I get a teaching certificate for this "other" state I've found myself in). I was born in FL, dragged away kicking and screaming (I was 6 months old) when my dad got orders, and moved back when I was 8 years old, never to move from the state again until last July (2006). I got my BA and MA at the University of Florida, and made sure both DSs were signed up for the FL Prepaid College plan before we became residents of another state. GO GATORS!
DH: 30, lived most of his life in FL too (except for a few years when he was very young when he was also dragged to a couple different places because his dad was military-he however was born in Alaska, and doesn't have Floridian blood quite like I do). He is a District Manager for a company that makes and sells air conditioning (and furnace) filters. I tell you this because he is proud of his title. I'm not crazy about it. That title is the reason I am not in Florida anymore. He is not quite the Disney fanatic that I am, but he tolerates my Disney fanatism. He also tolerates matching tshirts. As long as it's only once or twice on the trip
DS1: 5 1/2, just started kindergarten
. Lived his whole life in FL up until now and still, after a year, sometimes asks when we're going back. He has also asked a few times in the last year if we can "go see Mickey". The poor kid got so used to going to see Mickey 3-4 times a year, he doesn't understand why it's now been 15 months since we've been. He is very smart, somewhat obsessive compulsive (he gets this from my mom...and his mom a little bit), and loves all things boy. Especially baseball and nascar. He also, because of careful coaching, loves the Gators. GO GATORS!
DS2: 2 going on 5. He can do anything his big brother can do, if you don't think so, just watch. He looks, acts, and speaks like a 3 year old. A skinny 3 year old, but he's tall enough. It's a good thing Disney doesn't question this kind of thing, or we'd have to bring a birth certificate. Which I STILL haven't ordered from the state. The other state. The one we used to live in. Yes, he was born in FL too. I really need to order that certificate. He is much more happy go lucky, and much more rambunctous than his older brother. I've had many more heart attacks with this one that the first.
Other players: DH has some family (aunts and cousins) who will be at the World during our second weekend. We will probably meet up with them at some point but I have no idea when or where. I'm not even sure at this point who all is coming.
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Conspicuously absent: My parents. Especially my mom. They almost always go to Disney with us, for at least part of the time. Even if Dad doesn't want to go (he's not crazy about Disney, although he is crazy about the boys, and he hates watching how much money my mom spends there). My mom talked about coming "for a few days" with my grandma for a long time. Now she seems to have decided that it will be too much money/hassle and that she, my grandma, the boys and I will go "in the Spring". I am thrilled about this decision for two reasons: 1. It will just be "the 4 of us" this time, which it almost never is, and 2. I get to go back in the Spring when I didn't think we'd be going again for at least 2 years (darn state other than FL).
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Okay, the dates. Our first ever Disney vacation as non-Florida residents (have I mentioned how long I waited to get my new driver's license? Seriously, I got it this past June, because our license plate had to be renewed and they wouldn't let us get a new license plate until we had new driver's licenses). will take place from September 14, 2007 until September 23, 2007. Kinda. The 14th and 23rd aren't actually "Disney days". Because we now live roughly 8 hours from the Mouse (instead of the 1 1/2 we used to have to drive) we've decided to split the driving time on both the trip there and the trip back. My kids are not car riders. They've never had to be. SO we will actually be AT Disney 9/15/07-9/22/07.
The kids do NOT know we are going. They will not know we are going until we actually drive past the Mickey shaped electric pole on I4. Until that point we are either "going for a ride" or "going to visit a friend in FL" (since we have plenty there). There is a good reason for this. If I happened to mention that we were going to Disney World to DS1 (and Sea World-can I say that on here-for one day because older DS is also obsessed with whales) I would not hear the end of it from that second on. And even 12 days is too long to have to endure such a thing. Now DS2, being 2, would forget about 30 seconds later. But if he happened to mention it, in passing, to DS1 in those 30 seconds, we'd be back to the original problem. Now I have set myself up for a possible problem. We have a calendar that hangs on the wall by the kitchen. One of those big calendars that you write things on so you don't forget them. I made the (possible) mistake of writing the words "Leave for Disney" on the 14th, "Return from Disney" on the 23rd, and DISNEY on all the days in between. DS1 can read this word. If he happens to glance at the calendar in the next 12 days we might have a problem. I'm going to have to try to limit his time with the calendar for a couple weeks. He knows how days work. He knows today's date and he knows tomorrow's date. It won't be a matter of "Is it time to leave for Disney yet?" as much as it will be "12 more days till Disney"..."Mom. 12 more days till Disney." "Disney is on the 14th." "11 more days till Disney". And then of course the inevitable "Are we there yet"s on the trip down. I dread that a lot more than anything else. This is the reason why he isn't to know where we're going until we get that. That, and I CAN'T WAIT to see the look on his face. It won't be the same look if I tell him now. I will have a camera and will be turned around pointing said camera at him and his brother the second they realize where we are. THAT is worth the entire trip right there.
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Okay, ADRs and them I'm going to have to go to bed. I'm sure there's plenty more to say (there is, believe me), but I'm getting too tired to type. I waited 2 months after we decided we were going to see if Disney was going to offer the free dining again, and it finally paid off. I am SO EXCITED that we are going to be able to eat this much TS stuff for free. Awesome. Even better is the fact that our county just happens to have a "fall break" during the week we are going. I don't even have to pull DS1 out of school for this. We are eating:
Saturday, the 15th: Rainforest Cafe (not sure if we'll do the AK one or the DTD one since we'll be at AK on this day)-they don't take ADRs I don't think, but I'm their little "club" thing so we'll still skip the line
Sunday, the 16th: O'Hana breakfast
Tuesday, the 18th: H&V Character breakfast
Tuesday, the 18th: H&V Fantasmic dinner
Wednesday, the 19th: ESPN Club (of course we don't have ADRs, but this is the plan)
Thursday, the 20th: Garden Grill dinner
Friday, the 21st: Restaurantosaurus breakfast
Saturday, the 22nd: Chef Mickey's dinner
We're also doing the MNSSHP on the 21st. DS1 went to this when he was DS2s age, but he doesn't remember it. I remember it though. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. DS1 and I went with my mom and grandma for the "day" but got there late (we only lived an hour and a half away, remember) and decided to do the MNSSHP instead of just getting park tickets. We bought the shirts (DS's was too big, but oh well. It fits him now), and that's all we had for costumes. Still super fun. DH and DS2 have never done the MNSSHP. We have, however, done the MVMCP a few times. We used to go every year. Until we moved here. 8 hours is too far to drive for a weekend. 1 1/2 hours is not. I am seriously looking forward to all of the candy. But mostly I'm looking forward to my DSs experiencing this. They are not wearing the Halloween costumes they will be wearing for Halloween this year. It's too hot. Instead DS1 will wear his baseball uniform from this past year. DS2 will wear DS1's old baseball uniform from when DS1 was 3. DH and I will wear "parent shirts" each of us matching a DS. So they will be dressed up. Just not burning up. I don't think they will care one way or the other, but I will. Picture taking is one of my obsessions and they will be adorable.
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Okay, one more thing, and then it really is bed time. I just realized I didn't mention our hotel. We're staying at All Star Sports. I know this is a Value resort. I know all of the great things about the Moderate and Deluxe resorts. I do. Really. Remember, I used to live in Florida. I've been to Disney A LOT. I grew up on the Panhandle (which was also a 7-8 hour drive) and we still went once a year. I went to college at the University of Florida (GO GATORS!), and went, well, a few times a year. We moved to Clearwater after that. I've been. A lot. I worked for about 4 months for the Walt Disney World Reservation Center in Tampa (I then discovered I was pregnant with DS2 and was too tired to keep driving an hour to and from my house-especially at almost midnight when I got off). I've stayed at All Star Sports, Movies, and Music, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans Riverside (when it was Dixie Landings), Animal Kingdom Lodge, Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary, Yacht Club, and Fort Wilderness (this was during the first time we stayed "on site" when I was in high school-after that trip we NEVER stayed off site again). I love Beach Club and AKL, BUT we're not FL residents anymore. We don't get FL resident discounts anymore. I also don't get Cast Member discounts anymore. PLUS DS1 LOVES Sports. He loves everything about every sport. He watches Sportscenter when he gets home from school. He knows what channel the Speed channel is (and of course all three ESPN channels, Sports South, TBS, and any other channel that shows any other sport). He's also stayed at Sports before. He will be fine there. They are 5 and 2. We don't need huge rooms. Would I have LOVED to stay at Beach Club or Wilderness Lodge, or Animal Kingdom Lodge (we stayed there for DS1's 4th birthday trip-AWESOME), of course. But then we wouldn't have been able to stay as long. We wouldn't have gotten as much free food. Ahhh, free food. The ONE perk of not being FL Residents. We NEVER got packages when we were residents because we always had passes and didn't need tickets. So now we get to have the free food. Still now an even trade off. But a nice little perk none-the-less.
Okay, I REALLY have to go to bed now. More tomorrow hopefully.
Edited because I originally called the resorts "hotels". Disney doesn't like them to be called "hotels". They are resorts. So that's all fixed. I need sleep.
First things first. The cast:
Me: 31 year old elementary school teacher who has been on "hiatus" since DS1 was born 5 1/2 years ago. I'm hoping to be back to teaching soon (read: once I get a teaching certificate for this "other" state I've found myself in). I was born in FL, dragged away kicking and screaming (I was 6 months old) when my dad got orders, and moved back when I was 8 years old, never to move from the state again until last July (2006). I got my BA and MA at the University of Florida, and made sure both DSs were signed up for the FL Prepaid College plan before we became residents of another state. GO GATORS!
DH: 30, lived most of his life in FL too (except for a few years when he was very young when he was also dragged to a couple different places because his dad was military-he however was born in Alaska, and doesn't have Floridian blood quite like I do). He is a District Manager for a company that makes and sells air conditioning (and furnace) filters. I tell you this because he is proud of his title. I'm not crazy about it. That title is the reason I am not in Florida anymore. He is not quite the Disney fanatic that I am, but he tolerates my Disney fanatism. He also tolerates matching tshirts. As long as it's only once or twice on the trip
DS1: 5 1/2, just started kindergarten
. Lived his whole life in FL up until now and still, after a year, sometimes asks when we're going back. He has also asked a few times in the last year if we can "go see Mickey". The poor kid got so used to going to see Mickey 3-4 times a year, he doesn't understand why it's now been 15 months since we've been. He is very smart, somewhat obsessive compulsive (he gets this from my mom...and his mom a little bit), and loves all things boy. Especially baseball and nascar. He also, because of careful coaching, loves the Gators. GO GATORS!DS2: 2 going on 5. He can do anything his big brother can do, if you don't think so, just watch. He looks, acts, and speaks like a 3 year old. A skinny 3 year old, but he's tall enough. It's a good thing Disney doesn't question this kind of thing, or we'd have to bring a birth certificate. Which I STILL haven't ordered from the state. The other state. The one we used to live in. Yes, he was born in FL too. I really need to order that certificate. He is much more happy go lucky, and much more rambunctous than his older brother. I've had many more heart attacks with this one that the first.
Other players: DH has some family (aunts and cousins) who will be at the World during our second weekend. We will probably meet up with them at some point but I have no idea when or where. I'm not even sure at this point who all is coming.
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Conspicuously absent: My parents. Especially my mom. They almost always go to Disney with us, for at least part of the time. Even if Dad doesn't want to go (he's not crazy about Disney, although he is crazy about the boys, and he hates watching how much money my mom spends there). My mom talked about coming "for a few days" with my grandma for a long time. Now she seems to have decided that it will be too much money/hassle and that she, my grandma, the boys and I will go "in the Spring". I am thrilled about this decision for two reasons: 1. It will just be "the 4 of us" this time, which it almost never is, and 2. I get to go back in the Spring when I didn't think we'd be going again for at least 2 years (darn state other than FL).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay, the dates. Our first ever Disney vacation as non-Florida residents (have I mentioned how long I waited to get my new driver's license? Seriously, I got it this past June, because our license plate had to be renewed and they wouldn't let us get a new license plate until we had new driver's licenses). will take place from September 14, 2007 until September 23, 2007. Kinda. The 14th and 23rd aren't actually "Disney days". Because we now live roughly 8 hours from the Mouse (instead of the 1 1/2 we used to have to drive) we've decided to split the driving time on both the trip there and the trip back. My kids are not car riders. They've never had to be. SO we will actually be AT Disney 9/15/07-9/22/07.
The kids do NOT know we are going. They will not know we are going until we actually drive past the Mickey shaped electric pole on I4. Until that point we are either "going for a ride" or "going to visit a friend in FL" (since we have plenty there). There is a good reason for this. If I happened to mention that we were going to Disney World to DS1 (and Sea World-can I say that on here-for one day because older DS is also obsessed with whales) I would not hear the end of it from that second on. And even 12 days is too long to have to endure such a thing. Now DS2, being 2, would forget about 30 seconds later. But if he happened to mention it, in passing, to DS1 in those 30 seconds, we'd be back to the original problem. Now I have set myself up for a possible problem. We have a calendar that hangs on the wall by the kitchen. One of those big calendars that you write things on so you don't forget them. I made the (possible) mistake of writing the words "Leave for Disney" on the 14th, "Return from Disney" on the 23rd, and DISNEY on all the days in between. DS1 can read this word. If he happens to glance at the calendar in the next 12 days we might have a problem. I'm going to have to try to limit his time with the calendar for a couple weeks. He knows how days work. He knows today's date and he knows tomorrow's date. It won't be a matter of "Is it time to leave for Disney yet?" as much as it will be "12 more days till Disney"..."Mom. 12 more days till Disney." "Disney is on the 14th." "11 more days till Disney". And then of course the inevitable "Are we there yet"s on the trip down. I dread that a lot more than anything else. This is the reason why he isn't to know where we're going until we get that. That, and I CAN'T WAIT to see the look on his face. It won't be the same look if I tell him now. I will have a camera and will be turned around pointing said camera at him and his brother the second they realize where we are. THAT is worth the entire trip right there.
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Okay, ADRs and them I'm going to have to go to bed. I'm sure there's plenty more to say (there is, believe me), but I'm getting too tired to type. I waited 2 months after we decided we were going to see if Disney was going to offer the free dining again, and it finally paid off. I am SO EXCITED that we are going to be able to eat this much TS stuff for free. Awesome. Even better is the fact that our county just happens to have a "fall break" during the week we are going. I don't even have to pull DS1 out of school for this. We are eating:
Saturday, the 15th: Rainforest Cafe (not sure if we'll do the AK one or the DTD one since we'll be at AK on this day)-they don't take ADRs I don't think, but I'm their little "club" thing so we'll still skip the line
Sunday, the 16th: O'Hana breakfast
Tuesday, the 18th: H&V Character breakfast
Tuesday, the 18th: H&V Fantasmic dinner
Wednesday, the 19th: ESPN Club (of course we don't have ADRs, but this is the plan)
Thursday, the 20th: Garden Grill dinner
Friday, the 21st: Restaurantosaurus breakfast
Saturday, the 22nd: Chef Mickey's dinner
We're also doing the MNSSHP on the 21st. DS1 went to this when he was DS2s age, but he doesn't remember it. I remember it though. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. DS1 and I went with my mom and grandma for the "day" but got there late (we only lived an hour and a half away, remember) and decided to do the MNSSHP instead of just getting park tickets. We bought the shirts (DS's was too big, but oh well. It fits him now), and that's all we had for costumes. Still super fun. DH and DS2 have never done the MNSSHP. We have, however, done the MVMCP a few times. We used to go every year. Until we moved here. 8 hours is too far to drive for a weekend. 1 1/2 hours is not. I am seriously looking forward to all of the candy. But mostly I'm looking forward to my DSs experiencing this. They are not wearing the Halloween costumes they will be wearing for Halloween this year. It's too hot. Instead DS1 will wear his baseball uniform from this past year. DS2 will wear DS1's old baseball uniform from when DS1 was 3. DH and I will wear "parent shirts" each of us matching a DS. So they will be dressed up. Just not burning up. I don't think they will care one way or the other, but I will. Picture taking is one of my obsessions and they will be adorable.
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Okay, one more thing, and then it really is bed time. I just realized I didn't mention our hotel. We're staying at All Star Sports. I know this is a Value resort. I know all of the great things about the Moderate and Deluxe resorts. I do. Really. Remember, I used to live in Florida. I've been to Disney A LOT. I grew up on the Panhandle (which was also a 7-8 hour drive) and we still went once a year. I went to college at the University of Florida (GO GATORS!), and went, well, a few times a year. We moved to Clearwater after that. I've been. A lot. I worked for about 4 months for the Walt Disney World Reservation Center in Tampa (I then discovered I was pregnant with DS2 and was too tired to keep driving an hour to and from my house-especially at almost midnight when I got off). I've stayed at All Star Sports, Movies, and Music, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans Riverside (when it was Dixie Landings), Animal Kingdom Lodge, Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary, Yacht Club, and Fort Wilderness (this was during the first time we stayed "on site" when I was in high school-after that trip we NEVER stayed off site again). I love Beach Club and AKL, BUT we're not FL residents anymore. We don't get FL resident discounts anymore. I also don't get Cast Member discounts anymore. PLUS DS1 LOVES Sports. He loves everything about every sport. He watches Sportscenter when he gets home from school. He knows what channel the Speed channel is (and of course all three ESPN channels, Sports South, TBS, and any other channel that shows any other sport). He's also stayed at Sports before. He will be fine there. They are 5 and 2. We don't need huge rooms. Would I have LOVED to stay at Beach Club or Wilderness Lodge, or Animal Kingdom Lodge (we stayed there for DS1's 4th birthday trip-AWESOME), of course. But then we wouldn't have been able to stay as long. We wouldn't have gotten as much free food. Ahhh, free food. The ONE perk of not being FL Residents. We NEVER got packages when we were residents because we always had passes and didn't need tickets. So now we get to have the free food. Still now an even trade off. But a nice little perk none-the-less.
Okay, I REALLY have to go to bed now. More tomorrow hopefully.
Edited because I originally called the resorts "hotels". Disney doesn't like them to be called "hotels". They are resorts. So that's all fixed. I need sleep.
I mentioned I was photo-obsessed, right? I will have my camera, Will will have a camera (the older, smaller version of my camera), but I am still going to take EVERY opportunity to let the Disney Photopass cast members take pictures of us. As a family. Just me and DH (hereafter known as Matt). Just the boys. Each of the boys individually. However many different poses I can get them to sit still for (and by "them" I mean all THREE boys), will be taken. And I will be in a BUNCH of them. Because Matt is NOT a picture-taker. So normally I am not in the pictures. It is known that I am there, because if I wasn't there, there would be no pictures. But I'm not in the pictures. Usually I can get dear hubby to take one or two "token" pictures of me with the boys. But that's it. That won't be it on this trip. We will be taking advantage of the Photopass castmembers. AND we even have an appointment for the Grand Floridian photo session. Now my 5 and 2 year old are NOT going to thank me for dragging them away from the Magic Kingdom to wander around the Grand Floridian taking pictures. But Mommy has to be indulged just a little on this vacation too, and when I heard that I could get the Disney castmembers to take pictures of MY family for 20 minutes, for FREE, you'd better believe I was on the phone the morning after I got the phone number (it's 407-824-1700 if you're interested). I'm hoping to get a good shot we can use for Christmas cards. Can you imagine having the Christmas card photo taken in September? We usually do it on, like, December 18th. Maybe this whole Disney organization thing is rubbing off on other areas of my life? 
It's not too bad now...scratchy throat...but we all know these things get worse before they get better.
So much for the surprise!
JUST KIDDING!!!! I wouldn't give hints. I would just wait til we got to the sign, and say "Oh look, Disney World. Let's go there instead!" My son would probably guess right after the first clue, and ruin the whole thing!!!
myself. Free food and free candy. 
