From Poly to Pop! A February 2014 PTR! *Update 11/26*

[DsnyMama]

Will we still love Disney? Will it be the same?? We spent 10 glorious days at the World last year in November and stayed at Animal Kingdom Villas Kidani and The Polynesian! This trip is a bit of a downgrade and a shorter stay! 8 days at Pop Century! We've stayed there before but certainly felt spoiled with our top notch Savannah and Magic Kingdom views! Will it be the same? Will we still love it?

OF COURSE WE WILL!!!

Join us on our magical adventure and baby Aspen's first trip!​

*The Cast*
Me - Amber - 25 year old Hippie/Nursing Student/SAHM
DH - Richard - 27 year old Police Officer
DD - Ava - currently 4 will be 5 year old during the trip Princess lover
DS - Levi - 3 year old pirate and Avenger-lover
DD - Aspen - currently 4 months old will be 6 months old during the trip Minnie Mouse lover


*The Details*
February 4-11, 2014
Pop Century
Regular Disney Dining
Basic Tickets
Flying Southwest out of Charlotte, NC


*The ADRs*
TBD

Here we are! Nice to meet you all!​

(hubby pic MIA - he's NEVER in pics... Will find one!)

 

[DsnyMama]

*~* Links *~*​

Shhhhh! It's a surprise trip after all, it's a surprise trip after all!
Travel plans! Will this flight nearly kill us like the last?

 

[DsnyMama]

Let the planning begin! First of all let me say this is one of two trips in 2014! We are headed to the world - myself, hubster, and kiddos in Feb and myself, my mom/grammy, and kiddos in October! We hopefully plan on booking bounceback if it's free dining

The kiddos have no idea about this trip! It's a total surprise! We were going to keep it a surprise til we left but decided we'd let it be a Christmas surprise! Get a huge box, fill it with balloons, a countdown chain, autograph books, ect and let that be their big Christmas gift this year! I can't WAIT to surprise them!

I'm trying to plan the box. I know I can red, black, white, and yellow balloons, a countdown chain to hang up that night - so 41 links for that, autograph books - but I'm not sure what else. Probably a letter from Mickey Mouse letting them know they are going?

I can't wait to video their reaction!

 

[DsnyMama]

Let the planning begin! Maybe it'll bring some followers up in this PTR I 'see' you all lurking! I'm getting pageviews but no one has 'outed' themselves yet

So we'll start with day 1, our travel day! Always fun with 3 wild ones in tow!

We flew last year down to WDW and let me tell you it was a *TRIP*! We only had 2 in tow and 1 in the belly! Now it's 3 in tow which will make it even more interesting! Ava will be 5, Levi 3, and miss Aspen will be 6 months. Last year we flew with grammy, this trip is daddy - so at least his strong man arms can help with luggage! I also made the mistake of thinking we'd need 'entertainment' on our short 50 minutes of airtime flight from NC to FL.... Noooo totally didn't! Those 4 carry-ons + diaper bag + pocket book + camera bag + toddler who didn't want to walk through the airport + 3 year old who didn't want to carry her own bags = CrAzY!?!? You totally do not want me to rehash what kinda meltdowns happened in the airport and no, I'm totally not just talking about my 2 and 4 year old kiddos... WOW it was bad! No way do I want to repeat THAT!

My 2yr old did LOVE the flight though and even got to speak to the pilot which he thought was amazing!



We are doing a few things differently this time around! We are flying Southwest this year (thank you Southwest for bringing service to Charlotte, NC in 2013!!!) and taking full advantage of free bags! ONE carry-on and ONE diaper bag and that is it this year! We only have a 9-10 hour drive but with 3 kids and a killer deal from Southwest during their fall sale, we had to scoop tickets up and fly! We couldn't pass up $49 one way! Flying for less than $100 rountrip per person is unheard of practically so we had to jump! All 5 of us for less than $400! SCORE I LOVE free bags but admit I'm a bit nervous about not getting to choose seats ahead of time... I'm hoping for family boarding and being able to sit together... The kids loved flying last year and I'm so excited to fly with them again this year! They don't know about the trip yet and will be so excited to find out we are flying since we told them we'd be driving next time to WDW since airline tickets are normally so expensive and there's 5 of us. We are also NOT taking the first flight out... Yes, it's SO awesome to be landing at MCO at 9am, but a 6:30am flight with small children is NOT fun!

Here's what 3am leaving for the airport looks like.... Notice the grumpy 2yr old... And the disheveled half asleep 3 year old!




We plan to leave home around 6:45-7am, drive to the airport and grab breakfast on the way (1hr drive to the airport) and print our boarding passes, ect and be to our gate by about 8:30am. Our flight is scheduled to leave at 10:25am so I figure that's plenty of time to chill, take kids to the potty, grab starbucks before the flight, and stand around near the front to hop in line for family pre-boarding On that note, we've never used Southwest. Do I print boarding passes at home? At the airport? I know I check-in at the 24hr mark, right? The flight is supposed to land at MCO at 12pm, so we'll head to Magical Express and on to our Magical "home"

I can't wait to kick back in these seats and watch the welcome video that always makes me *almost* tear up with joy and excitement!



And of course see the excitement on my kid's faces! Irreplaceable!

 

[Trentmom]

Hi Amber. I did a search for your Pre Trip as I saw your post on Feb 2014 Disers FB page

Your kids are adorable

We will be there the same time frame and at pop too

Southwest is awesome. They will board people in wheelchairs and older people who need assistance first, then Group A, then family boarding (Parties who have any kids 4 and under), then Group B, and so on.

Yes, check in at 24 hour point at home and you print your boarding pass too. Very simple process.

We have been flying them for years and even after my son was too old to qualify us for family boarding, we have always gotten seats together. Don't worry.

We always take that first flight out, but this time that flight was way too much. So we are taking the 8:40am flight this time. At least we can sleep a little later for a change

Look forward to hearing your plans


Kelly

 

[wiigirl]

Following along!

 

[DsnyMama]

Welcome aboard, thanks for joining along!

Hi Amber. I did a search for your Pre Trip as I saw your post on Feb 2014 Disers FB page

Your kids are adorable
Thank you! I think they are pretty cute myself!

We will be there the same time frame and at pop too
Keep an eye out! We'll be the ones staring in amazement at the Canadians swimming while we sip hot cocoa No, really. We'll be the one's with matchy-matchy kiddos!

Southwest is awesome. They will board people in wheelchairs and older people who need assistance first, then Group A, then family boarding (Parties who have any kids 4 and under), then Group B, and so on.

Sounds good! I have 3 under 4, so looks like we qualify!

Yes, check in at 24 hour point at home and you print your boarding pass too. Very simple process.

Perfect! So I can curbside check luggage and head right to security and our gate? Perfect!

We have been flying them for years and even after my son was too old to qualify us for family boarding, we have always gotten seats together. Don't worry.

Makes me feel better. Ideally we want 2 windows and 2 middles right in front of/behind eachother so we can be 'together'. Anytime we fly we choose seats, so this is new

We always take that first flight out, but this time that flight was way too much. So we are taking the 8:40am flight this time. At least we can sleep a little later for a change

Look forward to hearing your plans
Thanks! Enjoy!


Kelly

Following along!

Welcome aboard!!

 

[Trentmom]

We are from Jersey so if warm enough for us Northerners, you might be staring at my son and I in the pool too Hubby doesn't like to swim

Yep, as long as there are skycaps outside, you can curbside check your luggage and head on into security.

 

[DsnyMama]

We are from Jersey so if warm enough for us Northerners, you might be staring at my son and I in the pool too Hubby doesn't like to swim

Yep, as long as there are skycaps outside, you can curbside check your luggage and head on into security.

Oh yeah, we'll be at you guys in the pool too!