Ghosts, and Villians, and Disney, Oh My! An October PTR- Link to TR

[BippityBoo]

Wow! What a beautiful family you have I have not been on DIS all week---so happy you alerted me to your PTR starting! Your title is one of the cutest ones I have read on DIS! Can't wait to read more!

 

[laashley]

I haven't been to Universal in a looooong time, before IOA was even there, but I'm planning on going this November, I'm really excited to go! My sister just went in May with my niece who is 5 and they loved it, so I'm sure your kids would like it!

And I'd love to see an April TR! Why not? It's never too late!

I agree, the kids will love it! I'm not really loving that we have to go on friday and saturday, but since Disney is still the first priority that is what we have to work with. Atleast we will have the express passes, I guess.

It's so fun to read all the TR's. I am on reading them!

I'd be interested in seeing a Cliffs Notes TR from your April trip If I did a TR from the last time I was there, it'd be a seven month long TR

And I totally understand pricing the trip at different resorts My best friend and her husband and I are going next November for 11 days and I've been the one doing the pricing, so I've been looking at the discounts in hopes that they'll be extended or I'll get a bounceback. Now that I know how much we'd save if we did free dining ($1400!!!), I'm poking at the deluxe resorts, since we were going to stay at a mod But we have over a year to figure it out, not just a couple weeks before final payment is due

Think all us fun-loving people on the DIS need to join a support group for disney addicts. Hello, I am Ashley, and I am a dis(ney)-alholic. It has been 4 months since my last trip! I have priced many vacations dreaming of the next one. Nice to have people who love it as much as I do to discuss all my thoughts with!!!

Free dining is the best. $1400, now that's alot of moolah. The mods are great, but I too have expensive taste!!! When I think about what we spend at disney it gives me a little panic attack, but all in all it is worth it.

I've never been to Universal and I know nothing about it. We'll go one day. Can't wait to hear how it goes!

LOL'd at DS's face paint! So freaking funny. I showed the ad to Brendan and asked him which face he would want to get painted. He then started to cry and ran away. So that pretty much answers my question about possible sending him to the pirate thing!

Guess no pirate face for Brendan! Show him the last picture of Noah, now that would really freak him out

 

[laashley]

We enjoyed our stay at RPR...I did not find the rooms or hotel towers had a smell. The only thing I did find was the floor space in the rooms was very small, but, not unmanagable (remember we were two adults, two grown children and Ashton to a room). The Q beds were nice and very comfortable. It is a nice walk from the rooms to the boat area but not bad in any means. Overall the themeing is very nice and for the $150 a night that we paid very much worth it. We really did enjoy using the Express passes. But, I do think if we ever stayed there again we would do one night and if it was the end of our trip like this past April we would try to drive to Lake City for the night on the ride home and save that money.

Also, I would enjoy your cliff notes version as you do your PTR. I have followed several PTR's that they used flashbacks from their last trip to enhance their PTR

Have a great day!

Connie, you are the best! Thanks for all the help on universal. If we could go during the week it would save $100 each night we stay, but I didn't like how that would change the trip around. Debating on staying just the 22nd night. I keep thinking we would just be in that resort for less than 24 hours, like that matters anyway. How far is Lake City? We usually stay in Tallahassee, but am thinking there is no way we could make it that far (doubt we would leave the parks before 7pm).

I like the flashback idea. I feel like I am gonna run out of things to say, so I might as well include april's trip.

Today stank, hope your day was much better than mine!

Wow! What a beautiful family you have I have not been on DIS all week---so happy you alerted me to your PTR starting! Your title is one of the cutest ones I have read on DIS! Can't wait to read more!

Thanks, Katie! You have been scarce on the DIS. I have missed you! So glad you made it over. And thanks!! More coming up soon.


This was Chloe's first week of school and kindergarten has been rough on her. She told me these 8 hour days are too much! When she gets home she is so pooped and still has homework. Then today she gets a note saying because they have too many kids per class a new teacher has been hired and Chloe is now in the new class. Ugh!!! I am glad this is happening the 2nd week of school, and glad the classes won't have almost 30 kids in them anymore. Just sad my little Chlo has to be one of the kids being moved. I know by next friday all will be better, but so far this kindergarten year ain't great

Right now I am working on uploading some of my april pics. Just gonna post here on my PTR and still throw in the planning of october. Hope to get the first day up this weekend sometime. I am excited to share the trip with all of you!

 

[DisneyFirefly]

Think all us fun-loving people on the DIS need to join a support group for disney addicts. Hello, I am Ashley, and I am a dis(ney)-alholic. It has been 4 months since my last trip! I have priced many vacations dreaming of the next one. Nice to have people who love it as much as I do to discuss all my thoughts with!!!

Free dining is the best. $1400, now that's alot of moolah. The mods are great, but I too have expensive taste!!! When I think about what we spend at disney it gives me a little panic attack, but all in all it is worth it.

That's kinda what I think the Dis is It's sort of a support group

And that's with upgrading to the deluxe plan! We don't really have expensive taste (we'd be fine with Pop if need be), but we don't think we'll ever be able to make this trip together again, short of a Disney wedding or vow renewal (if I ever get married, I want it to be at WDW), so we're taking a big trip. Plus, we've been through a lot in the last few years, me on my own and her with her husband, so we need this trip. It was supposed to be in January 2011, but she needs knee surgery, so we had to push it back to November 2011. We've already researched wheelchair rentals if the need arises, but I think she should be fine by then. I think if we went with a deluxe resort, we'd stay at Wilderness. I've visited there before and loved it, and it's within our price range if we get free dining.

 

[starann]

Hello! I am a mom to a 5 and 6yo and we are also pulling them out of school for our trip. Like you said, I doubt I will do it after this trip (who am I kidding, whatever it takes to get to WDW!!!) but right now they are still young enough to get caught up!

We have yet to go to US....I am not a HP fan (well, truthfully, I have yet to red the books or see the movies) and think it's a lot of money and fear that the boys are too little to ride a lot. I am probably wrong, and they would love it, but at least we have a reason to go back to FL!!!!

Dh has already said this is our last trip for a LONG time...poo on him!


K in LA is full day? We are half days here, but since I work, the boys will be in daycare all day.


Well nice 'meeting you'!

STar

 

[Nermel9]

I'm sorry Chloe is having a rough time with kindergarten! They give homework now in kindergarten??? She will adjust, she just needs some time, it will probably be a little easier now if she is in a smaller class.

I can't wait to hear about your April trip! I think I might do mini TR's of my September 08 trip and my November 09 trip on my PTR...the problem is, all I have to go by are pictures, I didn't take notes or anything!

LOL I agree about needed a support group for Disney vacation planning! I have my trip coming up in a little less than 3 months and I'm already thinking about next year...I already priced out a week in October at AKL, but I know that won't happen without a 40% discount! I hope I like the mods, POR will be my first time staying at a mod, I'm just so used to deluxes, after staying at BC in May and WL last November...I'm afraid I've turned into a deluxe snob!

 

[laashley]

Hello! I am a mom to a 5 and 6yo and we are also pulling them out of school for our trip. Like you said, I doubt I will do it after this trip (who am I kidding, whatever it takes to get to WDW!!!) but right now they are still young enough to get caught up!

We have yet to go to US....I am not a HP fan (well, truthfully, I have yet to red the books or see the movies) and think it's a lot of money and fear that the boys are too little to ride a lot. I am probably wrong, and they would love it, but at least we have a reason to go back to FL!!!!

Dh has already said this is our last trip for a LONG time...poo on him!


K in LA is full day? We are half days here, but since I work, the boys will be in daycare all day.


Well nice 'meeting you'!

STar

Nice meeting you too, Star! I actually went over to your ptr and read the whole thing last night, need to go back over and comment!

Oh, yes don't hold me to not taking my kids out of school for disney. I just might change my mind. It really depends on how they are doing in school, but the older they get I know the harder it will be to take them out. Right now yours are still young too. I doubt we will be able to take the kids back to disney next year, right now I have promised that since we are doing two this year we won't go back until 2012 sometime (hopefully after fantasyland's expansion is open). Then the kids would be 6 & 7 and it just seems so far from 4 & 5.

I think the kids will love universal, more thrill rides. After Chloe rode ToT she decided no more baby rides. All I heard after that was "I want more big kid rides!!!". I even stood in line for almost an hour for Splash Mountain because she just had to ride it asap. She was so excited for all the 40" rides.

Yes, K is full day- 8:30 to 3:25 to be exact. She is cranky some days when she gets home. Of course, she can't be bothered to take a nap, as those are only for little kids I am sure it will just take her a few weeks to get this school schedule down.

I'm sorry Chloe is having a rough time with kindergarten! They give homework now in kindergarten??? She will adjust, she just needs some time, it will probably be a little easier now if she is in a smaller class.

I can't wait to hear about your April trip! I think I might do mini TR's of my September 08 trip and my November 09 trip on my PTR...the problem is, all I have to go by are pictures, I didn't take notes or anything!

LOL I agree about needed a support group for Disney vacation planning! I have my trip coming up in a little less than 3 months and I'm already thinking about next year...I already priced out a week in October at AKL, but I know that won't happen without a 40% discount! I hope I like the mods, POR will be my first time staying at a mod, I'm just so used to deluxes, after staying at BC in May and WL last November...I'm afraid I've turned into a deluxe snob!

Homework 4 days a week. It isn't difficult or anything, right now alot of coloring. So much that her hand hurts at the end of the day, but only because she is a perfectionist about it! Today, as she got off the bus she was so excited about her new teacher. So happy for that.

Working on the April trip now. I hate how photobucket takes so flipping long to upload and then to resize each pic, but I gotta have some pictures!

Speaking of deluxe snob, I have been pricing out the trip for hubby and I (we were thinking May, but May is so busy with the kids) and I think we may be going in Feb. for Valentine's Day. Have to check with grandparents before we book though. Right now with the room discounts out we could stay at the Poly for $260 a night! Chris wants to stay at the WL, so I figure we might do a split stay. WL is $203 a night for courtyard view. If only the discounts went past the 16th night.

 

[laashley]

That's kinda what I think the Dis is It's sort of a support group

And that's with upgrading to the deluxe plan! We don't really have expensive taste (we'd be fine with Pop if need be), but we don't think we'll ever be able to make this trip together again, short of a Disney wedding or vow renewal (if I ever get married, I want it to be at WDW), so we're taking a big trip. Plus, we've been through a lot in the last few years, me on my own and her with her husband, so we need this trip. It was supposed to be in January 2011, but she needs knee surgery, so we had to push it back to November 2011. We've already researched wheelchair rentals if the need arises, but I think she should be fine by then. I think if we went with a deluxe resort, we'd stay at Wilderness. I've visited there before and loved it, and it's within our price range if we get free dining.

Yes, it is a support group of sorts, or should I just say a supportive group We just fuel the fire!

Good luck on the november '11 trip. It is easier to save for when you know about it a year in advance. I'd like to try the deluxe plan, with kids it makes it hard to spend that much time eating though.

 

[DisneyFirefly]

I think we only have two or three days (out of an eleven day trip) where we have three meals a day, actually. We're planning using a very large chunk of our credits on Signature restaurants and dinner shows Yes, we're insane and have our ADRs planned already

 

[mickeystoontown]

If you are crazy for pricing out different Disney vacations, then I am right there in the nuthouse with ya. I do that all the time.

I would love to read a Cliff Note version of your April trip.

I hate to hear that Chloe is having a rough time in Kindergarten. Hopefully, things will smooth out for her and things will get better.

 

[onescgirl]

Joining in. You have a beautiful family! I hope Chloe's week is better at school.

 

[mom2mek]

Count me in as one who wants to read about your April trip! Trip reports within PTRs are the best!! It's what I did before my first trip report on the Thanksgiving 2007 trip! It was helpful to relive the trip before that to see mistakes and things that we made too!

So sorry Chloe is having a hard time but that's great that she likes her new teacher. My youngest starts kindergarten tomorrow. It's all day as well (8:10 to 2:45) but they do lay down for 45 minutes in the afternoon. Hopefully it will go ok, but I'm still nervous for her. Can't believe my youngest is going off to kindergarten!

Sara

 

[longing2Batdisney]

Hey Ashley
quick question are you a AAA member?!?
the reason I ask they have excellant rates most of the time for the US/IOA hotels...you can check the site without being a member I believe or send an email to the TA at the metairie ofc.
you will also receive special story time and parking at WDW

may be worth checking into and paying the $50 membership fee
you should even beable to call US and ask them their rate, I know you can at WDW

Connie

 

[shelbys mommy]

Definitely want to read about your April trip! How is Chloe doing now in school?

 

[laashley]

I think we only have two or three days (out of an eleven day trip) where we have three meals a day, actually. We're planning using a very large chunk of our credits on Signature restaurants and dinner shows Yes, we're insane and have our ADRs planned already

Would to be able to do the signature restaurants and dinner shows. I am pricing out a vacay for Chris and me now. Hmmm.... Don't know if we could do it, but I need to think about it more. Insane, no way! I am having trouble canceling a few ADRs just because I like to think about if we kept them and ate there. When they are gone then so are my crazy daydreams.

If you are crazy for pricing out different Disney vacations, then I am right there in the nuthouse with ya. I do that all the time.

I would love to read a Cliff Note version of your April trip.

I hate to hear that Chloe is having a rough time in Kindergarten. Hopefully, things will smooth out for her and things will get better.

Oh yes us crazies in the disney-insane asylum. We are in good company here!

Have the first day all typed up Should be up in a few.

Chloe is getting into a routine now and that is helping. Unfortunately, she isn't feeling the best and today I made a dr. appt. for her after school.

Joining in. You have a beautiful family! I hope Chloe's week is better at school.

Welcome! Good to have you here. Thank you and thank you!

Count me in as one who wants to read about your April trip! Trip reports within PTRs are the best!! It's what I did before my first trip report on the Thanksgiving 2007 trip! It was helpful to relive the trip before that to see mistakes and things that we made too!

So sorry Chloe is having a hard time but that's great that she likes her new teacher. My youngest starts kindergarten tomorrow. It's all day as well (8:10 to 2:45) but they do lay down for 45 minutes in the afternoon. Hopefully it will go ok, but I'm still nervous for her. Can't believe my youngest is going off to kindergarten!

Sara

Good luck to Katie! I really think I may have a meltdown when Noah goes to kindergarten next year. I just let go of one, no where near ready for the other one to be in big school yet. I'm sure that didn't help. Sorry, hope a can help. It is truly good and bad as they grow up. I try to cherish the moments of cuddling with them. If only I could pause life for a bit.

First day on the way.

 

[laashley]

Hey Ashley
quick question are you a AAA member?!?
the reason I ask they have excellant rates most of the time for the US/IOA hotels...you can check the site without being a member I believe or send an email to the TA at the metairie ofc.
you will also receive special story time and parking at WDW

may be worth checking into and paying the $50 membership fee
you should even beable to call US and ask them their rate, I know you can at WDW

Connie

Funny you should mention that, just the other day we were discussing it. Last time I checked the AAA discount at US wasn't available when we are going, but still the AAA price isn't bad, so it isn't off the table.

I have been looking into just doing the 22nd at universal and then heading back to disney property for the 23rd night after we head out of the Universal parks, but IDK Chris is going to be working some overtime coming up, so that money may just help us justify staying 2 nights at RPR.

Definitely want to read about your April trip! How is Chloe doing now in school?

Chloe is loving her new teacher and is pretty happy about her classmates. Change is hard for her, but she is settling into a pretty good schedule. She is just my sensitive (sometimes moody) little drama queen. And I truly mean that in the best way. I love her more than anything in the world, but she can play up the drama.

 

[laashley]

April trip report, here we go. Sorry this has taken awhile to post, I have been having major photo bucket issues with loading and re-sizing pictures

Let’s go back to April 18. Chris was working that day and I was trying to get all the loose ends tied up at the house to leave the next morning asap. Then I got a wild hair and thought why not just leave that night. We were going to drive straight to Disney, so that would allow us to stay a night half-way instead and make the drive much easier on us and the kids. Sounded like a good idea to Chris, so at 9pm we were headed to Disney! We drove to Crestview and stayed for the night; it was mighty late when we got there (about 1am), but we set the alarm clock for 6:30am anyway. Couldn’t wait to get to the most magical place in the morning!

April 19- Day 1

We were back on the road by 8am. The drive was fairly uneventful. We did stop at a Mickey D’s in Tallahassee for lunch. Mickey D’s is one of the kids favorite places to eat, probably more for the toys than the food. Not my favorite place by any means, but I didn’t care much, we would be at Disneyworld soon and we had some yummy adr’s scheduled. Somehow we (ie Chris) got confused on how to get back to the interstate and missed the turn. Of course, I was adamant that he missed the turn and needed to bust a U. After he finally admitted I was right, we got back on track. Didn’t loose that much time, but already our patience was wearing thin with one another. Not good. We made ok time the rest of the trip and finally we were starting to see the disney signs. This is what I saw…

If you are wondering about Noah's eye, the day before we left he decided to slide down the slide with a piece of wood. The ones that are used for staking plants in the yard. Yeah, he found that and down the slide he went. I was completely freaked out, as his eye was puffy and bleeding. Turned out okay, but at the time I was sure he had really damaged his eye and our trip was off. Come to think of it that was a push for us to leave earlier. I was scared the kids weren't going to make it to disney in one piece!
Not what you were thinking. How about this?

And yes, just as we took the loop onto World Drive it started to rain. Didn’t faze me much. It was just sprinkling, and we were “finally HERE“!!!! Not 2 minutes later we saw:

And then we pulled into

Time to check in to the Caribbean Beach Resort! I had checked us in online a week earlier, so I jumped in the online check-in line and had our key to the world cards and welcome packet in a matter of minutes. Now off to find the room.

Did I mention we were staying in the new pirate themed rooms? When we walked in the kids went beserk. They tried to drive the beds right outta the room!

After getting all unpacked. Yeah, we decided to do it ourselves, thought we would save some time because we were all pretty hungry for dinner. And thankfully we got our request of bottom floor. Ok, well atleast Chris and I were hungry, the kids just wanted to play in the room and then explore the resort. I about had to drag them to Old Port Royale where the eaterys were. By the way, the pirate rooms are as far as you can get from the restaurants and shops. It still wasn’t a bad walk, but it did take us about 10 minutes with two kids wanting to stop and look at everything as we passed including many of these:

We headed indoors

and now what to eat. This was our first time on the dining plan, I was hungry and moody, and of course, the kids couldn’t make up their minds. Maybe I should have just chosen for us all! We did end up with a large pizza and something else for Chloe because she doesn’t eat pizza. Yes, I wrote that correctly, Chloe doesn’t like pizza! The food was good I guess, at that time I think I would have liked just about anything though. First thought on the dining plan was not a good one. More because I couldn’t understand the girl that was working the check-out and then she forgot to give us our cups, which I had to show her on the receipt that yes, she indeed had “charged” us for. We only used 3 cs credits for that meal.

Back to the room we went. I did take a couple of pics of the pool area.

Again it was still raining, not many people were in the pools. Here's a couple more pics on the way back to the room.

Chris and the kids were calling it a night, but not me. I was going to pick up my friend, Janea, and we were off to Target for some groceries and goodies. Janea and her family were staying in the CBR as well. We had planned our vacations to overlap, so we could spend some time together. Plus, she has two kids that are close to mine in age. She is one of my best friends but lives 4 hours away from us, so we don’t see each other too often. Just a little bit of backstory so you won’t wonder who these strangers are in our pictures! We spent way too long in Target (as I usually do), but thankfully not too much money! After Target and a few other souvie shops , I dropped Janea at her room and headed to mine. Finally off to dreamland I went.

Next up: Our first park day- going back in time for lunch & dinner, and a little bit of swapping and dropping, and what about the rain?

 

[longing2Batdisney]

Ashley,
I just sent you a PM but it appears that the AAA rates are the same as the Lowe's rates...should have read that part first....sorry

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELEIVE THIS: but, I just checked my email and I have a 30% pin code good through Nov. Go on their site and see if you can save a quote like you do with the disney site maybe you will get a code.

Good luck!

love the arrival day at CBR the beds are just adorable I bet the kids loved it!

 

[Nermel9]

Love the April TR so far! CBR looks so pretty, those pirate rooms are so cute! It's too bad it had to rain on your first day, that's no fun!

 

[DisneyFirefly]

Would to be able to do the signature restaurants and dinner shows. I am pricing out a vacay for Chris and me now. Hmmm.... Don't know if we could do it, but I need to think about it more. Insane, no way! I am having trouble canceling a few ADRs just because I like to think about if we kept them and ate there. When they are gone then so are my crazy daydreams.

For the three of us for 11 days with deluxe dining plan, six days of tickets, and a room at POR, it'll be somewhere around $5300. We're hoping for free dining, but we'll go either way. I love pricing out vacations. It's relaxing for me for some reason

Also, I love the pics of your kids "driving" the pirate beds! That's so cute!