Grandkids first trip to WDW

[fire6164]

I have never written apre-trip report before - so here goes.

Cast
DH - 44 grocery store manager, volunteer firefighter, treasuer of the church
ME - 43 - preschool teacher, taking a year long training through work, Women Ministries Director (church), babysit grandkids when daughter is working and volunteering
DD - 21 PIC/cashier of a local gas station, volunteer firefighter, volunteers in the community in a variety of programs
DGD - 6 First grader who loves princesses and horses - her favorite princess is Belle
DGS - 4 is in preschool who likes to watch cartoons and his favorite characters is goofy and Lightening McQueen

Note: Yes for all of you wondering our daughter had her children when she was a teenager (15, and 17). She graduated from high school with her class and is doing a fantastic job of raising her children without the dad being around. We are so proud of her

Ok now for the trip details.

We will be WDW 1/20/08 - 1/27/08 staying at the POP. We have 2 rooms and figure that we let DGD and DGS "spend" the night in our room at least once during the week.

DH and I have been to WDW twice and DD once. DD went when she was 5 so she is just as excited as her kids.

More details to come

 

[jordanyosh]

I'm hopping on board early.

You'll have a great time at Pop. I am normally a deluxe/DVC guy, but had the pleasure of staying at Pop in June of this year. I had a great time.....

I'll be missing you by a few days as I fly in on the 31st.....

 

[Avivasmom]

Your daughter sounds like an amazing mom...and I too have a first grader...she is a great kid with a great imagination.

The GKs will have an awesome time in Disney....mine is spoiled since we are close about 3 hours and 15 minutes away.

Do they know about it or is it a surprise?

 

[moparop]

Hopping onto this trip report too! We are haeaded to Disney aorund the same time. I can't wait to look at your plans to compare itinararies and ARDs!

Your family sounds awesome and I am looking forward to pics!

 

[fire6164]

all

We are so excited. The grandkids know about the trip and are so excited. They keep telling everyone that we are going to DL - we orginally were going to DL but it wasn't that much more for us to fly to WDW.

Our airline tickets state we are leaving at 12:35 am on 1/20 out of Portland, OR but we noticed last night that the flight has been changed to 1:00 am. We are hoping for good weather and no snow as we have a 2 hour drive from our home to the airport.

We chose a redeye flight so that we can leave after DH gets off work and so we don't waste a day in WDW. We are able to sleep anywhere so figure we will sleep through the flight.

We arrive around 10:45 am and hope to be at the POP no later than 1:00 pm. If we are lucky our rooms will be ready and we can have lunch and take a nap before heading out to MK.

 

[jordanyosh]

all

We are so excited. The grandkids know about the trip and are so excited. They keep telling everyone that we are going to DL - we orginally were going to DL but it wasn't that much more for us to fly to WDW.

Our airline tickets state we are leaving at 12:35 am on 1/20 out of Portland, OR but we noticed last night that the flight has been changed to 1:00 am. We are hoping for good weather and no snow as we have a 2 hour drive from our home to the airport.

We chose a redeye flight so that we can leave after DH gets off work and so we don't waste a day in WDW. We are able to sleep anywhere so figure we will sleep through the flight.

We arrive around 10:45 am and hope to be at the POP no later than 1:00 pm. If we are lucky our rooms will be ready and we can have lunch and take a nap before heading out to MK.

I miss living in OR. I lived in Beaverton for a few years and LOVED it. If my family lived up there, I would move back in a heartbeat.

The curse (?) of living on the West Coast (I live back in So. Cal) are those darn red eyes...I've taken them probably half the vacations I have taken to WDW. In fact, I am taking a red eye in Jan/Feb. I'll get in and check in at Pop, then go to MGM. Even with sleeping on the plane, it takes a day or two to catch up and not feel so tired. My suggestion would be on your first full day sleep in a bit before going to the parks. I know it'll be hard, but pacing yourself early will pay off at the end of the week.

 

[fire6164]

We know that the day we arrive that we will be going into MK since that is the EMH for the day. We will watch Spectromagic but have nothing else planned - just want to take in the magic of being there and letting the GKs take it all in.

The park stays open until 2 am and since that will only be 11 am our time - we will play it by ear and see how tired we are from flight and if we all had a good nap.

 

[fire6164]

Been busy reading the boards and gathering information. We are so hoping for a Pirate and Princess Party while we are there.

We ordered some shirts and DGD Belle costume from Disney this weekend and they should be here next Tuesday.

Last night GKs and I watched the Great Hotels shows which featured the Disney Hotels with Samantha Brown. I had DVR them when they were on a couple of weeks ago. Sure makes me wish we could afford to stay at one of them. Oh well we can always dream.

Thought it would be great fun to take everyone to Whispering Canyon for lunch- has anyone done this?

The movie night at Fort Wilderness looks like fun but not sure if we will try and do it. Might depend on the movies they show that week and I know we will probably be at the parks as much as we can.

Well I have to head back to work for a parent meeting soon - will write more later.

 

[Avivasmom]

Thought it would be great fun to take everyone to Whispering Canyon for lunch- has anyone done this?

I have eaten there 3 times and always had a good meal...done all dinners...Going back in Nov with DH and DD and then on my next trip in Jan. going for DD 7th birthday with me and my dad (Dh is working).

It is fun and a bit loud but good for kids. And WL is beautiful so can explore the hotel too....

We always take the boat from MK to WL since DD likes that and another treat for the kids.

 

[fire6164]

One thing we would like to do this trip is go and see some of the other resorts.

Each day I have been looking to see if the P&PP is announced yet. Well yesterday Disney has a website for it but no dates announced yet. I tell you the waiting is starting to get to me. This is something we all want to do.

 

[fire6164]

Monday the 21st - MLK Day

We plan on hitting AK and when we get there depends on the night before. My DH wants to do this park twice while we are in WDW so today we will take our time and not rush ourselves.

If there is a P&PP at MK tonight this will be night we go and I have a reservation at BBB for DGD and DGS (not sure if DGS will do his) before the party. So I think we will leave AK early afternoon to go rest and change before the Party. Here's hoping that there is a party.

If there is no party then we will probably head down to DTD to check out the stores.

So back to AK I would like to see at least one of the shows today, do the dinousauer ride, safari ride, and hopefully DD and I can get on EE.

One thing we didn't do on the last trip was the train ride and most of Asia. So if we don't do them today will do them on Wednesday.

 

[moparop]

That looks like a great couple of first days. I hope the P&PP news is announced soon. It seems like the waiting is getting to everyone!

I've never been to WCC but we are eating for the first time on this trip. Of course, that's already after you are at WDW so I am not much help!

 

[jordanyosh]

I've only eaten at WCC once and it was awhile ago, but I would definitely go back so it must've been good.

AK is my favorite park now. The detail is amazing.

Your 1st day looks great, busy, but great.

 

[fire6164]

Your daughter sounds like an amazing mom...QUOTE]

Yes she is. The spring break before she graduated her son who at that time was 6 months old had open heart surgery for 2 holes and a leaky value.

Her and the kid's dad got married after she graduated but that didn't work out. In the last year she has gotten a divorce and found housing for her and the DGK.

She attributes her strength and successes to God, her family and friend support.

Sorry just got to toot my horn - we are so proud.
__________________

 

[fire6164]

I miss living in OR. I lived in Beaverton for a few years and LOVED it.

I was born and raised in Hood River, OR. Now live in South Central Washington not to far from home.

This will be our 3rd red eye flight. I love doing those so it seems that we don't waste a day of our vacation by arriving in the early evening.

 

[jordanyosh]

I was born and raised in Hood River, OR. Now live in South Central Washington not to far from home.

This will be our 3rd red eye flight. I love doing those so it seems that we don't waste a day of our vacation by arriving in the early evening.

I will take a day tired at WDW over arriving early evening and not being able to do anything--anytime.

Out of 13 trips this is probably my 5 or 6th red eye.

 

[fire6164]

On Tuesday we will go to MGM for the day. WE will leave for the park after we all get up - we will let the kids sleep in.

Some of the must dos today will be RnR, ToT, Great Movie Ride, Lights, Camera, Action Show, and The Beauty and the Beast show.


We also want to watch Fantasmic before leaving.

 

[fire6164]

So on Friday I started a year long training through work so I will be busy doing homework and won't have as much time to surf the net looking for disney info. What a bummer

The good news is the training will help in my job with working with families.

 

[fire6164]

95 days until we leave for our wonderful week at Disney

Now where are those dates for the Pirate and Princess Party?????

 

[fire6164]

I got Andrew's pirate hat that we ordered from Oriental Trading today and he really likes it. Wanted to wear it to his class but had to tell him to leave it on my desk.

Tiffani's Belle costume arrived today. She is so excited-we got the reversible one.

She will wear it to Disney on Ice Princess Wishes next weekend, for Halloween, and will probably wear it twice at WDW since it is reversible.

Also got Christmas presents - shirts and a notebook in the disney package.