How my "Budget" trip is becoming their dream trip of a lifetime

[izzyzoeybear]

Great PTR!! We will be there at the same time. but shorted time...We are going from the 29th to Nov 2nd. and doing MNSSHP on the 30th....It worked out for us due to DS having fall break and only has to miss one day of school. If your son DS12 and DD6 have to miss any days..See if you can do the epcot world showcase passport for them as a school project. My DS did one when we went in '06 and he was graded on it instead of having to make up homework. I know it maybe a little silly for the older one but he maybe able to get a really good report out of it.

 

[Seewhatimesdone]

Great update! I love target, such good deals! Canceling your ADRs may seem like a bit of a bummer but it's a good way to save money. Only a week left!

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Not long to go now!!!
I love it when you start packing! For the suitcase deal! I love grabbing a bargain!
Its a shame you had to cancel all your ADRs, but as you say, the F&W festival is on so you'll still get a taster. Akershus and CM as great!
I'm sure you'll really enjoy MNSSHP - I've seen loads of pics from other TRs, it looks fantastic, we're so hacked off we'll miss it!
Di x

 

[Chelley00]

3 days! Yikes!


We spent all weekend vacation prepping! Everything is packed, minus the essentials we'll use Thursday morning (toothbrushes, glasses, contact solutions etc) The van had an oil change and got new tires on Friday. We baked Halloween cookies and packed them for snacks, and bought the kids a few surprises for the road trip. OH, and we had to hunt down a new Halloween t-shirt for DS12 since we couldn't find his old one. Received MNSSHP tickets. Sent in the mail stop form. I'm sure there is more. It was a BUSY weekend!

Left on our to-do list.

Pack hotel bag for overnight stop
Stop the newspaper (can be done online)
Clean the stroller, oil the right front wheel
Clean the house, clean out fridge
Pack dog stuff and take him to "Grandma and Papaw's house" (he'll be rotten when we get home!)
Pack cat stuff and take her to BILs house
Find our ponchos and pack them
Figure out what time to leave TN hotel to avoid Atlanta rush hour
Pick up kids homework from school


This morning DS3 turned the countdown timer to 3 days, yellled "hey, I'm three too!" (actually it sounded more like free than three!) then went "and then 2 and then 1 and then zero and we go to Forda" and than sang
oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah"

 

[Seewhatimesdone]

Wahoo it's almost time!

 

[Chelley00]

2 days.

Yikes. I hate last minute vacation stress!

Last night I sat down, made our to-do lists and our "still need to pack it" list. The lists look really long, but thankfully DH is home during the day (works nights) so he is marking things off while I'm a work. Thanks, honey

Our finalized plans. I've left some open days so the kids can pick and choose what they want to do (within reason )

Oct 23, pack up the van, load up DS3, pick up DS12 and DD6 from school and hit the road, stopping and staying outside of Nashville
Oct 24 finish our drive, unload van, grocery shop, pool
Oct 25 AK
Oct 26 maybe a morning park? MNSSHP
Oct 27 Epcot World Showcase
Oct 28 DHS
Oct 29 DHS or AK
Oct 30 EP Future World, breakfast at Akershus
Oct 31 MK until 6, ressies at Chef Mickeys, p/u DS15 from MCO late
Nov 1 Kennedy Space Center or the beach
Nov 2 the beach or Universal
Nov 3 Universal all day
Nov 4 Universal, DS flies out of MCO at 5, we drive to GA and stay
Nov 5 drive home

Nov 6, back to the real world

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Plans are looking good!!!! 2 days!!
Its always a rush packing everything at the last minute, but you always manage in the end! You sound pretty organised though, not too much to do!!
Di x

 

[Chelley00]

19 hours and we will be out the door



I think I have everything ready to go. I have to work tomorrow...can you believe it? It's payroll period end date, which means I have to go do payroll. Of course, if I don't work, I won't get my paycheck on the 31st which means no money for gas home, and we'll just have to stay in Florida forever

I think we're mostly ready.

Pack hotel bag for overnight stop
clean out fridge
Pack dog stuff and take him to "Grandma and Papaw's house" (he'll be rotten when we get home!) Kitty went to BILs house today
Pack ponchos, sand toys and life jackets
Pack picnic for dinner tomorrow night
Load the van
Top the van off with gas
Still need to pack the essentials we need for the morning: glasses,
contact cases, saline, makeup, deodorant etc.
Pack cell phone chargers, battery chargers, camera
Install the kids toy bags in the van

Pick up the kids from school and hit the road! Will post a trip report when we return!

Anyone else leaving soon, have a wonderful trip and say "hi" if you see us!

 

[macraven]

just think.........one more wake up and you'll be on your way to the motherland and later to the darkside.


what an adventure you are going to have!!


be sure to do a trippie for us when you return.

 

[Chelley00]

just think.........one more wake up and you'll be on your way to the motherland and later to the darkside.

Thanks to a payroll company rep coming to help me muddle through the first payroll using their company, I got home from work almost 2 hours earlier than planned. Van is gassed and packed, dog is at Grandma and Papaw's house, cat is at BIL's house, DH is napping (since I was a moron and didn't add last night to his vacation form ) and so I'm at least an hour ahead of where I thought I'd be and sitting waiting 2:20 when we can pick up 2 kids from school. DS12 has study hall last period and if we wait until then we don't have to have him miss any important classes.

In an hour and a half, we are going to be on the road!

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Have fun!
Di x

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Hi Chelley,
Hope you're all having a great time!
Just popped in to say 'cheerio' as we're off tomorrow!
WDW here we come!!!
Will catch up when we get back!
Di x

 

[Chelley00]

We're home!

We had an interesting vacation, and actually said "worst vacation ever" so many times the kids started saying it too. By the middle, we were laughing it was so ridiculous, but we still had a good time, despite:

overbooked hotel in TN
lost ticket
stomach flu
DS15 getting into car accident before he left to join us
I left my cell phone at home
pool heater broken (was fixed very quickly though)
trip to first aid for DS3
and on and on! Will do a trip report and post pictures as soon as I can!

 

[starrzone]

Hi! I stumbled onto your PTR totally by accident and I've loved reading your posts so far! I''m actually glad I jumped on board this late in the game because it meant I got to read everything at once . I love the "teaser" list; sounds like you guys had a few bumps but you made it out OK in the end. Can't wait to hear about the rest of the trip!

 

[lisalonglash]

home!!! I can't wait to read about your adventures!

 

[Chelley00]

Hey, pre-trip journal planning friends! I finally started our trip report

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2009224

 

[macraven]

We're home!

We had an interesting vacation, and actually said "worst vacation ever" so many times the kids started saying it too. By the middle, we were laughing it was so ridiculous, but we still had a good time, despite:

overbooked hotel in TN
lost ticket
stomach flu
DS15 getting into car accident before he left to join us
I left my cell phone at home
pool heater broken (was fixed very quickly though)
trip to first aid for DS3
and on and on! Will do a trip report and post pictures as soon as I can!

oh my.............

cell phone left at home.............i couldn't have survived the trip if that was me...