How to convert “Darth Vader” into a DISNEY fan!! (update 7/12/07 Post#17)

[apirateslife4evr]

Due to recent changes, I've had to change my user ID......therefore, I am re-posting my PRE-TRIP report under my new ID......

Post #1
Since I am such a big fan of the DIS board and enjoy everyone’s pre-trip & completed trip reports, I figured I should finally hop in and create my first PTR too. So, here goes…..

(set to the intro of Fantasy Island)

…..making the visit to our favorite Fantasyland---WDW is……

ME !! – 38 (will be 39 by the time we travel) aka Chinchilla Pirate Princess
Favorite Disney Character - Tinkerbell
I am the perpetrator that started our family obsession with DISNEY. I am a former Cast Member (worked as WDTC agent in Orlando call center from 1999-2000)—according to my family, I am a WDW encyclopedia. I am now exploring my options into getting my Travel Agents license to specialize in Disney. Due to illness, I’ll be in an ECV this trip

DH – 37 (will be 38 by the time we travel) aka Lord Vader
Favorite Disney Character – Donald Duck (especially when he’s ANGRY)
My poor, DH…..alas, he has never gotten into the DISNEY thing (secretly, he thinks our whole family is crazy)…..he just doesn’t get it—yet (*insert Storm Trooper music here…..) He tolerates my obsession, but I do catch his eyes glazing over whenever my family gets to talking about WDW. This will be his FIRST multi-day stay.

DD – mid-60’s aka Grumpy
Favorite Disney Character – Grumpy (who’d of guessed)
My dad is not really that grumpy…..it’s just that it suits him, sometimes. My dad thinks he’s the DISNEY expert, but recently revealed that all of his expertise when it comes to WDW, he learned from me……awwwe, what a sweet daddy !!!

DM – early 60’s aka Grammy (or in my case Momma)
Favorite Disney Character – Mickey
My mother tolerates all the trip planning, but secretly enjoys the fact that she does not have to do it herself. Utilizes an ECV during our DISNEY trips. Eats like a bird at home….but LOVES to eat at WDW (no Kitchen duty)

A bit of background – I made my first trip to WDW in 1996 during the 25th Anniversary (ya’ll remember the big PINK castle cake, right?). Anyway, soon after that, my ex-not-so DH and I sold our house, packed up a truck (ah-la the Beverly Hillbillies) and moved to Orlando. We arrived on NYE 1998/1999---I was hired by DISNEY on Jan 6th 1999 and my parents came for their first-ever WDW visit in May of that year. They bought into DVC at the Boardwalk Villas on day 4 of their visit, so they were hooked too !!!

Fast-forward to 2001—I was mid-divorce, living in DE—I met my (now) DH online and we moved in together in NJ (where he’s from). When my divorce was final, I had to travel back to Orlando to claim all of my personal property from the settlement, so my mom, me and my now current DH drove non-stop to Orlando. We arrived at 3am, checked into the OKW resort, got up at noon and went to storage to get my stuff , packed it up in the truck, drove back to OKW resort, went to Epcot that evening, and we drove back to NJ the following morning……. this is the extent of my DH’s WDW experience, which is why this trip is such a momentous occasion.

Why we’re going – I’ve been sick for the past 1-1/2 years & the last real vacation that my DH and I have had together was our honeymoon in Hawaii in 2003. My parents and I love WDW during the holidays, so we though this would be the IDEAL way to introduce DH to the DISNEY way of life !!!!

When we’re traveling - December 11-18 at the Boardwalk Villas. My dad has booked us all into a 2BR Villa with a Preferred View.

So, the most important thing is DONE….the room is booked. We’ll be getting 7day Park Hoppers & the Dining Plan, so I’ll be working on a dining spreadsheet during the spring, since we can’t start booking dining reservations until June 14th. I am quite bummed about Alfredo’s closing at Epcot---we had hoped to do the Candlelight Dinner Package there…..so we’ll have to pick a different restaurant for that.

My parents usually like to drive to FL, but we prefer to fly. My parents were just down at WDW over Valentine’s Day, and after that drive they said that they’d probably fly the next trip (I think the driving takes a lot out of them). We’ll be flying on Southwest, out of Philly---I have a credit w/ Southwest, so I’ll only have to purchase a ticket for my DH (YAY !!). We hope to get a early am flight, so we can get down there and start enjoying ourselves.

So, this is where we’re at currently. More updates to follow……….I’ll be posting a tentative itinerary next.

** Update **

I was “let go” by my employer, so I am now unemployed.
Good news is, the trip is STILL on……I am not giving up this trip, no matter what !!!

​

 

[apirateslife4evr]

Post #2


OK, I have honestly decided that Disney has a scam going… …….they have too many great table service restaurants, yet they only give you ONE table service credit, per night when on the DDP !!! What’s that about people ?!? I guess you’d consider me spoiled, as my first EVER trip to WDW (back in 1996) was at the WL, on the Deluxe plan-----three table service meals per day, for 10days……..this princess was in HOG HEAVEN !!!!! I don’t think we ate counter service once during that trip……so yes, I am spoiled. I want to be able to purchase a separate meal plan like that…..NOT that counter service is beneath me…….I just like the variety of the sit down restaurants.

That being said…….in determining just WHERE we want to plan our ADR’s for…..is very difficult. I know that we plan to pay out-of-pocket for some meals--breakfast one morning at Kona Café (must have TONGA TOAST & my POG aka Lilikoi Juice for you MAINLANDER’s), Signature Dining locales, etc…..stuff like that there. Since we only have the SEVEN sit-down meals in our plan, I want to use them to the best advantage.

I have come to the realization that, when it comes to my Lord Vader, strategic conversations about our WDW jaunt are key. I try not to talk about it to him “every day”, and he’s then more receptive (and participating) when I do--this has only taken me 6 years to figure out ! Last night, after a cooking crisis during dinner preparation (problems with the MAIN COURSE…..hey, I’m not a chef……I only “play” one on TV ), we had to proceed out and about to get take-out (he-he…..I rhymed). Since I had a captive audience in the car, I proceeded to discuss a few trip details. Other than the summer beach trips, Lord Vader has never traveled “exclusively” with my parents before, I suggested that we might want to opt to have at least ONE evening on our own, without the ‘rents, so that we don’t drive each other crazy by the end of the trip----AGREED! Yay—one issue down, twenty million to go….. I also brought up different restaurants, especially at Epcot, so that I can gauge what my Dark Lord might be receptive to. He can be adventurous when he wants to…..it’s just that our tastes (and those of Grumpy & Momma) differ greatly…..which is why I have to plan things out, to a TEE---no room for error on this-here adventure !!!

So far, this is what I’ve got planned……

Tues – 12/11
Lunch: Wolfgang Puck Express
Dinner: Cape May Café

Wed – 12/12
Breakfast: Tusker House
Dinner: Turf Club

Thurs – 12/13
Lunch: 50’s Prime Time (out of pocket)

Fri – 12/14
Lunch: Kringla Bakeri og Café
Dinner: Narcoossee’s

Sat – 12/15
Breakfast: Kona Café (for my TONGA TOAST !!)
Dinner: Jiko

Sun – 12/16
Breakfast: Main Street Bakery
Dinner: Hollywood & Vine (for the Fantasmic Dinner Package)

Mon – 12/17
Lunch: Electric Umbrella
Dinner: Le Cellier’ (for the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package)

Tues – 12/18
Breakfast: Boardwalk Bakery
Ok, I am now thoroughly exhausted, and I have a job interview tomorrow am, so I am off to bed……more coming this week !!!

 

[apirateslife4evr]

Post #3

You would think that, with the fact that I lived in Orlando for two+ years, I would know of a decent local hotel in the area, since Lord Vader and I are arriving in Florida two days before the parental units. That’s what I thought too……but apparently, I have lost all brain-cell knowledge of anything OUTSIDE of WDW.

I have spent day and night, combing over hotels.com & TripAdvisor, trying to find just the “right” place. Granted, if money were NO OBJECT, I would opt to stay at the Poly , but realistically, as long as it doesn’t have any “bugs” (I am a TRUE arachnaphobe) and it doesn’t reek of cigarette smoke, I’m good. I even considered just driving out to Cocoa Beach and staying there for the first couple of days. Finally, my brain cells FINALLY fired, and I remembered……hey, we could stay somewhere inbetween Downtown Disney AND Universal Studios, and it would be convenient to I-4 (to get over to KSC), plus it would give us a chance to go over to Citywalk one night before we check in at the BWV. So, I booked us at the Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista….and I got it for $69.95/night plus tax. I was so excited, since I wanted to find someplace under $80/night YAY for us !!!!

Next on the agenda is to book the rental car. After talking with “Grumpy”, we agreed that LV and I will rent the car at the airport when we arrive on the 9th, and use it to drive over to KSC, and then he and Momma will take DME to BWV when they arrive on the 11th. We’ll drive the car over to the hotel and meet them there, then keep the car until the 16th, and we’ll turn it back in over at the Dolphin Resort, and then just cut through the hotel and do the walk back to the BWV. Then, all four of us will do the DME back to the airport when we fly home on the 18th. I think that we should get an SUV, but dad thinks that a passenger car should be fine…..any suggestions ???

Still waiting for SWA to release flight scheduling for December……if we were booking on ANY OTHER airline, I could do it now…..so I guess this is the price to pay for inexpensive airfare. And direct flights too…. LV asked me last night….”Do we really have to fly to Disney ?!?” AH…..”YEAH !!! “…..I don’t want to spend another TWO days driving down , and TWO days driving home…..besides, what car would we take ?!? We’d have to rent a car to drive down and back……AND, we already have a credit with SWA, so we really only have to buy ONE ticket……is this man C-R-A-Z-Y ?!? SO, CPP is putting her princess slipper down with THIS one……we are flying…..no IF’s, AND’s or BUT’s about it, mister !!!

**** COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC ****

I GOT A JOB !!! I interviewed on Monday, and the offered me the position this morning. It was a couple dollars less than what I made at my previous job, but it was definitely more than some of the temp jobs I was being offered. I’ll be working in an office, and the business industry is seasonal, which means that I’ll be laid-off from December until March, but that works out PERFECTLY for me---I’ll be able to nest at home during the winter months, and if I want, escape to warm weather and WDW a few times !! So, we are really excited here right now !!!

 

[apirateslife4evr]

Post #4

Wow……weeks have gone by since my last update……so little time, with working, family and trip planning. But I finally got some time this morning, so here I am .

As you know from my #3 post, I had FINALLY found an “offsite” hotel that I could accept (since it really wasn’t the POLY, which is secretly where I wanted to stay). I was very proud of myself… …and thought LV would be too. When I informed him of the choice, I did not get the expected response. “Where is this place? Is it safe? How far away from everything is it? Is it a DUMP??” ”I thought we were staying at Disneyworld??” Oh, NOW you want to be involved in the planning……I see how you are….. [SIDEBAR: This is the ESSENCE of my DH…….he listens to what you say, but only retains about 12%.....and of the 12% he DOES retain, 90% of THAT is just filler. Point being…..always expect to “lather-rinse-REPEAT” when it comes to my DH (love ya babe!! ) ] So, after going BACK over all of the trip plans again, he thinks it would be a better idea to just stay on Disney property for the nights before we check in under DVC with my parents. YAHOO !!!! ……..but wait, don’t get too excited yet. I didn’t get my beloved POLY (although, if he had offered that, I would have been passed OUT on the floor), but instead I booked the POFQ, which I love too. I had momentarily considered Pop Century, but then I realized there would be more kids there then some of the other resorts. Plus, we can take the boat to DTD, which is a nice plus. So we’re 2 nights at POFQ and 7 nights under DVC. Grumpy did get us on a wait list for WLV, so we're still at the BWV, unless we get lucky and get into the Wilderness Lodge.....fingers crossed

I am STILL waiting (sometimes impatiently) for SOUTHWEST to release the flight info for December. UGH---it is taking SO long…hopefully it will be soon. Another kink in the chain is that I found out that NASA has a tentative shuttle launch scheduled for December 8th (which right now is the day BEFORE we plan to arrive), so I am weighing the option of adding more days to the trip. LV would absolutely FLIP if he got the chance to see the shuttle launch in person, so I am seriously considering it for him. This is his vacation too, so I feel I should equally consider doing things he wants to do too (apparently, it’s not ALL ABOUT ME…….even though it REALLY is.....lol). Hopefully, I can get some concrete info about this BEFORE I need to book the flights.

**** OFF TOPIC ****

In todays OFF TOPIC, life has been hectic here in NJ/DE. April is THE birthday month, as we have 6 birthdays in the family this month . Since LV and I both have birthdays’ this month (mine is tomorrow-the 15th, and his is the 26th), we decided to do a nice joint gift and then go out to dinner next weekend (which is in-between our two birthdays). Our joint gift is tickets to see GENESIS in concert here in Philadelphia this September, so that’ll be really nice to do. I saw them in Philly at there LAST tour in the 90’s, so it’ll be great to go back and see them again.

We’re also getting ready for my cousin-Jess’ wedding on May 12th. I am still trying to decide what to wear—I’ve bought two dresses and a pair of pants, so right now I need to decided between these three choices, plus I still need to get LV something to wear. She had her bridal shower last weekend and got a lot of nice stuff. They are going on a DCL cruise to the Western Caribbean for their honeymoon, so I am secretly jealous. Maybe someday we’ll get to do a cruise……

Oh, and the nicest news…..my parents surprised my oldest nephew on Easter with a trip to WDW after he gets out of school in June. My nephew (I call him C-boo) get straight-A’s in school, is well-behaved, but his mom (my sis) never lets him out of school to go on trips to WDW, which is typically when my parents, or we travel, to AVOID the crowds. When we first started planning this trip in December, he got VERY UPSET that we were AGAIN going to the MOUSE HOUSE without him, so my parent’s started secretly planning this trip when they got back from their February jaunt to FL. They are booked under DVC at OKW, but are on a wait list for the Beach Club Villas. It’s just my mom and nephew going, since GRUMPY does not do FL in the summer---too hot. AND, they got a great deal on airfare--$39/pp each way (WOW, I hope they have that deal for December). If I didn’t have to work this summer, I would ask to tag along. But I have money to save for December, so I will be good. He is super excited, and this trip is ALL that he can talk about (hmmm.....sounds like a certain AUNT of his.....LOL )

So, to recap……..waiting on NASA and Southwest Airlines…getting ready for a wedding and a concert….and wishing for December to hurry up and arrive, so I can get my DISNEY fix !!!

……..more to come………..

 

[apirateslife4evr]

Post #5

Wow……4+ weeks with no updates…..you all must think I’d gone AWOL of sorts. Well I kinda did…….so much NON-WDW stuff happened, I just haven’t had the time---job changes, my cousin’s wedding, oh and we almost MOVED. Now that things have finally settled down, I’m gonna concentrate on keeping up my pre-trippie. .

SO MUCH has happened……where do I begin…….We are “officially” on the WAIT LIST for Wilderness Lodge Villas…….dad called and got put on the list. They said that *IF* availability opens up for our dates, they will auto-matically switch us over and just send him a new confirmation in the mail. But for right now….we’re still at the Boardwalk Villas, which I will be perfectly happy with if we don’t get WLV.

We moved our MVMCP date to our arrival---12/11 in order to get the DVC discounted price. And what a way to kick OFF our vacation. Jeff and I are still arriving on the 9th, which is turning out to be our “hang out day”. On the 10th we’re heading to KSC for the day----Jeff is SUPER-PSYCHED about the new launch simulator they have there, so that is #1 to do on the list, after the tour. My DH is such a space “freak”, it’s not even funny. If there was a vacation traveling on the Space Shuttle or to the International Space Station, that we could AFFORD…..he’d be signing up. So, I guess this is the next best thing.

The 11th is when my parents arrive---no sure what time yet. I’d love to try to do Typhoon Lagoon this day, but with us moving resorts AND get ready for MVMCP, I doubt is realistic to try. A big BUMMER for me…….I haven’t been able to get back to Typhoon Lagoon since 1996 Guess no Crush-N-Gusher & Lazy River for me this trip.

So here is our revised schedule…….I should be able to start booking my dining reservations in about 2weeks.

12/9 (Sunday)
Arrival day – Relax & use pool
Dinner @ Sassagoula Floatworks

12/10 (Monday)
Kennedy Space Center – Breakfast & Lunch offsite
Dinner @ Raglan Road
Evening at Pleasure Island—want to show Jeff the Adventurer’s Club

12/11 (Tuesday)
Hotel transfer day—have to meet the ‘rents at DVC resort sometime after lunchtime.
Check out of POFQ….drive to Coronado Springs to have breakfast @ Pepper Market
Go play mini-golf @ Winter-Summerland
Drive over to Publix to pick up groceries for DVC
Meet up w/ parents @ DVC
Check in & get settled
Drive to Poly – Dinner @ Kona Café
Monorail to MK—pick up MVMCP tickets at MK Will-Call
Ride POTC , BTMRR, HM , see the parade & fireworks, ride Peter Pan's Flight & Dumbo

12/12 (Wednesday)
MGM Day
Drive over to POFQ for a late breakfast @ Sassagoula Floatworks
MGM – The Great Movie Ride, Indiana Jones; Star Tours , Muppet Vision 3-D
Fantasmic Dinner Package @ Mama Melrose
Osborne Lights before we report to Fantasmic

12/13 (Thursday)
AK Day
Breakfast @ Yak & Yeti ; Lunch @ Flame Tree BBQ
FP for Expedition Everest & Safari, walk through Maharajah Jungle Trek to see my tiger babies; see the Nemo show; do Bug’s Life in the Tree of Life
Back to room to rest & relax
Dinner @ Artist Point
Sleigh Ride @ WL
Evening swim @ resort

12/14 (Friday)
EPCOT Day
Breakfast in room
Soarin’; FP for Test Track; Living Seas, Spaceship Earth, Ellen’s Energy Adventure
Head into World Showcase—Visit France Morroco & Japan pavilions
Lunch @ Boulangerie Patisserie
Back to room to freshen up & change for dinner
Candlelight Processional Package w/ dinner @ Le Cellier’
Pick up EMH wristbands at International Gateway on way to Candlelight Show
Late EMH – do American Adventure, Soarin’ & Test Track

12/15 (Saturday)
Tours Day
Breakfast in room
Head over to MK for Keys to the Kingdom tour @ 9:15am
Lunch @ Columbia Harbour House (included in cost of tour)
Hotel Tours after lunch
Back to room to rest & change for dinner
Drive over to AKL for dinner @ Jiko
Evening swim @ resort

12/16 (Sunday)
Rest Day / MK-EMH
Breakfast @ Kona Café
Drop off rental car @ Dolphin Resort
Bus to DTD to shop & lunch @ either Earl of Sandwich or Wolfgang Puck Express
Back to room to rest & change for dinner
Bus to MK—Take monorail around to Grand Floridian
Dinner @ Narcoossee’s
Head over to MK for Late EMH

12/17 (Monday)

Breakfast in room – packing to go home
Head over to Epcot
Lunch @ Kringla Bakeri
Ride Maelstrom, El Rio de Tiempo, Test Track, Living Seas & Soarin’
Take Friendship Boats from International Gateway to Beach Club
Dinner @ Cape May Buffet

12/18 (Tuesday)

Finish packing
Breakfast from Boardwalk Bakery
Magical Express back to airport (around 1pm)
Fly home

***OFF TOPIC***
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I have, in fact changed jobs again.....but found a much better "fit" working for a local moving company as a scheduling receptionist. Better hours, pay and my boss loves DISNEY almost as much as I do, so they don't seem to have an issue with our trip.

Jeff and I were *this close* to packing up our house and moving, but we decided to put that idea off. There really isn't a NEED to move, YET, that is

We did plan our 2008 vacation.....and NO, it's not back to DISNEY ( I know.....please don't HATE on me....). We're doing a Carnival cruise next July with a group of online friends, so it should be real fun !!! Our first NON-Disney trip since our honeymoon

Until next time......I promise.....later this week !!!!

 

[disneyaddicted]

I just went and posted under your old user name then came here duh me! So I will say again. Here I am on board for your Pre TR. I kind of lost it before but I have subscribed now. I had much to catch up, job changes and almost moving. Busy Busy you were.

How's the vader converting going? any signs of him leaving the dark side?

You will be arriving on my Birthday. Please feel free to have a drink and toast my birth.

 

[apirateslife4evr]

Post #6

SO, here's my theory about Disney and the dining plan.......it's all a great BIG conspiracy !!!! The longer I have to wait to book my dining reservations.....the more changes I make to our schedule. I have updated this spreadsheet at least twice a day in the past FOUR days......we move things around.....change them back.......make more changes..... I am about ready to pull what hair I have out of my head !!!!

Still no updated info about Yak & Yeti, the status of the ITALY restaurant, and now I am freakin' since i've heard that availability for Le Cellier' AND Fantasmic packages is REAL limited........UGH I'm goin' on record......I'm gonna be heavily medicated by the time this trip rolls around

Guess there is nothing else to do but sit back, and WAIT !!!


OH, THE AGONY

 

[disneyaddicted]

I know what you mean. Too much time to think!!! Too many choices too (not that it's a bad thing) it all sounds so good.

I hope you get all the places you want and the decision comes easy for you.

 

[serendipity]

Subscribing. Just got all caught up. How cool of your mom to take your nephew-they'll have such a great time just the two of them.

Your itineraries sound great. What exactly is the yak and yeti restaurant? Is that the new one at AK?

 

[apirateslife4evr]

I know what you mean. Too much time to think!!! Too many choices too (not that it's a bad thing) it all sounds so good.

I hope you get all the places you want and the decision comes easy for you.

I am make NO MORE changes, at least not until I make the first "booking" attempt next week, that is.....

I was about this close to adding extra days at the beginning of our trip, JUST so that I could start booking my dining......

 

[apirateslife4evr]

Subscribing. Just got all caught up. How cool of your mom to take your nephew-they'll have such a great time just the two of them.

Your itineraries sound great. What exactly is the yak and yeti restaurant? Is that the new one at AK?

Thanks for comin' on board !!!

Yes, I am very envious of their trip.....they leave on the 20th. I am asking my mom to pick me up a pair of the Pirate Crocs while she's there. I might also ask her to get me a pair of the Pink Mickey Head Crocs. I have to decide which one's I want more...... AND, they're going to Blizzard Beach while they're there, which REALLY bumms me out It is so HOT here in NJ......I really needed the water park today

Yes, the Yak & Yeti will be the new restaurant at AK. We were going to do breakfast there, but I am opting for lunch (I think the menu will be better then )

 

[apirateslife4evr]

Post #7


Things are coming together quite nicely......only 10more days until we can book our flights !!! Grumpy and I are going to have to coordinate this one, since we're each arriving on different days, but flying home together. I also have to still arrange the car service for the day we come home, since we'll need to get 4-adults + luggage home from the Philly airport.....That = FUN

So my ADR day (June 12th) FINALLY arrived......it was the LONGEST wait.......I was about pulling my hair out The good news is that we got almost everything we wanted. We still have to wait out the summer until the info about Candlelight Processional gets released, but for everything else, these are our final (yes, I am enforcing a NO CHANGES policy, unless ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY) ADR list:

12/9 (Sunday)
Arrival day – Relax & use pool
Dinner @ Planet Hollywood (6pm)

12/10 (Monday)
Kennedy Space Center – Breakfast & Lunch offsite
Dinner @ Wolfgang Pucks (6pm)
Evening at Pleasure Island—want to show Jeff the Adventurer’s Club

12/11 (Tuesday)
Hotel transfer day—have to meet the ‘rents at DVC resort sometime after lunchtime.
Check out of POFQ….drive to Coronado Springs to have breakfast @ Boma (8:30am)
Go play mini-golf @ Winter-Summerland
Drive over to Publix to pick up groceries for DVC
Meet up w/ parents @ DVC
Check in & get settled
Drive to Poly – Dinner @ Kona Café (5pm)
Monorail to MK—pick up MVMCP tickets at MK Will-Call
Ride POTC , BTMRR, HM , see the parade & fireworks, ride Peter Pan's Flight & Dumbo

12/12 (Wednesday)
MGM Day
Drive over to POFQ for breakfast @ Sassagoula Floatworks
Back to BWV to leave car – Take Friendship boats to Epcot
FUTUREWORLD:
Soarin’; FP for Test Track; Living Seas, Spaceship Earth, Ellen’s Energy Adventure
Lunch @ Electric Umbrella
Spaceship Earth, Ellen’s Energy Adventure
Back to room to rest
Drive to WL - dinner @ Artist Point (7:15pm)
Sleigh Ride @ WL after dinner
Evening swim @ resort

12/13 (Thursday)
AK Day
eat breakfast in the room
Head to AK--get FP for Expedition Everest & Safari, walk through Maharajah Jungle Trek to see my tiger babies
Lunch @ Yak & Yeti
see the Nemo show; do Bug’s Life in the Tree of Life
Back to room to rest & relax
Dinner @ Jiko (6:50pm)
Evening swim @ resort

12/14 (Friday)
EPCOT Day
Breakfast in room
Soarin’; FP for Test Track; Living Seas, Spaceship Earth, Ellen’s Energy Adventure
Head into World Showcase—Visit UK, France, Morroco & Japan pavilions
Lunch @ Boulangerie Patisserie
Back to room to freshen up & change for dinner
Candlelight Processional Package w/ dinner @ Le Cellier’ (currently booked @ 4:20pm)
Pick up EMH wristbands at International Gateway on way to Candlelight Show
Late EMH – do American Adventure, Soarin’ & Test Track

12/15 (Saturday)
Tours Day
Breakfast in room
Head over to MK for Keys to the Kingdom tour @ 9:15am
Lunch @ Columbia Harbour House (included in cost of tour)
Back to room to rest & change for dinner
Drive over to GF for dinner @ Narcoossee's (5:30pm)
Shopping @ DTD

12/16 (Sunday)
Rest Day / MGM-EMH
Breakfast @ Kona Café (9:40am)
Drop off rental car @ Dolphin Resort
walk back to BWV and rest
Boat to MGM around lunchtime
MGM – The Great Movie Ride, Indiana Jones; Star Tours , Muppet Vision 3-D
Fantasmic Dinner Package @ Mama Melrose (4:20pm)
Osborne Lights after Fantasmic

12/17 (Monday)
Epcot/MK-EMH
Breakfast from Boardwalk Bakery
Head over to Epcot
Ride Soarin', Test Track & El Rio de Tiempo
Lunch @ Kringla Bakeri
Ride Maelstrom, Tour China Pavillion
Back to room to continue packing
Take Friendship Boats from BWV to Beach Club
Dinner @ Cape May Buffet
Head over to MK for Late EMH
Ride POTC ,HM , Space Mountain, watch WISHES

12/18 (Tuesday)
Finish packing
Breakfast from Boardwalk Bakery
Magical Express back to airport (around 2pm)
Fly home

SO, now less than six months and counting......summer can't end soon enough for me.

*** OFF TOPIC ***
DH may have to have abdominal surgery.....he may have a hernia, so we're going in this week to see the Dr. and see what's going on....best to have this now, than a week before we leave

 

[disneyaddicted]

You have some solid plans now. doesn't it feel good? I have made my ADR's but that is about it, no break down of times at the parks yet or what we will do first.

Hope all works out for your DH, I will put him in my prayers.

 

[Hillary12.8.07]

Ok so I am not subscribing, I love your writing style! We are going on our disneymoon the same time you are going to Disney! the 10-17th! I also noticed you said sleigh ride at WL? We are staying there and I don't know about this!! Sleigh ride? Where can I get info??? Thanks!!!

 

[apirateslife4evr]

Post #8

Well, I haven't had a chance to update, with good reason.......

WE'RE PREGNANT !!! ​

We just found out this week, ironically, since we also just bought our plane tickets for WDW in December...... I am still planning the trip....for now. Since the pregnancy is so NEW, and because of my prior miscarriages, we can't count on anything for certain, yet.

So, I am still around.....but I am gonna be lurking for a while until things progress further along.

 

[tksbaskets]

Post #8

Well, I haven't had a chance to update, with good reason.......

WE'RE PREGNANT !!! ​

We just found out this week, ironically, since we also just bought our plane tickets for WDW in December...... I am still planning the trip....for now. Since the pregnancy is so NEW, and because of my prior miscarriages, we can't count on anything for certain, yet.

So, I am still around.....but I am gonna be lurking for a while until things progress further along.

Congratulations! Hope all is well. You may have to adjust your ride plans but other than that month #7 is great and you should have a blast.

 

[apirateslife4evr]

Post #9

So much has happened, and I don’t really know where to begin. July started off with the news that we’d “lost” the pregnancy….again. That make 4 for 4 with me –vs- having a baby. Not the news we wanted or expected, but we delt with it. I was in a lot of pain, so I took a couple of days late last week, and stayed in bed. Sunday and Monday, I started having a reaction to the heat and humidity…..my hands, feet, forearms and ankles all swelled up like little vienna sausages, so I went to see my PCP, who put me on a diuretic to reduce the swelling. I also went and had my final (well what I thought would be) quant level bloodwork done. Tuesday night, I get a call, at home, from my OB-GYN. I hadn’t miscarried……I had ANOTHER ectopic pregnancy, and would need to go to the ER immediately to be given the shots to chemically END the pregnancy. This is now TWO ectopic’s in less than a year !!! I was NOT in the mood to deal with this again, but DH and I went to the ER, and sat for more than 5hours (past 11pm), and they STILL had not done anything. I got FURIOUS , and ended up walking out. I then had to go back yesterday afternoon and have the methotrexate shots (finally) done. Last night I slept from 6:30pm until I got up this morning at 6am. Needless to say, my body feels like its been run over (numerous times) and I feel like CARP !!! We go to meet with the Dr. on the 17th, but from what I’ve read, invitro may be our only option. Apparently due to my medical history it is probable that if we continue on our own, I will most certainly have an ectopic every time. So we will see what the dr’s say next week.

While I was off, I did what anyone would do……I shopped online……nothing like bedrest and bordom to prompt me to shop !! I ordered three new pairs of CROCS….a pair of red/black Disney (to replace the pink/white one’s that my mom bought for me at WDW a couple of weeks ago….they were a size too small…OOPS. I just have to wait til December to return them when we’re back at WDW) from Shoebuy.com (with my 20% off code, they were only $28bucks WaHOO !!! ) and from Surf & Dirt, two pairs of Mary Janes…..a pair in navy and a pair in the new pink camo print…….which I LUV !!!! Aren't they cute !!

They all arrived on Tuesday, and I am so thrilled with how quickly I got them. Usually when I order stuff online it takes forever, but these shipped the same day I ordered. If you want CROCS quick, I would recommend either of these two sites. I am also eying a new carry bag for the parks, but I haven’t bought anything yet. I need to take a look at our luggage to see how it’s holding up. We both bought two brand-new sets in 2003 before we got married, but mine has been used more than DH’s (somehow, I am the more-traveled of the two of us), so I am concerned over how my set has held up. Another snag (litterally and figuratively) is that both our cats like to claw at the luggage, so I don’t know how “beat-up” it looks, but hey…..what an excuse for new luggage !!!

Our trip plans are complete….Airline Tickets –PURCHASED; Hotel;Meal Plan & Park Admission-Booked, but still paying on; KTTK tour & MVMCP-PURCHASED; Car Rental-RESERVED; Pet Boarding-RESERVED….just gotta PAY for everything now……LOL. I’ll post our FINAL dining schedule later …..it has been through so many revisions, I need to make sure that my spreadsheet is up-to-date.

Nothing real exciting going on here. DH has his hernia surgery scheduled for the 25th, so I’ll be dealing with that…..no driving for him for the first few days after, so he’ll be home on bedrest. Not much else but counting the days until DISNEY !!!!

 

[apirateslife4evr]

bump....nobody comes to visit anymore

 

[Piglets Mommy]

Hi! I just found your Pre-trippie and am enjoying it. I'm so sorry about your baby I have had 2 miscarriages myself, and even though I have 2 wonderful kids, I still miss my angels.

I have been enjoying reading all your plans. We will be at WL from Dec. 1-5 so It's great to read from someone going the same time as me! Can't wait for another update, as soon as you feel up to it!