I’ve been waiting 4 1/2 years to go to Disney..a May 2-9 2010 PTR...TR started!

[leamom2princesses]

Happy New Year Kayce!

 

[disney<333]

Oh yay! You started a PTR! Bella is so cute. I love the dress. Your ADRs sound great. I have eaten at most of them and I would recommend them all. We ate at Sci-Fi this trip for dinner.
Happy New Year!

 

[LoveMyTwoPrincesses]

Kayce, you and Bella are too cute! For a first attempt I think you made an awesome dress. I will have to live vicariously through your upcoming trip since we don't have a trip planned at this time!

Heidi

 

[kcandbella]

Oh yay! You started a PTR! Bella is so cute. I love the dress. Your ADRs sound great. I have eaten at most of them and I would recommend them all. We ate at Sci-Fi this trip for dinner.
Happy New Year!

Thanks for coming over!! I'm glad to hear good recommendations for our ADR picks. Some of them were not my first choice but I had to think of places 8 people could all enjoy!

Kayce, you and Bella are too cute! For a first attempt I think you made an awesome dress. I will have to live vicariously through your upcoming trip since we don't have a trip planned at this time!

Heidi

Welcome, Heidi! I have been living vicariously through your TR for a while now, so you can do the same until you have your next trip on the horizon! I will be in the same boat when we get back...no idea when our next trip will be. Probably not for a while unfortunately. At least we have the DIS for our Disney fix!!!

 

[kcandbella]

I always enjoy reading about others during PTRs/TRs and realized I have posted pics, but not really told anyone about us. So here is a little about Bella and I since we are the "main" characters of this PTR.

Me-Kayce: I’m a 29 year old kindergarten teacher, a single mom to Bella, a computer addict (especially the disboards and facebook, pm me if you want to be FB friends), a bargain shopper (I love couponing), and an obsessive Disney planner. I love warm weather and sunshine, especially hanging out poolside or at the lake. I am also in a modern dance company and it’s so much fun!

Bella, 4: This Disney trip will be just before Bella’s fifth birthday (June 6). I think she’s more excited than me, if that’s possible. Bella is a fairly typical four year old girl, and being the youngest of 8 grandkids she is a bit spoiled. She comes up with the craziest things and never forgets anything. Her preschool teacher told me, “I get the biggest kick out of Bella, but you are in trouble during her teenage years,” and I couldn’t agree more. She loves taking gymnastics and dance, this is her second year in both. Her favorite characters are all the princesses (especially Cinderella), the fairies, Minnie, and Daisy. She is adventurous and plans on riding everything she is tall enough for except Tower of Terror. At her dr. appointment last week, she was 39.5 inches (she’s a small 4 year old!) so she needs to grow at least a half inch before May! She really wants to ride Splash, Soarin, Test Track, and Big Thunder!!! I'm not all that worried, I would hope she would grow a half inch in 4 months...

So that's us!! Tomorrow will be exactly FOUR MONTHS until we leave!!!

 

[kcandbella]

Last night I went to see the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra perform "The Magical Music of Disney." It was sooooo good! They had clips (some still pictures, some moving) projecting during all of the songs they played. The opening was my favorite. They played the Disney music you hear when a Disney movie starts and showed Cinderella castle with fireworks on the projector, then played Disney classics like "It's a Small World," "Zip A Dee Do Dah," some Mary Poppins stuff, and "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo." I swear I got goosebumps about 50 times!!!

Then they different sections where they picked a certain movie and played a lot of the music from it. The sections were:
1. Tarzan
2. Beauty and the Beast
3. The Little Mermaid
4. Hercules
5. The Rescuers Down Under
6. Aladdin
7. Mulan
8. Hunchback of Notre Dame
9. The Lion King
and during the "curtain call" played something from the Incredibles.

They really did a great job. Hearing the music played live from an orchestra makes it even more magical!!!

On another note, I am at LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS!!!!

 

[leamom2princesses]

Yay for being under 4 months Kayce!!!!! Love the introductions too. Bella's birthday is the day before mine. Talk about small girls, Josie measured 38.5 at the doctor's office. I've measured her three times and I only get 37.5. I need some big soled shoes for her. I keep joking that I'm looking for some of the Sketcher Shape Up's in a toddler size 8.

The Orchestra sounds amazing. I would have loved it too. I love Disney music. To me, half the fun of calling to make reservations is being on hold and listening to the music.

 

[Charlefours]

Your trip is going to be here before you know it!! Here's hoping Bella hits the elusive 40 inch mark! I am hoping my DD hits it too.

Symphony night: sounds lovely and totally something I would enjoy!! Have you ever listened to the Boston Pops Orchestra cds? They have some with Disney themes. They are great!

 

[kcandbella]

Yay for being under 4 months Kayce!!!!! Love the introductions too. Bella's birthday is the day before mine. Talk about small girls, Josie measured 38.5 at the doctor's office. I've measured her three times and I only get 37.5. I need some big soled shoes for her. I keep joking that I'm looking for some of the Sketcher Shape Up's in a toddler size 8.

The Orchestra sounds amazing. I would have loved it too. I love Disney music. To me, half the fun of calling to make reservations is being on hold and listening to the music.

Big soled shoes and a high ponytail with a big bow!!! Just kidding of course, besides I have heard they make them take their shoes off if they are close so they may be onto us...

Your trip is going to be here before you know it!! Here's hoping Bella hits the elusive 40 inch mark! I am hoping my DD hits it too.

Symphony night: sounds lovely and totally something I would enjoy!! Have you ever listened to the Boston Pops Orchestra cds? They have some with Disney themes. They are great!

I have not listened to the Boston Pops Orchestra, but I definitely need to check it out! It sounds great. Thanks for letting me know about it!

 

[kcandbella]

It snowed last night and we ended up with about five inches. It's pretty much for us! The biggest problem is it is negative 3 windchill, so we can't stay out too long, but we did go out for a while! Here are some pics:

View from my back window

Ready to go out

Brrrr

Snow Angel

Street view

Having fun!

 

[leamom2princesses]

Awww, she looks too cute playing in the snow. You got a pretty good covering. I wish we had gotten snow like that. Im sooooo jealous.

Thanks for sharing your pics Kayce!

 

[Charlefours]

Cute pictures!! I hope to take Lilian out to play here after lunch. Do you mind me asking what part of IL are you? We lived up in northern IL before we moved to Michigan.

 

[SoonerGirl]

Hi Kayce! I followed you over from my TR. Since we will be at WDW at the same time I wanted to check out your PTR. Your daughter is absolutely adorable! Sometimes I wish I had had more children and tried for a little girl, but then I think about all the money I would spend buying cute girl stuff and I figure it's best that I don't have one!

Your ADRs look good, I think Chef Mickey's is a great way to kick off the trip. We ate at Teppan Edo, Sci-Fi & Le Cellier during our December trip - all good choices. At Sci-Fi we tend to stick with burger & fries though, some of the other things we've gotten there in the past haven't been all that great. You mentioned that Sci-Fi could be one of your OOP meals, I think that's a good one to pick. Don & I split a burger & fries there and it was plenty for us for lunch, it was an OOP meal for us too, so that helped make it a bit cheaper.

 

[kschafer]

Hi Kayce. I followed you over from SoonerGirl's TR to say hi since I will also be there may 1-9. Good start! Can't wait for more plans

 

[AlohaPolynesian]

Hey there! I followed you here from your comment on my thread. Bella is so pretty! I love the dress you made her and can't wait to see more of your plans! PS I loved Mama Melrose when I ate there a couple of years ago...I tried to fit it into our plans on my December trip but it just never worked out. You will enjoy it!

 

[kcandbella]

Awww, she looks too cute playing in the snow. You got a pretty good covering. I wish we had gotten snow like that. Im sooooo jealous.

Thanks for sharing your pics Kayce!

Thanks Leanne! Its been fun. It'll probably be around awhile, since it has been below freezing here lately!

Cute pictures!! I hope to take Lilian out to play here after lunch. Do you mind me asking what part of IL are you? We lived up in northern IL before we moved to Michigan.

I live in southern IL in the St. Louis metro area. It's about five hours south of Chicago. Hope you had fun in the snow!

Hi Kayce! I followed you over from my TR. Since we will be at WDW at the same time I wanted to check out your PTR. Your daughter is absolutely adorable! Sometimes I wish I had had more children and tried for a little girl, but then I think about all the money I would spend buying cute girl stuff and I figure it's best that I don't have one!

Your ADRs look good, I think Chef Mickey's is a great way to kick off the trip. We ate at Teppan Edo, Sci-Fi & Le Cellier during our December trip - all good choices. At Sci-Fi we tend to stick with burger & fries though, some of the other things we've gotten there in the past haven't been all that great. You mentioned that Sci-Fi could be one of your OOP meals, I think that's a good one to pick. Don & I split a burger & fries there and it was plenty for us for lunch, it was an OOP meal for us too, so that helped make it a bit cheaper.

Yes girls are fun to buy for! They do cost a lot of money, though, and I'm already scared of the teenage years. So you lucked out in that department!

Thanks for the info on the restaurants. I figured Sci Fi would be one of the cheaper options. We probably will get burgers and fries with maybe some chicken fingers thrown in for the kiddos. I picked it more for the atmosphere, it looks like something the boys will enjoy.

Hi Kayce. I followed you over from SoonerGirl's TR to say hi since I will also be there may 1-9. Good start! Can't wait for more plans

Yay another early May DIS-er! I am off to check out your PTR!

Hey there! I followed you here from your comment on my thread. Bella is so pretty! I love the dress you made her and can't wait to see more of your plans! PS I loved Mama Melrose when I ate there a couple of years ago...I tried to fit it into our plans on my December trip but it just never worked out. You will enjoy it!

Thanks! Planning has been so much fun. I knew I wanted to do the F! dinner package, and MMs seemed like the best choice for us. Can you believe I've never seen Fantasmic??? I have only been to DHS when it was MGM once and it was before the ToT even opened!
There wasn't much to do then--I'm so excited to check it out now!

 

[kcandbella]

Here is a preliminary touring plan. Of course in the afternoons if need be, anyone can go back to the hotel and relax/swim. I am thinking my parents, sister, and Bella may not make it through whole days every day. The boys and I will be ready to go. That's what is great about staying on site, though, if they want to go back they can and we can keeping having fun until they get back!!! My parents will take Bella if need be.

So here is my (flexible) plan (suggestions welcome!):

Sunday May 2nd-arrival at 11:30
check in (hopefully have our rooms ready-we asked for close but not necessarily connecting)
relax, shower
Chef Mickey's ADR at 6:30
MK EMH (for those who are not too tired!) Its open until 2am, not sure we will make it that late

Mon May 3-Sleep in! Maybe head back to MK in the late morning
Then on to Epcot
Teppan Edo at 6:30pm

Tues 4th-Rope Drop at DHS
12:25pm Sci Fi Drive In
DTD-dinner at EOS

Weds 5th-Epcot Rope Drop until early afternoon, maybe a margarita in Mexico for Cinco de Mayo!
then to DHS
F! dinner package, 4pm Mama Melrose

Thurs 6th-AK rope drop
Back to Epcot
Le Cellier 7 pm, then watch Illuminations

Fri 7th-10 am CRT
MK all day!!!

Sat 8th-Open for anything we missed or want to do again
6:10 pm Crystal Palace

Sun 9th-9 am breakfast at Ohana before departure.

 

[Charlefours]

I like your itinerary! Looks good. I like that you are taking advantage of your PH!! Were you able to get all the ADRs you wanted? I am looking forward to what you think about Mama Melrose's. I am considering it.

 

[kschafer]

Kayce, it looks like we will be in the same park several days in May. MK on the night of the 2nd and afternoon of the 3rd as well as Epcot on the 5th!

I also wondered where in Illinois you are. My brother and his family are in Carbondale.

 

[leamom2princesses]

Your plan looks great Kayce! I love the idea of a margarita on Cinco de Mayo.