I am Crazy!! PreTrip Report 7/15/2010-7/18/2010

[LuvEeyore]

Background


I love all things Disney and so does my 15 yo goddaughter "Tink". My mother also loves all things Disney as has traveled three times with me to WDW. In 2008, Mom, Tink and her firnd Beans and I went to California for a week and included 3 days in DCA and DL. It has been a while since I have traveled and I really do not have many vacation days built up and I am trying to get out of debt(like many others). I had bought the Imagneering books a couple of weeks ago and was thinking of another year or two away.

Last week we did Moms taxes(Weds) and when she realized that she was getting money back instead of paying she said she wanted to go to WDW and take Tink and I could go and plan the trip. So here we are...I am planning a trip to go in three months...I usually take a year to plan!!!

Back later with more and the cast of characters

 

[LuvEeyore]

The Cast of Characters for this trip are
Me-I love Eeyore thus the name and Goofy. Get to know me and this would make sense! I am 45 yo f never married, working as a nurse but working towards being a hospital chaplain. I love to play and all things Disney, I over plan all my disney trips. I love to travel!! I am caring for my mother with early alzheimers.

Mom-age 75 next week, early alzheimers, loves to travel and favorite character is Minnie and any of the Pooh characters and her name is alice and she loves to see Alice in Wonderland!! Been to DLx1(2 years ago) WDW x3 but doesnt remember many details. Will ride anything but rollercoasters but rode Matterhorn in DL. Found out she was getting a significant tax refund last Weds, looks at me and says, "I think I am going to WDW and taking Tink. You get have to plan the trip and make sure we have a good time and don't get lost!!" You have to love her. She will use a wheelchair for transportation around the world because of getting tired not because she cant walk.

Tink- age 15. My Goddaughter. Her parents are divorced and she is my best friends daughter. We are trying to get her mom to go with us and have a Mommy daughter trip but that is yet to be seen. She loves any and all things disney, swims like a fish, a dancer and good student. She loves mom and has traveled with us before to Alaska in 2007(her Mom and Grandma ended up getting to go as well), DL in 2008 and Va beach/Williamsburg last Summer. She helps alot with Mom. Her boyfriend lives in Florida now and she will get to see him as he lives 5 minutes from Orlando?? What remains to be seen is will she have a boyfriend in July!!


I am at work so more to come later.
the plans

 

[LuvEeyore]

Remember the first 2 posts...I was dreaming but not planning until last Weds-3/31/2010. I am paniced because I always over plan...research...ask my questions...research...revise. You all know the overplanning drill.

Since Weds, I got a Dreams Unlimited quote and though I have never used them before always my trusty AAA travel agent Janet I decided to see what happened. I am working with Merrie Thomas and wish I could meet her just to say thanks. She has answered every email and question I have had and redid packages till I got what I think I want.



What we have so far...
3 crazy excited women and by the time we leave Greensboro NC I may think I have 3 heads!!

flight from Greensboro on 7/15 am at 9:15 Allegiant at different prices for all the tickets but averaging 125 dollars per person round trip!!! Checking the 1 bag though is 40 dollars. We will arrive in Sanford at 10:50 am...so no magical express for us. I will work until 5 in Roanoke on Weds and pick up Tink an bring her home with me(where she lives. Means we will have to leave by 6:15 or so...not too bad. All of us sleep on planes well and we can get breakfast after we get to Greensboro or pick up biscuits on the way

No ME means a Town Car...yoo whoo!! service with a smile and a grocery store stop for a case of water and snack stuff, cereal etc.

We are booked at POFQ where I have stayed before and loved. Chose it because it is smaller for Mom in the heat and all the buildings have an elevator!! Requested 1st floor building 4. Last time I stayed there we were about 50 yards from food, guest services and 100 yards to busstop. If pixie dust could be sprinkled this time

I am guessing we will arrive about 1pm, check in, lunch and off to the parks since we will only have the three days.

We fly home 7/18 leaving at 7am

Now so much to do. Will I get it all done??
Today--I need to pack, and go!!confused3 cant we leave today??

I guess not since my airline confirmation says 7/15

We are at 100 days and no ADR!!! I am stressed but leaving the adrs to Merrie at this point as I work today til 7 will be 9 when I get home. Got a lot to do tomorrow,work Weds and Thurs, then off Friday and Saturday work Sunday, off Monday, work Tuesday 12 hours, Weds 8 + a work related meeting and it is Mom's 75th birthday...then leaving for Charleston SC on Thursday 4/15 for a long weekend with family. Got to get the house cleaned so we can get painting finished, get a gift for an anniversary party this weekend, get descisions made on a huge wedding shower I am giving in may, clean out the car, find a wheelchair or transport chair, get winter clothes we were needing a week ago put away and find spring summer clothes and get packed. What am I doing with all that to do??!!?? Writing a pre-trip report and day dreaming about Disney!!

Back to the grind...work.

Any suggestions of town car companies?

 

[princessallegra]

Signing on! Your mom sounds amazing!! Your whole cast of characters sounds great! I'm so excited that you're able to make it to WDW in 2010!!! Can't wait to hear more about your trip.

 

[LuvEeyore]

Don't you love it?? I am up with 99 days until we leave and you would think we were leaving today!! I wish??

Princess, It is nice to have somebody on board. Welcome. My Mom is really special and I realized that she was having a problem in 2005 on our Disney trip/Cruise. This trip will be different now that she is on meds and we are learning how to live with her memories or some days...lack of them.

Back to the planning...

what needs to be done this week
find a town car service
ADR's
begin thinking about which parks when
find the pins and lanyards

Off to work on accomplishing the tasks above or maybe back to sleep.

Can anyone think of anything else I am forgetting??

Oh yes I can!! Find something to wear besides winter sweaters!!! Sweaters in florida in July with hot flashes. That makes me sweat just thinking about it. Change the wardrobes for the season and start getting ready for next weeks trip to Charleston SC. That could be fun. We are visiting a retired travel agent. Wonder what she knows about Disney?!?

 

[LuvEeyore]

The to do list

From the previous post.
Find a town car service
ADR's
Find the lanyard's and pins
begin working on itenary
change the wardrobes from winter to spring

Added
decide on Moms mode of transportation-wheelchair or transport chair
make a priorties to see list for everyone
make a packing list and see what size carryon's we have


Changes in the plan
I was planning to drive my car to the airport-smaller and easier on gas. We that has changed unless we tie the wheelchair on the roof of the car or Tink sits in less that 12 inches unless I figure a different way to get the chair in the car. Guess we will take the gas guzzler GMC Jimmy to the air port as getting the chair in it will be much easier.

Accomplished so far-
Mom's mode of transportation is now decided. We went to the local durable medical goods store to test ride "the ride", a suggestion of a couple of fellow DIS'ers. She found a lightweight chair that her Medicare and supplemental insurance will pay for. We left the store with her new "ride'.

Any suggestions of town car services? Any good or bad experiences to report?

I work the next two days from 7a-7p which is really 6:30 a-7:30 p and we are celebrating Moms birthday Friday and then I am taking her to Charleston SC next weel so I'd better go and find the spring clothes and get packed for the next two days. So I can get another task off the list.

 

[LuvEeyore]

The plans updated:

We arrive Sanford airport at 10:50 a.m. 7/15
We leave Sanford airport at 7:00 a.m. 7/18 to return home
We are staying at POFQ and have requested building 4 1st floor.

We will have 3 day park hoppers and are planning go to Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Changes:

Not using a town car company. Going to rent a car for about half the cost. Morgan is a great navigator and I have a GPS so that will travel.

We are using Disney dining plan so we will have 3 counter service meals, 3 table service meals and 3 snacks each. We now have ADR;s for our 3 table service meals;

ADR's
7/15 5 pm Garden Grill in Epcot for a character meal
7/16 5 pm O Hana in the Polynesian
7/17 4:35 pm Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Boma is a favorite of Mom and I

I asked Tink where she wanted to eat. She responded, "I don't care! You know what I like and you have never let me starve yet!!

Priorities for the trip

I asked Mom what could she not miss..."The animals and Boma!! I would like"
I asked Morgan what she absolutely had to do or the trip would be ruined. She said "Only one thing, Space Mountain and its a Small World and see Minnie"
My priorities Finding Nemo, Rocking Roller Coaster, Expidition Everest.

More maybe later tonight

 

[LuvEeyore]

I forgot my questions on the previous post.

1) How do you put your links on the 1st page to the next pages of the trip report?

2) What does everyone think of my ADR's? I haven't been in a while so I need food suggestions?

3) What parks on which days?

4) I haven't been to WDW since 2005, for Tink it has been 2 years. What new and priority attractions might we like?

5) Anybody flown from Sanford to WDW? How do you get there?

6) Anyone know of a grocery store on the way?

I marked something else off the to do list-bought Sunscreen and bug spray!!

 

[LuvEeyore]

I love my pets however Cosmo Kitty must be starved for attention or is mad he won't get to go to WDW this summer as he has deleted my two previous attempts at this post so the third time is a charm.

I asked everyone for their 4 top things for the trip or rather the question was "This trip would not be a trip to WDW without what 4 things?"

Tinks 4
Ride Space Mountain
Ride Splash Mountain
Mission Space(none of us have done this)
Fantasmic(all three of us have seen this both at WDW and DL)

Moms 4
Pirates of the Carribean
Kilimanjaro Safari's
Boma
Spectromagic and Wishes or Illuminations

My 4
Peter Pan's Flight
Expedition Everest(Last time I was there, this hadn't opened)
Soarin
Spectromagic and Wishes

Tenative plan to Meet the needs and dreams of those going

Arrive 7/15 by 1p.m. check in POFQ

7/15 by 2p head to Epcot
Get a fast pass for Soarin or Mission Space, ride one of these and maybe living with the land boat ride then head to 5p ADR at Garden Grill

After Dinner head to DHS for Fantasmic (this is the only night this is showing that we are there.) Maybe do Rockin Roller coaster single rider line or Tower of Terror. see 9 p.m. showing of Fantasmic
Head to POFQ to sleep


7/16 am be at AK before 8:30 a for 9 a opening
somebody push Mom toward Kilamanjaro Safari's while somebody gets FP for EE
Stay here until 1 or 2 pm depending on Stamina and heat

7/16 afternoon- pool and/or nap

7/16 evening head out to MK by 4 pm
all go through turnstiles, then somebody head out and get on monorail
to Poly with Mom and explore while the other person goes to Space or
Splash for a fast pass then to Poly
5p.m. ADR at Poly O'Hana
AFter dinner head back to MK
get a fast pass for peter Pan and either Splash or Space and ride
what we can at least Pirates, Space, Splash, Peter Pan and See
Spectromagic Parade 9p.m and Wishes 10p.m. EMH until 2a Stay a
after wishes and ride what we can

7/17 am to DHS for opening be there by 8:30 for 9a opening
Somebody run pushing Mom to Toy Story to get in line and somebody
go get fast pass for TOT or RRC
spend am here, early counter service lunch

afternoon-DTD, pool or nap
ADR at 4:35 at Boma then head to Epcot for evening in World showcase
and see Illuminations

7/18 cry all the way to the airport at 4:30 am Flight leaves at 7:00a.m.
sleep on the way home. Home by 11a.m.

Is this too ambitious? We have other things we would like to see and those will be priorities after the above. Will post that list later. I did put in 2-3 hours for rest at the hotel because of the heat and early ADR's are to get us in so at prime dinner hours we can do attractions. We will get a case of bottled water on the way to the resort and soem things for the room, ie peanut butter and jelly, bread, fruit, etc. I can eat at PBJ on the way to the 1st park for breakfast. We were thinking that we could split counter service meals for lunch or get our own, and we have our snacks, and in the late evening we could split a counter service meals for a snack etc while in the parks late since we are eating early or have a bedtime snack. We are doing the DDP.

???? that need answering
1) anybody have driving directions from Sanford to POFQ?
2)Grocery store on the way??
3) Should I use Disney transportation or drive to parks? We will have a rental car.

 

[LuvEeyore]

I know I live basically a boring life, start my week in church ( a pastor on leave of absence), take care of my mom, work, and dream Disney. I am really getting a complex now!!! Only Princess has made comments. Help!! I would love opinions and questions answered and suggestions. Three days is the shortest WDW trip I have ever taken and I know we won't see it all. I would like to maximize the fun.

Maybe a another change in the plans...maybe a 4th person on the trip-Tinks Mom, Mel, my best friend for the last 25 years. Maybe a mother/daughter trip. That could be fun!!

 

[princessallegra]

I forgot my questions on the previous post.

1) How do you put your links on the 1st page to the next pages of the trip report? Go to your first post on the thread and click "edit post", then go in and put the info in

2) What does everyone think of my ADR's? I haven't been in a while so I need food suggestions? We've only done 'Ohana on your list, and we liked it! We went for dinner, and it was pretty good. It wasn't great, like oh my goodness, but it was a great atmosphere, decent food and great dessert!

3) What parks on which days? I would look up the park hours for each park for the days you are going to be there, and then go from there. I will look now and see if I can help!

4) I haven't been to WDW since 2005, for Tink it has been 2 years. What new and priority attractions might we like? Lots since 2005! A bunch in even just 2 years! Toy Story Mania is the big new ride at DHS, it's a shooting game like Buzz Lightyear but much more advanced and supposedly really a must do. Also the American Idol Experience is pretty new at DHS and you can audition or be in the audience and vote! Hmmmm well the Summer Nightastic! events will be going on, there will be special fireworks in MK just for this summer. Also the Main Street Electrical Parade (an old favorite) is coming to the MK just for this summer as well, on loan from DL! There will be new effects on Tower of Terror as well for the summer, and a Rock n Rollercoaster dance party I believe?

5) Anybody flown from Sanford to WDW? How do you get there?

6) Anyone know of a grocery store on the way? There is a Publix I know a lot of people use.

I marked something else off the to do list-bought Sunscreen and bug spray!!

Hey there!! So glad your plans are all working out beautifully!! We've never tried Boma before, and hear it's great. So lucky you get to have it again.

So to answer your questions as best I can look above!!

 

[LuvEeyore]

We prepaid a car so we will have a rental car.

7/15 Thinking of going to studios and trying to get a fantasmic dinner package instead of changing parks.
Other than Toy Story, I think we could do every thing here this afternoon arriving by 2pm. We did Toy Story in DL 2 years ago the week it opened. Loved it but I would not wait 90 minutes for any ride again.

7/16 AK in am
Back to hotel in afternoon to rest, swim, post photos
be at MK about4p somebody ride train with MOm and somebody go get Space FP for later, 4:30 head to Poly and 5p ADR at OHana
MK for emh

7/17
Epcot in am
Go get Soarin FP
Ride living with the land
ride soarin or so other future world ride, get test track and mission space fp for later
Future world in am
head out about by 12 noon if not before
Room, pool, pack
take ferry to DD about 2 or so
shop, by 4 find a bus to AKL for 4:25 ADR at Boma
back to Epcot from AKL
do world showcase and see illuminatrions
Say goodbye to WDW, back to the hotel, make sure car in packed as our plane leaves in the am at 7a