HI! I'm bursting at the seams and since I cannot talk about our trip at home, THANK YOU for letting me get it all out here.
About us: Me (CRAZY for Disney mom) DH ("frugal" but wants to love Disney deep deep DEEP down in the crevices of his black cold heart) j/k. He agrees to the trips, right? DS: 7 year old do gooder/soccer freak. DD: 5 year old free spirit with a side of mischief and the dramz. Oh LAWD the dramz.
We've been to Disney twice before. I am a planner. I like to make things as clear as possible and in graph/spreadsheet/color coded laminated itinerary cards form so EVERYONE is clear. That said, I only do this so it's all put together and I can relax once we arrive. If things go amuck I'm okay too... that's what the $8 glass of Sutter Home pinot is for, right?
DH's only rule when I sprung the Disney thing on him was that he didn't want to do anything we've done before... which was actually kind of fun to plan. I like that we'll be doing completely different ADR's and character meals. No castle princess meals, but we've done them. Time to shake it up! I'm still trying to get an ADR for the Afternoon Tea at GF, but so far no luck. I did not even KNOW about this until this week... and we all know it's WAY too late to get in on most of the good stuff at this point.
We're going to Disney 9/22 - 9/28. staying at POFQ and we got the free dining.
It's a surprise, I've never pulled a surprise off and I'm pretty shocked that I've held it together this long.
We're driving to FL 9/21 for my dad's retirement party. We're going to leave after the party and drive the 2 hours to Orlando to spend the night. The kids won't know we're driving south instead of north and we *hope* don't catch on when we get to DTD.
The plan is to just have one overnight bag packed for our sleeping gear/toiletries/next day clothes to take into that hotel.
Pass out, in the morning just load everyone up at 7 am and head to the resort.
I requested a 7:30 check in, but we have to pop in to get our tickets anyway so it doesn't matter if the room is ready at that time.
I'll go get our tickets/package and *IF* the room is ready here's how it will play out:
I'll text DH where the room is and we'll go park. We'll tell the kids we're going to check the place out so we'll all get out and we'll guide them to our room. Then I'll sneakily pull out the key/card and we'll go in the room... I'll tell them it's our key from last time and just joke about seeing if it will unlock the door. When it opens we'll go in (DS is going to be all nervous and we'll probably have to drag him in. He's a rules follower. He does NOT break the rules) DD will be the first one in, super excited to be doing something DANGEROUS. (I'm pretty sure she's giving DS ulcers).
The plan is to then say "Sooooo. Do you think we should stay and go to the park today? and then give them their Disney bags.
I have Disney crocs and jibbitz, a stuffed Disney toy, water mister, water bottle, their lanyards with their Disney pins, autograph/photo books and pens in there.
Then we're going to dump our bags and jump on the bus to MK. I will have my pre packed backpack all ready and this is our first trip w/o a stroller. I'm terrified. I may borrow a friend's just in case. I'm breaking out in a sweat just thinking about the whining about tired feet right.now.
I'm hoping it's around 8 by the time this all goes down so we can get there for rope drop. If not, we'll live. My touring plan has adjustments for human and life things happening. Even though it VEXES me to no end... I'm a tree... I can bend... (repeats 4000 times per day and crushes valium into pumpkin latte)
If the hotel room isn't ready we're going to park the car and just tell the kids "hey, the busses are free, want to take a ride and see how close we can get to the MK?"
then we'll get out at the MK and surprise them when we go in the turnstiles.
Regardless, we're planning on torturing them as long as possible. Heck, we may not even tell them we're staying the whole week. Maybe we'll string them along, saying maybe we'll go to HS if you guys are REALLY good today. and after that, "hey, if you guys suck it up and don't whine at ALL through the end of Fantasmic and the bus ride back maybe we'll go to Epcot tomorrow..."
In fact, that's the new plan. BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
My dad and SM are going to surprise them at Epcot, so that will be even MORE fun.
Itinerary:Sun: MK
DD gets BBB (first time ever, she's begged both prior trips. She gets a lot of no's, so this will be huge. She would never expect us to do this for real)
DS gets Pirates League at the same time.
The plan is to leave the park around 3 to go check in if we weren't able to do so and take a little break. DH will need a nap since he will have NOT gone to bed at his usual 10 pm bedtime. Don't ask. He seriously needs more sleep than any other human being.
Eat QS at the resort and head back to the park for a few more rides and fireworks.
Monday: DHS. reservations for Sci Fi at 3 pm, we'll have snacks from the hotel room to get us through. bananas, apples etc... they'll make it.
Tuesday: Epcot. GP's arrive as a surprise as well.
reservations for Biergarten 6:40.
Wednesday: non park day! everyone gets to sleep in and recover. I am unbelievably excited about this. We've never had the luxury of a day off from the parks and I'm so excited about getting to enjoy the resort for once!
10:15 am reservation for Supercalifragilistic Breakfast. We'll probably just drive over since we'll be slow moving.
POOL TIME! We'll spend the whole day pool hopping from POFQ to POR. The kids are going to LOVE all the activities etc...
6:15 pm reservation for the Hoop Dee Doo. My dad's coming for that as well, so it will be super fun. Then we'll either join the campfire w/characters at the wilderness campgrounds OR we'll head back for more pool time and the campfire at POFQ and the nightly movie on the green. Should be a great time. Heck, if we want we can take the boat to DTD and let DS do Disney Quest since we have passes for that.
Thursday! AK. 12:45 pm reservation for Tusker House
We should be done w/the park by 4, 5 at the latest and we're heading over to the AKL. We've not been there and it will be neat to see it.
6:05 pm reservation at Boma! I'm super excited about this one. DD and I love to try new foods and there's still plenty for the boys to eat. (they're so lame)
I'd like to spend some time at the lodge and head back to our resort for possibly more pool time and maybe the movie. Whatever we want!
Friday! Our last day. MK! *sob* We have a 10:35 am reservation at Ohana. Not sure if we're going to do rope drop to head to toy story and get space mtn FP's or not. Probably not... it's the NSSHP night and we're planning on staying until midnight. they'll need to NOT get up early and get to bed closer to a normal time the night before to pull this off.
We can do it though! My kids don't get sugar often and NEVER get caffeine... I'm not above letting it all fly out the window at Disney and giving them a coke a cola and pixie sticks to get through. It's like the BEST DAY OF THEIR LIVES! SODA! SUGAR??! WHO ARE WE?!?!
Normally on the day we check out (Saturday) we go to DTD and head to my mom's a couple hours away to spend the night/see her and then head back north. THIS time we cannot... and I am AWARE I am bitter. DS has a soccer event that is mandatory on Sunday so we have to drive all the way through on Saturday with no time for stopping. LAMETASTIC! #hatessoccerevenmorenow
Ugh. I cannot WAIT. My office feels like a jail cell and will get smaller and smaller and people will be getting more and more annoying as the time gets closer. I hope the time flies by... maybe being super busy (aren't we all?!) will get us through.
About us: Me (CRAZY for Disney mom) DH ("frugal" but wants to love Disney deep deep DEEP down in the crevices of his black cold heart) j/k. He agrees to the trips, right? DS: 7 year old do gooder/soccer freak. DD: 5 year old free spirit with a side of mischief and the dramz. Oh LAWD the dramz.
We've been to Disney twice before. I am a planner. I like to make things as clear as possible and in graph/spreadsheet/color coded laminated itinerary cards form so EVERYONE is clear. That said, I only do this so it's all put together and I can relax once we arrive. If things go amuck I'm okay too... that's what the $8 glass of Sutter Home pinot is for, right?
DH's only rule when I sprung the Disney thing on him was that he didn't want to do anything we've done before... which was actually kind of fun to plan. I like that we'll be doing completely different ADR's and character meals. No castle princess meals, but we've done them. Time to shake it up! I'm still trying to get an ADR for the Afternoon Tea at GF, but so far no luck. I did not even KNOW about this until this week... and we all know it's WAY too late to get in on most of the good stuff at this point.
We're going to Disney 9/22 - 9/28. staying at POFQ and we got the free dining.
It's a surprise, I've never pulled a surprise off and I'm pretty shocked that I've held it together this long.
We're driving to FL 9/21 for my dad's retirement party. We're going to leave after the party and drive the 2 hours to Orlando to spend the night. The kids won't know we're driving south instead of north and we *hope* don't catch on when we get to DTD.
The plan is to just have one overnight bag packed for our sleeping gear/toiletries/next day clothes to take into that hotel.
Pass out, in the morning just load everyone up at 7 am and head to the resort.
I requested a 7:30 check in, but we have to pop in to get our tickets anyway so it doesn't matter if the room is ready at that time.
I'll go get our tickets/package and *IF* the room is ready here's how it will play out:
I'll text DH where the room is and we'll go park. We'll tell the kids we're going to check the place out so we'll all get out and we'll guide them to our room. Then I'll sneakily pull out the key/card and we'll go in the room... I'll tell them it's our key from last time and just joke about seeing if it will unlock the door. When it opens we'll go in (DS is going to be all nervous and we'll probably have to drag him in. He's a rules follower. He does NOT break the rules) DD will be the first one in, super excited to be doing something DANGEROUS. (I'm pretty sure she's giving DS ulcers).
The plan is to then say "Sooooo. Do you think we should stay and go to the park today? and then give them their Disney bags.
I have Disney crocs and jibbitz, a stuffed Disney toy, water mister, water bottle, their lanyards with their Disney pins, autograph/photo books and pens in there.
Then we're going to dump our bags and jump on the bus to MK. I will have my pre packed backpack all ready and this is our first trip w/o a stroller. I'm terrified. I may borrow a friend's just in case. I'm breaking out in a sweat just thinking about the whining about tired feet right.now.
I'm hoping it's around 8 by the time this all goes down so we can get there for rope drop. If not, we'll live. My touring plan has adjustments for human and life things happening. Even though it VEXES me to no end... I'm a tree... I can bend... (repeats 4000 times per day and crushes valium into pumpkin latte)
If the hotel room isn't ready we're going to park the car and just tell the kids "hey, the busses are free, want to take a ride and see how close we can get to the MK?"
then we'll get out at the MK and surprise them when we go in the turnstiles.
Regardless, we're planning on torturing them as long as possible. Heck, we may not even tell them we're staying the whole week. Maybe we'll string them along, saying maybe we'll go to HS if you guys are REALLY good today. and after that, "hey, if you guys suck it up and don't whine at ALL through the end of Fantasmic and the bus ride back maybe we'll go to Epcot tomorrow..."
In fact, that's the new plan. BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
My dad and SM are going to surprise them at Epcot, so that will be even MORE fun.
Itinerary:Sun: MK
DD gets BBB (first time ever, she's begged both prior trips. She gets a lot of no's, so this will be huge. She would never expect us to do this for real)
DS gets Pirates League at the same time.
The plan is to leave the park around 3 to go check in if we weren't able to do so and take a little break. DH will need a nap since he will have NOT gone to bed at his usual 10 pm bedtime. Don't ask. He seriously needs more sleep than any other human being.
Eat QS at the resort and head back to the park for a few more rides and fireworks.
Monday: DHS. reservations for Sci Fi at 3 pm, we'll have snacks from the hotel room to get us through. bananas, apples etc... they'll make it.
Tuesday: Epcot. GP's arrive as a surprise as well.
reservations for Biergarten 6:40.
Wednesday: non park day! everyone gets to sleep in and recover. I am unbelievably excited about this. We've never had the luxury of a day off from the parks and I'm so excited about getting to enjoy the resort for once!
10:15 am reservation for Supercalifragilistic Breakfast. We'll probably just drive over since we'll be slow moving.
POOL TIME! We'll spend the whole day pool hopping from POFQ to POR. The kids are going to LOVE all the activities etc...
6:15 pm reservation for the Hoop Dee Doo. My dad's coming for that as well, so it will be super fun. Then we'll either join the campfire w/characters at the wilderness campgrounds OR we'll head back for more pool time and the campfire at POFQ and the nightly movie on the green. Should be a great time. Heck, if we want we can take the boat to DTD and let DS do Disney Quest since we have passes for that.
Thursday! AK. 12:45 pm reservation for Tusker House
We should be done w/the park by 4, 5 at the latest and we're heading over to the AKL. We've not been there and it will be neat to see it.
6:05 pm reservation at Boma! I'm super excited about this one. DD and I love to try new foods and there's still plenty for the boys to eat. (they're so lame)
I'd like to spend some time at the lodge and head back to our resort for possibly more pool time and maybe the movie. Whatever we want!
Friday! Our last day. MK! *sob* We have a 10:35 am reservation at Ohana. Not sure if we're going to do rope drop to head to toy story and get space mtn FP's or not. Probably not... it's the NSSHP night and we're planning on staying until midnight. they'll need to NOT get up early and get to bed closer to a normal time the night before to pull this off.
We can do it though! My kids don't get sugar often and NEVER get caffeine... I'm not above letting it all fly out the window at Disney and giving them a coke a cola and pixie sticks to get through. It's like the BEST DAY OF THEIR LIVES! SODA! SUGAR??! WHO ARE WE?!?!
Normally on the day we check out (Saturday) we go to DTD and head to my mom's a couple hours away to spend the night/see her and then head back north. THIS time we cannot... and I am AWARE I am bitter. DS has a soccer event that is mandatory on Sunday so we have to drive all the way through on Saturday with no time for stopping. LAMETASTIC! #hatessoccerevenmorenow
Ugh. I cannot WAIT. My office feels like a jail cell and will get smaller and smaller and people will be getting more and more annoying as the time gets closer. I hope the time flies by... maybe being super busy (aren't we all?!) will get us through.
