TinksThree
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2009
- Messages
- 2,518
Welcome to my first ever PTR!! For two years I have enjoyed reports by other DISers and now I am biting the bullet and jumping on board!! I hope you enjoy the journey with me! First a little background!
My husband has always said he would never go to Disney World. He has always been pretty adamant about it, so I have never pressed the issue. Then a few years ago our children began talking about going. I had taken DD (14) when she was almost 4 years old but we had not returned. My DS (16) had never been. We began planning and went March 2009 for Spring Break. And we had a blast just the 3 of us! Everyone thought I was crazy taking off alone with two teens for a trek to Orlando (we drove the 11 hours from our house!!). But we had so much fun. We stayed for 8 days and did almost everything we had set out to do!! That trip also made me a firm believer in Rope Drop, Touring Plans and not stressing when something doesnt get done! It also made my kids fall in love with WDW and I forgot how much I loved the magic there!!
On our trip home, we began planning our next trip when we would go we werent sure about but we knew that it would happen sometime. My goal was Christmas 2010. I figured we could fit in a family vacation with DH somewhere he approved of and then the kids and I along with my parents could go to WDW around Christmas. Great plan!! I started getting everyones wish list at the end of December 2009 and making tentative goal dates as to when to book, dream about ADRs, etc! Every time I would get an e-mail about the newest offer I would jokingly forward to DH just so I could hear the sarcastic response!! (And also hoping one day he would see the light!!) One day while perusing the DISboards (an addiction of mine!!) I noticed that the great deal for military was extended through part of 2010 ($99 tickets for 4 days -5 would be better but I am not complaining!!) So I began plotting to go sooner than Christmas since the tickets are only good through September and we have school to deal with on top of that! I forwarded the e-mail and told him maybe, just maybe, we could move the family vacation to later in the fall.
In the meantime, I began planning for the family trip. We go to Gatlinburg several times a year and had decided to lay-off and try something different this year. So I had given the kids a few options for vacation (San Antonio-one of our favorite places; Washington DC/Williamsburg, VA-another fave; St. Augustine, FL- with a secret plot to get close to WDW!; and finally Mt. Rushmore). They chose Mt. Rushmore, so off I was to make the reservations and plans. Now fast forward to January 31, 2010 ..It is one week before the New Orleans Saints play in their first ever Super Bowl
and DH has been a die-hard fan for the 43 years of their existence. He has suffered what every true Saints fan has suffered. So naturally he was on a high! He wakes up (I like to think literally!) and says I have been thinking maybe I have been selfish. Lets go to WDW this summer and maybe tack something else on at the end. I told him, Well we really had our hearts set on Mt Rushmore and Custer State Park
..well, okay, maybe not, I said Okay! You mean it? Mt Rushmore will always be there! Can I book today?!?!?!?!? 
I totally attribute his change of heart to the fact that he was on cloud nine due to football and the Saints upcoming victory (because We Believe!!, Who Dat and all that jazz!). I did not care what caused the change of heart, I was off to make my room reservation and begin our planning.
So, this trip is different from one I normally would plan. No Park Hoppers since it is for only 4 days and I did not want to push him on that front! We also will have to skip some things we really may want to do but we have prioritized and will hope for the best! This trip is really designed around showing DH that Disney is full of magic! The kids are on board and understanding, plus they are old enough to do things without us being attached to them!
So who exactly are we?? I will introduce everyone coming up!!
My husband has always said he would never go to Disney World. He has always been pretty adamant about it, so I have never pressed the issue. Then a few years ago our children began talking about going. I had taken DD (14) when she was almost 4 years old but we had not returned. My DS (16) had never been. We began planning and went March 2009 for Spring Break. And we had a blast just the 3 of us! Everyone thought I was crazy taking off alone with two teens for a trek to Orlando (we drove the 11 hours from our house!!). But we had so much fun. We stayed for 8 days and did almost everything we had set out to do!! That trip also made me a firm believer in Rope Drop, Touring Plans and not stressing when something doesnt get done! It also made my kids fall in love with WDW and I forgot how much I loved the magic there!!
On our trip home, we began planning our next trip when we would go we werent sure about but we knew that it would happen sometime. My goal was Christmas 2010. I figured we could fit in a family vacation with DH somewhere he approved of and then the kids and I along with my parents could go to WDW around Christmas. Great plan!! I started getting everyones wish list at the end of December 2009 and making tentative goal dates as to when to book, dream about ADRs, etc! Every time I would get an e-mail about the newest offer I would jokingly forward to DH just so I could hear the sarcastic response!! (And also hoping one day he would see the light!!) One day while perusing the DISboards (an addiction of mine!!) I noticed that the great deal for military was extended through part of 2010 ($99 tickets for 4 days -5 would be better but I am not complaining!!) So I began plotting to go sooner than Christmas since the tickets are only good through September and we have school to deal with on top of that! I forwarded the e-mail and told him maybe, just maybe, we could move the family vacation to later in the fall.
In the meantime, I began planning for the family trip. We go to Gatlinburg several times a year and had decided to lay-off and try something different this year. So I had given the kids a few options for vacation (San Antonio-one of our favorite places; Washington DC/Williamsburg, VA-another fave; St. Augustine, FL- with a secret plot to get close to WDW!; and finally Mt. Rushmore). They chose Mt. Rushmore, so off I was to make the reservations and plans. Now fast forward to January 31, 2010 ..It is one week before the New Orleans Saints play in their first ever Super Bowl


I totally attribute his change of heart to the fact that he was on cloud nine due to football and the Saints upcoming victory (because We Believe!!, Who Dat and all that jazz!). I did not care what caused the change of heart, I was off to make my room reservation and begin our planning.
So, this trip is different from one I normally would plan. No Park Hoppers since it is for only 4 days and I did not want to push him on that front! We also will have to skip some things we really may want to do but we have prioritized and will hope for the best! This trip is really designed around showing DH that Disney is full of magic! The kids are on board and understanding, plus they are old enough to do things without us being attached to them!
So who exactly are we?? I will introduce everyone coming up!!