If we go any cheaper, Disney will have to start paying us to come!!! LAH LAH's PTR

[LAH LAH]

I seriously thought last September would be it for a while...
...but the Disney bug got me again!

Welcome to my August 2012 Pre-Trip Report! I am happy to have you here!

I am hoping to get the most out of Disney for the least out of pocket expense!!!
(aren't we all?!!!)

(new PTR title because I am past the guilt...hahahahahaha)

THE CAST OF CHARACTERS GOING ON THIS TRIP:​

My name is Melissa and I am mama to Michael (age 14), Elsa (age 12), Easton (age 3), Chase (age 2), and foster mom to Baby N (11 months old and brother of the other 2 little ones. We are hoping to adopt him very soon!) I love what I do, so I do what I love! Besides all the mom stuff I really enjoy creating things...whether it be music, cupcakes, cakes, storage ideas, or finding better ways to organize the house.

Michael is my rapidly growing son. He loves video games, Pokemon, and played on the boys Varsity Volleyball team this year! He has a funny and unique sense of humor and always keeps me on my toes.

Elsa is the only sister and she can easily hold her own. She loves sports, music, drama, playing outside, and being social! Her bubbly personality is infectious and she is mature beyond her years.

MEEMA & PEEPA TOO!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MY MOTLEY CREW:

I lived in Orlando from when Michael was 3-15 months old and I hated it. My husband (at the time) worked at Disney and I was free to visit WDW often. I didn't "get" Disney at that time. I would drop "A" off at work and sometimes put Michael in the back pack carrier and walk around Main Street. I have to admit I was only there to pass the time and to people watch...I don't remember ever riding any rides. I didn't even visit Epcot or MGM Studios (as it was then called) and Animal Kingdom was in it's opening phases back then.

I was so happy to move back north once the year was over. That was in 1997. I look back now and wish I had enjoyed the gift of Disney so much more. I feel like I let WDW down . Fast forward 10 years and my dad planned a wonderful a trip for our whole family (my siblings and all) to Disney. I had no idea how much the magic would seep into my heart...and my love for Disney only grew from that moment!

So, we have been going to Disney for our family vacations since 2007 and we love it, and I am guessing you do to, or you wouldn't be reading about someone ELSE planning a trip. We have gone in August, June, January, December and September. We took our most recent trip in September 2011, a few months before we adopted 2 of the 3 foster brothers we have.

When we adopted the little boys in December I planned that the next time we went to Disney it would be with all of us, or maybe bringing the oldest of the little boys. After taking an overnight vacation to a water park with only the big kids and Easton, I realized the little boy's Disney days are YEARS away...and I decided I am ok with that. When they are old enough (or if I find a husband ready and willing to take on 5 kids along side of me) we will surely all go together.

It took me a while to wrap my heart around going without the rest of our little family, but once I worked through the logistics of it I was able to start getting excited! Like, really, really excited!!!

I hope you will join me as I secure our dates and that you will stick around while I get more and more and more excited as August draws near!

Let the planning begin!!!!​

HOW THIS HAPPENED
WHAT ABOUT THE BOYS?
WHEN ARE WE GOING?
WHERE ARE WE STAYING?
HOW WILL WE TRAVEL?
WHAT ABOUT TICKETS?
WAIT, WHAT?!!
WONDERFUL NEWS!

DAY 1
DAY 2
MEEMA & PEEPA

 

[LAH LAH]

HOW THIS HAPPENED​

After our September trip I stopped frequenting the boards. I was afraid I would be sucked back into planning a trip. I did allow myself one DISboard guilty pleasure, and that was the Budget Board. I only looked for ways to save money. Honestly, that's all I did!

One day, not that long ago, someone posted on the Budget Board about 50,000 bonus points from Southwest Airlines. All you have to do is be approved for their credit card. I thought I might just give it a try. 50,000 points would be enough for 3 round trip flights from here to there. You know where there is. I thought it might be nice to have "someday".

I was approved instantly, and I think it was at that moment I knew returning to Disney might be a possibility. I was able to sign-up during the reduced $69 annual fee. I figure $69 is a g-r-e-a-t price for 3 round trip tickets!!! My mom and dad taught me well, and I only use credit cards for their rewards points. Each balance gets paid off every 3 days, making for a no-interest situation...and I get to pocket all the rewards! Yippeee! This is always such a big chunk of our trip budget.

I love a good deal!

Love these kids (and my baby N who I can't show you...yet)!​

 

[partyof2]

I'm so excited you're going back! I didn't think you could hold out forever.

I loved the pictures of the kids. Michael in particular is looking so grown up, and the littles look so happy. I think Chase and Easton look a lot like you and the big kids, they were so obviously destined to be yours.

Can't wait to hear your money saving ideas. I love me a deal!

 

[LAH LAH]

I'm so excited you're going back! I didn't think you could hold out forever.

I loved the pictures of the kids. Michael in particular is looking so grown up, and the littles look so happy. I think Chase and Easton look a lot like you and the big kids, they were so obviously destined to be yours.

Can't wait to hear your money saving ideas. I love me a deal!

Yay! You made it!

We are excited and we are saving as much as we can this trip

 

[Lady Lallie]

I'm sooooooo excited you are going back!!!!

What a great deal for flights, I mean how can you not go to Disney when you get a deal like that!?

 

[LAH LAH]

WHAT ABOUT THE BOYS?​

"It feels weird not trying to figure out how we will book another trip as soon as we return. I think in my heart I know this trip was a goodbye of sorts. Goodbye to an easy going, kids are capable, let's go-go-go Disney vacation. We will go back, and when we do I get to take all five of my kids!" I wrote this after our trip this past September, and I meant it. We did our best to make that trip special and extra memorable. I was sure we were done for at least a couple of years.

I'm just going to get straight to the point. I have this overwhelming need to go above and beyond with my ever growing family. I don't want people to ever have a reason to question why a single mother would adopt 3 more babies. I want to be able to do it all. I know that I do a lot, but I certainly cannot do it all.

Michael and I had an agreement; he works hard, and scores all B's or above on his report card and we would go overnight to an indoor water park over two hours away. He accomplished his goal and we booked the trip! Easton got to join in on the fun for his very first vacation, and he LOVED it...we all did!

The littlest boys stayed with a family we are very close to and they enjoyed their time too! I knew when we headed off to the water park that I would be one on one with Easton and I would pretty much just follow the VERY excited 3 year old around while Elsa and Michael rode all the tube rides. Easton was very well behaved, but my-oh-my, I was exhausted after only 3 hours! The thought of having all 5 kids there made me nauseous! I was very, very aware of my limitations as a single mom. The responsibility is a lot easier in the safety of our home.

Coming home from that trip I did a lot of thinking. Who was I trying to please by busting my butt to take them to Disney all at the same time, when they were so little? I recognized that I was trying to prove that I am a stellar mom, who can do it all. I made the decision on that trip back home that it was ok to go back, and it was ok to take just the olders. I've decided I have nothing to prove.

And then a great thing happened. I contacted Maegan (an Assistant Professor at the local Christian college who has fallen in love with the boys) and asked her if she would be available to watch the three boys in our home if we went to Disney for a week. She said yes, yes, yes! And then I started telling my friends and family about our decision and EVERY single one of them has been supportive. It feels like a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I think I finally realized it's ok for me to need a break, and it doesn't make me any less of a Mama

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

 

[LAH LAH]

I'm sooooooo excited you are going back!!!!

What a great deal for flights, I mean how can you not go to Disney when you get a deal like that!?

How are you?!!

Your little baby is almost here!

We are soooooo excited!

 

[LAH LAH]

WHEN ARE WE GOING?​

I have taken the kids out of school 3 times to go to Disney, and that's always easiest for me. Free dining, cooler weather, and smaller crowds...but they are getting older and it's harder to make up the school work and no one wants to miss out on sports. I can understand all of that. So when are going? Probably at THE hottest week of the year!

I am still working on actual dates, but it looks like it's between:

August 6-13

and

August 8-15

We were really hoping to squeeze in during August's Free Dining but it just isn't in the cards this year. We LOVE Free Dining so this is a major bummer. I guess it will be a minimal snack, sharing meals, no extra sodas, eating poptarts and cereal bars in our room kind of week!

Free Dining or Not...we are VERY excited to go back!!!

ETA: We have real dates!!! Our official dates are August 5th-13th!​

 

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

That is wonderful!! I can't wait to hear all about it!

I took my DS when he was 2. I had myself, my hubby, and 3 of DS's wonderful grandparents tag along. I came home rested. But I know that wouldn't be the case if I didn't have so much help while there!

The older kids are going to love it. And I know there will be a day in the future that we are reading about all 5 going with you!

 

[LAH LAH]

That is wonderful!! I can't wait to hear all about it!

I took my DS when he was 2. I had myself, my hubby, and 3 of DS's wonderful grandparents tag along. I came home rested. But I know that wouldn't be the case if I didn't have so much help while there!

The older kids are going to love it. And I know there will be a day in the future that we are reading about all 5 going with you!

Once I put my guilt to rest I started getting extremely giddy! Woot Woot, we are going back!

 

[Jennifer48]

Hooray!! So excited for you all to head back! I'm sorry to hear how guilty you felt but I'm glad things are falling into place for you!

Your kiddos are growing up so fast!

 

[LAH LAH]

Hooray!! So excited for you all to head back! I'm sorry to hear how guilty you felt but I'm glad things are falling into place for you!

Your kiddos are growing up so fast!

I'm such a sissy. I want to do the best for everyone!

So excited!!!

 

[partyof2]

I'm glad you've banished your guilt!

The boys will have many Disney years ahead of them long after Michael and Elsa are grown and gone. And they'll have a ball home alone without mommy for a week. Also they're too small to know what they're missing just yet.

Realistically a vacation with kids so far apart in age would be a tough slog. Plus N is so little you'd basically spend the whole vacation watching him and as a pack horse for everyone's stuff whilst waiting for the big kids to finish riding with the littles.

You've definitely made the right decision. You have to be able to enjoy your own vacation instead of it being just about the kids.

 

[littlezar]

YAY!! So happy to see you back here!! We're going in August too - staying off site in a 5BR, 4Ba house in Indian Creek but not until later in the month.

 

[LAH LAH]

I'm glad you've banished your guilt!

The boys will have many Disney years ahead of them long after Michael and Elsa are grown and gone. And they'll have a ball home alone without mommy for a week. Also they're too small to know what they're missing just yet.

Realistically a vacation with kids so far apart in age would be a tough slog. Plus N is so little you'd basically spend the whole vacation watching him and as a pack horse for everyone's stuff whilst waiting for the big kids to finish riding with the littles.

You've definitely made the right decision. You have to be able to enjoy your own vacation instead of it being just about the kids.

This makes me feel like this ----->

YAY!! So happy to see you back here!! We're going in August too - staying off site in a 5BR, 4Ba house in Indian Creek but not until later in the month.

We stayed in a house like that in 2007 and it was great!

We both only have about 6 months to go!!! WOOT WOOT!

 

[LAH LAH]

WHERE ARE WE STAYING?​

This will be our 4th time staying onsite. First round was at All-Star Movies and we really loved it!!! Next time was at POP with Free Dining and we really, really loved it! Last trip we did POP again with Free Dining and Meema and Peepa joined us and this was their first time staying onsite and we all really, really, really loved it!

It wasn't much of a surprise that everyone voted for POP again this time around. I starting looking at room only reservations on the WDW website and priced out our standard room at $952 for the 8 nights we would be gone. Thankfully I have AAA and booked our stay through them for $776. That's a savings of $176!!!! I am so happy! I thought AAA only garnered a 10% discount, but this is an 18.5% savings. That deserves the happy dance!

​

So my total savings so far is $176!!! I know this is "Disney Math" and I am not technically saving anything because I am paying out for the trip instead of saving it, but it feels good to feel like I am being thrifty!

...pictures, just because...​

 

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

...pictures, just because...

You can post any pictures, anytime! We don't mind one bit!

I actually haven't stayed at the Pop, but I have only heard good things from others (and you too)! We will have to try it sometime! I am sure you will all love it just as much this time!

 

[LAH LAH]

HOW WILL WE TRAVEL?​

I already mentioned about how I scored the Southwest credit card during the $69 annual fee and 50,000 rapid rewards points period. *happy dance* I've been keeping an eye on the airfares waiting for them to come down a little bit, but then I just realized I am not paying anything for them and the 52,000 + rapid reward points I have in my account cover it all...so what am I waiting for?!!

I booked the flights today!

It looks like we will be arriving into Orlando at 8:10pm, August 5th on a direct flight that is less than 3 hours of flying time! Crazy. It would take us 24+ to drive there. Our return flight is a little different. We have to change planes once and will be back to our airport at 3:45pm, August 13th with a total travel time of 4 hours and 10 minutes.

But this is the BEST part: Total price on the tickets was $961.20, but my total charge (including the $69 annual fee) is $91.50!!!!!

That's what I like to see when I purchase 3 round trip tickets!!! I'll happily pay the taxes

Ok, so continuing with my "Disney Math", we just saved $869.70! Combine that with our $176.00 savings from our room and we are up to:

$1,045.70 (savings so far...)​

 

[LAH LAH]

You can post any pictures, anytime! We don't mind one bit!

I actually haven't stayed at the Pop, but I have only heard good things from others (and you too)! We will have to try it sometime! I am sure you will all love it just as much this time!

We would have saved another $50 had we stayed at one of the All-Stars, but we were excited to stay at POP again!!

 

[partyof2]

We would have saved another $50 had we stayed at one of the All-Stars, but we were excited to stay at POP again!!

Tut tut .

I had no idea how expensive it was to fly within the US when you pay full price. For $320 I could almost fly to Orlando from the UK during the off season!!

The Southwest deal really was amazing. Great spot.