I'm Dreaming of a WDW Family Christmas...

[DisneyBride'03]

Phew!!!

Was worried I missed something, havent checked in for awhile

I know OT...this is YOUR thread But I am relieved, as this is our year to travel to Northern CA to visit my Bob's family. It is so hectic with 3 kids under 15, and trying to go and visit everyone..we usually leave Christmas morning.
But we are going in January now Besides, the $2500 in airfare made it really easy to make that decsionSo, the only place I WOULD travel to over the Holidays...is WDW!!!! Like you

 

[PNO4TE]

Phew!!!

Was worried I missed something, havent checked in for awhile

I know OT...this is YOUR thread But I am relieved, as this is our year to travel to Northern CA to visit my Bob's family. It is so hectic with 3 kids under 15, and trying to go and visit everyone..we usually leave Christmas morning.
But we are going in January now Besides, the $2500 in airfare made it really easy to make that decsionSo, the only place I WOULD travel to over the Holidays...is WDW!!!! Like you

You can hijack my thread anytime you want, Diana!

Airfare is all over the place, isn't it?? I am glad you found something that will work for you and that you get to be home for Christmas.

 

[*Seanaci*]

nope... hard to keep up, isn't it? We have always preferred non-stop flights to driving for 14 hours, but they have been harder and harder to find. I was delighted that these were available, fairly full and cheap! I figure we have a very good chance of having them "go" as planned and it will make traveling those two weekends a little nicer, I hope!

Lol. Not that hard...just wanted to make sure my new mom brain was working right... I mean, I forget what I eat for breakfast by the time dinner rolls around.

Also, I can't blame ya for looking for non-stops. When we first started looking at airfare for our trip next month, I knew that travelling with an almost 15 month old I wanted a non-stop. And if I couldn't find one, I'd settle for one with a very brief stop over. We got lucky. Non-stop flights for the trip there and the trip home.

 

[PNO4TE]

Lol. Not that hard...just wanted to make sure my new mom brain was working right... I mean, I forget what I eat for breakfast by the time dinner rolls around.

Also, I can't blame ya for looking for non-stops. When we first started looking at airfare for our trip next month, I knew that travelling with an almost 15 month old I wanted a non-stop. And if I couldn't find one, I'd settle for one with a very brief stop over. We got lucky. Non-stop flights for the trip there and the trip home.

Congrats on finding non-stops! With airlines packing people in and time on the runway both on take-of and landing, flights with stops and plane changes anymore can be nightmares. I would not want to travel with a 15 month old that way either!

How exciting to take a little one to WDW. I miss that tremendously.

 

[*Seanaci*]

Congrats on finding non-stops! With airlines packing people in and time on the runway both on take-of and landing, flights with stops and plane changes anymore can be nightmares. I would not want to travel with a 15 month old that way either!

How exciting to take a little one to WDW. I miss that tremendously.

I'm so looking forward to taking my little one for the first time. It should be fun. Then again, he's being a tyrant today...won't nap...and I KNOW he's tired. *sighs* Oh well.

 

[PNO4TE]

I got my 2009 PassPorter in yesterday's mail so today I spent a lot of time moving all my various pieces of paper into the pockets and generally getting more organized. This trip is really seeming to be much closer now that we are at the end of November.

Flights, car rentals, towncars and park 'n' fly are all arranged. All 4 passes are ordered and ADRs are made. Christmas presents, trees, wreaths and decorations are all packed in a suitcase.

It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas here.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

 

[John's Mom]

I'm glad that you have everything lined up and ready to go.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

 

[PNO4TE]

I'm glad that you have everything lined up and ready to go.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

Thanks, Kathy! The same wishes for you and yours.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

I got my 2009 PassPorter in yesterday's mail so today I spent a lot of time moving all my various pieces of paper into the pockets and generally getting more organized. This trip is really seeming to be much closer now that we are at the end of November.

Flights, car rentals, towncars and park 'n' fly are all arranged. All 4 passes are ordered and ADRs are made. Christmas presents, trees, wreaths and decorations are all packed in a suitcase.

It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas here.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas......

But first....

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

 

[PNO4TE]

I had an interesting talk with younger DD, Kristin, yesterday. I told her I really had not planned a lot for us to do during the 3 1/2 days she and her sister are with us and she looked aghast! She said it had been 14 months since the two of them had been to WDW and we had to get a lot done in those few days.

So... this morning I called WDW dining and switched our Jiko and Yachtsman ADRs to 9:00 p.m. I tried to switch nights on these two ADRs, but Yachtsman is completely booked on Christmas night. Anyway, that allows us a little more time to spend in the parks before dinner. We can park at YC and take the boat over to HS on the 26th, see the lights and then come on back to eat.

I still have to figure out when we will get into the MK to see the castle with the girls... 12/24 won't work because Kathrin arrives just in time for dinner at Cape May (8:45) and the MK closes at 11:00 that night. 12/25 is NOT a good time to think about the MK at ALL! And 12/26 is our last night. I am sure the perfect answer will hit me, but it hasn't yet!

 

[John's Mom]

Elin,

Before I get too busy and forget...

I hope you, Bob, Kathrin and Kristin have a very magical Christmas Day. Enjoy the holiday season at WDW.

Kathy

 

[PNO4TE]

Elin,

Before I get too busy and forget...

I hope you, Bob, Kathrin and Kristin have a very magical Christmas Day. Enjoy the holiday season at WDW.

Kathy

Thanks so much, Kathy! We have had to make a few adjustments to the trip which I hope to get posted today. Stay tuned....

And HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you and yours too!

 

[PNO4TE]

On Thursday Bob's company announced a furlough, of sorts. Everyone's hours or salary has been cut by 20%. Not a particularly good thing, but the alternative, I suppose is more layoffs. We will make it work.

I immediately offered to cancel the trip but Bob and the girls said, "NO WAY!" Most of the trip is already paid for so I guess they are right. Makes no sense for AirTran to hold onto our $1000 or so for a year when we don't know where we (or they) will be in a year!

One way to ease my mind is the make come changes to the trip. Once I came to terms with that the scalpel was fairly easy to wield! Here is what we have done so far:

• Canceled Segway Tour and the carriage ride.
• Canceled Le Cellier for Bob and me (will eat at Sunshine Seasons instead!)
• Canceled Boatwright's Dining Hall for Bob and me (will eat at the food court probably, instead)
• Canceled Yachtsman Steakhouse for the four of us (we have GF Tea at 2:30 that afternoon anyway)

We just saved about $450, I think. That ought to make things a bit better in my mind. I know the trip will still be wonderful, despite all the changes we have gone through over the last couple of months. I am grateful that we are still able to go and in a way that won't impact our finances much at all.

 

[John's Mom]

What really matters is that you will all be together!

 

[PNO4TE]

What really matters is that you will all be together!

Exactly!!

 

[DisneyBride'03]

Just checking in...and then read your post Elin...I think you made smart cuts. Think of those as just vacation enhancements.....its not a necessity..you are all together in WDW for Christmas!
The memories you will create and recall are the looks on your familiy's faces, and the warmth your heart feels when in the future you recall this trip
(not chasing Bob around on a wheely thing lol j/k or what/where you ate..(except for the GF Tea )
I am glad that you only had to adjust your trip plans....and I am hoping this economy gets on the upswing sooner than later

 

[PNO4TE]

Just checking in...and then read your post Elin...I think you made smart cuts. Think of those as just vacation enhancements.....its not a necessity..you are all together in WDW for Christmas!
The memories you will create and recall are the looks on your familiy's faces, and the warmth your heart feels when in the future you recall this trip
(not chasing Bob around on a wheely thing lol j/k or what/where you ate..(except for the GF Tea )
I am glad that you only had to adjust your trip plans....and I am hoping this economy gets on the upswing sooner than later

Thanks, Diana! We talked long and hard before making the cuts and changes. So far we are all very happy with the differences. I think in the long run we will be even happier when all is said and done!

 

[PNO4TE]

So far the long-range forecast for our trip looks very nice. Keep your fingers crossed! Highs in the mid to upper 70s and lows around 60. It would be lovely to have nice weather for this trip.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

Fingers crossed!! Which I had a "smilie" for that

I think you will have fabulous weather Elin!!!

 

[PNO4TE]

Here is another reason for a fingers-crossed smilie, Diana...

(our forecast here at home is cloudy with highs in the 30s to 40s and some rain and ice)