Isn't Gabriel too young to go? Heck NO!!! We are on the road! Pics coming!

[aksunshine]

Good morning! Hello all! Salutations!!!!


It's me again, Alicia. And it seems I am always planning a Disney trip, even if it is still a ways away. The plan was to skip Disney this year. We planned to visit a couple of times next year. But then they extended Free Dining again. I still told myself to wait. Spring break wasn't going to be the best time to visit, but keeping Isabelle's days out of school is pretty important ti year! She started 3rd grade today!

Plans change and sometimes, husbands want to go to Disney sooner and can't wait! LOL! Yes, that was the way with Matt. He REALLY wants to go soon! But we are on a tighte budget than normal. So we started planning a trip for Nov. 30- Dec. 5. Isabelle would miss 4 days of school. Not too bad. I really wanted to go during her fall break, though. Then Pop opened up for that time priod.

I was able to book a room at Pop for Oct 22- 27. Isabelle will only miss 2 days of school!!!!

The only catch in this is that with our budget we may not be ale to pay off on Sept. 7, if that should happen, we go back to plan A (or take whatever dates are available!) Our TA, Tanya, is onboard with our plan, but I am still hoping for the October dates.

This DOES make custom planning a bit difficult. But I am working on it.

BUT! If Matt gets his job back, we won't get to go this year at all, it will have to wait until early next year. When can we go, tell me? WHEN????

 

[visitingapril09]

First one to sub in! I need to start my ptr soon too!

 

[aksunshine]

Hey Alison! Glad you made it over! 2 weeks! Wow, I wish we could go that long! I so need to homeschool, lol! That way I wont be "taking her out".

 

[TandLMommy28]

Hey Alison! Glad you made it over! 2 weeks! Wow, I wish we could go that long! I so need to homeschool, lol! That way I wont be "taking her out".

I have to confess that while I have a lot of reasons for home schooling, somewhere in my top ten is "We can go on family vacations when everyone else is in class." I believe vacations are just as important as math and going when it's not crowded is especially appealing to me!

I hope you are able to pull together the finances. Right when I had enough money to pay off our balance, our hot water heater went out on us and I went into an absolute panic. By some sort of miracle, we were able to get ALL of the money together in time for the water heater and the trip. I hope you have a similar financial miracle!

 

[princess&her4princes]

Hi Alicia!

I'm here, too! Can't wait to hear all about your plans!!!

 

[aksunshine]

I have to confess that while I have a lot of reasons for home schooling, somewhere in my top ten is "We can go on family vacations when everyone else is in class." I believe vacations are just as important as math and going when it's not crowded is especially appealing to me!

I hope you are able to pull together the finances. Right when I had enough money to pay off our balance, our hot water heater went out on us and I went into an absolute panic. By some sort of miracle, we were able to get ALL of the money together in time for the water heater and the trip. I hope you have a similar financial miracle!

LOL! Glad I am not the only one who would think such things! I think vacations are important, too, and we always make Disney a bit educational (hard not to).

I hope we do too! Thank you!

 

[aksunshine]

Hi Kristen!!!

 

[princess&her4princes]

 

[jessica52877]

Sounds like a plan. Love Isabelle's outfit!

 

[aksunshine]

For those of you who don't know, Matt lost his job end of Feb. We knew right away that he would get it back eventually. We were told in 1-2 years. Well, Wed we found out it may be sooner. Sooner as in maybe next week!!! This is good and badin many ways. One of those bad points is vacation.

He was able to get his vacation pay when he lost his job to help out with bills while trying to get unemployment. This means he won't be able to take a vacation this year if he goes back.

Like I said, good and bad. I can't complain about him going back to work. Well, except for the lack of time he will get to spend with us on that stupid night schedule, especially poor Isabelle.

With that in mind I have also started to plan a trip in January. Ugh! I wish I knew....So, I currently have 3 sets of dining reservations!

 

[princess&her4princes]

For those of you who don't know, Matt lost his job end of Feb. We knew right away that he would get it back eventually. We were told in 1-2 years. Well, Wed we found out it may be sooner. Sooner as in maybe next week!!! This is good and badin many ways. One of those bad points is vacation.

He was able to get his vacation pay when he lost his job to help out with bills while trying to get unemployment. This means he won't be able to take a vacation this year if he goes back.

Like I said, good and bad. I can't complain about him going back to work. Well, except for the lack of time he will get to spend with us on that stupid night schedule, especially poor Isabelle.

With that in mind I have also started to plan a trip in January. Ugh! I wish I knew....So, I currently have 3 sets of dining reservations!

Fingers crossed for Matt and his job! I know it's bittersweet for your family to miss the vacation so I hope it works out the way you want it too!

Oh no for 3 sets of dining ressies!!! It's a lot of work one time, let alone 3 times!!

 

[aksunshine]

Some background on the travelers known as the Winkler family!

We started going to WDW as a family in Jan. 2006. We took Isabelle, she was 3, and I was 6 mo pregnant with or first son, Levi. What started out, when I was planning, as a week in WDW and a day at the beach, ended up as 3 nights in WDW and 4 nights at the beach. Afterall, Isabelle had never seen the ocean. The biggest reason for the change of plans was worry. I was so worried about Matt, my DH. Here he is in 2006.

See, he isn't a theme park fan. He is pretty miserable to be around at theme parks, I just KNEW he was going to complain the whole time. Especially ince he started complaining about a day trip he took when he was 5 with his Mom to Epcot and all he could remember was a lot of walking to get to a giant golf ball. LOL! That same trip, though, he went to Seaworld and LOVED it!

Knowing these things and that Isabelle is such a huge animal fan, I planned a day at Magic Kingdom and a day at Seaworld.

Beach first, Isabelle loved it!!!

We drove to Disney in he afternoon, stopping at DTD for dinner at Planet Hollywood. Then we got to our resort, Pop. Took a quick, cold, swim (it was the beginning of Jan, warmer than usual, but still winter!!!) And headed to bed.

The next morning I drug my family out of bed and we took the bus to MK for breakfast at CRT. Matt this! It is one of his favorite meals ever. And he was SO impressed that the characters came to us! Off to a good start!

Of course, I am a PLANNER! So, I knew what I wanted to do,where to go, what to eat, etc... We left MK that night with Isabelle sleeping on Matt's shoulder (poor thing missed Wishes) and a pleased husband!

We spent the next day at Seaworld. Isabelle really enjoyed it, but I wasn't too impressed. It wasn't quite what Matt remembered either. We will go back someday though!

The last morning before heading home we had breakfast at 1900 PF. Again, Matt really liked the characters coming to us. The food at Disney was his favorite part!

So, were we hooked? Why, yes, yes we were.

Matt went home a BRAGGED to EVERYONE!!! "Well, you have to plan. If Alicia hadn't researched it all, I would have walked right by so many things. And you have to get the dining plan!"

 

[aksunshine]

Ok, so you know me, have met Matt and Isabelle, so on to the next member of the family!

On May 11, 2006 Levi Douglas was born. Our family was in LOVE!

He loved to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse! I tried to convince Matt to go back to WDW, but he was worried Levi might be too young. So when free dining was announced for 2007, Matt was a like, " Let's go!" We were so excited to see parts of Disney World we didn't get to see before. So I started planning and hand sewing coordinating outfits. And it came too fast! I would love to have some of that time back, watching Levi grow!

So the end of September came and we were ready! Car packed and outfits bagged in ziplocs!

A long drive and fussy baby later, we were there! And boy were we happy to be out of the car, albeit a bit tired! It was an amazing 10 days for us! Before our trip at had been wrking for 60 hrs a week and missing so much with Levi and Isabelle.

It was so magical! Levi LOVED every minute! We can't begin to explain what it meant to us to have this time.

A week from the day we had breakfast with Mickey Mouse, we went shopping for things to remodel our bathroom. When returning home, a truck ran a red light and tboned our car. Matt and I almost died. Isabelle can tell you in vivid detail about the entire accident, details we all could do without that will haunt her for the rest of her life. My little Levi didn't make it. His little head couldn't take the pressure from the massive concussion he susained.

Now, Disney is a Magical and Fantastic place for us. That is where we can remember all being together, all happy.

If you want to read about Levi and our 2007 trip, the TR link is in my siggie. As is our return in 2008, the first year back without Levi. We did go back last year, but I didn't finish a TR.

 

[aksunshine]

Time to meet the newest member of our family!

After loosing Levi, and 2 miscarriages I was so disheartened that I wondered if we would ever have another baby. I was about to give up when we brought home a little souvinier from our last Disney trip!

On June 1, 2010 Gabriel Ian came into this world!

Our little miracle! Right now he is 10 weeks old.

 

[jessica52877]

I you Levi! I know you are a wonderful and looking down on everyone!



I am loving following along on your every changing trip report!

 

[aksunshine]

LOL Jessica!!! Thanks for staying with me. I am thinking this is going to be a "general" PTR for whenever it is we make it back. Our life is so chaotic!

 

[twob4him]

So, were we hooked? Why, yes, yes we were.

Matt went home a BRAGGED to EVERYONE!!! "Well, you have to plan. If Alicia hadn't researched it all, I would have walked right by so many things. And you have to get the dining plan!"

Hey Alicia....is this Jeanne???????

LoL I love your story of Matt's turnaround about Disney. I think my disney hating husband kinda liked our Nov trip too.

 

[princess&her4princes]

Hi Alicia!
Love the recap of your past trips to WDW, Isabelle was sooo little! So cute! I still cry when I read about Levi and I've read it so many times. ((HUGS!!)) I hope you and your family are doing well! Tell Gabriel to slow down, he's getting to big too fast!!

 

[aksunshine]

Hey Alicia....is this Jeanne???????

LoL I love your story of Matt's turnaround about Disney. I think my disney hating husband kinda liked our Nov trip too.

LOL! I don't think so Cathy! This was breakfast at 1900 PF in 2006.

Hi Alicia!
Love the recap of your past trips to WDW, Isabelle was sooo little! So cute! I still cry when I read about Levi and I've read it so many times. ((HUGS!!)) I hope you and your family are doing well! Tell Gabriel to slow down, he's getting to big too fast!!

Thanks Kristen! He IS getting big!!!

 

[aksunshine]

Waiting on pins and needles!!!

Matt got his job back!!! He WILL get back pay! This is great news, but I don't know what is going to happen with our trip. Our pay off is, like, 17 days away. If we get his BP before then, we can make it. BUT! We aren't even sure we can take the tripp. I have mentioned that Matt already took the pay for his vacation, so he doesn't actually HAVE any vacay time. The union said to talk to his department and work it out when he goes back next week about it. Like, MAYBE. Matt said it isn't likely, though. We shall have to wait and see....