It took him 6 days to get home from Afghanistan, but it was WELL worth it! (July '11)

[gray2402]

Hey there everyone! So I got our photopass CD in the mail today and decided I best start this trip report before my memories start to fade ...

We went on an R&R (military vacation time while on deployment) trip to WDW from July 5th-11th... then we spent time at Sea World and Nickelodeon Hotel until the 15th, which I will add in also!

Here is our PTR... pretty much everything stayed the same, with a few little extras thrown in! We had quite a bit of Disney pixie dust and I cannot wait to share it all!

So jump on in and enjoy
================================================
LINKS TO EACH UPDATE
INTRODUCTIONS (from our PTR)
Days leading up to THE BIG DAY!
July 5th TRAVEL DAY IS HERE!!!!
July 5th 1900 Park Fare Dinner
July 5th Electric Water Pageant
July 6th Off to ANIMAL KINGDOM!
July 6th Off to ANIMAL KINGDOM! continued
July 7th Magic Kingdom EMMH
July 7th 1900 Park Fare breakfast
July 7th Cinderella's Royal Table dinner
July 7th Cinderella's Royal Table dinner continued
July 8th Ohana Breakfast
July 8th Hoop Dee Doo Review

 

[tinkerbell60]

Looking forward to reading it!

 

[t_daniels]

Ok. I got myself confused, went to the PTR link to find the TR.... sigh.

Hello! can't wait to read it all!

 

[gray2402]

Looking forward to reading it!

Thanks!

Ok. I got myself confused, went to the PTR link to find the TR.... sigh.

Hello! can't wait to read it all!

Thanks for joining in

 

[gray2402]

So the plan was for my husband to be home on June 30th or July 1st at the latest ... we had plans for each night he would be home, up until we left early on the 5th. Well, leaving Afghanistan is not an easy feat ... it involves lots of traveling and it is at the mercy of the sandstorms also. Let's just say the sandstorms were not nice to us... he finally made it home July 2nd after 6 days of travel... but the silver lining in that cloud was that instead of leaving to go back on July 15th, he was now able to stay home until July 18th, which was our daughter's 7th birthday!!! She was SO happy to hear he would be able to celebrate her birthday that morning before he left!

Anyway, so when he got home, we had to ditch some of our plans (no more themed movie/dinner nights for example). We also let them open up several of their pre-trip presents at once ... the photos of that follow...

These were opened on July 2nd...

This was actually her big birthday present from us ... a new digital camera! She had a little kid's camera, but she had way outgrown it. We wanted to give it to her early so she could bring it on the trip ... she used it a lot and got some great shots actually! I will share some of them in our trip report!

These were opened on July 3rd...

These were opened on July 4th...

You can see a description of each of the presents in my PTR here and here and here.

Next update will be our travel day, check in day, Downtown Disney and our first character meal!

 

[disneywatcher]

Joining in Mrs.Grey!

 

[Backstage_Gal]

I'll be reading along as well

 

[gray2402]

Joining in Mrs.Grey!

Well hi there

I'll be reading along as well

Thanks for reading!!!

 

[aboveH20]

Thank you to your husband for his service and to you and all of his family who support him.

I love the photos of your kids on their beach towels.

 

[miprender]

Joining in too.

Thank you to your husband for his service and to you and all of his family who support him.

I love the photos of your kids on their beach towels.

 

[LaDonna]

 

[gray2402]

Thank you to your husband for his service and to you and all of his family who support him.

I love the photos of your kids on their beach towels.

Joining in too.

Thanks for reading and thank you for the kind comments

Hey LaDonna!!!! Come to live vicariously? I just went and I already miss it!!!!

 

[gray2402]

July 5th- Travel Day is here FINALLY! I was so excited (and, well, sleepy) that I forgot to take down the last Mickey head with the kiddos... but who cares, we were on our way!

We got up at 4am (yes you read that right.... four in the morning ...) Yes, it was my bright idea! I wanted to get to Disney and enjoy our first day!

We were already packed up in the van, so we just washed up, got dressed and rolled! Alex was not really into waking up, so we just left his nighttime diaper on him and put him in the car in his pajamas haha! Sammie was awake and rearing to go.

We drove out of our garage at 4:43am, so not too bad. We hit I-16 around 6:30am and eventually got on I-95 at some point.... I was being my typical co-pilot self and sound asleep. Though I did manage to snap these photos before hand!

We stopped at 8:30am to get some breakfast ... of course it was a McDonald's stop! Sammie and Dennis had sandwiches and hash browns. Alex and I split a deluxe big breakfast. We also finally got Alex into the bathroom (I was so proud that he stayed dry in his diaper!!!) and we put some clothes on him.

On the road again at 9:35am.... 200 miles left!!!

I, of course, fell back asleep, the kiddos were watching Disney movies and Dennis was jammin' to XM radio ...

Finally woke back up when we got to Orlando and took some photos...

Ahhhhh!!!!!!!

And I was SO excited to be heading straight HERE! It was around 12:30pm.

Finally, the first glimpse .... beautiful!!!!

I have to say that I think I am now COMPLETELY spoiled and will want to stay at the Contemporary Resort every time! It was WONDERFUL!

We pulled up to the gate guard and he welcomed us home Then he gave us our parking pass and directed us to the valet/bell services area to go check in.

I went in, was again immediately welcomed by a host. Chatted with him a bit and casually rolleyes1) mentioned Dennis had just gotten back from Afghanistan .... he thanked him and brought me up to the check in desk, where I *might* have just casually mentioned to the CM about Dennis' long journey........................... anyway, we had booked a Garden Wing Garden view room and had the Deluxe Dining Plan also..... the CM mentioned that she was confused on why we had requested a ground floor room when we were in the tower (insert me jumping up and down and squealing mentally!!!). Then she mentioned, oh, you have been given an upgrade! WOOHOO! I don't know if she did it or someone else did, but it was the BEST thing ever! Staying in the tower was A.MAZ.ING!!!! We had a Bay Lake/Pool view and it was AWESOME! (Photos to come later).

So anyway we check in, give our bags to Bell Services and request they be brought straight up ... go to our room, it was awesome! Wait for luggage and then head down to the Contempo Cafe to get lunch and our refillable mugs.

Alex had chicken nuggets, chocolate milk, and fries.

Dennis and Sammie had burgers and fries and Dennis got a rice krispy Mickey Head for dessert.

I had flat bread cheese pizza and a rice krispy treat also... we saved both of them for later.

No photo of Sammie for some reason??

We then headed up to the room to unpack a little and immediately headed to bus stop to go to Downtown Disney. It was our first experience with Disney bus transportation and it was SO nice!!!

At DTD we immediately went to Guest Services to activate our tickets. Sammie also received a birthday button.

Then we went shopping at World of Disney!
-Dennis got a Donald Duck hat
-Sammie got a Mickey Mouse stuffie, a Minnie Mouse princess small keychain stuffie, a Sleeping Beauty fuzzy pen
-Alex got a Sorcerer Mickey matchbox car, a Mickey Mouse car transporter
-I got lots of postcards for my fairy godmail duties as well as for family

We then headed to the Christmas shop, where I picked out our yearly ornament! It is ADORABLE! A snowman with Mickey ears. I had it personalized with the year and pixie dust. Another AWESOME feature of staying on property was that I did not have to wait for it! They shipped it back to the resort for us and called us when it was ready. SO nice!

(I will take photos of all the purchases and add them in later...)

While we were at the Christmas shop, we saw one of the artists working and she noticed Sammie's birthday button... she offered to make her a certificate and it was beautiful how she wrote in calligraphy!

We then went to Goofy's Candy Co. and each got a treat... fudge for me, lollipop for Sammie and a cookie for Alex.

This is the only photo that was taken our whole time at DTD! We were on a mission there haha!

Grabbed a bus back to the CR and unpacked and got ready for our first character meal............ which will come up next!

 

[LaDonna]

Thanks for reading and thank you for the kind comments



Hey LaDonna!!!! Come to live vicariously? I just went and I already miss it!!!!

yes how did you know We are still undecided when we are going next year, but shooting for possibly after Thanksgiving at the time being.....I just hate waiting that long!


I can't wait to see some pics of the room/view.......you might just make me want to splurge next trip......don't know if I could get myself to spend the money though if I wasn't so darn cheap

 

[LaDonna]

I so wish I could do something like this, I'm just so bad about remembering details of our trip All I can remember is we had a great time

 

[disneywatcher]

I was waiting for another update from your TR! Kudo's on the upgrade!

 

[gray2402]

yes how did you know We are still undecided when we are going next year, but shooting for possibly after Thanksgiving at the time being.....I just hate waiting that long!

Depending on what I am doing next year, we want to try and go down for Alex's 5th birthday, so end of October. Somewhere close to that time period anyway. I really would love to do a MNSSHP!!!

I can't wait to see some pics of the room/view.......you might just make me want to splurge next trip......don't know if I could get myself to spend the money though if I wasn't so darn cheap

I am not sure I took pics of the actual room ... but I got lots of photos of the view I *LOVED* staying there!!! It was awesome to walk to MK and having the monorail was amazing!!!! Next trip I am not sure if we will stay onsite or just use the timeshare ....

I so wish I could do something like this, I'm just so bad about remembering details of our trip All I can remember is we had a great time

I take notes I bought a special journal to take with me each trip now and just keep adding to it! Though I did stop taking notes after the 8th I think LOL So I will be winging it when I get to those days.....

 

[gray2402]

So we got back to the room from DTD and I started doing the ghetto BBB on Sammie! LOL We had done the real BBB in 2009, so I have the tiara and Mickey Head pin still and the makeup too, and I just do the bun myself .... it is fairly easy.

Photoshoot on the balcony at the CR (We LOVED having a balcony! Gave Dennis and I a place to relax after the kids went to sleep!)

We took the monorail over to the Grand Floridian ... super easy! Sammie got lots of compliments! Posed on the grand staircase (I am so hoping she will want a Disney wedding someday and will pose here in her wedding dress.... )

Headed into the meal and immediately saw Prince Charming! Sammie was in awe I think!!

They then announced Prince Charming and Cinderella and they had a dance!

A cute one of the kiddos ...

Then Cinderella visited us...

I made a comment to not get too cozy with *my* prince and she replied she was Happily Married LOL

Now the real fun was to come ... Lady Tremaine came next ... oh my! What a riot she was! Sammie talked with her for about 15 minutes ... all about how unfair it was how she treated Cinderella. Lady Tremaine replied that the story was skewed and she was not really mean. It was hilarious!

She also called Alex a rodent (as he had his Mickey ears on haha)... then Dennis was lifting Alex up to come over for a photo and Alex's feet knocked over Dennis' plate, all over the floor.... so Dennis starts cleaning it up and Lady Tremaine says "Oh sir, don't bother ... Cinderella is here and she will clean it up." That, of course, got Sammie riled up again! It was hilarious!

So Lady Tremaine calls over Anastasia to look at the autograph books... then she signs and we take photos! An AWESOME interaction!

Then Anastasia came by for a photo ...

We then headed back to CR on the monorail. Took a few photos on the balcony and bathed the kiddos and into bed.

Dennis and I went on the balcony to enjoy our snacks (fudge from Goofy's for me and Rice Krispy Treat for him!) I wrote in my journal and we watched the Electric Water Pageant which was SO fun!!! I will put the photos from that into the next post...

 

[gray2402]

I got better photos when we did the Pirates & Pals Fireworks Voyage, but I was happy from these since we were on our balcony!

 

[gray2402]

I was waiting for another update from your TR! Kudo's on the upgrade!

Thanks!!!