It will be my last trip for a loong time

[magicaldisney11]

It's not that I don't want to go to WDW at least twice a year (not that we ever have) or that it isn't my dream world away from real life, it's just that real life keeps knocking on my door.

Cast:
Me: (just turned 46) Divorced single Mom, 4 sons (22, 19, 16, 10) and tired
Dson#1: (22 years old) cast name...Mickey... won't be making this trip, he leaves his new fiance and family Feb 9th to go into the Air Force.
Dson#2: (19 years old) cast name...Donald...He is in college (Culinary Arts) and is in WDW doing his internship as I type.
Dson#3: (16 years old) cast name...goofy....He is a junior in high school and very much into media, camera work for the school tv channel.
Dson#4: (10 years old) cast name...simba...He is in 4th grade and counting down the months to being the only one left in the house with me,lol.

Joining us: DSis#1 and DBil_ they will be there May 16th-May 27th

When:
May 18th-26th

Where:
Port Orleans - French Quarters (after 2 other choices of ASMusic family suite and The Caribbean)


Why:
Well duh! It's Disney World, the place where dreams come true, the place where bill's don't exist, the place where deadlines at work can just pass by, the place where...you get the point.

Actually, we went to WDW in 1997, the first time for myself but my 2 older boys had been there with family members much earlier in life. That trip I was married but there were so many problems in the marriage that the trip was a bit strained for all of us but it I loved it!!! In 2003 my whole family went (minus my then ex husband but we had added another son to our family before the divorce.) 17 of us in total and we did almost everything together and had a blast. The video's of that trip is watched by the whole family over and over again. My latest trip was April 2008 and it was my also now single sister #2, her 2 daughters and my Ds#3 and #4. We stayed at French Quarters and I loved it. We had my (best friend) Dsil and Dbil (ex hub's side of the family) join us for part of the trip. Over all a great experience and I knew that I could go anywhere in the world just me and my kids and have a good time.

This trip was first me and my Dsis#2 & girls again then they had to drop out then my Dsis #1 and Dbil decided to join us, then that was cancelled and then replanned. It's finally final now though!!!

OHHHHHH back to the WHY!!! Sorry tend to go off in my own world sometimes.

We had a rough year, my father who was adored by all had a stroke in May 2008 and lingered with us for a month before passing away. HE was a HUGE fan of the Mouse. In fact when my parents would do the Florida winter thing it was a couple of miles from WDW and they did their daily walks in a different park almost everyday.

My oldest son gave us a jolt at the same time...he wasn't going to finish college with only 7 courses left to go for his degree and joined the Air Force. After some red tape problems he is leaving tomorrow for basic training. He also got engaged the first week of January to his girlfriend of almost 4 years who I adore!

One more reason...I NEED THIS TRIP!!!! nuff said.

 

[magicaldisney11]

The reason this trip will be the last one for a looong time..... Goofy graduates next June 2010 and of course $ will be needed for the party, etc and Mickey will be getting married and WOW lots of $ will be needed, Donald graduates from college May 2011 and I think that instead of a party we will head then to see the Mouse unless he gets a job and starts work right away.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Hello, joining your pre trip report. We'll be passing each other, I'll be there from May 12-19 at All star movies.

 

[magicaldisney11]

Welcome 3princesses+prince!!! We were orignially going to go for Mother's Day week but it's a black out at week at work so we decided to wait for Doanld to get home from college to go.

 

[magicaldisney11]

Okay I think I enjoy the planning o the trip as much as the actual trip,lol.

I have poured over menu's, resorts and budget since August of 2008 for this trip. My sons will no longer answer me when I ask about something concerning their likes or dislikes concerning Disney. They know I'm obsessed and they think if they ignore me I will just talk to someone else about it. Silly..silly children I just keep asking!!!

Here are tentative plans (version #72)

18th: Arrive from Buffalo Airport in Sunny, Hot, Happy Orlando at 9:36 am
Take ME to French Quarters, get off the bus and soak in all the details and happiness that is pumped into the air from a magical compressor.
Check in knowing there is NO way my room will be ready yet but I'm in WDW so WHO CARES.

We will meet up with my Dsis#1 and Dbil and have food. Not sure if we will head to a park , DTD or stay at the resort for that. This will be a "wing it" kind of thing depending on the mood of my mob.
I personally want to go to DHS, get lunch, walk around, could care less if I got on even one ride. We never get to just "chill" there and I love DHS.

Finish the day/night off at the Boardwalk after getting ice cream at Beaches and Cream.

19th: Breakfast at Crystal Palace and basically hang in MK all day (we may take a break in the afternoon to indulge in the mystical waters at our resort) lunch is CS and dinner at Liberty Tree tavern.

More days to come......

 

[SunnieRN]

Hi, sounds like a great start to wonderful trip! We will be there 5/13 thru 6/1. Looking forward to more of your planning!

 

[magicaldisney11]

Welcome SunnieRN!! My son, "Mickey" is reporting today for the Air Force and will be flying into your state for his basic training! We had his going away party this weekend and I took today off to spend that last full day with him.
I am sad for me but happy for him all at the same time.

 

[magicaldisney11]

Back to it.....

20th: Epcot (ah yes the 2 worlds in one park) We will start our morning eating in the food court and heading to the bus stop for RDrop. We will of course go for soarin fast passes and try to ride right away. After that we will hit EVERYTHING we can. Lunch will be CS where ever the mob wants anywhere except Mexico. In April 2008 it was so bad I will never eat there again, drink yes, eat NO.
We will hit the World showcase after we eat dinner at the Rose & Crown. This is a first for me, Goofy and Simba. DOnald ate there for the fist time this winter and loved it so we are going to give it a try.
Rule of thumb, when we're tired, we leave and return later. I had to make this promise, it was under duress but I did promise. (Where did my boys get the brass knuckles and thumb screws?) I do know that we will finish each evening with a dip into the cool, refreshing, relax the muscles, water.

21st:After breakfast in food court (okay what I actually mean is we will grab an order of bacon and a piece of fruit-we don't have bacon much at home, and we all go a little nuts when we are on vacation eating it- weird, maybe, but hey WE'RE IN WDW)

Oh yeah....we're heading to Typhoon Lagoon. I will tell you this, I am looking forward to going here almost as much as MK. I love everything about it (okay maybe not the wedgies from the water slides but everything else.)
Simba and I went into the wave pool for the first time in April and it was so superb!!!! Simba is a little scared of the water at times and has gotten better every summer and it was a minor miracle that we went in.

As you all know after a day out in the water and sun your wiped out. We'll we are since we only get heat and sun 1 1/2 months out of 12 and never get used to it. So....dinner is either at DTD or food court at the resort.

more yet to come....

 

[magicaldisney11]

96 days!!!!!!!!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

We'll be in MK on the 19 together. That is the day we leave, but our flight doesn't leave orlando until 8:45pm, so we'll be at the MK until about 5pm

Your plans look great. Isn't it so exciting to plan

 

[HeatherBelle614]

Great start!

Wonderful resort choice, it's one of my favs!!

This will be our last trip for a while, too. I'm trying not to dwell on that, but we won't be going back for at least 5 years after this one.

You definitely deserve a vacation! I'm in; keep the updates comin'!

 

[magicaldisney11]

Thanks for reading!!!!!!


I have readers, I have readers,

 

[magicaldisney11]

22nd: Today is one of my favorites!!! Animal Kingdom. I don't know what it is about this park that makes me feel so good as soon as I walk in there but it does. I think my most favorite part is near Everest. It's like your really there, without having to pay for the plane ticket and worrying about the language,lol.

We will breakfast at the food court (bacon, bacon, bacon ) and then rope drop! We have already tagged Donald as the RUNNER for Fast pass's to Everest. Spin back around and get into Bug's Life and then head to wherever!!! As long as I get to a Bug's Life , Dinosaur and Lion King, I am a happy person. I don't get the "carnival section" of Animal Kingdom though, where did that come from? DId they have a "temp" working that day they were under construction and forgot where he was? Nope don't get it at all.
Lunch will be at Pizzafari (spelling?) and we will leave when the park closes and head over to Epcot for dinner at Coral Reef. This was a 4 for 4 of us pick.

Even if it was a 3 against me pick we would be going there since I am paying !! LOL We may stay for Illuminations or shopping at Mouse Gear whichever comes first

Again our evening will end with a realxing swim or dunk into the SPA at our resort.

23rd: Hollywood Studio's Day. breakfast....food court (guess what I'm having? ) Rope drop and check to make sure we have our "running shoes" on for fast pass's to Toy Story Mania. After that it will be stand in line for Fantastmic,lol, no not really, well maybe I can convince Donald to do that but I doubt it. Do you think if I bribe him? To be honest I have no idea what night Fantasmic even is yet, I haven't checked. Can I be kicked out of WDWinfo for not checking? I have to read the by laws to see.

I will be getting in line this year to get my picture taken with Buzz and Woody, I luv me some Buzz and Woody. I have to tell you those two have been all four of my son's favorites as they were growing up, just such good guy characters, thier not perfect, they make mistakes and yet they do the right thing in the end, I love them.

CS for lunch and the big finale...50's Prime Time for dinner. We better get a good waiter this time or I will be really ticked off. Last year we had a dud and it brought the whole dinner down to just 50/50.

If we aren't too tired we will wander over to the Boardwalk and get a coffee and people watch for awhile. I do people watching better than anything. I could sit on a bench in any one of the parks with a cup of java and just watch. OH MY GOSH!!! AM I THAT NOISY? YES.

2 1/2 days left to report will you still be there for me? PLEASE?

 

[magicaldisney11]

here is Goofy and Simba with my 2 nieces in April 2008

 

[magicaldisney11]

[/IMG]
Goofy and Simba April 2008

 

[HeatherBelle614]

I'm here; I'm here!

We've done 50's Prime Time before and didn't like the food; that was a LONG time ago, though. I hear good things now, but I don't think I can talk DM out of her favorite tradition for that park - Sci-Fi Drive In! We are in love with their hamburgers, literally. In love.

 

[magicaldisney11]

My Goofy is dying to go to Sci Fi again (I have never been but they have) so we may have to do that instead of CS when we are at DHS. That would mean 2 sit down's in the same day so I would have to "adjust" the budget or other TS's.

I eat the same thing at 50's Prime Time everytime we go...pot roast...it is just like my Mom's. tender, juicy and very scrumptious!

 

[magicaldisney11]

Back to writing my theraputic pre-trip report. I'm trying not to think too much of Mickey" being in boot camp for the Air Force and not being able to talk to him when I want to.

24th: We have a tradition in our family that on the Sunday of the trip we always spend it at "O'Hana's" for breakfast. Soooooo after we totally pig out, there is no other word in the english language that describes this better, we will head over to Animal Kingdom (unless the kids pick a different park, this is thier day to choose.)
The afternoon will be spent doing whatever they choose to do without me saying a word (or grumble) and the rest of the day after that is a "free day" where we will rest/realx/swim/ whatever they want to do. Dinner will be CS again thier choice.


25th: This is our last full day and will be spent at Magic Kingdom.

Breakfast is at Main Street Bakery and lunch is a CS. We do these by whereever we are when they get hungry,lol. Dinner will be at Tony's Town Square. The whole day will be spent at MK and probably no break but that will depend on the heat of the day.


26th: We have to check out after breakfast at the food court and since we won't need to meet Magical Express until 1:30ish we will probably hit a park or DTD for the remainder of the day. It makes me sad to even type this last day, it's like the vacation is over before I even get to go there.


Now that the skeleton of the trip is planned....I have to make my ADR's on the 16th and we'll see how close to my planning we will get.

Then there is the packing list...I love to pack for this trip, it's weird, it's all part of the planning and organizing that I love. I live for finding the little samples in Walmart and Target that I scoop up and save for the "DIsney suitcase"

I love the dollar section of Target cuz they have so many Disney items. We snapped up some Disney Tattoo's there and instead of paying $5-10 or more for my Simba at DHS I told him he could go to town and pick out a new tattoo each day to put on. Simba can't wait to pack his "airplane trip" bag,lol. He is his Mom's son.

 

[SunnieRN]

Welcome SunnieRN!! My son, "Mickey" is reporting today for the Air Force and will be flying into your state for his basic training! We had his going away party this weekend and I took today off to spend that last full day with him.
I am sad for me but happy for him all at the same time.

My son in law is in the army, stationed here. Our May trip is so he can meet us in disney world for his R&R!!! He has never been there and we are all very excited!!
Enjoying your report!!

 

[magicaldisney11]

Thank you SunniRN.

My son and his fiance (weird to type that still,lol, it's only been a few weeks)
went over the summer when they thought he was leaving for the Air Force in October. His blood work was screwed up when he was originally suppose to leave in May 2008 and then they corrected it in Oct but he had to wait till this week to leave so that he got the job he had chosen. He wont get any leave until close to Christmas.