It's Family-moon time!

[momto3gr8boys]

It's February, which means it's pre-planning in overdrive mode! Tomorrow night at midnight I can check in for our cruise and then on the 19th I get to start making ADRs and tour ressies!!

I got sidetracked with us having a Super Bowl party and now DW has been home from work sick the past two days (hazards of the job ), so I have not been able to finish my surprise cruise planner because every time I go to open it on the computer, she comes by. And I need to get our passports out and travel documents ready for online check-in and this is not easy to do without being noticed! You are sick..stay in bed - I am trying to accomplish secret stuff here!

Oh well...I will try later! I hope everyone is having a good day!

Oh, in 93 days I will be here:

Oh and one more thing...I don't know if I am allowed to post this (I'm not a part of it), hopefully so, but if you see this today, go check out this auction going on until tonight for handmade Disney items: https://www.facebook.com/MainStreetBoutiques

 

[momto3gr8boys]

Tonight at midnight I can check-in for our cruise!! I hope I am awake at midnight

I think I am close to set for this trip:

I have our flights booked
Cruise is paid for
DCL transfers from MCO to PC are arranged
I booked our hotel room at the MCO Hyatt for our arrival night
ADR for Raglan Road for our last day is made (I may change this)
My planner is just about done (will share below)

Left to do:

Check-in
Reserve any on ship or shore activities
Book rental car for our last day
Arrange airport transportation on the NY end
Figure out how to keep this a secret for the next three months!!!

Am I missing anything?

Ok, here's the planner idea. I am going to put these 4x6 pics in a little photo book. I am not yet sure exactly when I am going to do the reveal, but whenever that is, I will do it by handing everyone one of these books (I am making 5 copies - most are identical, but there are one or two specific changes in each). Don't have a cover yet because I am not sure if I want the ship on the cover, which will be a giveaway, or something else.

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Continued in next post

 

[momto3gr8boys]

pages 7 and 8 (for DS12):

Pages 7 and 8 (for DS 15 and 17):

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To be continued...

 

[momto3gr8boys]

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TBC...

 

[momto3gr8boys]

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So, what do you think? I figured it would be a great way to surprise them, and at the same time answer the million questions that will come at me with rapid fire excitement

I will probably change some of this around and maybe add a few more.

 

[Floridagram]

I think it is one of the coolest things I have ever seen! I hope they are half as excited as I am for them!

 

[momto3gr8boys]

I think it is one of the coolest things I have ever seen! I hope they are half as excited as I am for them!

Thanks!! They'd better be excited . Actually I know they will be!!!

 

[matkensgirl2000]

Ok, it's time for me to start to work out our dining. Even though I have 229 days to go, and no park hours yet, I at least want to have it narrowed down to where way before that time. So here goes...this is the list, in no particular order. This is compiled from family requests, old favorites and new places we haven't tried. I will denote those with an * and would love feedback!

AK options:

Yak and Yeti
Flame Tree BBQ
Tusker House

DHS options:

Sci-Fi
Brown Derby (possibly Dinner with an Imagineer)
50's Prime Time

Epcot options:

Coral Reef
Sunshine Seasons
Le Cellier
Rose and Crown
Via Napoli*
Mexico (usually San Angel, but there's that new place we haven't tried...need to check into that).
And we like to "dine around the world" at the CS places

MK

BOG* (prob. for lunch)
Crystal Palace (kids love it...I'm hoping to drop it this trip lol)
Tony's*
LTT

DTD

Raglan Road*

Resorts:

AKL - Boma*

BC - Cape May
Beaches and Cream

BW - Flying Fish
ESPN Zone

CR - Chef Mickey

Poly - Ohana
Kona Cafe
Captain Cook's

WL - Artist's Point*
Whispering Canyon Cafe

Dinner Shows:
HDD
SoA*

These are mostly TS, and obviously we can't visit them all! But I think this is my starting list.

I am late on this but....
You have GOT to do Boma. I love it, love it, love it and it is very in keeping with your African honeymoon theme! It is so good and a must-do for me. I hope I don't melt away because we're not doing it so far this time.

We've done Via Napoli...don't go for the pasta, go for the PIZZA! The other entrees were a big "meh" at best but the pizza was deeeeeeevine.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

I am late on this but....
You have GOT to do Boma. I love it, love it, love it and it is very in keeping with your African honeymoon theme! It is so good and a must-do for me. I hope I don't melt away because we're not doing it so far this time.

We've done Via Napoli...don't go for the pasta, go for the PIZZA! The other entrees were a big "meh" at best but the pizza was deeeeeeevine.

Thanks for the suggestion! I have put Jiko or Boma on my list every time and every time we never make it. Just yesterday I decided we have to eat at AKL this trip. I put down Saana on my list. Have you eaten there? Wondering which one I should try....too many great choices!!

 

[DMGeurts]

That turned out really awesome!!! I love it!!! They will love it too - you turned it into a little story, great idea!!!

D~

 

[momto3gr8boys]

That turned out really awesome!!! I love it!!! They will love it too - you turned it into a little story, great idea!!!

D~

Thanks, D!

Well we are all checked in for our cruise, and I booked massages for Clara and me. We haven't cruised on DCL since 2006, and it was much nicer to fill out all those forms online rather than in those little books they give you! Although that did pass the time on the plane

I am now debating what to do on CC...not sure if I will book anything or not.

I don't know how I am going to keep this secret much longer - I am bouncing around the house, giddy with excitement over checking in and I'm fairly certain the rest of the family thinks I have lost my mind .

I also finalized and prioritized my ADR list (again ).

I am stuck inside just waiting for Nemo (when did they start naming winter storms??). I think I will build a fire and just enjoy

 

[DLFan123]

I love the idea of a family-moon. Very sweet way to celebrate. Your trip sounds like it will be amazing! A cruise, the poly and the BC wow! Those pics of your boys are so cute by the way.

 

[matkensgirl2000]

Thanks for the suggestion! I have put Jiko or Boma on my list every time and every time we never make it. Just yesterday I decided we have to eat at AKL this trip. I put down Saana on my list. Have you eaten there? Wondering which one I should try....too many great choices!!

I think since we aren't doing Boma (we want to try something new), we're going to try Sanaa this time. I think the view of the Savannah will make it a cool experience for the kids.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

I think since we aren't doing Boma (we want to try something new), we're going to try Sanaa this time. I think the view of the Savannah will make it a cool experience for the kids.

I was thinking the same thing. Do you know if most tables have the view or is it a luck of the draw?

 

[momto3gr8boys]

I love the idea of a family-moon. Very sweet way to celebrate. Your trip sounds like it will be amazing! A cruise, the poly and the BC wow! Those pics of your boys are so cute by the way.

Thanks for following along!

 

[momto3gr8boys]

Well, I spilled the beans I am the WORST at keeping anything from DW, and as much as I wanted to keep the cruise a secret, I was just bursting with excitement and wanted to share it with her!

I did reveal it with the pictures from the planner, and she was in shock and SOOOOOO excited and happy! She could not believe I had done all the work and had no clue!!

I was convinced she knew something was up, but she really was in total shock!

The boys still don't know, and I am going to surprise them much closer, but now I can at least have someone to plan with!!

 

[Alysa]

Aww - I totally agree that the anticipation is half the fun.

 

[babynala]

Hi Christine - I'm coming over for a visit from D~'s trip report. I really wanted to see your planner pages and I have to say it is so cool. Love how it is almost a scrapbook. I am getting excited for your cruise just by looking at it and I'm not even going!

Got a chance to get caught up on your PTR and I enjoyed reading. Can't wait until you tell the boys

 

[DMGeurts]

Well, I spilled the beans I am the WORST at keeping anything from DW, and as much as I wanted to keep the cruise a secret, I was just bursting with excitement and wanted to share it with her!

I did reveal it with the pictures from the planner, and she was in shock and SOOOOOO excited and happy! She could not believe I had done all the work and had no clue!!

I was convinced she knew something was up, but she really was in total shock!

The boys still don't know, and I am going to surprise them much closer, but now I can at least have someone to plan with!!

Awesome! I can't believe you couldn't contain yourself and spilled the beans - LOL I am the same way - I can't ever keep a secret about anything, well - Disney related that is.

I am so happy that she is just as excited as you are! It really will be such an awesome vacation!

D~

 

[momto3gr8boys]

Aww - I totally agree that the anticipation is half the fun.

Yes, it is! And it still makes me go back and forth with the boys - the one time I surprised them is was great, but that was Disney and it's a yearly trip. They haven't been on DCL since 2006, so they were young - and have memories, but it's not as familiar as Disney is, so I may need to give them a little more time to process. Of course now Clara keeps saying I can't believe I know and I can't talk about it in front of the boys!

Hi Christine - I'm coming over for a visit from D~'s trip report. I really wanted to see your planner pages and I have to say it is so cool. Love how it is almost a scrapbook. I am getting excited for your cruise just by looking at it and I'm not even going!

Got a chance to get caught up on your PTR and I enjoyed reading. Can't wait until you tell the boys

Thanks for coming over! Regardless of when I do actually tell them, I am glad I did the planner...it was fun and gets me excited too!

Awesome! I can't believe you couldn't contain yourself and spilled the beans - LOL I am the same way - I can't ever keep a secret about anything, well - Disney related that is.

I am so happy that she is just as excited as you are! It really will be such an awesome vacation!

D~

I know....I have the biggest mouth! I'm the person who needs to shop for Christmas right before because I want to give everyone their gifts right away! In fact, DW's Valentine's Day gift was supposed to arrive on Saturday. It is delayed because of the storm we just had, but had it gotten here I probably would have given her that instead

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Now I am trying to decide what to do on our day of embarkation. I know we will go to DTD, or at the least Disney property. But I want to have some plan in my head. I did make an ADR for lunch at Raglan Road, but I think I am going to cancel that. I am planning for dinner ressies there in August, and from what I've read, dinner seems like more fun. Then I thought we could walk around DTD and maybe take the water launch over to POFQ and walk around the grounds and eat at the food court. We love that resort, so that might be fun. I just can't remember how long it usually takes to take that boat and we are on a time schedule. Then I thought about Splitsville. I contacted them, but they don't reserve lanes. Well, they do, but if you go standby it's $15 a person which includes bowling and shoe rental, so $60 for the four of us. If you reserve ahead, it's $80 for the lane and another $20 for shoes. It just bugs me to pay an extra $40 to have it reserved. We will have a rental car so we could drive somewhere else on property. What would you do if you had about 6-7 hours in the World?