It's Going To Be A Jolly Olly Holiday In Disney PTR I've got one foot out the door!!

[annnewjerz]

Hi!

Just stopping by to say that I'm in. Never noticed a PTR link in your signature when you commented on my PTR(s)---but I found ya!

Can't wait to hear more.

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Your kids are positively beautiful! And don't I know about the 10yo preteen girl attitude with a capital Tinkerbell!

So, where ya gonna sleep?

Thank you!! That attitude is fun, huh!!?? Sleeping arrangements up next...hopefully today!

Hi!

Just stopping by to say that I'm in. Never noticed a PTR link in your signature when you commented on my PTR(s)---but I found ya!

Can't wait to hear more.

Hey! Thanks for stopping by...it just got started...you didn't miss much! Glad you're in! Hopefully I'll get another update in today...

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

What: The Palys 2009 Disney Adventure!! (December can't come soon enough!)

When: Well, we sort-of already answered that one. But, officially, December 2-10.

Where: For the first 5 nights, it will be at Port Orleans Riverside. for the last 3 nights...I can hardly contain my excitement...ANIMAL KINGDOM VILLAS in a 1 bedroom with a balcony overlooking the savanna!!!

What the heck, we may as well throw in the why: Just because I can't stay away!!

Since this installment is so short, I thought I would share the story about how we came to stay at AKV. We only ever stayed at POP before this trip. Since Poot is over the age that allows 5 people to stay in a value, we had to upgrade to POR. I was excited after reading all I could about this resort. It looks gorgeous! So, I wanted the family to share my excitement. Well...they didn't care!!! J-Pa isn't "in love" with Disney and the only hotel he has ever truely desired to stay in was AKV. Gwad is not overly enthused about the vacation in general. Lulu will sleep on the sidewalk if we tell her to. And, Poot just loves hotels in general! So, mommy needed to do something to put some pep in everyone's step. Hence, switching the last few days to AKV. (We were originally going to stay on a package only at POR for the whole stay.) I got the AAA discount and ended up with more than $100 off each night. So, that excited me so much that...I decided to keep it a secret!!!!!!! Ugh! I am a horrible surprise person! I always want to spill the beans and snoop if it's a surprise for me! I know it's not a great trait, but I can't help myself.
So, I then decided that I would tell Gwad to get it off my chest and someone had to hear!!!! See...told you I'm horrible! He thought it would be fun to stay there and it really is for J-Pa more than anyone. So, it's ok that I told him. J-Pa deserves it for how hard he works and all he does for us!
I ended up changing the POR stay to AAA discount also and opting to pay OOP for meals because I thought it seemed cheaper. I was also going to buy park tickets that way. Well, I'm glad I waited!!!
After sitting on this secret for some time, July 27th rolled around. I was waiting for this day! I changed our POR room-only AAA rate to a free dining package and upgraded to deluxe. Then, come to find out that they were also offering a room-only discount and I could apply that to the AKV room I already had booked for an additional $100 off of what I was already getting off!! I was so thrilled to have accomplished all of this by 7:10 in the morning that when J-Pa got home from work, I told him all about my new savings! That's right! You heard right - I slipped about AKV!! There goes that surprise! Oh well, now he is looking forward to our trip just for that at least!
So, we will be on the dining package at POR for 5 nights and get our 9 day base tickets there and then AKV Jambo for the last 3 nights. We will only have to pay dining OOP for a few meals...not too bad!!!

So, that's surprise number one and the meat and potatoes of our trip.

Up next: How to make a vacation a vacation for J-Pa...

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

Oh Erin, you and I are indeed two peas in a pod. I have had so many little secrets about our trip that I couldn't help but spill to Shamus! Telling a 2 year old does not help "get it off your chest" - I am a horrible secret keeper

4 months and counting!!! Once the calendars come out I think we should book an ADR together! Are you a evening EMH person? I plan on scheduling our days based on evening EMH.

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Oh Erin, you and I are indeed two peas in a pod. I have had so many little secrets about our trip that I couldn't help but spill to Shamus! Telling a 2 year old does not help "get it off your chest" - I am a horrible secret keeper

4 months and counting!!! Once the calendars come out I think we should book an ADR together! Are you a evening EMH person? I plan on scheduling our days based on evening EMH.

I'm glad I'm not the only one!!!! I feel like it is going quick so far!! I hope it keeps going quick like this so we will be there before we know it! Yes...let's try to get an ADR together for sure! We are planning on utillizing evening EMH for sure. I'll send you a pm...

 

[Raecheal]

Hey you.. just wanted to let you know i'm back (which i think you got since you were on my TR) but i'm still here reading along with you...

ohh.. I"m sooo jealous that your going to be staying in the AKV, Congrats!! So if that was surprise # 1, is there a # 2?

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Hey you.. just wanted to let you know i'm back (which i think you got since you were on my TR) but i'm still here reading along with you...

ohh.. I"m sooo jealous that your going to be staying in the AKV, Congrats!! So if that was surprise # 1, is there a # 2?

There will be a number 2 as lng as I can keep my big mouth shut!!!
I was surprised to see you going already in your report...quick!!

 

[Raecheal]

There will be a number 2 as lng as I can keep my big mouth shut!!!
I was surprised to see you going already in your report...quick!!

You know what.. if i dont get it done now.. i'll never finish!! It took me MORE than a year and a half to fisnish my last tr.. hey it's not even finished yet.

ohhh.. I"m excited to see what the second surprise is...

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

You know what.. if i dont get it done now.. i'll never finish!! It took me MORE than a year and a half to fisnish my last tr.. hey it's not even finished yet.

ohhh.. I"m excited to see what the second surprise is...

The other surprise is not nearly as fun as AKV, but a surprise nonetheless!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Has anyone noticed that it is August 4th and the November park hours are not up yet??? Our trip is the 2nd of December and we can book dining September 3rd. I want to know park hours prior to booking dining and if they take this long to put up December's hours, I'll be out of luck!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH

 

[raider97]

AKV How awesome! I bet the kids and your dh are going to LOVE it!

Looking forward to hearing your plans.

Stephanie

 

[creativeamanda]

Yay for POR (my home) and AKV!!!

Bummer about the park hours. . .you might can look at the end of November and guestimate? I'd expect Nov's to be up this weekend--they had some big changes in the company with 2010 packages coming out. That's a bit of work for IT. You might even on Sept 1 be able to call a cm and they tell you over the phone. Sometimes the cms have the information beforehand--I know when we went last Oct it was somewhat like that.

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

AKV How awesome! I bet the kids and your dh are going to LOVE it!

Looking forward to hearing your plans.

Stephanie

I hope it is as wonderful as it sounds and looks!! Thanks for following along!!

Yay for POR (my home) and AKV!!!

Bummer about the park hours. . .you might can look at the end of November and guestimate? I'd expect Nov's to be up this weekend--they had some big changes in the company with 2010 packages coming out. That's a bit of work for IT. You might even on Sept 1 be able to call a cm and they tell you over the phone. Sometimes the cms have the information beforehand--I know when we went last Oct it was somewhat like that.

Ooooh! Tell me everything about POR! What are the best points!!?? I've read, but am always looking for fresh opinions!!! So, maybe that's why November hours are taking so long...hope you are right and I will be able to get my hours by the first! Thanks for following! Hoping to have another update done tonight!

 

[creativeamanda]

Check out my Trip Report (link in siggie) for pictures of POR.

The best thing about POR is it's quiet.

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Check out my Trip Report (link in siggie) for pictures of POR.

The best thing about POR is it's quiet.

I will come and check it out! Thanks!!

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

Hi!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Hi!

Hey...joining the planning fun and countdown?? We are trying to work together to get us each through the agony of the wait!

 

[trickiwoo]

Haha! My younger brother's name is Justin and his girlfriend is named Erin! Crazy!

And like you I am short (not quite 5'1), love photography, work in the canine industry (dog walker/pet sitter), and of course... love Disney!

I am enjoying your PTR so far and can't wait for more!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Haha! My younger brother's name is Justin and his girlfriend is named Erin! Crazy!

And like you I am short (not quite 5'1), love photography, work in the canine industry (dog walker/pet sitter), and of course... love Disney!

I am enjoying your PTR so far and can't wait for more!

Funny!! We seem to have a lot in common!! Thanks...I'm hoping to get more up tonight. I will go over and check yours out either today or tomorrow!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Ok, so...what defines a vacation for J-Pa?? I can sum it up in one word: RELAXING. Well, not very Disneyesque is i??!! I will admit, I am the one that really keeps pushing for these repeated trips and the one that keeps getting my way. So, this time I decided I was going to make it something more J-Pa's speed. Some more down time. So, as you will se when I put up my day plans, I have included lots of resort time, relaxing activities and special events for him. (Of course when we get to AKV, it will be a treat to have resort time there. I am practically crawling right out of my skin to get there!) I really think we will enjoy our time at POR also since it sounds absolutely beautiful there with all the landscaping, etc. (DH being in the business has a great appreciation.) I am figuring if I do all of this and tread lightly, I can make him enjoy it more and thus, agree to future trips! (You didn't think it was ALL for J-Pa, did you? HE HE HE)
Another promise I have made to myself was that this time I would take a more laid-back approach to the parks. Every trip has been about long hours, getting every autograph, strict schedules, every ride, power walking...too commando! I want to enjoy it! I want to be able to take my time and see some of the little things I've overlooked in my tunnel vision craziness! My biggest goal is to find some interesting photo ops...not just the kids with the characters. I will still take those, just not so many. All in all, I'm hoping this new approach is beneficial to everyone!
I have several ideas of the different "down time" activities I want to do and will post them at a later time. For now, any suggestions are welcomed!!! It seems as though someone out there always knows of some hidden treasure that you've never heard of! So, give me your thoughts, please!
Up next: What are we going to shhot for in the ADR department??