It's gonna be hot hot hot! July - August 2013 PTR

[catherines_mama]

Hi! I'm a horrible DISer. I used to be wonderful with my PTR and TR and I've just really slacked off.

This PTR I WILL FINISH! I promise.

When July 27 - Aug 3, 2013
Where OKW (hopefully)
Who: Our family of 5. We are a blended family from NC. We moved here over a year ago from Florida. We used to go to WDW a whole lot more but since moving have a tougher time. BUT it makes for longer trips and making the most out of it all.

Me - 35 yr old mommy to three. I work from home as a Project Manager and as soon as I'm done with my job. My 2nd job kicks in, cooking, driving, homework.. you know how it is.

Steve - 38 yr old hubby. He's amazing. I always wanted a guy I could share WDW with and who would love it as much as I do - I did! He wasn't hooked until our 1st trip. He cannot get enough and it was HIS idea that we buy DVC last winter.

We've been married 3 1/2 yrs. It will be 4 yrs in SEP 2013. We bought into SSR in December (28th specifically). and this will be our 1st trip on points.

Me & DH at AK this OCT. Waiting in line to see POOH & Friends

DD (Cat) - she's 11 going on 20. She's very mature, very grown up - your typical oldest and former only child. She'll be 12 by the trip. She loves to hang out with her friends, go to youth group activities, swim and play volleyball. She's our true athlete. She is so fit and so strong!

DS (Jack) - he's 11 and wont turn 12 until after the trip. Jack is such a sweetie and is very artistic. He loves to play baseball and is pretty good. He plays on a competitive travel team which keeps us busy and is a factor in the planning of this trip.

DD (Emma) - she's 7 now, and will be 8 by the trip. She's a cutie, and is your typical baby of the family. Emma is doing JAZZ this year and is may tag-along. She's always there with me when we're running everyone around.

The kiddos - @ same trip in OCT

Possible guests: the in-laws

My in-laws have been guests of previous trip reports. This year more so. They live in FL and before we moved, they lived 5 minutes from us. Needless-to-say they miss us and they miss the kids A LOT. Past years we've been able to coordinate time where Jack & Emma could spend a week with them. But the older they get, the busier schedules become and we couldn't do it this year.

To ease that - we invited the ILs to come to Disney and spend 2 days with us at the beginning of our trip.

 

[catherines_mama]

Links to each Update

The WHEN - take 1
The WHEN - take 2
The Christmas Update - Ready to call Member Services
It's Official - final dates and reservations

 

[catherines_mama]

Okay so the WHEN of our trip is not 100%. The planner in me is freaking out about that.

Our current reservation is at SSR. My 7 month window opens 12/28/2012 to move it to OKW. I'm really excited about OKW because the sq footage and the atmosphere there. Our family of 5 should have lots of room and ILs will have no problem bunking a night or two with us.

As I mentioned before, DS plays competitive travel baseball. The season ends late-June / early-July with the "Summer World Series" for the organization they play under that covers SC-NC-VA. Last year the series was the 1st weekend of July. Dates for this next summer haven't been posted yet. I've emailed the people in charge and they are going to TRY to have it the last weekend of June instead.

See - Jack & Emma get one month out of the summer with their Mom in FLA. I'm planning this trip based on when their month @ mom's ends. The month cannot begin until after the series since Jack doesn't want to miss it. His mom will come up for the tournament and take them home after. Her month will begin that Friday or Saturday of the tournament and end one month later.

I have our dates for this vacation based on the hope that the series is the last weekend of June. I hope they pick the date by 12/28 or at LEAST by 1/28, the 180 day mark for dining.

This stuff drives me crazy! I will continue checking the website of the baseball organization daily... sigh.

 

[catherines_mama]

SO, until our dates are confirmed by the posting if the baseball tournament, I am planning on Sat 27 JUL - Sat 3 AUG.

The travel plan will be:
Fri 26 JUL (after work) - Drive as far as we can before DH is too tired.
Stop at a hotel for the night
Up at 6AM to drive to Orlando
Meet up in Orlando with in-laws AND Jack & Emma who they would have picked up on from their mother on the way out of town YAY!!!

My hope is we'd all be there around 11AM, get checked in and look around. THEN, spend the rest of Day 1 at EPCOT.

Hours are only posted through 2nd July so I cannot really plan too much further. We want to take advantage of EMH parks in the mornings then after an afternoon break, enjoy non- EMH at night.

 

[wiigirl]

Love your pics!

 

[catherines_mama]

Just an aside. I had a tough day today. While shipping gifts to my god daughter (best friends DD4) I had a mini cry fest 21 DEC last year my best friends son passed away (he was 2). Shipping her Christmas presents and not his mad me really sad today. This next week will be hard but I'm looking fwd to next week.

 

[catherines_mama]

Hi Everyone! Part 1 of our festivities are complete. My parents came in town yesterday morning and we had a wonderful "Christmas Eve" meal with them last night. We opened their presents and they left today They had to get home (4 hrs West of here) to have Christmas with my sister (Jenny). We had planned for a family Christmas just the four of us.

Having a blended family, we feel like we are always running around on Christmas and have not spent a Christmas yet just quiet at home, the 5 of us. That is what we are doing this year and we are having a blast!

DH broke the rule and ran out and did last minute shopping (for me) today. We ARE NOT exchanging so I don't know why he did this, but I'm also a little excited to see what he got me

Tonight is left-over Manicotti (from last night) and tomorrow is a Spiral Ham and all the fixin's. I actually feel very relaxed and not at all rushed to do anything, impress anyone or clean! LOL

A little about our vacation --- I have an update!!!

on Friday the baseball organizations posted their schedules for Spring season. The Summer World Series I was trying to plan around - Is the weekend I was hoping, the LAST weekend of June!! WOOHOO! Now, I just need their mom to agree to what day her month begins. I've sent her an email and when Steve is doing the exchange on Wednesday (they go to her for a week at Christmas) he'll remind her to let us know her decision within the week. The next exciting dates:

28 DEC - move us from SSR to OKW (2 bd Dedicated - I HOPE)
28 JAN - Dining Reservations

In between, move dates if I need to based on the kids' mom's decision on dates.

I hope you all have a VERY MERRY Christmas Thank you for reading my PTR and keep and eye on the 28th to see if i get the move i want!

 

[catherines_mama]

So, it's all official now. I just got off the phone with Member Services (DVC) and we're done.

The final is:
DATES - Sunday July 28 - Sunday August 4
*we'll drive down Saturday 27th and not rush with it and stay at an off-site hotel that night
*ILs will get the kids and we'll all meet at OKW Sunday

WHERE - OKW - 2 Bedroom Dedicated - Hospitality House

ADDITION to the party - ILs confirmed they'll come spend a couple of days with us We've invited them to stay with us and added them to the reservation. Still only 7 ppl in 9 ppl max room IF they stay with us. They might stay off-site.

I feel great - I'm done for now. Right now Walt Disney World has only released hours through July 6th (which is weird. before new website they were out through July 16th). So I have a month for the hours to come out to PLAN

SO EXCITED!

 

[catherines_mama]

We have Jacks 'tentative' tournament schedule for the season. Steve and I sat down last night and went through the calendar up until summer It's gonna be a great year!

Personal goals- be more patient with Steve. He's a great husband and supports any crazy idea I have. He deserves me to get off his butt a bit.

Financial goals- use more coupons. Get our debt under 50% and get more $ squirreled away into savings. And plan better, setting cash aside for out of town tournaments and vacations.

Relationship goals- monthly date night, even if its just walking the waterfront and grabbing ice cream.

 

[catherines_mama]

A quick detour to tell you how exciting I am about the next month
this weekend - BEIBER in Greensboro with the girls, my girlfriend and her DD. Her DD and mine(7) are BFFs and are SO excited. We gave them all tickets for Christmas. Both the little girls had the same reaction - completely separatly ".. but I don't like him anymore... I like Cody Simpson". LOL But as we get closer, they are VERY excited! Us moms are too - we need a get-a-way!

I'm home after that for a weekend, then I head to FL for my goddaughters 5th bday party. I'm SO excited. I had some extra $ from a Delta voucher that I used for the ticket. If you've read any of my trip reports - this is oldest daughter of my girlfriend who lost her son last Christmas. I cannot say NO when they ask me to visit, and this is the first time in a year I've heard her excited and looking forward to something. YAY!

Then home again for a weekend, then .. then... A long weekend at DISNEY. my girlfriend (same as going to beiber with) and her daughter and me and all my kids. Girlfriend's DD will turn 7 the week before. My DD will turn 8 the week after. We're staying AKV-Kidani. Just 3 park days and I'm so excited.

Thur 14 FEB - Arrive
Fri 15 FEB - MK with breakfast @ Crystal Palace
Sat 16 FEB - AK
Sun 17 FEB - EPCOT with breakfast @ Norway

Yup.. it's presidents weekend and i did NOT realize that until like a month after we made it. Oh well. We'll be okay

 

[catherines_mama]

This time next week I'll be getting ready to make ADRs so I thought I should start planning.. Whoever is out there can help

Saturday 27th - DH, DD12 and I will drive from NC to Orlando and stay the night off-property.

Sunday 28th - MIL, FIL, DS11 & DD8 will meet us at OKW to check-in HOPEFULLY early. MIL isn't the most EARLY person I know. But we know this about her and accept it so we'll breath deeply this morning and just HOPE she's up and at'em.

Once we are all checked-in and luggage is with Bell Service we head to EPCOT. The plan is to EPCOT the day away until we get the text that our room is ready. OR until we are hot and tired and want to go swim at OKW until our room is ready. Once the room is ready we'll head back to OKW to get settled into the room.

Back to EPCOT for 7PM'ish ADR @ Rose & Crown.

Dinner to be followed by Illuminiations to be followed by back to OKW for our 1st night sleep

Monday 29th - AK EMH Another test of time for MIL. Up for EMH at AK. They have DISNEY APs and know their way around so they can join us at any point, but we're gonna be there at 8AM. I know WDW in August and I don't love it! We tolerate it and we've learned how to manage it because of the kids and school. Our way to manage it - get there early, get out early.

So plan of the day, get it all done quik. Have lunch there at AK, ride Kali River Rapids and head back to OKW for some pool time.

After pool time, dinner at KONA and MK for some night time fun.

 

[joelp]

A quick detour to tell you how exciting I am about the next month
this weekend - BEIBER in Greensboro with the girls, my girlfriend and her DD. Her DD and mine(7) are BFFs and are SO excited. We gave them all tickets for Christmas. Both the little girls had the same reaction - completely separatly ".. but I don't like him anymore... I like Cody Simpson". LOL But as we get closer, they are VERY excited! Us moms are too - we need a get-a-way!

Remember, the correct pronunciation is "Buy Beer" ...


Then home again for a weekend, then .. then... A long weekend at DISNEY. my girlfriend (same as going to beiber with) and her daughter and me and all my kids. Girlfriend's DD will turn 7 the week before. My DD will turn 8 the week after. We're staying AKV-Kidani. Just 3 park days and I'm so excited.

Thur 14 FEB - Arrive
Fri 15 FEB - MK with breakfast @ Crystal Palace
Sat 16 FEB - AK
Sun 17 FEB - EPCOT with breakfast @ Norway

Yup.. it's presidents weekend and i did NOT realize that until like a month after we made it. Oh well. We'll be okay

So that's the trip you were talking about ... I figured there's no way I wouldn't finish my TR by July!!

It would be nice for me to finish my TR by Feb ...

 

[catherines_mama]

So that's the trip you were talking about ... I figured there's no way I wouldn't finish my TR by July!!

It would be nice for me to finish my TR by Feb ...

I'm going to keep watching my sub list and keep my eye on you! I've stayed at Animal Kingdom before with DD for her 7th bday but this is our 1st time at AKV and our 1st time ever on OUR DVC points (we've rented before).

So excited - but so nervous as we'll be taking a 1st timer. I'll post a mini-TR when we get back.

 

[joelp]

This time next week I'll be getting ready to make ADRs so I thought I should start planning.. Whoever is out there can help

Saturday 27th - DH, DD12 and I will drive from NC to Orlando and stay the night off-property.

Sunday 28th - MIL, FIL, DS11 & DD8 will meet us at OKW to check-in HOPEFULLY early. MIL isn't the most EARLY person I know. But we know this about her and accept it so we'll breath deeply this morning and just HOPE she's up and at'em.

Once we are all checked-in and luggage is with Bell Service we head to EPCOT. The plan is to EPCOT the day away until we get the text that our room is ready. OR until we are hot and tired and want to go swim at OKW until our room is ready. Betcha this happens first in that FLA sun!! Once the room is ready we'll head back to OKW to get settled into the room.

Don't forget to pack your bathing suits in a separate bag ... just in case ... so you'd only have to retrieve one bag from Bell Services ...

Back to EPCOT for 7PM'ish ADR @ Rose & Crown.

Dinner to be followed by Illuminiations to be followed by back to OKW for our 1st night sleep

Monday 29th - AK EMH Another test of time for MIL. Up for EMH at AK. They have DISNEY APs and know their way around so they can join us at any point, but we're gonna be there at 8AM. I know WDW in August and I don't love it! We tolerate it and we've learned how to manage it because of the kids and school. Our way to manage it - get there early, get out early.

So plan of the day, get it all done quik. Have lunch there at AK, ride Kali River Rapids and head back to OKW for some pool time.

After pool (nap? ) time, dinner at KONA and MK for some night time fun.

Sounds good so far - borderline "commando" in that FLA heat, but you should be OK ...

 

[catherines_mama]

Sounds good so far - borderline "commando" in that FLA heat, but you should be OK ...

I'm very anti-commando so that terrifies me that it's coming across that way. EEK! We are FROM Florida and this will be our 2nd trip to WDW during the heat of summer so we really will be heading out around noon while some people are just coming in. I hope that chips away a little at your impression. EEK!

LOL

 

[catherines_mama]

I wanted to post a quick BIEBER update. We were all down with the FEVER. Wow - he was terrific. It was such a great show all together. If I was as frantic about the show as I was about Disney, I'd have been on the web, researching and known what to expect, but I didn't, and I wasn't prepared.

Only negative - we waited - a lot. For a 7:00PM start time - he didn't come on until 9PM.

One of my favorite moments - CODY SIMPSON. When we gave the girls the tickets for Christmas, DD7 (8 in FEB) said "Oh.. It's Justin Bieber. I don't really like him anymore. I like Cody SImpson now." Well knock us over and make our day! HE OPENED! As much as I love "Call me Maybe" and troll You Tube for funny remakes of the video (have you see the Harvard Baseball Team - hysterical) she wasnt great live.

The concert was great. Justin was terrific. He put a lot of his new, slower songs in, which were GREAT. But.. 7 yr old girls... at 9PM + DD7 konked out for a song in the middle of the slow part. LOL

My girlfriend and I screamed and danced and had so much fun. DD11 (12 in APR) had a blast - great night by all. Some pics of our crew.

The girls between "sets" We call those her "crazy eyes". She says "I'm just making sure my eyes are open" LOL.

Me and DD7

The BFF's (Lucky to have a friend who is BFFs with my DD7)

Our group AFTER the concert - do we look as exhausted as we felt?

No good pics of DD11, all the pics had her face too washed out.

And the result the next day

 

[catherines_mama]

Back to planning this trip - My ADRs open on MONDAY!!!

Okay, we've covered Sunday & Monday

Tuesday: We are doing a 1st
Breakfast @ Cape May - this will also be our 1st Breakfast of the trip which will be a test to DHs and I new diet. We're doing Medifast 5-1 (starting next week). Being that we'll be so far in by then, we should be okay. But this will be our PROTEIN meal of the day. I might declare it a cheat meal - we'll see.

After breakfast @ Cape May we'll head to EPCOT and have more fun there for a few hours. When we get hot/tired - back to OKW to swim & relax.

I'm not really sure how FP+ will influence our touring with FP times etc. I'm very curious to see what happens.

After swim/lunch/rest @ OKW we'll head back to EPCOT to continue there, maybe spend the afternoon / evening in WS. But nothing more really planned for the day. At some point during the day MIL & FIL will head home to Bradenton . Since moving to NC we really miss them.

If we didnt see Illuminations on Sunday, we'll catch it tonight

Wednesday: ANOTHER 1st
TYPHOON LAGOON- we really wanted to do a water park. DD7 (will be 8. ) isnt the best in the water. I feel like TL will be a quiet pace (compared to BB). Also, DH and I love to snorkel and will enjoy teaching the kids. DH and I even have our own masks. Who wants to put in a mouth piece someone else used - eww. LOL

We will completely go with the flow at TL. The afternoon will probably be returning to OKW, maybe going to DTD to shop. Eat at either Olivias or somewhere at DTD.

 

[catherines_mama]

Brief detour of the PTR to GO TO DISNEY!!


We leave in a couple hours and I can't sleep anymore! We told the kids last night and they were so excited. "You mean we don't have to go to school!" LOL

We had a Winterstorm Nemo created incident with our autograph books. The woman on Etsy I got them from is in NYC and although she got them to the PO, they didn't leave the PO until Tuesday. So they won't make it. She's trying to send another set to the hotel, but incase, my dear friend Wendy made me some graphics and I ran to FedEx and made some up that the girls love! "They have our names on them!!"

I was hoping for some pool time at AKV when we arrive, let Mandy occupy them there while I run to Publix, but it's 100% chance of rain today :-( oh well.

I'm stocked on ponchos and spare socks, we'll make it all work yay!!!

 

[joelp]

Hope you're having a GREAT time !!! (of course you are - you're in Disney World!!!)

 

[catherines_mama]

Wow - we did have a great time at DISNEY. It was COLD COLD COLD. the Sunday we were there it was 50 during the day. In the sun it wasn't too bad, but when the wind kicked up it was chilly.

We loved AKL-Kidani and instead of doing MK - AK - EPCOT we did MK - AK - MK. After our 1st day of MK we realized that she didn't know what she was missing at EPCOT and there was too much at MK she still wanted to do or do again (and again).

Our group with Pooh

Flynn Ryder teach Jack to 'smoulder'

The girls with Aurora & Phillip

Good-bye Disney!

We had a great trip and now I can't wait for our trip in July