angryduck71
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2010
- Messages
- 1,234
Hi everyone!!! I'm so excited about my trips down to Orlando and everyone around me is probably sick of hearing about them, so thought I'd share here where I know there will be love and understanding!!!! I've been planning this trip for way over a year really... Started back a couple of years ago when we went and we knew Kong was coming. My son, Davy, REALLY wanted to come back when it was finished. So, that's where the germ of the idea came from.
So, a little about me! Kansas City gal (go Royals!) born and raised. Still here! My parents are still here. My boyfriend is here (and I met him in high school). My ex-husband is still here (darn it). KC is now rated one of the "coolest" places to live in the US. Well, duh... I'm HERE! My dad worked for the Teamsters and we got all kinds of free tickets to Disney and Universal when I was growing up (WAY back in the day!). I thought Universal Studios (the California version) was BORING! But, that was something like 35 years ago.
My son, Davy, age 10, going on 35, will be joining me on this adventure. He is my "little Sheldon." Seriously intelligent kid. He skipped a grade so is graduating elementary school early -- so this trip is for that and his 10th birthday (although that was a few months back!). This kid is a parent's dream, really. Works hard, funny, creative. I just HAVE to spoil him because I feel so lucky!
We decided, as I said, as soon as we heard about Kong that we were going to go. Last summer, Davy really wanted to do a "Calvin and Hobbes Adventure" for summer (plus, we were afraid Kong would be too new and crowded at that point). (For our adventure last summer, we went to the place where Bill Watterson, Calvin's creator, grew up (in Ohio), played in the woods there like Calvin & Hobbes do, went to Ohio U where the original artwork from the comic is kept, and went to Cedar Falls.) This summer, we decided, UNIVERSAL, BABY!
Davy said he thought the best amount of time to spend at Universal was 5 days (this was before Volcano Bay was officially announced). I began waiting to pounce on SMSM rates at one of the express pass hotels.
Then... I started looking at the Star Wars things that were starting to be offered at Disney as well. My son is a Star Wars fan. I am a Star Wars-obsessed-I-may-stalk-Mark-Hamill kind of gal! I had A LOT of Disney Reward points saved up, so we thought we'd go a day or two Disney for the Star Wars stuff at DHS. Well... that's been expanded somewhat.... I started reading about the Ultimate Thrills Tour at Disney, realized I had enough reward dollars (and a discount with my Disney Chase card) to buy that for us and still have a lot left over. So, we decided two days -- one for the Thrills tour and one for Star Wars stuff at DHS.
We usually go on vacation immediately after school lets out. The problem is, they have the "official" date of school closing but there are 4 snow days built in. Last two years, we hadn't had any snow days... I took a gamble and when I could, booked a flight on Southwest, Royal Pacific at a SMSM rate of $231/night, and a Shades of Green room for $129 for our Disney stay. I think I originally booked for May 24-29 at Shades and May 29-June 3 at RPR.
THEN, my ex-husband informed me I NEEDED to be back by early morning June 3. It took a lot to get out of him why -- but he finally told me he was engaged and getting married on June 3. I was pretty miffed -- especially when at that point I thought Volcano Bay was opening June 1 and we wanted plenty of time for that as well. In any event, I changed my reservation so we'd be coming back late on June 2. Things have changed A LOT since all of that... I'll take a break here!
So, a little about me! Kansas City gal (go Royals!) born and raised. Still here! My parents are still here. My boyfriend is here (and I met him in high school). My ex-husband is still here (darn it). KC is now rated one of the "coolest" places to live in the US. Well, duh... I'm HERE! My dad worked for the Teamsters and we got all kinds of free tickets to Disney and Universal when I was growing up (WAY back in the day!). I thought Universal Studios (the California version) was BORING! But, that was something like 35 years ago.
My son, Davy, age 10, going on 35, will be joining me on this adventure. He is my "little Sheldon." Seriously intelligent kid. He skipped a grade so is graduating elementary school early -- so this trip is for that and his 10th birthday (although that was a few months back!). This kid is a parent's dream, really. Works hard, funny, creative. I just HAVE to spoil him because I feel so lucky!
We decided, as I said, as soon as we heard about Kong that we were going to go. Last summer, Davy really wanted to do a "Calvin and Hobbes Adventure" for summer (plus, we were afraid Kong would be too new and crowded at that point). (For our adventure last summer, we went to the place where Bill Watterson, Calvin's creator, grew up (in Ohio), played in the woods there like Calvin & Hobbes do, went to Ohio U where the original artwork from the comic is kept, and went to Cedar Falls.) This summer, we decided, UNIVERSAL, BABY!
Davy said he thought the best amount of time to spend at Universal was 5 days (this was before Volcano Bay was officially announced). I began waiting to pounce on SMSM rates at one of the express pass hotels.
Then... I started looking at the Star Wars things that were starting to be offered at Disney as well. My son is a Star Wars fan. I am a Star Wars-obsessed-I-may-stalk-Mark-Hamill kind of gal! I had A LOT of Disney Reward points saved up, so we thought we'd go a day or two Disney for the Star Wars stuff at DHS. Well... that's been expanded somewhat.... I started reading about the Ultimate Thrills Tour at Disney, realized I had enough reward dollars (and a discount with my Disney Chase card) to buy that for us and still have a lot left over. So, we decided two days -- one for the Thrills tour and one for Star Wars stuff at DHS.
We usually go on vacation immediately after school lets out. The problem is, they have the "official" date of school closing but there are 4 snow days built in. Last two years, we hadn't had any snow days... I took a gamble and when I could, booked a flight on Southwest, Royal Pacific at a SMSM rate of $231/night, and a Shades of Green room for $129 for our Disney stay. I think I originally booked for May 24-29 at Shades and May 29-June 3 at RPR.
THEN, my ex-husband informed me I NEEDED to be back by early morning June 3. It took a lot to get out of him why -- but he finally told me he was engaged and getting married on June 3. I was pretty miffed -- especially when at that point I thought Volcano Bay was opening June 1 and we wanted plenty of time for that as well. In any event, I changed my reservation so we'd be coming back late on June 2. Things have changed A LOT since all of that... I'll take a break here!
