afwdwfan
DIS Dad #460
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2010
Hi! My name's Andy. Long time Diser, but I'm a bit of a stranger here lately.
I'm currently halfway done writing a TR that I started in 2017. I will get it done... maybe with an update dump sometime, but I have begun writing some of what I have left to post. I tend to be on top of getting my TR's done right after a trip, but something happened.
Our trip in 2017 was fun. I enjoyed it. But I was the master planner for a large group and I felt like I was herding cats and constantly had my nose in my phone changing FPs for people.
And I got kind of burned out.
I still remember the way I felt our last day leaving MK. I usually drag my feet and move as slow as possible because I just want to savor every last moment. But that afternoon, I was ready to go. I was done.
I tried to write a TR as I always do... There were plenty of highlights from the trip and I don't mean to take away from that. But it just didn't leave me feeling the magic the way most trips in the past have. It was our youngest son's first trip so it will always hold a special place in my memory. It was also the trip that our oldest was able to ride some of my favorite big kid rides with me and that's something special too.
But I think I just hit that Disney wall. I've always enjoyed planning our trips, but it seems almost as if it has gone from you "plan to get the most out of your experience" which incentivized me and challenged me and I really enjoyed it. And now it is almost a case where you "plan because Disney makes you schedule everything and you're screwed if you don't." In other words, it's work. And that's how it felt at the end of the week coordinating everything.
In addition to that, my absence was spurred by some added responsibilities at work. I just didn't have time for everything I wanted to do and that included time perusing the Disboards.
So that leads me here. I'm back and I'm planning a trip again.
This time a much, much smaller trip.
If you asked me a year ago when I'd be going back to Disney World, I'd have told you no sooner than 2022. That's where my mindset was. I wasn't super eager to get back. The parks are more crowded, the prices just keep rising and there's a ton of new things coming in the next few years, so why go now? To me, it just made sense to save up for a few years and go after some of the shine wears off of Galaxy's Edge (as if) and the big anniversary has come and gone.
So I guess I should introduce our cast. We don't always dress this nice, but we were at my cousin's wedding a few weeks ago and this is the most current picture of all of us together.
I'm the big guy with the beard. As I mentioned, my name is Andy. I'm 37 and I've been a lifelong Disney fan and have been helping plan trips since I was a kid. The magic dissipated a bit, but getting back to the Dis, reconnecting with Disfriends and doing some research for our trip has helped recharge my batteries a bit and I'm eager to dive in!
DW was a reluctant Disney fan at first. She had been a couple of times before we were married, but they had been quicker trips and I think she felt like the week long trips that my parents and I like to go on were a new level of crazy. But she has since come around and is now probably just as big of a Disney fan as I am, if not bigger. She's actually the one that suggested this trip and got us looking into going back.
DS, our oldest, is 9 years old and in third grade. He enjoys all things Marvel and Star Wars and is pretty disappointed that we're going before Galaxy's Edge opens. He enjoys playing basketball and soccer. He loves animals and is old enough to participate in 4-H now so we have 2 calves and 2 pigs that he's going to show at our county fair a week before our trip. He still must like the Lion Guard because he chose to name one of his pigs Kion. He's become my thrill ride junkie and has listed his favorite rides in each park as:
Splash Mountain
Test Track
Tower of Terror or Rock n Rollercoaster
Flight of Passage.
DD is 6 (7 at the time of our trip) and is still somewhat in the princess phase. But don't let that innocent look fool you. Her favorite hobby is antagonizing her brothers and seeing just how much she can get away with. Her favorite movie right now is still Moana. I asked her favorite ride in each park and it was a bit of an adventure getting answers...
Splash Mountain - no, Goofy - no, the space ship one - Space Mountain, the indoor rollercoaster? - That one!
Test Track - no, Frozen.
Flight of Passage - you hated that - Oh, what else is in AK? - Kilamanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest, Dinosaur - Dinosaur!!!! - Really? - No, what was Expedition Everest? - The one with the Yeti - Yeah, that one! I like going backwards but I don't like the Yeti!
Tower of Terror - Really, or did you just say it because your brother did? - Not really... Rock n rollercoaster - you've never ridden that - oh... Slinky Dog - you've never... ok, fine.
LG, Little Guy, is our youngest and he's 2 (3 at the time of our trip). He's going to be our challenge. He was born with a hole in his diaphragm and given 50% chance of survival before he was even born. He spent the first 3 months of his life in the hospital and has undergone quite a few surgeries. He's doing well right now, but we do have to monitor him for some potential problems. He's a bit below the normal growth curve and he's not as verbal as most kids his age, but other than that he's doing great and hitting his developmental marks. We are a little concerned though in that he's very headstrong, stubborn, ornery... well, you get the point. I have to think that this side of him is part of what has helped him through all the challenges he's faced, but it sure makes being his parent a challenge. He doesn't like riding in his stroller, he doesn't want to hold your hand, and after he walks a short distance he wants to be carried. And if he doesn't get what he wants, when he wants it, the way he wants it... meltdown. He's a challenge and I do worry about how it will be in the parks with him. When he gets in those moods, we really haven't found any type of stick or carrot that will get his attention or can calm him on a consistent basis. My response is usually to deny him whatever it is that he's throwing a fit about and just grabbing a hold of him and letting him kick and scream and get it out of his system, because I'm stubborn enough to show him that I can be more stubborn than he is. And usually when this happens I'm working on winning a parent of the year award laughing about whatever ridiculous thing it is that he's so upset about. But when he does that in public... well, I just don't want to be that family, you know?
He loves the Muppet Babies (or as he calls them Wuppet Babies) and he has confiscated every Maui toy and action figure from DD. If he hears music from Moana, he wants to watch it, now. He has been to Disney World before, when he was about 13 months old, so I think it will be interesting to see what his favorite rides are this time around.
And to show you what I mean about LG, here's a before and after picture of him in the IndyCar display at the Indianapolis Children's Museum. He didn't care that there were other kids waiting, he had no intention of getting out of that car. Cue the 10 minute meltdown.
And here's the best Easter picture we were able to get. Obviously someone didn't want their picture taken.
So thanks for joining me here. My absence from the Dis really does have me feeling a bit lost as I plan. I know things are constantly changing and I'm not up to speed with everything, so I'll value and appreciate any and all feedback I can get to help me make the most of it!
I'll be back soon with the details with the when and how this trip came to be!
I'm currently halfway done writing a TR that I started in 2017. I will get it done... maybe with an update dump sometime, but I have begun writing some of what I have left to post. I tend to be on top of getting my TR's done right after a trip, but something happened.
Our trip in 2017 was fun. I enjoyed it. But I was the master planner for a large group and I felt like I was herding cats and constantly had my nose in my phone changing FPs for people.
And I got kind of burned out.
I still remember the way I felt our last day leaving MK. I usually drag my feet and move as slow as possible because I just want to savor every last moment. But that afternoon, I was ready to go. I was done.
I tried to write a TR as I always do... There were plenty of highlights from the trip and I don't mean to take away from that. But it just didn't leave me feeling the magic the way most trips in the past have. It was our youngest son's first trip so it will always hold a special place in my memory. It was also the trip that our oldest was able to ride some of my favorite big kid rides with me and that's something special too.
But I think I just hit that Disney wall. I've always enjoyed planning our trips, but it seems almost as if it has gone from you "plan to get the most out of your experience" which incentivized me and challenged me and I really enjoyed it. And now it is almost a case where you "plan because Disney makes you schedule everything and you're screwed if you don't." In other words, it's work. And that's how it felt at the end of the week coordinating everything.
In addition to that, my absence was spurred by some added responsibilities at work. I just didn't have time for everything I wanted to do and that included time perusing the Disboards.
So that leads me here. I'm back and I'm planning a trip again.
This time a much, much smaller trip.
If you asked me a year ago when I'd be going back to Disney World, I'd have told you no sooner than 2022. That's where my mindset was. I wasn't super eager to get back. The parks are more crowded, the prices just keep rising and there's a ton of new things coming in the next few years, so why go now? To me, it just made sense to save up for a few years and go after some of the shine wears off of Galaxy's Edge (as if) and the big anniversary has come and gone.
So I guess I should introduce our cast. We don't always dress this nice, but we were at my cousin's wedding a few weeks ago and this is the most current picture of all of us together.
I'm the big guy with the beard. As I mentioned, my name is Andy. I'm 37 and I've been a lifelong Disney fan and have been helping plan trips since I was a kid. The magic dissipated a bit, but getting back to the Dis, reconnecting with Disfriends and doing some research for our trip has helped recharge my batteries a bit and I'm eager to dive in!
DW was a reluctant Disney fan at first. She had been a couple of times before we were married, but they had been quicker trips and I think she felt like the week long trips that my parents and I like to go on were a new level of crazy. But she has since come around and is now probably just as big of a Disney fan as I am, if not bigger. She's actually the one that suggested this trip and got us looking into going back.
DS, our oldest, is 9 years old and in third grade. He enjoys all things Marvel and Star Wars and is pretty disappointed that we're going before Galaxy's Edge opens. He enjoys playing basketball and soccer. He loves animals and is old enough to participate in 4-H now so we have 2 calves and 2 pigs that he's going to show at our county fair a week before our trip. He still must like the Lion Guard because he chose to name one of his pigs Kion. He's become my thrill ride junkie and has listed his favorite rides in each park as:
Splash Mountain
Test Track
Tower of Terror or Rock n Rollercoaster
Flight of Passage.
DD is 6 (7 at the time of our trip) and is still somewhat in the princess phase. But don't let that innocent look fool you. Her favorite hobby is antagonizing her brothers and seeing just how much she can get away with. Her favorite movie right now is still Moana. I asked her favorite ride in each park and it was a bit of an adventure getting answers...
Splash Mountain - no, Goofy - no, the space ship one - Space Mountain, the indoor rollercoaster? - That one!
Test Track - no, Frozen.
Flight of Passage - you hated that - Oh, what else is in AK? - Kilamanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest, Dinosaur - Dinosaur!!!! - Really? - No, what was Expedition Everest? - The one with the Yeti - Yeah, that one! I like going backwards but I don't like the Yeti!
Tower of Terror - Really, or did you just say it because your brother did? - Not really... Rock n rollercoaster - you've never ridden that - oh... Slinky Dog - you've never... ok, fine.
LG, Little Guy, is our youngest and he's 2 (3 at the time of our trip). He's going to be our challenge. He was born with a hole in his diaphragm and given 50% chance of survival before he was even born. He spent the first 3 months of his life in the hospital and has undergone quite a few surgeries. He's doing well right now, but we do have to monitor him for some potential problems. He's a bit below the normal growth curve and he's not as verbal as most kids his age, but other than that he's doing great and hitting his developmental marks. We are a little concerned though in that he's very headstrong, stubborn, ornery... well, you get the point. I have to think that this side of him is part of what has helped him through all the challenges he's faced, but it sure makes being his parent a challenge. He doesn't like riding in his stroller, he doesn't want to hold your hand, and after he walks a short distance he wants to be carried. And if he doesn't get what he wants, when he wants it, the way he wants it... meltdown. He's a challenge and I do worry about how it will be in the parks with him. When he gets in those moods, we really haven't found any type of stick or carrot that will get his attention or can calm him on a consistent basis. My response is usually to deny him whatever it is that he's throwing a fit about and just grabbing a hold of him and letting him kick and scream and get it out of his system, because I'm stubborn enough to show him that I can be more stubborn than he is. And usually when this happens I'm working on winning a parent of the year award laughing about whatever ridiculous thing it is that he's so upset about. But when he does that in public... well, I just don't want to be that family, you know?
He loves the Muppet Babies (or as he calls them Wuppet Babies) and he has confiscated every Maui toy and action figure from DD. If he hears music from Moana, he wants to watch it, now. He has been to Disney World before, when he was about 13 months old, so I think it will be interesting to see what his favorite rides are this time around.
And to show you what I mean about LG, here's a before and after picture of him in the IndyCar display at the Indianapolis Children's Museum. He didn't care that there were other kids waiting, he had no intention of getting out of that car. Cue the 10 minute meltdown.
And here's the best Easter picture we were able to get. Obviously someone didn't want their picture taken.
So thanks for joining me here. My absence from the Dis really does have me feeling a bit lost as I plan. I know things are constantly changing and I'm not up to speed with everything, so I'll value and appreciate any and all feedback I can get to help me make the most of it!
I'll be back soon with the details with the when and how this trip came to be!
Our last few trips have been "extended family" trips. And don't get me wrong, I love those. I have a blast with BiL. When we can go off and just be "big kids" its a lot of fun. But when you're planning for such a big group, some of which want to do everything but don't know the first thing about Disney planning... man it wears on you. 
rotfl
