Life’s too short...to never sleep in a treehouse! 8/27 TR is up! Link in siggie

[Native NYer]

I love your CS, drink, and park hour pages. You're so organized!
I need to get organized this week. The only thing I've done, is shop and collect things for the trip in our trip box.

 

[eandesmom]

I love the new idea. I'm going with the more complicated (like you had in the beginning) but for you and your group dynamic- it's perfect. I think, no, I know, that you have a BFP in your keen mind of yours anyway, to guide the gang should lull ensue.

I may have to enlist you for at least the park hours page

I diddled around with Word and Paint the other day, and NOTHING turned out even remotely worthy of a binder. ;(

Yes, we did NOT do well with lull's last time. "What do you want to do? I don't know, what do you want to do? I don't know..."

BLEH!

Have you tried PowerPoint? You should get a LOT more flexibility there, I have made templates for others in it

Great new idea!!! I had to laugh because I know I had Garanimals!

OK - first of all ... GARANIMALS ... I LOVE that you included them as the theme for your "mix n' match" plan!! (I dug through old pictures at mom's this past weekend and just LAUGHED whenever I'd see some of the obvious pairings )

Second ... I Love Love Love the various pages you made (what programs did you use - they look amazing!!) and I'm insanely jealous over your libation pages!! (I was glad to see Tennent's on your list - one of my favorites).

Our way of touring would make most people gasp ... but it ends up working well for us. I usually have a card for each park ... on it I have the primary info I need (that parks hours each day we're there, the main CS I'd want to hit if we got hungry while in said park, and the primary snacks and drinks we'd go for) ... we wake up in the morning ... if we're early enough to do an EMH (which we often are) we'll go for it ... if not, we'll sit and enjoy breakfast while we pull out the cards and decide what the day should bring.

I know that sounds deathly frightening to some ... but my kiddos love being able to be a part of the daily decisions. We're Fun, Fun, Fun, Fun, Fun

I think that works well if your kids are on the same page and can actually make decisions! With the age range we have, not to mention 3 newbies, they'd all be paralyzed without a little direction. The kids will have ideas once there for sure and we wing it quite a bit but I also know we were pretty ineffective in certain parts trying to go with the flow as much as we did last year so need to find a happy medium that works.

All of my pages are done in Adobe Illustrator.

Love the new Garanimals mix and match plan!!! That's too funny!! I remember them!!! I definitely think for the amount of people you have that's the best approach!

Great binder pages!!

Thanks Angie!

I love the Garanimals reference too!! I think they are still around, just not as popular. Zach got a shirt from DMIL a year or so ago and it was Garanimals.

I think your touring plan style is great!! I know you are a huge fan of EMHs, but my suggestion, take it or leave it, is to avoid the parks with am EMHs if you aren't going to be up early enough to take advantage of those hours. Those parks are going to be more crowded on those days. I know you'll take advantage of the late ones with your internal body clocks being on west coast time so I say go for it with those.

Oh how funny, I googled and see they are still out there up to a size 7. They are not, however, nearly as obnoxious as they used to be...now they look like Gymboree. Looks like they've gone to Walmart now which explains why I hadn't seen them. I do not, will not, shop there.

Great points! I actually have tweaked it quite a bit since I posted the page last night lol! Added in crowd levels, best and worst and tweaked a bit based on that. I would like to make at least one rope drop, even if it is just the E's and I but we will see how that goes!

I love your CS, drink, and park hour pages. You're so organized!
I need to get organized this week. The only thing I've done, is shop and collect things for the trip in our trip box.

But see that's what I haven't done! I need to inventory stuff like sunscreen etc for Cali...hopefully it's warm enough that we need it! Plus I won't have free days like this for much longer (only 4 including today!) so am trying to knock out the layouts this week so then I am tweaking and not designing them on the weekends too much.

 

[eandesmom]

updated tentative plan! I added in my crowd levels, best and worst and just tweaked the overall format a bit. I like it a lot better. Purple is targeted rope drop opportunities.

A girl can dream.

 

[englishrose47]

Flexibility is my middle name

I was working on my August trip binder pages a while ago and was finding myself ridiculously overwhelmed. I’d originally planned on doing a page per day and actually having a touring plan this time. In both ’04 and ’09 we had touring plans that were as planned out as….this park, this day based on park hours, EMH and ADR’s.. Which, in ’04 for a November trip during food and wine and low low crowds was fantabulous. In ’09…not as much. I am honestly not sure a touring plan would have helped all that much in ’09, parks hit capacity so it basically sucked everywhere. Still. We didn’t see all that we could have, should have and I wanted to, especially in the MK. So I’d planned to…plan more.

And yet. There are NINE of us. Barring interference from the soccer/volleyball/self employment gods that is. As I was making these rather elaborate, complicated pages (pretty but chock full of detail) panic hit. WHAT if we didn’t hit that park that morning or afternoon. Would my whole week be then out of whack? The very thought sent me into a tizzy.

In response, I have decided upon a new approach.

Garanimals.

Yes. That word dates me. Some of you know it, some don’t. I am not honestly sure that I actually owned any garanimals, just that I coveted them. The concept is mix and match. Bobby Brady, be still my heart. And that, with the August heat, with the probable need and desire for mid day pool breaks is what I think I need to stay sane.

The new binder page plan is this. I will have a page for park hours. I will have a page showing what I think is a good touring plan, for US. Basically it’s an EMH plan, nothing more to be honest. But I’m not going to spend my time hung up on specific things each day. I am going to create 8 touring plans. An AM plan and a PM plan for each park. Which we will use as we hit those parks either AM or PM. If we stick to the EMH schedule, cool, it’s just extra hours. If we don’t, we are still fine. Overly simplistic? Perhaps but it will put some order to the daypart of each park without tying us to a specific park if that makes sense.

I have updated the CS pages to fit my binder size, and the touring, tentative plan page. Also, of course, the all important drink around the world pages…sized to fit the binder.

I would LOVE everyone’s input on favorite libations outside the world showcase..I have room on my DTD snack page for it and would like to add this in.

On the subject of food. It's been a big topic around the house recently. I definitely have 2 foodies in the house. When faced with summer camp catalogs up the ying yang....a common thread became clear. They wanted COOKING classes. Clearly I have been remiss. Sadly, the baking class was booked by the time I signed up, kids cooking (which they must not have read closely) is far beneath their current abilities) but world cooking is a go! I found it VERY amusing tonight that the kids, who have been clamoring for clam linguine....ended up with a spicy tomato broth clam/mussel farfalle instead were in heaven (and downed a couple dozen innocent shellfish themselves) whereas Jeff wanted spaghetti and meatballs. I know he's not a huge shellfish fan so avoid it most of the time but LOVED seeing the kids dig in.

Reaffirms those ADR choices! LOL!

I still have a LOT of binder page work to do. With this new plan I have 9 out of 24 complete but I am feeling a whole lot better about it!

New CS pages. Bolded locations are my picks.

New Drink Pages. Not that I remotely intend to drink all these but it will be fun to have the list!

New park hours and touring plan page. This is actually 2 pages, just looks like one due to the landscape orientation.

At DHS I highly recommend Fairfax Fare !!!

At Epcot I was not impressed with Tangerine Cafe !!!

That's my input !!!

 

[Happydog]

Hey! your pages are really nifty! And I love the garanimals reference, yep, I had those! I think that is good way to plan in generic and have ideas that flow and work with the ebb and flow of your crowd. So I think that works very nicely. I am working on my itinerary too, and I noticed that Cantina de San Angels has a "new name" rather the temporary name... it is Taqueria del something... It is on All Ears, just FYI. It is the "fix" before the Cantina is reopened.... looks good though!

 

[jordanyosh]

I really like your idea of mix and match plans. planning for a large group is difficult for sure!

I like beer over a mixed drink so I can't be of much help to you there. Favorite places to enjoy a drink.....ESPN, Bellevue Lounge at the Boardwalk for it's calmness and tucked awayness, I hear Crew's Cup at YC is a good place for a drink.

 

[GeminiAngel]

On Board. I sure do have a lot to read!

 

[DisMomAmy]

updated tentative plan! I added in my crowd levels, best and worst and just tweaked the overall format a bit. I like it a lot better. Purple is targeted rope drop opportunities.

A girl can dream.

Like this one better.

The garanimals shirts Zach had were most likely from Walmart. They were pretty basic - one solid red, one red, white, black stripe. Not very garanimally...

 

[Happydog]

OH I forgot you were asking for this information..... DRINKS around the world.

I know they have it in a few places, but there is a blood orange margarita that is perfect. Just sweet enough, but not TOO sweet. Very nice -- there is an african star mojito which I found too sweet, but LOST on Safari a MUST in AK. Along with the jalepeno pretzel... Okay maybe an egg roll.... ( I thought you coveted those egg rolls??! )

Blue agave margarita, also VERY good... that is available in a few restaurants, I gotta see where you are eating... and the Lapu lapu at 'Ohanas aka the "meat fest" yes that kicks a punch!!!!! save room for dessert. OMG so good.

I did have a very nice mango Mojito at Hurricane Hannah's...

 

[eandesmom]

At DHS I highly recommend Fairfax Fare !!!

At Epcot I was not impressed with Tangerine Cafe !!!

That's my input !!!

Thanks Rosie! I have officially "bolded" Fairfax Fare, I recall d.jay and Winkers really liked it too.

I was really happy with Tangerine on our last trip but will want to eat somewhere new this time.

Hey! your pages are really nifty! And I love the garanimals reference, yep, I had those! I think that is good way to plan in generic and have ideas that flow and work with the ebb and flow of your crowd. So I think that works very nicely. I am working on my itinerary too, and I noticed that Cantina de San Angels has a "new name" rather the temporary name... it is Taqueria del something... It is on All Ears, just FYI. It is the "fix" before the Cantina is reopened.... looks good though!

I can't recall with the Cantina re-opens but I don't see us eating there anyway, no one was very happy wiht it last time. Drinking is another story but as I'm not a blended 'rita girl (on the rocks with salt, gold and a splash of cointreau thank you very much) it will have to be a dos XX. Going to check out the new cava though although they all sound blended as well as they do at Paradiso 37...which is just wrong! But we will see.

I really like your idea of mix and match plans. planning for a large group is difficult for sure!

I like beer over a mixed drink so I can't be of much help to you there. Favorite places to enjoy a drink.....ESPN, Bellevue Lounge at the Boardwalk for it's calmness and tucked awayness, I hear Crew's Cup at YC is a good place for a drink.

Doug would probably really like ESPN, the rest of the crew not so much. I've heard good things about the Crew's Cup too, we will definitely poke our heads in there and check it out.

On Board. I sure do have a lot to read!

I do have links that are usually mostly updated. Honestly feel free to jump right in, I have a tendency to repeat myself.

Like this one better.

The garanimals shirts Zach had were most likely from Walmart. They were pretty basic - one solid red, one red, white, black stripe. Not very garanimally...

Thanks, I'm much happier with it too. I was having deja vu to the last trip and needed to find a "better" happy medium. Good thing about the re-do is it really crystallized what day is best for Jeff to go fly and to dump T at a skate park. Which I still have to figure out. Sigh. Apparently the Vans park that looked so cool is sooo....not...to him. It is all indoor, requires pads. Like. A.major.downer.man.

JK. Tay doesn't really talk like that.

OH I forgot you were asking for this information..... DRINKS around the world.

I know they have it in a few places, but there is a blood orange margarita that is perfect. Just sweet enough, but not TOO sweet. Very nice -- there is an african star mojito which I found too sweet, but LOST on Safari a MUST in AK. Along with the jalepeno pretzel... Okay maybe an egg roll.... ( I thought you coveted those egg rolls??! )

Blue agave margarita, also VERY good... that is available in a few restaurants, I gotta see where you are eating... and the Lapu lapu at 'Ohanas aka the "meat fest" yes that kicks a punch!!!!! save room for dessert. OMG so good.

I did have a very nice mango Mojito at Hurricane Hannah's...

YAY, thank you! I think I tried that African Star and found the same thing, too sweet. Actually every mixed drink I tried was too sweet...it's a common problem. I have great visions of them being delectable wiht little umbrellas and such and more often than not I find them...meh.

Lost on Safari is on my list! A bit worried that the Lapu will be too sweet but I do know whatever I chose at Kona last year instead of the Lapu was not a good choice so I might have to have one...just so I can drink out of the pineapple if nothing else! The other ones sound good.

I have a feeling we will sample a few things at Hurricane Hannahs. although honestly we are going to pack some rum and use our refillable mugs as rum and coke is Jeff's vacation drink of choice and that will save quite a few pennies poolside.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Love the idea of the different plans. It sounds perfect for your group. I always though that when I take my extended family next year I'll just assume the role of dictator.

"Ve vill go dere on dis day at dis time or else."




But maybe I could be more flexible. I look forward to seeing how it works out for you. Then I will decide.

 

[bunny]

I haven't read this entire thread but I love the way you write. Now I just need to find the time to read all these pages. Did you do a trip report for your stay at the Fort Wilderness cabins? We are thinking about staying there next time and would love any feedback.

 

[eandesmom]

Love the idea of the different plans. It sounds perfect for your group. I always though that when I take my extended family next year I'll just assume the role of dictator.

"Ve vill go dere on dis day at dis time or else."




But maybe I could be more flexible. I look forward to seeing how it works out for you. Then I will decide.

I have considered that approach!

I haven't read this entire thread but I love the way you write. Now I just need to find the time to read all these pages. Did you do a trip report for your stay at the Fort Wilderness cabins? We are thinking about staying there next time and would love any feedback.

HI and !!!

Thank you. I did do a TR for our Fort Cabin trip, you can read it here.


I am more than happy to answer any questions about the cabins, I know from experience it can be a little hard to get info on the DIS....cabins are technically covered on the camping board but there is a bit of reverse discrimination and even though it falls into the mod category on the resort thread...true resort folks seem to give it a bad rap at times.

We LOVED the cabins. They have their pro's and cons, like any resort. Here is my summary of them at the end of the TR.

It is on this page post 357. Because it is an archived/closed report I can't link directly to the post itself.

 

[Happydog]

YAY, thank you! I think I tried that African Star and found the same thing, too sweet. Actually every mixed drink I tried was too sweet...it's a common problem. I have great visions of them being delectable wiht little umbrellas and such and more often than not I find them...meh.

Lost on Safari is on my list! A bit worried that the Lapu will be too sweet but I do know whatever I chose at Kona last year instead of the Lapu was not a good choice so I might have to have one...just so I can drink out of the pineapple if nothing else! The other ones sound good.

I have a feeling we will sample a few things at Hurricane Hannahs. although honestly we are going to pack some rum and use our refillable mugs as rum and coke is Jeff's vacation drink of choice and that will save quite a few pennies poolside.

Oh We TOTALLY did that at Christmas ... my DBIL is a baaaaaad influence. Gotta love those Disney refillables We mixed margaritas ourselves and took them in our pool bag... SHHHHHHH! Don't tell the Disney police on us! Yeah, I love mine on the rocks, too... the best way, really. That is how we have them.. THEN I will say that at the San Angels Inn, (the real restaurant) they do have a very good top shelf margarita on the rocks. I had two at dinner... I imagine you can get these at the tequila tasting bar -- okay maybe not, but you should be able to get one from there ... I have to say, though, that the blue curacao margarita at the margarita stand (blended) with the sea grass salt is quite good too, if you can get over the blue color and the black salt rim!!!!! And it is not sweet.

 

[Sunset Cliffs]

Hi! I was about 15 pages behind & I have been getting caught up over the last couple of days. We are leaving for our DL trip in about 4 days!!! So excited, & SO stressed about it. I also started a new TR about our last DL trip at Thanksgiving (link in my signature). So these comments are going to be old news, but I figure it's better late than never.

First...sports, of course! I'm glad you didn't have the weekend conflict. But here is what I am confused about. Is soccer & volleyball at the same time for high school? At the HS that I work at, VB is in the fall and soccer is in the spring. So I don't understand why tryouts for soccer would conflict with a summer trip?? It must be different where you live.

Next, CONGRATULATIONS on your new job. And good for you to go back with them and re-negotiate a little to make you more happy. I'm sure that was nerve-wracking. I can't wait to hear how you like it once you actually start the job.

I also think your idea to leave the boys alone for an hour is a good thing. It's definitely the better financial decision & it will be good for them to earn a little more responsibility. Can't even imagine that day coming for my little guy, but I'm sure it will be here before I know it.

Sorry to be MIA so much but we have had VB tournaments for the last 3 weekends and life has gotten crazy. They are so much fun but wow, they really make the next week tough!

 

[KathyRN137]

I remember Garanimals!!

I love the concept... so much flexibility!

You are so close now!!


********************************

Amy, I found Body Glide at Sports Authority!


Kathy

 

[englishrose47]

I remember Garanimals!!

I love the concept... so much flexibility!

You are so close now!!


********************************

Amy, I found Body Glide at Sports Authority!


Kathy

I remember Garanamals too !! But I was WAY too old to wear them !!! But my DD and her cousins did !!

 

[All7OfUs]

Morning, Cynthia!

It's March 31st here. That means April is tomorrow. Trying to remember your start date. How are you doing on your list to knock off? Feeling ready to enter the work force again??

 

[eandesmom]

Oh We TOTALLY did that at Christmas ... my DBIL is a baaaaaad influence. Gotta love those Disney refillables We mixed margaritas ourselves and took them in our pool bag... SHHHHHHH! Don't tell the Disney police on us! Yeah, I love mine on the rocks, too... the best way, really. That is how we have them.. THEN I will say that at the San Angels Inn, (the real restaurant) they do have a very good top shelf margarita on the rocks. I had two at dinner... I imagine you can get these at the tequila tasting bar -- okay maybe not, but you should be able to get one from there ... I have to say, though, that the blue curacao margarita at the margarita stand (blended) with the sea grass salt is quite good too, if you can get over the blue color and the black salt rim!!!!! And it is not sweet.

I'm ok with he black and blue it's the blended I usually have a harder time with. GOOD to know about the top shelf on the rocks being available, you are right, likely the Cava would have it too! New Cantina looks slated for Sept.

I remember your margarita mixing! that's where having a car would be handy. Jeff may be doing a store run on his flying day...if he flies
.

Hi! I was about 15 pages behind & I have been getting caught up over the last couple of days. We are leaving for our DL trip in about 4 days!!! So excited, & SO stressed about it. I also started a new TR about our last DL trip at Thanksgiving (link in my signature). So these comments are going to be old news, but I figure it's better late than never.

First...sports, of course! I'm glad you didn't have the weekend conflict. But here is what I am confused about. Is soccer & volleyball at the same time for high school? At the HS that I work at, VB is in the fall and soccer is in the spring. So I don't understand why tryouts for soccer would conflict with a summer trip?? It must be different where you live.

Next, CONGRATULATIONS on your new job. And good for you to go back with them and re-negotiate a little to make you more happy. I'm sure that was nerve-wracking. I can't wait to hear how you like it once you actually start the job.

I also think your idea to leave the boys alone for an hour is a good thing. It's definitely the better financial decision & it will be good for them to earn a little more responsibility. Can't even imagine that day coming for my little guy, but I'm sure it will be here before I know it.

Sorry to be MIA so much but we have had VB tournaments for the last 3 weekends and life has gotten crazy. They are so much fun but wow, they really make the next week tough!

Oh no! Why are you stressed about your DL trip? I'll check out your retro report.

It's crazy. Not only are HS VB and Soccer at the same time but for club, the peak annual tournaments are all at the same time too (which obviously you are in the think of now). It's a nightmare. She's got serious conflicts for the next 2 months and her mom of course is trying to ensure she gets to do both as well as ODP Soccer. And then Sandie gets mad at us because there is NO weekend where K doesn't have something until Memorial Day weekend so she won't fly out unless we can promise K will be free. And really, there will probably be a soccer tournament but we won't know that until mid May. At this point it's like, just wait until August or give up on seeing K for more than a meal here and there. Take your pick.

There has been a lot of drama about the HS sport stuff, GREAT thing is Jeff is really drawing a firm line about our time and our trip and that she is going no matter what. I don't like what I'm hearing and how I foresee the HS tryouts going down but I am staying OUT of it.

I can only imagine how busy you've been with 3 tournaments, that's your entire weekend and then some!


Thanks on the job, I am super excited. The current one has been NUTS the last 2 days which hasn't helped. I'm a crazed person between that, getting all the pesky things done that are during the day type things that I won't be able to do and some pta stuff. I can't wait for our trip, I just hope it's WARM!

I remember Garanimals!!

I love the concept... so much flexibility!

You are so close now!!


********************************

Amy, I found Body Glide at Sports Authority!

Kathy

Thanks! I am feeling good about it, we will see, I think it will help to ease in the inlaws!

I remember Garanamals too !! But I was WAY too old to wear them !!! But my DD and her cousins did !!

Morning, Cynthia!

It's March 31st here. That means April is tomorrow. Trying to remember your start date. How are you doing on your list to knock off? Feeling ready to enter the work force again??

AACK! I need to send my answers in. It's not due until 3/31 here though, right? I am ready for my new gig but crazed between now and then for sure. Making progress on the big fat list though.

 

[All7OfUs]

Yes, I noticed you didn't guess yet! Your competition is stiff...

So........... what's your start date??