Lilo & Stitchs surprise trip to WDW. Pre trip & cast right now

[bigsis1970]

Hi everyone thought I would start my pre-trip report now and continue it when we get back all in one thread..
here is my first installment !!
Pre Trip Background – I went with my kids in July 05 then I had a mid life crisis and took a trip solo in late Sept/early Oct 05 and thought I was all set till late summer 06, however the more my best friend aka Family #1 (see cast) talked about hoping to get SW fares for April Vacation the more I was itchin to go! I was like oh you are soo lucky it’s during the flower and garden festival we have never made it for that. This was around Xmas time, then it hit me really bad – you all know what I mean, the big ole’ Disney bug. I really wanted to go back and I really wanted to go during the F&G festival. So I started researching flights (I had a credit with Independence Air and Delta) but found fare for Easter week $79 on JetBlue. Hey that isn’t too bad I just might be going but alas I waited too long and I missed those so again I wasn’t going oh well then they ran a special of $84 so I booked right on the spot April 17 to April 23rd . Tickets from Boston to Orlando and back – w/ one stop each trip totaled around $614.10 which is the most I have ever paid for 3 tickets in my whole Disney lifetime! However thanks to the Dis Orlando board I found out about hotelplusportal and Palms Lakeside Suites (formerly Mainstay Suites) for a whopping $39 per night for a family studio room and I booked myself for 6 nights for a grand total with tax of $264 (there is also a resort fee paid when you get there of 5.95 per night so really I am paying about $300) Oh and I had a friend who stayed at this place in Oct 05 who said it’s nice for the $$ not the Ritz but not the worst place either.. A basic no frills hotel!! Sounds perfect for us – we are out in the AM not back till way late in the PM... then family #1 says hey family #2 is thinking of a trip see if she wants to plan with you and I and we can all meet up – AWESOME haven’t seen Family #2 in 2 years .. So talk with them and they are IN... Yippee its gonna be soo much fun. Next onto the car rental search seems we are off site, so I headed to Mousesavers and got me a Wal-mart code. I plugged it into Alamo and BAM a midsize SUV for a decent rate then I found in the Alamo site a online coupon code for another $15 off and WOWZERS I have an SUV for $103.81 and then just for giggles I see what a convertible is its only $143.17 – OH LORDY what now , I am currently holding them both however I am almost sure I am dropping the convertible (we can spend that $40 on other things) Ok now onto tickets – oh yea that is right last summer I bought the 10 MYW hoppers w/ NO expiry cause I knew we would be back, we always will be planning trips back. So I have 7 days left on those and I still have 1 or 2 water park days on some even older 5 days hopper plus passes!! So Tickets FREE!!! Now what’s left, right FOOD...? I tried very hard not to do ADR but…… old habits die hard and I did make some. Our hotel includes free breakfast and there is a stove, micro, and full fridge in our room there so we will do a little grocery shopping and plan to eat only one meal a day out. I have an ADR for Chef Mickey Wed 4/19, Donald’s Friday 4/21 and Alfredo’s dinner 4/22, I have been trying for a week now to get into HW & V for the Fantasmic package on 4/18 but no luck yet. I am planning on $400 for the 7days 6 night for me, my 12 yr old DD and my 9 yr old DS. So the tallies are:
614.10 airfare
320.00 Hotel including tips
103.81 SUV
000.00 Tickets
400.00 Food
40.00 Parking @ wdw
1477.91 – Grand Total!
I think we are good to go!! I can’t wait we have just a week now.
Thanks for reading about the background now onto the Surprise!!!

 

[bigsis1970]

Oh and the best part is I never told the kids – they think I am working most of school vacation week and they are staying home alone – annoying each other! I have a free week next week 10th -14th (my ex and I have the kids each a full week at a time as we live in the same school district) so I will finish packing them up and then do an Easter Egg Scavenger hunt for when they come home next Sunday 4/16 Easter day. It should be loads of fun... I will make a map for them to find 6 little egg boxes each with a phrase (I have to think of 6 good little rhymes that won’t completely give it away) and a clue to the next egg box at the end of the hunt which will lead them to their bedrooms there will be a basket of goodie for our trip such as new goggles, books for the plane, some candy, bubbles and chopsticks. Also in the baskets will be the last message: 5 hours on a plane, 4 parks, 3 suitcases, 2 excited kids and 1 world. Thanks for reading how I will present the surprise – next installment is the cast

 

[bigsis1970]

Well meet the cast of my trip
Me – I am a 35 (5’) yr old single mom of 2. I have a full time job, a house and car that is paid off! I run my kids around town for Softball and Ice Hockey so summer seems to be the best time for Disney especially now that I have one in middle school. I would say that I am the leader of the Disney freaks in my house, my kids get it my sister gets it but not my parents, people at work or my Ex.. Oh well its my vacation and my $$ so I am gonna do what I want to... in 9 yrs when my son graduates I am moving south – SC, GA FL driving distance to WDW but not so close it loses the Magic!! Just call me Nani...
DS – age 9 -- 4’6” tall 3rd grade... is an active funny boy who loves Ice Hockey – is great at all sports he tries but will just wait for the hockey season to arrive... He has just made our states 1st ever Squirt Division Tier 1 team and he should do well. Our hockey season starts in late Sept runs till Mid March then we sign up for a spring Saturday session till mid June then he does a week of hockey camp in the summer! He shares my love for the thrill rides at Disney – lover of RnR, Splash and Space mountains and can’t wait to ride Mt. Everest with me when ever our next trip is (hee hee remember it’s a surprise so he doesn’t know we are going in 10 days) He is a water baby by design and would be pretty happy to live in a pool. Kyle is smart at Math, Science and Spelling but hates to read and doesn’t like writing assignments so he rushes on those and also has some trouble not sitting still in class. He will be called Stitch...
DD – age 12 –5’2“6th grade ... is the Softball Queen! It’s her only sport and has discovered pitching this year. She will play on the towns U12 and U16 teams this spring/summer. She is also an honor roll student – school just happens to come fairly easy to her (I was like that too although she doesn’t share my love for reading) also a water lover – part fish I swear. She isn’t a thrill rider at all – barely makes it down splash mtn. each trip , will never ride Mt. Everest I am sure but loves Mad hatter tea party, BTMR and Test Track. She is a good kid who is a true “tween” and loves all animals so we spend lots of time at AK (and Sea world when our trips include that park) I am working on convincing her she should become a Vet or work at the AK or SW . She is very much like her fave character Tink but will be called Lilo for this report.
We also have friends joining us... Family #1 is my best friend from forever ago!! They are the Incredible for this report. They are mom Mrs. I, dad Mr. I, ds Dash age 10 and dd Violet age 7 almost 8. I have traveled to Disney before with them a few years ago (well her hubby didn’t come) in 6/03 and it was kinda of a nightmare. However all the kids are now 3 years older and hopefully will not wear on each other so much. Their trip is 4/15 to 4/22 staying at Palms lakeside too.
Family #2 is a good friend of family 1 that I meet through them and my workplace. Family #2 lived here till about 4 yrs ago and now lives in TN but still works for the same co. I do so we keep in touch! They are the Darling family. Mom Wendy, Dad Peter Pan, ds John age 3 and ds Michael age 1. They haven’t been to Disney yet (well mom when 5 years ago with workplace but never for fun!) Their trip is 4/17 to 4/23 and also staying at the Palms lakeside.
stay tuned in for the revealing of the trip on Easter .. I will try to post something that night but keep in mind we are leaving the next morning at 4:00am !!!

 

[horsegirl]

Hey Sis, The Budget Board folks will be so proud! How have you been able to keep the secret? I'd be dying. Take a pic easter am and put it in your tr so we can all see the punkins' lil' faces of joy! Jet Blue's coming to PWM, so maybe we'll hit some good fares, huh? You make a Mainer proud, thank for posting!

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

can't wait to read how the surprise goes!!!

 

[bigsis1970]

hey horsegirl - I am going to take pics with each step of the surprise process !! they also don't know that Family 1 is going (neither doesn Family 1's kids !! so they are getting a surprise trip too!) it should be a great time - the forecast looks marvy right now for that week.. Keeping the secret is soo hard -- I have told one person at work, everyone else thinks i am just off because of school vacation. I just told my parents on Wednesday night -- I haven't told EX cause well he doesn't get the whole disney thing, he has BAD disney karma!! so I am making Family 1 & 2 Crazy with my Disney talk!! LOL

Kerry - thanks I will post on Easter night after i settle Lilo & Stitch in for the night!! and I will try and post a pic of them..if i can get the directions right! haa haa...

Michelle

 

[Minniespal]

Can't wait to read more

 

[OhMari]

I'm subscribing-I don't want to miss this one.

 

[Grammyof2]

Can't wait to hear how the surprise went and all about the trip. If you need to "talk" about the trip we will all understand. Countdown is on.

 

[bigsis1970]

oh Grammyof2 you have no idea how much I have been dying to tell them!! In 7 days I will be in the air on my WAY!!

 

[New England Eeyore]

Great intro and I can't wait for the Trip Report and to hear how the surprise went!

And WAY TO GO on the budget!! I'm looking at taking the whole family next year for April vacation and I can tell you right now that there's no way I'm going to be able to get close to your low numbers.

When you see a deal like that on JetBlue in the future can you let me know?!?

 

[bigsis1970]

Yes I sure can keep you posted on any deals I see because I love it when someone shares that kind of info with Me!!

 

[bigsis1970]

Well everyone - I have done our on line check in with JetBlue and sit here not quite sure what to do with myself .. I couldn't sleep last night and we up at 6:30 THIS morning -- EEKS .. All bags are packed,finished up my DD's Autograph book, Eggs hid with the cryptic messages and Easter Baskets placed on the kids beds waiting for their arrival back home today (around 3ish) my camera is loaded (APS so there wont' be pics till we get back) .. Well i guess i can do some housework .. I will log back in around Dinner time and tell ya all how the surprise went.. TTFN .. Michelle

 

[pooksma]

Only a few more hours to go! Can't wait to hear how your kids react!!!!!

Waiting patiently with you....

 

[fabumouse]

subscribing

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

whoohoo i can't wait to hear! have fun tonight!!!

 

[bigsis1970]

Well hello everyone and thanks for sticking around.. the surprise was well a BIG surprise.. but it was Rushed as they didn't get home till about 4:20 and I had get the dog to Kennel by 5 (they were only open from 4 to 5 today) so I had to hussle them from egg to egg and then had them assemble the clues however they didn't get it till the very last clue was opened --- 5 hours on a plane, 4 big parks, 3 rolling suitcases, 2 excited kids and then on the back it said 1 surprise april vacation trip to DISNEY WOLRD.. my DD was jumping and screaming and my DS was smiling and laughing! needless to say it went off great.. then we took off to get the dog into the kennel arriving at 4:55!!! PHEW .. after we got back they packed up their backpacks we wheeled the suitcases out to my car and they are now they are quietly eating egg sandwiches watching a little TV then we are all heading off to bed as we need to leave the house by 4AM to get to the Bus Station and off to Boston we will go!! I will report on our trip when I get home next sunday or shortly there after .. Happy Easter everyone.. Michelle

 

[Lan]

I am so happy for you and your family Have a fun and safe trip!! I am in the process of helping my friend with telling her 3 girls about their trip in September.

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

welcome home! its sunday, hope u had a great trip. i can't wait to hear all about it.

 

[bigsis1970]

Hi everyone catching up here at work.. I will get my TR going in the next few days -- I did post that my hotel was fine over on the orlando board under the Palms Lakeside resort thread.. We had a great trip - kids were very exicited and we had fun with our friends. Michelle