Live Inane Ramblings by an Over-excited 30+ Mum...)

[emum]

Only 129 sleeps to go. We fly to HNL on the first day of school holidays after a long third term (the term that always seems to draaaag by, being Winter).

The kids don't know yet.... DD1 and DD3 have birthdays exactly two weeks apart in July / August, and we've decided to have a family "birthday present" in the middle of the two weeks, so that they can all share the good news amongst friends when school goes back after mid-Winter holidays.

I'm not sure that there's going to be anything terribly scintillating to read here for a while, as I'm basically going to use this as a planner, and with little reminders of things I need to buy and/or pack before the trip, to ensure things go as smoothly as they can for a family of 6.

So, without further ado.....

• Renew my passport
• Purchase small digi cam
• Autograph books
• Organise surprise "party" to announce trip
• Itinerary typed up, with listings of alternatives, and restaurants
• Ziplock bags - all sizes
• Waterproof bum bag
• PS reservation for Goofy's Dinner
• Book transfers for LAX and LVS
• Cameras for the kids ?
• Signs / placards for Jedi Training

TBC....

If anyone has any hints, suggestions, or just plain old "have a good time" messages, please feel free to add I will type this out and add it to the "memorabilia" once the trip has been and gone.

Cheers,
Sally

 

[disneydreamertoo]

Sending some pixie dust your way!

 

[kylieh]

Only 129 sleeps to go.

I was just thinking, oh, maybe your school has different hols to ours, then I checked my countdown in Excel - we're leaving the same day!!!!!! I can't believe 129 sleeps. The days have been flying past.

We're going Las Vegas first for three days then to DL. I was about to ask if you're on the same flight, but doh! you mentioned HNL!

And as the Aussie $ keeps heading north, ooh, even better, just checked offical rates 96.2c.

 

[kylieh]

• Renew my passport

Forgot to mention, passport prices go up on 1 July, it wasn't a huge rise, around $10.

 

[emum]

Thanks for the tip on the passport, Kylie - hey $10 in my pocket saved before a passport price hike is another nearly $10 I can spend in the US

Our flight for HNL leaves at 19.45.... I'm not sure how we're going to contain the kids' excitement for the whole of that Saturday ! Thankfully DD1 is away for a school excursion to Canberra in the three days leading up to it. We were going to leave Firday night, but didn't want to risk her arriving home later than expected. With any luck, the adrenalin will peter out about an hour into the flight, and they'll all sleep until an hour before we land (I can live in hope )

And you and I will cross paths..... we're staying at the RI Maingate from the 29th until the 4th (which is when we fly out to Las Vegas). You'll hear me bellowing at one of my kids from somewhere in the place at one point, I'm sure strike that - just read you're not staying there anymore. Never mind, you may hear my nasally voice from w/in DL itself at some point (*wah* strikethrough bbcode doesn't work)

I'm having so much fun planning this holiday - wish we had the funds to do it every year !

*Disneydreamer* - thanks for the pixie dust

 

[chickyann]

How exciting... we are planning our own Waikiki + Disneyland trip for mid Term 3.

We did the HNL flight in 2005, I was sure the kids would sleep through most of the flight, but they ended up being sooooooooooo excited that there was not much sleeping at all

 

[chickyann]

Forgot to mention, passport prices go up on 1 July, it wasn't a huge rise, around $10.

Thanks for sharing that info, DD8 needs a new passport

 

[Bloodhound]

Hi, our group of friends is planning a trip to DL in Oct...Ive gathered alot of tips from others and stored them in my signature link. Have a look and say hello.

 

[Bloodhound]

 

[bumbershoot]

Bloodhound where did that picture come from???? Too funny.


OP, for what it's worth, I haven't found the autograph books at Disneyland to be terribly expensive. I've thought about buying them ahead of time, but the ones there, IMO, are reasonable and cute enough.

 

[emum]

Thanks for the bump up, Bloodhound LOL at your pic

And thanks for the tip on the autograph books, bumbershoot !

chickyann - I'm worried about the adrenalin factor now for that first flight ! My youngest will crash, but the older three may simply want to party LOL

Anyway, things are now in motion for our "surprise announcement". I've booked tickets to Disney on Ice for 18th July (which is DD1's 11th birthday), and I am also ordering Disney t-shirts from Disneyshopping.com for us all. The fun will all happen that one day, and will involve much surprise, excitement, and will culminate in the wearing of T-shirts to the Ice show, followed shortly after with the knowledge of their upcoming trip to DL

We will take photos and a video to share here, hopefully

I'd also completely forgotten to renew my passport ! I've only got 3 weeks left to do it - so a must do for this week !

 

[Bloodhound]

Bloodhound where did that picture come from???? Too funny.

Hey it just goes to show us all our public school system is failing our kids...J/K

 

[Bloodhound]

Thanks for the bump up, Bloodhound LOL at your pic

And thanks for the tip on the autograph books, bumbershoot !

chickyann - I'm worried about the adrenalin factor now for that first flight ! My youngest will crash, but the older three may simply want to party LOL

Anyway, things are now in motion for our "surprise announcement". I've booked tickets to Disney on Ice for 18th July (which is DD1's 11th birthday), and I am also ordering Disney t-shirts from Disneyshopping.com for us all. The fun will all happen that one day, and will involve much surprise, excitement, and will culminate in the wearing of T-shirts to the Ice show, followed shortly after with the knowledge of their upcoming trip to DL

We will take photos and a video to share here, hopefully

I'd also completely forgotten to renew my passport ! I've only got 3 weeks left to do it - so a must do for this week !

What a nice supprize for you kids...they will love it.

 

[Bloodhound]

Hi, how is everything going?

 

[emum]

82 sleeps until we leave, and only 11 sleeps until we tell the kids (and only that same number until our eldest turns 11yo ).

I've printed up a .bmp file of the Disney sign generator with our travel dates on it. I'm going to laminate it, then cut it into pieces. It'll be a treasure hunt to find them all around the house, then they'll have to put the puzzle together as a family.

This will be after we get back from Disney On Ice. I am hoping to put together a little "pre-trip package" for the announcement - I've bought the Mickey bag tags from Disney Shopping, and will see what else I can find to add to the excitement - I may include things like disposable cameras and other Disney merchandise.

Poor DH - not quite the Disney-fanatic that I am (although he loves that we're going - just not to the extreme level I'm at already LOL).

I am also pondering getting a hotel room at one of the airport hotels for the day we leave - just so we don't have super excited kids at home the entire day - that way, we can all sit and watch the planes and let them run around the hotel to burn of some of the adrenalin.....

Have got the passport sorted, so now to start thinking about other items on the "to do" list. Am considering this P&S camera (with tripod)....
Sony Cybershot

I would like to get a few things under my belt before the kids find out, because it'll be on for young and old following that

Over and out from down Sydney way.....

 

[chickyann]

so exciting!!!!
wow, how have you been able to keep it quiet this long, your my hero

 

[emum]

Sometimes it's been easy, but the last couple of weeks has been very difficult, as they've been on school holidays. I keep wanting to print stuff up or check on the DIS boards, but usually have a following of little people watching over my shoulder LOL.

10 sleeps until they can get excited LOL

I've been checking out some of the art and craft sections down the bottom of the DIS boards main page, and have decided to try some of the t-shirts. Not sure that all the family will want to wear them, but it can't hurt to try.

Actually, we will be flying out with only the bare minimum of stuff - two days' worth of clothes, PJs, and cossies - that's it. The minute we hit HNL I'm off to Ala Moana shopping centre to buy clothes....

 

[PirateFish989]

Only 129 sleeps to go. We fly to HNL on the first day of school holidays after a long third term (the term that always seems to draaaag by, being Winter).

The kids don't know yet.... DD1 and DD3 have birthdays exactly two weeks apart in July / August, and we've decided to have a family "birthday present" in the middle of the two weeks, so that they can all share the good news amongst friends when school goes back after mid-Winter holidays.

This confused me at first. The numbers didn't quite add up and I was wondering how there could only be 129 days until December. But, then it hit me. HELLO!!!! She's from Australia!!! Winter in Australia = summer in California! Now we're on the same page.

I see that you're looking to get a new digital camera. Last summer I bought myself a new digital camera and I had my heat set on a Sony Cybershot. To make a long story short, I ended up with an Olympus, which I absolutely LOVE! It was significantly cheaper, had more options (modes, megapixels, bigger screen...)and was smaller. The best purchase I've ever made (okay, really the only big purchase I've ever made as I'm 18). So, I guess I'm saying consider Olympus cameras because they are nice and totally user friendly. Anyway, I know that whatever you decide to get will be fun and amazing and you'll love it! Have fun camera shopping!

I also see that you're going to Honolulu on your way over here. SO EXCITING! Hawaii is amazing! I'm going at the end of the month to Maui and I can't wait, but I'm so jealous because you get to go to BOTH Hawaii and Disneyland! You are lucky!!!!!!

Can't wait to read more!

 

[emum]

So, today was "T" day - telling the kids !!!

Our eldest turned 11 years old today (actually, in about half an hour from now to be exact), so we opted to take all the kids to Disney on Ice. It has become tradition, actually - Disney on Ice tour every winter school holidays, so we usually take the kids on or near DD1's birthday.

We had a wonderful time, as always (bar the tantrum-throwing two year old in the seat infront of us.... makes me glad we're past that now ).

Some pictures from the show....

Peter Pan

101 Dalmations

The show started at 2.30pm, and we had 6pm reservations at a Chinese restaurant near home - over 45 minutes away from the venue. In peak hour traffic (which I'd completely forgotten about).

So, a quick run to our bus (or MPV as most call it), and as much traffic-dodging as we can manage, and we're home at 5.20pm.

Time to rally the kids into one bedroom while I set up the big surprise. I had to make a compromise - I was going to do a treasure hunt, but as we were so strapped for time, this was the best I could do.

We set up all the goodies in the lounge - a Disney t-shirt each, Mickey luggage tags each, a plane ticket, and a US $1 each.

Once that was done, I brought them all in, in conga line fashion, eyes sealed tight until they were given the green light to open them.

The pictures tell most of the story.... the squuuuuueeeeeeaaaaaallllllssssss of delight we caught on video - I'm sure they were heard the next suburb over

We made it to dinner only 10 minutes late, and tonight my little ones are all tucked up in warm beds dreaming of all things Disney

Happy Birthday to my first born, and what a wonderful family surprise !!!

Excuse the paints and craft on the dining table - it's school holidays, and we do heaps of crafty stuff....

 

[chickyann]

look how excited they are