Magic Her Way (an Anniversary PTR with Lots Of Pics!!) a Question & a Recipe Post 11

[EllyLovesDisney]

Hello everyone and welcome to my pre-trip report! I am Disney World and planning obsessed so I am really looking forward to sharing all the fun details of this trip with you all!
First things first! The who, what, where, when, and why!

The cast :

Me (Elly) 31 - I am a stay at home mom from NYC to my two wonderful kids. I LIVE for our yearly Disney trips and am constantly planning our next one. I never went to WDW as a child. My first trip there was a day trip to MK with Dh in 1998..I have been hooked ever since and have been trying to make up for lost time!
Aside from Disney I love to cook, read and shop! I also just lost 70 (!!!!!) lbs in the past year and I feel like a whole new girl.

Dh (33) Amazing Disney dad and wonderful husband. He loves WDW as much as me although sometimes he gets a little fed up with my super planning.
He went to WDW several times as a child but didn't love it until we started going together.

DD (Belle -4) Our little princess!! This will be her FIFTH trip to WDW! She is into Princesses ( her fave is Aurora..because she wears a pink dress) American Girl, Ballet, and lately Hannah Montana. She is a girly-girl to the extreme. She doesn't know about this trip yet!!

DS (Buddy 16 months) Our rough and tough little guy!This will be his second trip to WDW. The first was when he was only 6 months old so everything will be brand new to him! he loves music, cars, and Mickey! he worships his big sister..they are very close which I LOVE.

The Where and When -
Coronado Springs Resort 8/29- 9/4. Free basic dining, 7 MYW base tickets. This will be our first ever trip with no hoppers which makes me a bit nervous. The last trip we never hopped once though so we decided to skip it this time. With two little ones one park a day is all we can handle.
We are also be there on our 7th Anniversary (8/31) !! VERY excited to spend the day at our favorite place in the world!! We went to Disney for our first anniversary and it was an unforgettable trip..it was pre-kids so just the 2 of us and we had a BLAST. We had dinner at Victoria and Alberts on our 1rst anny..we considered doing it for this trip but this is a family trip. If the kids can't go we don't go!

They why -
We almost didn't go this year. We booked and cancelled more times for this trip than I care to say. We get a LOT of flak from friends aand family about how much we go and it started to get to us I think. Besides that we had a couple other big trips this year - we did Miami and Key West in April and in July I went on an all girls trip to Punta Cana.
Needless to say the sirens call of WDW is strong..we missed our Happy Place desperately. Last month we gave in and booked the free dining package..and the planning began.

Next up - ADRS and Itinerary!!

 

[EllyLovesDisney]

Yay for Disney Dining! I get absolutely giddy about making ADRS! We booked this trip a bit late, between that and free dining we missed out on a couple of family faves but we still got some pixie dust and did pretty well I think.

So!
We will be flying NYC - MCO on Sat leaving bright and early 8am. We live only 15-20 minutes from the airport so we won't have to wake up at the crack of dawn. My mother in law has very nicely offered to drive us - yay! We will be using Magical Express to get to CSR.

Dining and park plans -

Sat - Epcot - Biergarten dinner.
Sun - MK - Crystal Palace lunch and Plaza dinner
Mon - MGM- Anniversary day! Jiko dinner ( our first time there!)
Tues - Epcot - Chefs De France dinner
Wed - AK - Tusker House Breakfast ( another new one)
Thurs - MK - CRT lunch!!!
Fri - ???? probably MK -our flight isn't until 5:30. I have been trying for breakfast at either Ohanas or Chef Mickeys with no luck so far. We ALWAYS do a charactor BF last morning so I have fingers crossed!

We are very excited to have scored CRT so late in the game. We went last year for breakfast but prior to that I tried for two years in a row with NO luck.
We have a Bippity Boppity Boutique appt for right before and we also ordered the Slipper Dessert. DD is going to FLIP!!!!!!

I'm also really excited for DS to see the charactors at CP and Tusker House. I need to find him a cute little something to wear for CP still..
I wonder how he'll act with the charactors?? DD was scared of them at that age. but DS is WAY more into them then she was. Can't wait to see!

 

[EllyLovesDisney]

A look back at trips past

We have only been digital since 2005 so I will have to find and scan the older pics!

2003 - Dh and I went for our first Anniversary! We had an amazing time discovering the "World" together and acting like kids. We stayed offsite at the Comfort InnLBV. Air and hotel for 5 nights was only $220 pp. Imagine?!?!
We ate at some really fun places including CRT dinner and Victoria and Alberts.

2004 - We went to a wedding at Palm Beach and HAD to go to WDW since we were so close. We stayed at POP for 3 nights and did all 4 parks in 2 days!! My feet were killing at the end! We had a great time though. My inlaws and dh's cousins joined us for this trip.

2005 - Belle's first trip! She was 9 months old. My 3 sisters and dh's sister joined us and we stayed at POP for 5 nights the week before Christmas. We had such fun and got to go to MVMCP.

2006 - Free dining trip! And that was when the dining plan was awesome!
We did a split stay between CSR and GF. It was supposed to be CSR and Poly but there was some problems at Poly and they upgraded us to GF. I have to say this was my all time fave trip. Belle was 18 months old and did beautifully..it was our first WDW trip just us and it will always be special to me. We went to MNSSHP this trip too.
First haircut!

me and Belle - pre diet

silly Dh

More Belle -

2007 - A week at the Poly!! HEAVEN! We went in May (any of the old MAyers here????) and had a fabulous time!
Hmmm..seems like there are no pics in PB from this trip?!?! I'll update soon!

2008 -Buddy's first trip!! he was only 6 months old and did GREAT. We stayed at the GF for a week..it was absolutely wonderful! We got to go to the F&W fest for the first time and we also went back to MNSSHP.
Lots of pics from this trip!

Buddy and Mickey - one of my all time fave pics

Thats all for now!
Next up : Some to-do lists!

 

[JoJo1980]

Your family are lovely!! I bet you are all so excited about your trip Your plans sound great so far, keep it coming

 

[reyasmommy]

Hello!

First of all congratulations on your weightloss!! I lost 50lbs, but have gained almost 1/2 of it back since becoming pregnant. I plan on going back to my diet after I'm done breastfeeding the baby. (( He's due in December))

Your kids are adorable... You daughter reminds me a little of my own.

I plan on getting her 1st haircut at WDW too... I'm hoping I can hold off until March. I wanted to get it done on her 1st trip when she was 18months old, but unfortunately she was still as bald as a cue ball. Kinda funny that her 1st haircut will be done a couple weeks shy of her 4th birthday..... I'm thinking my baby boy is going to come out with a full head of hair. Guess we'll see!

I look foward to reading more about your upcoming trip!

 

[EllyLovesDisney]

Woo-hoo!! I have some readers

Your family are lovely!! I bet you are all so excited about your trip Your plans sound great so far, keep it coming

Thank you so much!!! How cool that you got married at WDW - I wish I did!
I am so glad you are reading along

 

[EllyLovesDisney]

Hello!

First of all congratulations on your weightloss!! I lost 50lbs, but have gained almost 1/2 of it back since becoming pregnant. I plan on going back to my diet after I'm done breastfeeding the baby. (( He's due in December))

Your kids are adorable... You daughter reminds me a little of my own.

I plan on getting her 1st haircut at WDW too... I'm hoping I can hold off until March. I wanted to get it done on her 1st trip when she was 18months old, but unfortunately she was still as bald as a cue ball. Kinda funny that her 1st haircut will be done a couple weeks shy of her 4th birthday..... I'm thinking my baby boy is going to come out with a full head of hair. Guess we'll see!


I look foward to reading more about your upcoming trip!

Thank you!!
50 lbs!!! good for you!! you'll lose after you have the baby for sure..especially if you're breastfeeding. I love that you are pregnant and planning your next trip! I did that too when I was pregnant with DS. Wow, it felt like the baby and the trip would NEVER come. So much to anticipate!
The first haircut at MK is the BEST! I wish I could have done my ds's there but last trip he was to young and this time he has already had a few already. My kids come out with a head full of hair! So funny though my dd has very fine, thin hair now..when she was a baby/ young toddler it was VERY thick and full. Weird.

So glad you are reading along!

 

[EllyLovesDisney]

Like all true planning fanatics I am a list maker. With only 4 days left before we leave I still have lots to do but I actually accomplished quite a bit of my goals for the week already.

So lets begin with what is already DONE!!

*Slipper Dessert for CRT ordered
*Disney Dollars bought ( For Belle - I think she will get a kick out of having her own special money)
* Arrangements for our dog while we are gone - done
* small items bought :
Extra sunblock
gallon ziplocks
various toiletries
extra sippys
extra socks
* character tee's for ds ( he had NONE!) bought
* spinnys, misty fan, and ponchos found in closet
* raincover and cup holder for double stroller bought

Makes me feel a bit better about all I have left to do when I can cross things off my list!

 

[trickiwoo]

Great PTR! Your kids are so adorable!! It sounds like you have some really fun things planned! Especially the BBB and Slipper Dessert! Your DD is so lucky! I'm so jealous!

Have a very happy anniversary!

And congrats on the weight loss!!! Way to go!

 

[EllyLovesDisney]

Great PTR! Your kids are so adorable!! It sounds like you have some really fun things planned! Especially the BBB and Slipper Dessert! Your DD is so lucky! I'm so jealous!

Have a very happy anniversary!

And congrats on the weight loss!!! Way to go!

Thank you, thank you, and thank you!! Aren't you the SWEETEST!
Congrats on your first trip coming up soon - - so exciting!!!

 

[EllyLovesDisney]

Ok so my trip is only FOUR DAYS AWAY

That means I am going to be blabbing on here A LOT!

Anyway...between dising and Disney dreaming I actually got a lot done today!
Cleaned out both kids closets and started packing. Go me!
The kidlets took it easy today which they needed believe me. We have had a very busy summer filled with trips, soccer, ballet camp and other fun things.
Today I took the kids out to run through the sprinklers for a while and the rest of the day was spent watching Disney movies while mama cleaned out the closets. They watched Hannah Montana, Beauty and the Beast, and Lion King. Had to start the Disney brain washing

Did I mention that Belle does not know about this trip???
Yes, we usually tell her right away but thought it would be fun to surprise her this time. So i think we will tell her Friday so she has a bit of time before we leave to let it sink in. I'm not a surprise person myself and that's how I would prefer it i think.
Question for all : Any ideas on how to surprise her? we haven't thought of a great idea yet. If nothing comes to us I think we are just going to throw some pixie dust on her and blurt it out! I'd love to hear what you all think!

And VERY OT -
Made a new recipe tonight that was FANTASTIC. Shrimp, apple, and raisin curry. I served it over brown rice with steamed green beans and the kids ate it all up. Dh had 3rds! Here is the recipe if anyone is interested. I used regular raisins since that's all I had, skipped the celery because I'm not a fan, and subbed light coconut milk for the 2%.
Healthy, easy, and delicious!
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=424341&ao=null

 

[EllyLovesDisney]

Forgot to add before - we got a UPS delivery from WDW tonight!

It was ------

Dum - da -da-dum.....






Our Magical express documents!!

So we noticed last week that although we had gotten SEVERAL itineraries with the vouchers ( like 5!! Not sure why but hey - we have lots of free play coupons for the arcade now!) we had NOT received our ME documents.
I had dh call and he got a CM on the phone who said there was nothing she could do - the system sends them out automatically and if we didn't get one there was probably a mistake and we should just explain to the ME desk when we got there. And no...it was not at all possible to resend them

As if.

There is NO WAY I am going to be wasting my precious WDW time trying to fix a mistake on Disney's part. No way. I'd sooner take a cab.
Dh thanked the girl and hung up and pressed redial and thankfully got someone who said they would resend the docs ASAP.
And Yay! They came!

 

[EllyLovesDisney]

THREE MORE DAYS!!!!!!!!!!




When dh and I woke up this morning we just looked at each other and said THREE. With big silly grins. Because when talking about an upcoming Disney trip a big silly grin is MANDATORY.

 

[CupidsKiss]

Oh my gosh ...so close now.
Have a most awesome time..again

Diana