Our very first trip to WDW was in April 2002 for the military discount. We are an Army family and my husband and our youngest at the time were free and our now DD19 were half price. We stayed in our pop-up camper at the Wilderness Campground. It was great. We rented a golf cart and had just as much fun at the campground with that as we did anything else. We wore ourselves out silly from that trip thinking it would be our one and only chance at Disney!!! Shaaaa, as if!! We were hooked.
We had been to several theme parks throughout our lives and enjoyed them as we are both roller coaster junkies, but Disney is soooo different. There is more than just rides .there is magic!! Its amazing. You can feel it course through your soul!!
We then took advantage of deeply discounted DCL prices and cruised a 4 night in Aug 2004. It was awesome and I swear I have never gotten off that ship til this day. We loved it so much and as a mother its the ultimate vacation!! I dont have to worry about anyone being hungry, thirsty, bored, cleaning, laundry .absolutely nothing until it comes time to have to leave the ship when vacation is over!!!! Then the whining starts. Mostly on my part!! I really do make a fit of myself especially at breakfast as I try to soak up every scent, sight, the voices chatting, the ambiance and its overall charm!!
We then made reservation for three Christmas breaks in a row and had to cancel all three in a row. We initially booked to stay at Shades of Green for Christmas of 2005 and then we came down on orders to move from DC to San Antonio, so opted to cancel since moving and vacation dont seem to blend well.
We booked for the following year with Disney for CS, but finances put the kibash on that trip!!
We then booked for Christmas of 2007, but our family wanted to visit for the holidays since my DH was due to deploy for 15 months to Afghanistan in the Spring of 2008 .cancelled that one too.
DH said ENOUGH and we booked 7 nights in April 2008 at Port Orleans. This was when we bought into the DVC. We booked a little later than we would have wanted to, but it all worked out .but that didnt seem to be good enough since DH felt short-changed in past trips .so, we booked a four night cruise in conjunction with this same vacation. It was pure bliss.
When DH returned home in August 2009, we took a Disney til we puke vacation. We hauled off in our truck with DD x2 and the dog to San Diego for four nights and then to LA for five nights at the Paradise Pier Hotel. We played hard in California Adventure park but didnt do the Disneyland park for some reason. We enjoyed the fact everything we within walking distance. The hotels, dining, parks, etc!! That was refreshing!!
Upon our return home from Cali we had enough time to wash laundry and re-pack to fly to Orlando. We took the Magical Express to SSR for one night in a 2 bedroom with my in-laws in tow. We were fortunate enough to see one of the last Space Shuttle launches at midnight that night. It had been scrubbed so many times because of weather and clouds that it launched the night we were there. It was very cool because we could hear the faint roar of the engines all the way in Orlando!!
The next morning we ate breakfast, shopped at the resort souvenir shop and headed on the DCL bus to Port Canaveral for a 7 night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. It was fantabulous!! We had an adjoined room with my in-laws and Verandahs. They were in hog heaven!! They had never been on a vacation like this ever and were both in awe of everything!! We love to get people addicted!!
We had points to burn up or we would lose them so we booked a cruise for three nights last Jan 2010 and took my darling Aunt. We participated in FE exchanges and had a lot of fun with that!! She had been on another cruiseline a few months prior but wasnt impressed and was almost hesitant to go with us .it was free!!!! I convinced her to join us and she was glad she did!! I am not sure who was more excited to see the Princesses my aunt or all the little girls on the cruise!!
Now we are gearing up to take some more folks to Disney.
Our travel party includes myself, DH, DD12, her two tween friends we will call DF11 and DF13 along with our precious 21DD and her 3 year old son our DGS!! The best part of this trip is we (my husband and I) have never met our daughter. We now have three daughters. Our oldest, the one we havent meet. Our middle DD who use to be the oldest LOL and our youngest, DD12!!! And, we have a grandson to boot!! I cant wait to take him shopping!!
Now, I know that sounds weird, but heres the scoop. My husband and I met almost 17 years ago and we married a year and half later. When we met, I already had a two year old daughter, DD19(now). Her biological father has never been in the picture and my husband adopted her six months after we married. She never knew different until she caught on that her DDad wasnt in any pics with her until she was around 2 years old .smart cookie!!! She was about 9 years old when we shared with her the story of how she came to be.
Seven years later we welcomed now DD12 into the fam. We finished college, came back in the Army and were in Maryland when we received a letter there was a mother of a girl in Colorado that claimed my DH was the father of her almost 15 year old daughter. (Obviously that was before he and I met). So after DNA testing, we have a DD21 just like that. The waving of a magical wand (in ones cheek that is) and viola you have another DD21. Now thats some Pixie Dust if you ask me!!!
We finally made contact and have been corresponding via phone calls, emails and Facebook. We are soooo excited to meet her and our grandson!!! They are flying to the Atlanta area and this will be their first time on an airplane, first time to WDW and the first time she will meet her DDad and DSisters and me .the DStepmom??? Does that sound right?? I dont like to think of myself as a stepmom since it has such a negative stigma and all I can think of is Cinderella and her wicked stepmother!! LOL
So on with the rest of the TR ..
We are DVC members and will be staying in a 2 bedroom villa at Animal Kingdoms Lodge Kidani Village the first week of June. Our tween friends will be joining us from San Antonio and we are in the Atlanta area. Most everyone is flying here and we will be driving down. WDW or bust!!
We have booked to eat at Le Celier, Tokyo Dining, The Whispering Canyon Café, Hollywood and Vine, Ansaa in Kidani Village, Boma Flavors of Africa, Tonys Town Square, Nine Dragons Restaurant, Planet Hollywood, Ohana, and Coral Reef Restaurant. We are excited to eat all the different foods and we usually enjoy Disney dining. We plan to keep snacks and quick foods in our room since we do have a full kitchen, but mostly thats for the Tweens since they are snacky late-night eaters!!! Growing girls!!
We have worn ourselves out in the past with park hopping day after day after day get my point!! That was one of the main factors in deciding to purchase into DVC. Now, we take a day on and day off approach. We enjoy our resorts too. We like to hang at the pool with a book, the Ipod, some sunblock and a nap!!!! The kids enjoy the arcade or even just vegging out in the room watching a movie or heading to Downtown Disney for a stroll!!
We dont have any real special events planned but will focus on showing our oldest daughter and our grandson a good time. They havent ever done anything like this and I know they will become instant junkies!!!
DH
Me 
DD12 
DF11 DF13 DD21
and Dgrandson3 
and our darling dog Maylie 
We had been to several theme parks throughout our lives and enjoyed them as we are both roller coaster junkies, but Disney is soooo different. There is more than just rides .there is magic!! Its amazing. You can feel it course through your soul!!
We then took advantage of deeply discounted DCL prices and cruised a 4 night in Aug 2004. It was awesome and I swear I have never gotten off that ship til this day. We loved it so much and as a mother its the ultimate vacation!! I dont have to worry about anyone being hungry, thirsty, bored, cleaning, laundry .absolutely nothing until it comes time to have to leave the ship when vacation is over!!!! Then the whining starts. Mostly on my part!! I really do make a fit of myself especially at breakfast as I try to soak up every scent, sight, the voices chatting, the ambiance and its overall charm!!
We then made reservation for three Christmas breaks in a row and had to cancel all three in a row. We initially booked to stay at Shades of Green for Christmas of 2005 and then we came down on orders to move from DC to San Antonio, so opted to cancel since moving and vacation dont seem to blend well.
We booked for the following year with Disney for CS, but finances put the kibash on that trip!!
We then booked for Christmas of 2007, but our family wanted to visit for the holidays since my DH was due to deploy for 15 months to Afghanistan in the Spring of 2008 .cancelled that one too.
DH said ENOUGH and we booked 7 nights in April 2008 at Port Orleans. This was when we bought into the DVC. We booked a little later than we would have wanted to, but it all worked out .but that didnt seem to be good enough since DH felt short-changed in past trips .so, we booked a four night cruise in conjunction with this same vacation. It was pure bliss.
When DH returned home in August 2009, we took a Disney til we puke vacation. We hauled off in our truck with DD x2 and the dog to San Diego for four nights and then to LA for five nights at the Paradise Pier Hotel. We played hard in California Adventure park but didnt do the Disneyland park for some reason. We enjoyed the fact everything we within walking distance. The hotels, dining, parks, etc!! That was refreshing!!
Upon our return home from Cali we had enough time to wash laundry and re-pack to fly to Orlando. We took the Magical Express to SSR for one night in a 2 bedroom with my in-laws in tow. We were fortunate enough to see one of the last Space Shuttle launches at midnight that night. It had been scrubbed so many times because of weather and clouds that it launched the night we were there. It was very cool because we could hear the faint roar of the engines all the way in Orlando!!
The next morning we ate breakfast, shopped at the resort souvenir shop and headed on the DCL bus to Port Canaveral for a 7 night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. It was fantabulous!! We had an adjoined room with my in-laws and Verandahs. They were in hog heaven!! They had never been on a vacation like this ever and were both in awe of everything!! We love to get people addicted!!
We had points to burn up or we would lose them so we booked a cruise for three nights last Jan 2010 and took my darling Aunt. We participated in FE exchanges and had a lot of fun with that!! She had been on another cruiseline a few months prior but wasnt impressed and was almost hesitant to go with us .it was free!!!! I convinced her to join us and she was glad she did!! I am not sure who was more excited to see the Princesses my aunt or all the little girls on the cruise!!
Now we are gearing up to take some more folks to Disney.
Our travel party includes myself, DH, DD12, her two tween friends we will call DF11 and DF13 along with our precious 21DD and her 3 year old son our DGS!! The best part of this trip is we (my husband and I) have never met our daughter. We now have three daughters. Our oldest, the one we havent meet. Our middle DD who use to be the oldest LOL and our youngest, DD12!!! And, we have a grandson to boot!! I cant wait to take him shopping!!
Now, I know that sounds weird, but heres the scoop. My husband and I met almost 17 years ago and we married a year and half later. When we met, I already had a two year old daughter, DD19(now). Her biological father has never been in the picture and my husband adopted her six months after we married. She never knew different until she caught on that her DDad wasnt in any pics with her until she was around 2 years old .smart cookie!!! She was about 9 years old when we shared with her the story of how she came to be.
Seven years later we welcomed now DD12 into the fam. We finished college, came back in the Army and were in Maryland when we received a letter there was a mother of a girl in Colorado that claimed my DH was the father of her almost 15 year old daughter. (Obviously that was before he and I met). So after DNA testing, we have a DD21 just like that. The waving of a magical wand (in ones cheek that is) and viola you have another DD21. Now thats some Pixie Dust if you ask me!!!
We finally made contact and have been corresponding via phone calls, emails and Facebook. We are soooo excited to meet her and our grandson!!! They are flying to the Atlanta area and this will be their first time on an airplane, first time to WDW and the first time she will meet her DDad and DSisters and me .the DStepmom??? Does that sound right?? I dont like to think of myself as a stepmom since it has such a negative stigma and all I can think of is Cinderella and her wicked stepmother!! LOL
So on with the rest of the TR ..
We are DVC members and will be staying in a 2 bedroom villa at Animal Kingdoms Lodge Kidani Village the first week of June. Our tween friends will be joining us from San Antonio and we are in the Atlanta area. Most everyone is flying here and we will be driving down. WDW or bust!!
We have booked to eat at Le Celier, Tokyo Dining, The Whispering Canyon Café, Hollywood and Vine, Ansaa in Kidani Village, Boma Flavors of Africa, Tonys Town Square, Nine Dragons Restaurant, Planet Hollywood, Ohana, and Coral Reef Restaurant. We are excited to eat all the different foods and we usually enjoy Disney dining. We plan to keep snacks and quick foods in our room since we do have a full kitchen, but mostly thats for the Tweens since they are snacky late-night eaters!!! Growing girls!!
We have worn ourselves out in the past with park hopping day after day after day get my point!! That was one of the main factors in deciding to purchase into DVC. Now, we take a day on and day off approach. We enjoy our resorts too. We like to hang at the pool with a book, the Ipod, some sunblock and a nap!!!! The kids enjoy the arcade or even just vegging out in the room watching a movie or heading to Downtown Disney for a stroll!!
We dont have any real special events planned but will focus on showing our oldest daughter and our grandson a good time. They havent ever done anything like this and I know they will become instant junkies!!!
DH
Me DD12 DF11 DF13 DD21 and Dgrandson3 and our darling dog Maylie 
