Memories of Little Green Men and Sardines (6/8-17, 2010) **FINAL UPDATE 2-25-2011**

[Tinkermom76]

Great Update!!!!

That was the chicken coop from the Hannah Montana movie. We are going to Hollywood and Vine also this trip because Emma wants to see Handy Manny as well. Do you remember if there was pancakes there?

That is soooooo cool seeing your name in the sky!

 

[claryche]

I just found your trip report and I'm loving it so far. My DS is 4 and has been to Disney World 4 times. The first when he was 18 months and the second when he was a little over 2 and a half. So it's kinda like reliving his first two trips, since your DS is in the middle of the two ages as my DS on those trips.

I have read all of your actual trip report, but plan on going back to read all your pre-trip stuff too.

The turtle picture is really cute of your DS. It's amazing how just some of simpliest times end up giving the best pictures.

I have to say that you are a much better woman than I am as far as not going off on those people at the Block Party Bash parade. I would have had to have said something, especially after so many CM's coming by there. I just don't understand people at all. They are so rude, I don't believe in stroller violence, but I think that would have been a time when someone would have found a stroller on their heels. But you did the right thing, of course. You were the better person.

Looking forward to the rest of your trip report. And now I'm off to read some of your pre-trip posts.

 

[Charlefours]

Wow, what a reaction to the characters!! I cannot wait to try the Mickey waffles--they sounds so good.

Great updates!!

 

[ChildAtHeart82]

Great pictures and update! Your camera has a really good zoom.

Good job on controlling yourself in your response to the rude people. I know I would have struggled to control my temper, especially with the crowds and heat. I don't know why some people think it's okay to be rude like that. In situations like that, I have keep reminding myself that even though the rude people have ruined some of the magic that I will ruin the magic even more for my family and others if I react poorly.

I hope the child in your family who went to Children's Hospital is doing okay.

 

[ChildAtHeart82]

So, I've decided I'm going to surprise DW with a resort photo session while we're at Disney this December and I know you've done a lot of research.

The day we'll have the photo session, we have an ADR at Ohana at 10:30am and an ADR at Sanaa at 5:45pm. I don't mind trying to switch ADR's around to make the photo session work. If we keep them, though, I think we'd either do an early afternoon (2-ish) session at GF or a late afternoon (4-ish) session at AKL. Any thoughts on which one might be better? I'm also open to completely different suggestions. I just want to make this the best surprise I can for DW. No matter what I know she'll be thrilled.

 

[Spartangirl]

Wow...mega update!!! Unbelieveable about the "rude people!" I just don't understand why some people feel it is "ok" to act like that, especially in the most magical place on Earth! Great job on the car/fire photo! I love the pic of your son on the turtle...too cute!

 

[photographymom517]

Great Update!!!!

That was the chicken coop from the Hannah Montana movie. We are going to Hollywood and Vine also this trip because Emma wants to see Handy Manny as well. Do you remember if there was pancakes there?

That is soooooo cool seeing your name in the sky!

Thanks for reminding me what that was from Hannah Montana! I can't wait until my niece is a little older, then I can keep up with all the girl movies again! I'm already trying to convince my SIL that I need to take my niece to BBB when she's around 4 or 5.

I Hollywood & Vine!!! It was so much fun! I'm really hoping they keep the same characters there for a few years because this will be a repeat meal for us in the future! I think next trip our son will probably be less afraid of the characters. Ever since we came back from our trip, he points & says "Mickey Mouse" everytime he sees him on tv, on YouTube or on any item at the store! And I still don't get why he was afraid of Handy Manny...he's his FAVORITE! He has pictures of him all over his room & has every stuffed Manny ever made! lol I understand though, its just the age he's at right now. I just want him to enjoy the characters on his next trip as much as mommy does!

Hmm...pancakes. I am going to say yes but I'm still not 100% sure. I think they did have them though because I remember telling my husband that I should have gotten them for our son. He really loves pancakes but just wasn't in an eating mood since he was so afraid of the giant characters! I'll try to find some pictures of the buffet on another thread & get back to you on that one!

I just found your trip report and I'm loving it so far. My DS is 4 and has been to Disney World 4 times. The first when he was 18 months and the second when he was a little over 2 and a half. So it's kinda like reliving his first two trips, since your DS is in the middle of the two ages as my DS on those trips.

I have read all of your actual trip report, but plan on going back to read all your pre-trip stuff too.

The turtle picture is really cute of your DS. It's amazing how just some of simpliest times end up giving the best pictures.

I have to say that you are a much better woman than I am as far as not going off on those people at the Block Party Bash parade. I would have had to have said something, especially after so many CM's coming by there. I just don't understand people at all. They are so rude, I don't believe in stroller violence, but I think that would have been a time when someone would have found a stroller on their heels. But you did the right thing, of course. You were the better person.

Looking forward to the rest of your trip report. And now I'm off to read some of your pre-trip posts.

I'm glad you found my trip report! Congrats on reading it all so far...thats alot of reading! The pre-trip report was definitely interesting & changed about a million times, so it will definitely be interesting reading material for ya! lol

Your DS sounds just like mine! Our son's first trip was when he was 10 months old & this trip he was 25 months old. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he's able to go 4 times by the time he turns 4 too! My first trip was whenever I was 5 and my second trip was when I was 16...so he's already starting out better than me! lol I went to Florida many times in between there but we never stopped at Disney

Honestly, I have no idea how I kept calm & didn't flip out completely before Block Party Bash! I think it was partially because I was already exhausted because of the humidity and partially because I was just excited for all of us to see it. Those people are lucky! lol

Glad you liked the report so far! You'll probably have lots of time to catch-up on my pre-trip stuff because I need to clean out my PhotoBucket account before doing another update on my trip report! Someone mentioned using SnapFish...I wonder if I can post pics through them on here? Do you know?

Wow, what a reaction to the characters!! I cannot wait to try the Mickey waffles--they sounds so good.

Great updates!!

I know! The character meals are what I was really, really, really psyched for! I couldn't wait for them! It was ok though because I really enjoyed it & had lots of fun. My husband also liked the food & he's picky so that was a plus! I just felt bad for our son...wish he could've had a better time! It must not have been too traumatic to him though because five second later, while walking through Animation Studios, he saw Manny again & was all happy & excited to see him!

The Mickey waffles were very good & like I said, I usually don't get waffles because I think they're too dry. The toppings all looked yummy!

Great pictures and update! Your camera has a really good zoom.

Good job on controlling yourself in your response to the rude people. I know I would have struggled to control my temper, especially with the crowds and heat. I don't know why some people think it's okay to be rude like that. In situations like that, I have keep reminding myself that even though the rude people have ruined some of the magic that I will ruin the magic even more for my family and others if I react poorly.

I hope the child in your family who went to Children's Hospital is doing okay.

Thanks for saying my camera has a good zoom. Its a Canon Powershot S3. I really, really want a DSLR but there's no way I can afford one right now! And as long as I keep wanting to go to Disney, I guess I'll always be putting $$$ down on trips instead of a new camera!

I don't know why people are so rude either! I mean, I still think its rude but I could understand someone pushing in front of me. BUT in front of a child in a stroller? Come on, seriously?!? I just don't understand people's rudeness especially since we're all on vacation trying to have a nice time, you know? I think its hysterical how so many people said they would've said something to them & wouldn't have been able to control their temper! That makes me feel much better for future trips & future rude people! lol

Yes, the child who was taken to Children's is doing very well. He actually was released that night & only had a few tests done. They gave him a shot, another antibiotic & sent him home. It was definitely a scare, but I'm very thankful & happy that it turned out not being a big deal! I appreciate you asking about him! That was very thoughtful of you!

So, I've decided I'm going to surprise DW with a resort photo session while we're at Disney this December and I know you've done a lot of research.

The day we'll have the photo session, we have an ADR at Ohana at 10:30am and an ADR at Sanaa at 5:45pm. I don't mind trying to switch ADR's around to make the photo session work. If we keep them, though, I think we'd either do an early afternoon (2-ish) session at GF or a late afternoon (4-ish) session at AKL. Any thoughts on which one might be better? I'm also open to completely different suggestions. I just want to make this the best surprise I can for DW. No matter what I know she'll be thrilled.

Oooohhh!!! I'm so excited, I love surprises!!! And you know I was obsessed with the photo session! Thats a great idea!!! This is probably pathetic to admit but I carry my CD around with me in my purse!

The pictures from the GF are beautiful, I saw some on another thread. Did you see them? I'll try to find the link & post it on here for you. I think I posted it before but it was probably towards the beginning of my planning stages...maybe around page 9 or 10??? I'll look for you!

The GF lobby is BEAUTIFUL during Christmastime. I've never seen it myself but have seen tons and tons of pictures! It would be a great place for your photo session! Also, I would request to do some pictures inside & some outside. They take them outside on the beach & in front of the GF. In the lobby, they have lots of Christmas decor...the Christmas tree & gingerbread house. They also have that beautiful staircase. They would make great family photos as well as Christmas cards!

I have a few suggestions but please do whatever you think is best for your family, these are only my suggestions! My first thought was that you could do an early morning photo session at the Poly. They start scheduling the sessions around 8am so if you got the 1st or 2nd session of the day, you could still keep your Ohana ressie for 10:30am. If you got a session for around 9, you'd be done by 10am & get to your ressie early. I'm paranoid so I'd probably schedule for 8:30 or 8:45 if possible!

Another positive is that you'd already be dressed up for Ohana so you wouldn't need to rush back to the resort & change clothes. The only downfall I see with this is that sessions at the Poly & AKL are somewhat dark during parts of the session due to the decor inside. However, I've seen pics of the sessions at the Poly in their lobby & also outdoor areas...and they are gorgeous!!! Also, if you stand on the Poly beach, they can get photos of the lake & GF in the background!

My second suggestion would be to keep your ressies the way you have them & schedule at the GF around 4pm. They say this is a good time because the sun starts setting so you don't have a problem with the sun being in your eyes, yet at the same time its still light enough to have a good session. You'd still have plenty of time afterwards, even if taking Disney transportation to make it back to AKL by 5:45pm. You could also schedule at AKL for 4 and then you wouldn't have to worry about rushing to get anywhere since you'd already be at AKL for your ressie. They have beautiful decorations there as well & I loved their outdoor areas when we stayed there!

Its honestly very hard to choose between the resorts, especially during the holidays when they are all beautifully decorated! I hope I've helped a little bit. I will think about it more & let you know if I think of additional suggestions.

Also, will you be taking a cab or using Disney transportation? I've heard that a cab is much, much quicker & will eliminate alot of travel time. If you're taking a cab, I'd suggest GF at 4pm as my 1st choice! If it took an hour all together, a cab would have you to AKL by 5:15pm!

Sorry I rambled so much, I hope I said something that was helpful! I'll look for that link for you this evening!

Wow...mega update!!! Unbelieveable about the "rude people!" I just don't understand why some people feel it is "ok" to act like that, especially in the most magical place on Earth! Great job on the car/fire photo! I love the pic of your son on the turtle...too cute!

I know, from here on out, I have TONS of pictures for each day. Unfortunately I just don't have enough room on PhotoBucket!

Wait until you see our Epcot day. We went on alot of things I've never seen before so I went a little picture crazy!

I don't understand why people are rude either. I mean, its bad enough when people are rude back home...but on vacation? And at Disney? I just don't understand it!

I really liked the picture on the turtle, too! I was glad he found it because the pictures on the alligator statues didn't turn out very well...and he had his binky with him.

 

[stephielela]

i love your update! i'm so glad that your DS liked Lights, Motors, Action! i am hoping my DS Jack likes it too. your update made me so excited for our trip! Jack reacted the same way witht he characters last time we were there... hopefully he will be better with them this time. though your post and your pics of block party bash are really making me rethink our plans. for our fall trip i am planning on doing epcot and AK as our full park days but now i am thinking he would have more fun at DHS... what do you think? can't wait to read more!

 

[PopArtGal]

Sorry you didn't get the picture of Manny and you son you had wanted. But like you said, you can go another time. Just means you have to go again to get that coveted picture

How nice of the waitress to suggest drinks to go. I never happened to us.

 

[PopArtGal]

I love one man's dream too!

I wanted to buy a Kindle. But at the same time, I love the smell of books and holding them. I'm a nerd lol

 

[PopArtGal]

I completely understand about rude people. I'm 5'2 and people often think that an adult isn't there for her. I'm not supposed to see apparently

 

[PopArtGal]

So nice that you were able to spend some time relaxing at OPR.

 

[Tinkermom76]

Thanks for reminding me what that was from Hannah Montana! I can't wait until my niece is a little older, then I can keep up with all the girl movies again! I'm already trying to convince my SIL that I need to take my niece to BBB when she's around 4 or 5.

I Hollywood & Vine!!! It was so much fun! I'm really hoping they keep the same characters there for a few years because this will be a repeat meal for us in the future! I think next trip our son will probably be less afraid of the characters. Ever since we came back from our trip, he points & says "Mickey Mouse" everytime he sees him on tv, on YouTube or on any item at the store! And I still don't get why he was afraid of Handy Manny...he's his FAVORITE! He has pictures of him all over his room & has every stuffed Manny ever made! lol I understand though, its just the age he's at right now. I just want him to enjoy the characters on his next trip as much as mommy does!

Hmm...pancakes. I am going to say yes but I'm still not 100% sure. I think they did have them though because I remember telling my husband that I should have gotten them for our son. He really loves pancakes but just wasn't in an eating mood since he was so afraid of the giant characters! I'll try to find some pictures of the buffet on another thread & get back to you on that one!

Someone wrote on my PTR today that they heard JoJo is being replace by Special Agent Oso soon

 

[reelmom]

Finally caught up. My boys went back to school on Monday and I went back for pre-planning on Tuesday( I am a preschool teacher at a church. Our little ones don't start until this Monday). Anyways, great update. I get so frustrated at parades also. It is rare that we stop to watch because of the reasons you experienced. You took some really awesome pictures. That one of LMA where the car is jumping through the fire is incredible.

 

[stephielela]

Oh yeah, I meant to ask you where the Cars area was? Jack LOVES Lightning McQueen almost as much as Buzz Lightyear! Are the Toy Story Characters usually our for autographs all day? I know that will be awesome for him!

 

[2kids2luv]

What beautiful pictures! Even with the heat and crowds, it sounds like your family had fun. Sorry about the rude people. I'll never understand why people do that. So glad your son got to meet Handy Manny even if he didn't want to get too close. Relaxing at the resort sounds good about now.

 

[ChildAtHeart82]

Thank you for all the great advice and info on the photo session! I think I'm going to go with AKL at 4:00pm. Do you think it's worth it to buy the extra time? I think it's an extra 20 minutes for $25.

 

[photographymom517]

i love your update! i'm so glad that your DS liked Lights, Motors, Action! i am hoping my DS Jack likes it too. your update made me so excited for our trip! Jack reacted the same way witht he characters last time we were there... hopefully he will be better with them this time. though your post and your pics of block party bash are really making me rethink our plans. for our fall trip i am planning on doing epcot and AK as our full park days but now i am thinking he would have more fun at DHS... what do you think? can't wait to read more!

I really think that your son will love the LMA show!!! It is so exciting & fun for people of all ages! I was worried our son would be afraid (since he was afraid of loud noises, water, the characters, and the rides up to this point!) but he LOVED it! He watched the entire thing & didn't take his eyes off it once!

Honestly, I'll tell you this about the parks...this is of course just my opinion! If I only had 1 day at Disney & had to go to a park, I would go to Magic Kingdom. I just can't take a trip without MK. If I had to choose a favorite park, I would choose Epcot. If I had to choose a favorite themed park, I would choose Animal Kingdom. BUT if I only had to choose 1 park to spend extra time at, I would choose Hollywood Studios. I know that sounds crazy & how can all 4 parks be my favorites? But honestly, I can't choose just one!

I think your son would love Hollywood Studios. There is just so much to do there! I haven't been there since 1998 when it was MGM & from what I remembered, it was geared more towards teenagers/adults. I even told my husband the night before we went, that we'd probably end up back to the resort by 4 or 5 so we could just eat supper & swim after our half-day at DHS! Turned out, we stayed the LONGEST at Hollywood Studios! Our son loved it & there was so much to do for little ones. I was originally worried that it would bore him there & wouldn't be geared towards younger kids, but it was sooo exciting for him! I think if he had to choose a favorite at this point, thats what he would pick. He loved all of the shows there (if its not still under refurb...go to Muppets 3D on your trip!) He loved the rides there. He loved just walking around because there is so much to look at. He loved Block Party Bash. He loved the characters there. And of course, being my son, he loved the food & shopping there! I think DHS is the park that really shows the "fun for all ages" theme the best. Of course, this is just all my opinion but I hope it helps you!

Sorry you didn't get the picture of Manny and you son you had wanted. But like you said, you can go another time. Just means you have to go again to get that coveted picture

How nice of the waitress to suggest drinks to go. I never happened to us.

Oh, you bet I will! LOL I already am plotting a new trip...I figured out a few weeks next year where F&W overlap MNSSHP & we really want to try both in the future...so I'm just trying to convince my husband that the "future" is next year!

***OOOOH, and today I found out that they EXTENDED FREE DINING***

Seriously though, I would really love a picture of my son with Manny. I did get one, but as you know, its not exactly what I'd hoped for. Handy Manny is just special to me because its like I've watched my son grow up with Manny. He's watched him since he was very very young & still loves him at 2 years old! It would mean alot if we could someday get a picture of my son standing right beside Manny! So I will hope for next trip! (whenever that maybe!)

I love one man's dream too!

I wanted to buy a Kindle. But at the same time, I love the smell of books and holding them. I'm a nerd lol

That is so funny that you say that because I honestly struggled with the decision to buy a Kindle for a very long time...for that same exact reason! There is nothing that could ever replace the feeling of holding a regular book in your hands & flipping the pages! Trust me, my Kindle doesn't replace that! I still buy plenty of "regular books" in addition to the ones on my Kindle. I use my Kindle primarily for travel & it is wonderful to be able to have thousands of books on a plane with me instead of only 5. So it has its pros & cons as does everything.

One book I could NEVER have on my Kindle is "The Unofficial Guide to WDW" LOL

I completely understand about rude people. I'm 5'2 and people often think that an adult isn't there for her. I'm not supposed to see apparently

So nice that you were able to spend some time relaxing at OPR.

I understand what you mean. I just don't get it because I would NEVER stand in front of another person. I don't care how tall or short they are, how old they are, etc. I just would never do it, so I don't get why others feel they need to! Grrr!

It was very nice to spend time at OPR. Its sort of funny because when we were at Disney, I felt like we spent so much time at the resort. But after we got home, I felt like we should've spent more time there! I think if I ever stayed for 10 days again, I would spend an entire day...right smack in the middle of the trip...just at the resort. I wouldn't leave at all the entire day & would just relax!

Someone wrote on my PTR today that they heard JoJo is being replace by Special Agent Oso soon

I don't know how I feel about that. Thank you for sharing the info with me. I had a feeling that would be happening soon. I came back from the trip & showed my 3 year old nephew the picture of JoJo (and he's watched her many times on tv) and he said "who is that clown?" so obviously not a big deal to him!

I also showed the pictures to a few other children...ages 8-11...and I know they all watched JoJo as young children. NOT ONE of them knew her name or remembered ever watching her. I was slightly disappointed because I was so happy to see her at the meal...and so excited to share my picture! I guess the memory is from my childhood, not theirs, so it completely makes sense!

I'm still undecided about Special Agent Oso. I saw they came out with the big plush on Disneystore.com and thought he was so cute! I almost bought him for my son for Christmas just because he looks so soft & cuddly! But we really don't watch him that much, so I'd just be buying him because he's "Disney" and not because we like him. I like the show but I don't love the show. I liked it more when it first came out (but its not my opinion that matters, its my sons!!! lol)

I did hear rumors a few weeks ago that they were coming out with an Oso character at WDW, I just never heard where he would be located. Thank you for sharing the info! I'm sure my son will be happy!

Finally caught up. My boys went back to school on Monday and I went back for pre-planning on Tuesday( I am a preschool teacher at a church. Our little ones don't start until this Monday). Anyways, great update. I get so frustrated at parades also. It is rare that we stop to watch because of the reasons you experienced. You took some really awesome pictures. That one of LMA where the car is jumping through the fire is incredible.

Oh school...I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to it or not! My one nephew starts this year & my other nephew starts next year. Its kinda bittersweet to me because they are growing up so quickly. I think it will be nice when my son starts school because we'll both get some time away from each other & get a chance to spend time with other people! The preschool in our town is only 2 days a week for about 4 1/2 hours, so it will be good to slowly prepare us both for his school days!

Anyway, sorry to ramble about that! I guess I am more emotional about it than I thought! I'm glad you liked the update. I'm really hoping to start on the next day soon. I love stopping to watch the parades, despite other people's bad behavior! I always look at the show times, parade times, and fireworks times first thing after getting a map & times guide! I honestly think I enjoy the parades more than most children! If you don't get to see them at the parks, you should go on YouTube and watch them there. Honestly, I've never been a fan of YouTube until I realized how much Disney-related videos are on there!!! Its great!

Oh yeah, I meant to ask you where the Cars area was? Jack LOVES Lightning McQueen almost as much as Buzz Lightyear! Are the Toy Story Characters usually our for autographs all day? I know that will be awesome for him!

I will get back to you about the Cars area. I want to consult my maps first!

The reason I want to look at the maps before answering is because we tried to find it 3 times before actually finding it. Its really easy to find if you know where the Muppets store is located. My problem was that the first time we tried to find Luigi's Garage, we were at ABC Commissary. There's a sort-of "Y" in the road & we went the wrong way. I think there was some confusion because of the Star Wars events going on. We ended up in the middle of a crowd & just went with them instead of being the only people going the opposite direction. The other time we tried finding them, we were on the Streets of America & I just took a wrong turn again. I always manage to do that!

But if you know where the Muppets store is, its just around the corner from there. If you walk past that huge Muppets giftshop, you come to this big wall from NYC...looks like a rundown apartment...and then right after that is Luigi's Garage. Its also by Mama Melrose's. After we found it, I couldn't believe I couldn't find it 3 times before! lol

I was very disappointed that we didn't see the Toy Story characters. I saw something online that showed the exact times the characters are out. I will find it & let you know (remind me if I don't tell you within a week...I usually have so much on my mind that I forget things I've promised!) I do believe the TS characters are out "intermittently throughout the day" which is what they say about all the characters. I will get more specifics for you!

What beautiful pictures! Even with the heat and crowds, it sounds like your family had fun. Sorry about the rude people. I'll never understand why people do that. So glad your son got to meet Handy Manny even if he didn't want to get too close. Relaxing at the resort sounds good about now.

Glad you enjoyed the pictures! I love photography & it is becoming my favorite hobby! We did have alot of fun despite the humidity, crowds, rude people, etc. I always say "attitude is everything" and I knew if I let it bother me, our entire day would be ruined.

I've had a stressful week already & its only Monday! lol Relaxing at the resort WOULD be good right about now! When I got my pictures developed the other day, I almost cried! CBR just looked so beautiful & I miss it!

Thank you for all the great advice and info on the photo session! I think I'm going to go with AKL at 4:00pm. Do you think it's worth it to buy the extra time? I think it's an extra 20 minutes for $25.

I'm glad my advice helped you!!! AKL sounds great & I think the 4pm timeframe will work out best with your other plans.

I honestly don't know what to tell you about the extra time. I've heard other people who have spent the extra money & said it was well worth it. I guess it would depend on the amount of photos you'd like to get, how many different places you want to walk to in order to have pictures taken, the ages of the people getting photos taken, and the number of people in your group.

If everyone in your group is over age 5, I'd say you will be fine as far as everyone cooperating & listening to the photographer when they move you to a different spot or say "smile".

If you have less than 10 people in your group, I'd say you probably won't need the extra time. The more people you have, the more time it takes for the photographer to move everyone & sit/stand people in various poses.

If you want tons and tons of pictures, I'd say try to get the extra time. The more time you spend with the photographer, the more photos you will end up with. We would've gotten close to 70-90 if we would've gone to the 2 other locations the photographer suggested...our son was just way too tired & hungry unfortunately. I would say in the normal time frame, you will get close to 100 pictures if you get a good photographer & quickly move from spot to spot.

If there are specific places at AKL where you want photos taken, I would say to get the extra time. AKL is a huge resort, we stayed there last trip. I would say that there's a good amount of indoor & outdoor spots for photos as well as getting pics with the Christmas tree & other decor for the holidays. If it were me, I'd love to get photos outside in front of the savanna areas in addition to the little waterfall/rock area & the other animal areas. This would take a good amount of time to walk to & from. So I guess I would suggest getting the extra time!

Hope that helps! I'm still looking for the photo session thread for you to look at!

 

[stephielela]

I see that you have a new ticker! Woo hoo!! I really want to go back next year too... but I just don't thinkg it's going to work. Especially because if I go during the F&W festival, I want my parents to go, and I KNOW they won't do another trip so soon after the last. We will see...

 

[photographymom517]

I see that you have a new ticker! Woo hoo!! I really want to go back next year too... but I just don't thinkg it's going to work. Especially because if I go during the F&W festival, I want my parents to go, and I KNOW they won't do another trip so soon after the last. We will see...

HAHA! Someone noticed! I was wondering who would notice that ticker first!!!

Honestly...its kinda like a "dream ticker" because as of right now, the trip is completely in my head as a dream! I need ALOT of Disney magic thrown my way to make it a reality!

I was going to post an update about it but I'll just post it here in the response to you! Its actually somewhat funny how my "new trip" came about! My husband suggested that we take a very short trip sometime between Halloween and Christmas this year...with the condition that he must continue working for the rest of the year. And guess what? I SAID NO! Can you believe it??? I passed up an opportunity that I will probably NEVER again get in my life! Disney TWICE in the same year!

I'm not trying to man-bash here but my husband is extremely cheap...very very very cheap about everything. I can't even believe he will pay to go to Disney...I am still in shock that he will stay on property! And it is still beyond my knowledge why he suggested getting the dining plan on our June trip AND staying for 10 days. When it comes to Disney, something just happens & makes him not care about the $$$ and he only cares about the quality which is completely impressive to me (and would be to all of you if you went to a mall with him...and walked around without one single shopping bag in your hand the entire day! We go to malls to walk around...we don't shop...we window shop...thats it...so now you can understand a little of what I'm talking about...lol)

The reason I'm telling you that he is so cheap is because you will then understand how wonderful it is for him to suggest this second trip to me!!!!

But like I said, I said NO!

Turns out that I was right with my thinking. Here was my thought process:

1) First of all, I'd much rather go when our son is a little older. We had way too many incidents on this past trip & I'd rather just wait so we can all enjoy it more. Next year, he will be 3 1/2 if we go in the fall which is an entire year old than he is right now (obviously lol). We go to Disney for him and I really want him to remember it better & enjoy it more than this past trip!

2) I want to plan...you all know, I'm an obsessive planner! I want to make ADR's and plan new things (maybe a tour?). I want to have a list of things we didn't do on this past trip...and new things we can do because next year our son will be older & taller!

3) I want to make sure we go when the crowds are lower & the humidity isn't as bad as it was in June!

4) I'd like to attend the MNSSHP or MVMCP and don't want to rush the planning. I think both parties would be more enjoyable for our son if he was a little older (especially since we were just on a trip in June).

5) I was worried about my husband's work schedule & think it would be beneficial for us to save up money now & into next year...for a trip next fall.

So, there it is...my thought process. And guess what? Turns out that I was actually right because my husband is getting laid off again this Friday. We aren't sure when he'll be back. There aren't many jobs to bid on right now but hopefully something comes up soon. I'm glad we didn't make the decision to go this year. It would just be too stressful on all of us financially & emotionally. I want to enjoy my Disney trips & I want my family to enjoy our Disney trips! We can't do that if we're worried about $$$ and work situations.

ALSO *** FREE DINING WAS EXTENDED ***

So I guess my intuition was correct! I found a way that we can go to MNSSHP and the Epcot Food & Wine Festival next year. I just have to double-check and make sure that week isn't crowded. If it is, forget it, we will choose one or the other!

I'm also looking into Port Orleans French Quarter, Pop Century, or Swan/Dolphin. I'd LOVE to stay at the Beach Club, we loved it at our photo session, but there is absolutely no way that can happen. Its just too expensive...maybe someday when I buy into DVC (again...in my dreams for now!)

Anyone have any opinions on any of these resorts? I can't wait until everyone comes back from their Fall/Holiday trips so I can read all about MNSSHP and MVMCP!!!

So, as of right now, even next year's trip isn't a reality, but I'm hoping to get something planned before the end of the year so I can book free dining. My husband told me a million times on this past trip that NEXT trip, we were definitely getting the regular dining plan & eating good!!! So that is definitely an incentive to convince him to book by the end of this year. We may have to change the dates once it gets closer because of his work schedule, but it was super easy to change the dates for my trip in June so that shouldn't be an issue. I'm just really, really hoping it works out! I'm afraid I have to force him into Disney next year before he decides to vacation somewhere else for a few years

He's already been talking about other places he wants to visit...like Mexico, and the Caribbean, and somewhere out West, and a cruise, etc. So, my response was that he can visit CBR, Mexico at Epcot, and go on a Disney cruise!!! I already told him that I refuse to go on a cruise unless its Disney!

And speaking of cruises -- thank you Michelle, FortheLoveofDCL, I have been reading your cruise info (from your siggie) & learned soooo much from it!!! We definitely plan to cruise, but probably not for a few years. Our son definitely needs to be older & potty-trained!

So, while my 2011 trip plans are not definite in reality, they are definitely in my dreams...and I will continue to plan my little heart away until I am told not to!

ON ANOTHER NOTE!!! GUESS WHAT TOMORROW IS?????

I am getting my Dooney & Bourke Wonder Tote!!!!

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I have been saving like craaaazy since our trip in June...I even took an entire jar of change to the bank to deposit. Luckily I knew the teller working that day! lol Hey, all money spends the same whether its pennies or dollar bills! Anyway, I finally finally finally got enough $$$ and couldn't wait 4 more weeks until my family takes a trip down to Disney. So I ordered it from Disneystore.com so I'm really hoping I get nice placement. When I looked at the Wonder totes in June, I didn't see any that I didn't like, so I don't think it will be a problem. We will see tomorrow! I promise to post pictures!!!

Honestly, its a really nice feeling to have a few things going my way for once. I have been stressed like CRAZY since April/May because we've had some family issues going on. It was nice to have a break in June when we went to Disney but I haven't had another break since. It seems like I've been everyone's rock during these times & its starting to wear on me & my health. Its just really been catching up with me in the past few weeks. I'm the type of person who puts on a happy face & just keeps pushing forward no matter how I feel. And sometimes I guess I just need to stop & rest & do something for myself. I've been trying to spend more time at home doing fun things with my son, like crafts & reading & playing outside. I also plan to start my Disney scrapbook soon so hopefully all of these things (and of course DIS!) will help me keep my mind off the other interesting family issues going on all around me!

Hope everyone has a great week!!! I'm working on keeping up with my subscriptions so if I haven't posted on your report lately, I probably have read it, I just haven't commented yet! Will work on my DIS-ing again tomorrow!