twinmom
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2005
- Messages
- 191
I have decided to write a pre-trip/trip report 
even though I don't know how to add pictures. I am computer stupid 
but maybe my kids can teach me. My oldest taught me how to use the computer as a word processor when he was 7.
First a little history. I grew up watching Wonderful World of Disney. I loved the beginning with Tinkerbell and the fireworks. When Mary Poppins was first released my mother took me to see it. I loved it and we bought the record. I used to go with my mother to her best friends house. She had a daughter close to my age and we would sing all the songs and act out the movie for our mothers. My mother died when I was 12 and not having a father I moved in with my grandparents. Mary Poppins has always reminded me so much of my mother.
When I was 15 I went to Disneyland with my best friends family. We stayed at the beach and only went to the park for one day. I remember very little of it except for the ticket booklets and riding the Matterhorn after it got dark. I also remember the Monte Cristo sandwich I had there. It was the best. I have never found another one that tasted as good.
Fast forward 17 years. I was a Reservist in the Navy
and after going thru a divorce decided to go Active Duty. I had to go to a school in Orlando for 2 weeks and ended up being there for 6. Long story......my paper work got lost and it took forever for the Navy to realize I was still there. Anyway, I went one day to WDW with a few other people. We went to Magic Kingdom and Epcot. MGM hadn't opened yet. I remember eating at Coral Reef.
I ended up in New Orleans (talk about culture shock, Salt Lake City to New Orleans) and later was transferred to Dallas. I got married and had my first boy when I was 36 and twin boys when I was 39. When the boys were 3, 1 and 1, my most wonderful MIL suggested DH and I go somewhere. I suggested WDW and DH agreed. He wasn't really excited but he did it for my sake. I started doing research... buying the books and reading RADP. A new obsession was born. We ended up at WL. DH loved that. We rode all the rides and DH golfed a couple of times. We were gone for 7 days which was about 2 days too many to be away from the kids.
The next year good ole MIL suggested she watch the boys again while DH and I take a trip and again I said WDW. DH said there was no need to go again as we had ridden all the rides before. Who is this man?
I convinced him to go with the promise of lots of golf. He agreed. This time we stayed at the Beach Club. I loved it but DH would have rather been at WL. Oh well. Couple of golf stories. He was always paired up with people since he was alone. At one point one of the guys in his group made a hole in one. The marshal or whatever they are called was riding past on his golf cart and got the guys name and info. When they arrived back at the clubhouse there was an engraved plaque waiting for the guy. DH was very impressed by Disney that day. Another day DH was golfing with a father/son team. They started talking about golfing at WDW and eventually realized they had been paired with DH the year before on the same course. Everyone sing "It's a Small World." I mean, what are the odds.
The next year I took my oldest son to WDW, just the two of us, when he was 4. He was such a trooper. We stayed at WL with the bunkbeds. We were soo commando and DS never slowed down. Every morning I would give him a breakfast bar and he would eat and watch television
while I got ready. He later said the best part of the trip was breakfast in bed every morning.
I was still obsessed with planning and reading about WDW and convinced DH to join DVC.
We got a resale at Old Key West. There were some left over points for that year so I talked DH into letting me go right after Thanksgiving for 5 days to see the decorations. I was so excited to go solo but eventually he talked me into taking oldest DS again. He was now 5. I decided to surprise him. He was not happy having it sprung on him. I learned then he is not into being surprised. We stayed the first night at Dixie Landing and the rest of the time at Old Key West. We had a good time but it was very cold and he was not quite the trooper that he was his first visit. Of course what 5 YO wants to go around to all the resorts looking at decorations. So it was not quite the trip I had planned. It was fun but not the solo trip I wanted.
The next summer all five of us went to Vero Beach
for 3 days and WDW for 5 days. Here is where DH earned his nickname Mr. Crabby Pants. We stayed at WL. DH would sleep in every morning then go to the fitness center. Mind you he never did any of this at home but of course now that we wanted to get going we had to sit around and wait. He convinced the boys they didn't want to see any parades and that there was nothing in World Showcase they wanted to see. When we left WDW my oldest boy told the twins "Trust me guys, its much more fun with just mom." I was determined I was going to take them by myself after that.
With all my boys in school I stared substituting and saving the money for our next trip. I took them the next year over Spring Break. DH couldn't get away then so it was just us. The boys on this trip are now 8, 6, and 6. We were going thru security and the boys were waving goodbye to their dad. The security guard asked them if they were going to have any fun at WDW without dad and they said something along the lines of he would just ruin the fun. Poor DH. We had a great time and funny thing, the boys loved World Showcase and the parades.
That summer we did do the Vero/WDW thing again with all 5 of us and had a great time. DH did better but we have all realized WDW is just not dads thing.
Since then I have taken the boys almost every spring break up until a couple of years ago. They play select baseball and travel quite a bit with that so spring break is usually made up of baseball. One funny story......one trip the boys and I found a great spot to watch Illuminations. They were probably 9, 7 and 7. The twins are also identical. I went over and got us drinks and popcorn for the wait. Knowing we didn't need one for each of us I got 2 large drinks and 2 popcorns figuring I could share with my oldest and the twins could share. When I got back no one was happy. No one wanted to share. I told them to suit themselves, it was share or get nothing. The twins looked at me and one of them said "We have to share a face and now we have to share our popcorn."
When traveling to WDW I have to be careful about seeing Mary Poppins. I met her once at a character meal and cried and cried.
I told her the story of my mom and I think she was getting a little teary eyed. She asked for my name and address and a few weeks later I got an autographed picture. When I see her in England I will just sit and watch her and fight the tears. Of course it not quite the same as if it were Julie Andrews but it is close enough. Of course my boys have gotten used to my tears. I tend to tear up over lots of things at WDW.
Two years ago, I decided I really wanted to see the Christmas decorations. DH agreed and off I went for my first solo trip. I stayed at SSR for 5 days and had the best time. I did the Dining Plan. It was tough at first. I have never eaten at a sit down restaurant before but by the end of the trip it was no problem. I did the Candlelight Processional, saw all the Santas in all the countrys and did the Yuletide tour.
That summer I took the boys again but it was sooo hot. We are used to Spring Break. With the boys getting older and soo used to WDW it makes it nicer to travel with them. One afternoon DS13 didn't want to go to AK so we left him at OKW and I went with the twins. Now that he is a teenager he just wants to sleep.
Last January I went with a girlfriend for 6 days. She and her DH and son go often to WDW so she is a veteran. Well we decided to make this as much of a girl trip as possible. We got tickets to the Pirate and Princess Party.
We had an early dinner in the castle. Something I have always wanted to do but with 3 boys.....not happening. We wore our tiaras and had a absolute blast. We were silly and crazy and didn't have to worry about embarrassing our boys. It was probably one of my best trips ever. We took a ton of pictures and did all the things our boys don't want to do. We had been home for 2 weeks when she presented me with a scrapbook of our trip. She made herself one, also and they are work of art. I don't know how she does it. I am still working on the trip with DS from 1998.
Last summer the twins and I went to Vero Beach for 3 days and WDW for just 2. They were supposed to be playing in a baseball tournament in Cocoa Beach but it was cancelled after we made the plane reservations so we made do and went for fun. Of course DS15 wasn't going because he had baseball games at home. And I am sorry to report he is getting more and more like his dad everyday. They hate to travel and would rather sit home and do nothing. The twins and I are just the opposite. We like nothing more that staying in hotels, we don't care where they are. It works out for me because when one of the boys has an out of town baseball tournament I get to take them.
So that bring us up to date. Next post, how I convinced DH to let me go solo again.
even though I don't know how to add pictures. I am computer stupid but maybe my kids can teach me. My oldest taught me how to use the computer as a word processor when he was 7. First a little history. I grew up watching Wonderful World of Disney. I loved the beginning with Tinkerbell and the fireworks. When Mary Poppins was first released my mother took me to see it. I loved it and we bought the record. I used to go with my mother to her best friends house. She had a daughter close to my age and we would sing all the songs and act out the movie for our mothers. My mother died when I was 12 and not having a father I moved in with my grandparents. Mary Poppins has always reminded me so much of my mother.
When I was 15 I went to Disneyland with my best friends family. We stayed at the beach and only went to the park for one day. I remember very little of it except for the ticket booklets and riding the Matterhorn after it got dark. I also remember the Monte Cristo sandwich I had there. It was the best. I have never found another one that tasted as good.
Fast forward 17 years. I was a Reservist in the Navy
and after going thru a divorce decided to go Active Duty. I had to go to a school in Orlando for 2 weeks and ended up being there for 6. Long story......my paper work got lost and it took forever for the Navy to realize I was still there. Anyway, I went one day to WDW with a few other people. We went to Magic Kingdom and Epcot. MGM hadn't opened yet. I remember eating at Coral Reef.I ended up in New Orleans (talk about culture shock, Salt Lake City to New Orleans) and later was transferred to Dallas. I got married and had my first boy when I was 36 and twin boys when I was 39. When the boys were 3, 1 and 1, my most wonderful MIL suggested DH and I go somewhere. I suggested WDW and DH agreed. He wasn't really excited but he did it for my sake. I started doing research... buying the books and reading RADP. A new obsession was born. We ended up at WL. DH loved that. We rode all the rides and DH golfed a couple of times. We were gone for 7 days which was about 2 days too many to be away from the kids.
The next year good ole MIL suggested she watch the boys again while DH and I take a trip and again I said WDW. DH said there was no need to go again as we had ridden all the rides before. Who is this man?
I convinced him to go with the promise of lots of golf. He agreed. This time we stayed at the Beach Club. I loved it but DH would have rather been at WL. Oh well. Couple of golf stories. He was always paired up with people since he was alone. At one point one of the guys in his group made a hole in one. The marshal or whatever they are called was riding past on his golf cart and got the guys name and info. When they arrived back at the clubhouse there was an engraved plaque waiting for the guy. DH was very impressed by Disney that day. Another day DH was golfing with a father/son team. They started talking about golfing at WDW and eventually realized they had been paired with DH the year before on the same course. Everyone sing "It's a Small World." I mean, what are the odds. The next year I took my oldest son to WDW, just the two of us, when he was 4. He was such a trooper. We stayed at WL with the bunkbeds. We were soo commando and DS never slowed down. Every morning I would give him a breakfast bar and he would eat and watch television
while I got ready. He later said the best part of the trip was breakfast in bed every morning.I was still obsessed with planning and reading about WDW and convinced DH to join DVC.
We got a resale at Old Key West. There were some left over points for that year so I talked DH into letting me go right after Thanksgiving for 5 days to see the decorations. I was so excited to go solo but eventually he talked me into taking oldest DS again. He was now 5. I decided to surprise him. He was not happy having it sprung on him. I learned then he is not into being surprised. We stayed the first night at Dixie Landing and the rest of the time at Old Key West. We had a good time but it was very cold and he was not quite the trooper that he was his first visit. Of course what 5 YO wants to go around to all the resorts looking at decorations. So it was not quite the trip I had planned. It was fun but not the solo trip I wanted.The next summer all five of us went to Vero Beach
for 3 days and WDW for 5 days. Here is where DH earned his nickname Mr. Crabby Pants. We stayed at WL. DH would sleep in every morning then go to the fitness center. Mind you he never did any of this at home but of course now that we wanted to get going we had to sit around and wait. He convinced the boys they didn't want to see any parades and that there was nothing in World Showcase they wanted to see. When we left WDW my oldest boy told the twins "Trust me guys, its much more fun with just mom." I was determined I was going to take them by myself after that.With all my boys in school I stared substituting and saving the money for our next trip. I took them the next year over Spring Break. DH couldn't get away then so it was just us. The boys on this trip are now 8, 6, and 6. We were going thru security and the boys were waving goodbye to their dad. The security guard asked them if they were going to have any fun at WDW without dad and they said something along the lines of he would just ruin the fun. Poor DH. We had a great time and funny thing, the boys loved World Showcase and the parades.
That summer we did do the Vero/WDW thing again with all 5 of us and had a great time. DH did better but we have all realized WDW is just not dads thing.
Since then I have taken the boys almost every spring break up until a couple of years ago. They play select baseball and travel quite a bit with that so spring break is usually made up of baseball. One funny story......one trip the boys and I found a great spot to watch Illuminations. They were probably 9, 7 and 7. The twins are also identical. I went over and got us drinks and popcorn for the wait. Knowing we didn't need one for each of us I got 2 large drinks and 2 popcorns figuring I could share with my oldest and the twins could share. When I got back no one was happy. No one wanted to share. I told them to suit themselves, it was share or get nothing. The twins looked at me and one of them said "We have to share a face and now we have to share our popcorn."
When traveling to WDW I have to be careful about seeing Mary Poppins. I met her once at a character meal and cried and cried.
I told her the story of my mom and I think she was getting a little teary eyed. She asked for my name and address and a few weeks later I got an autographed picture. When I see her in England I will just sit and watch her and fight the tears. Of course it not quite the same as if it were Julie Andrews but it is close enough. Of course my boys have gotten used to my tears. I tend to tear up over lots of things at WDW.Two years ago, I decided I really wanted to see the Christmas decorations. DH agreed and off I went for my first solo trip. I stayed at SSR for 5 days and had the best time. I did the Dining Plan. It was tough at first. I have never eaten at a sit down restaurant before but by the end of the trip it was no problem. I did the Candlelight Processional, saw all the Santas in all the countrys and did the Yuletide tour.
That summer I took the boys again but it was sooo hot. We are used to Spring Break. With the boys getting older and soo used to WDW it makes it nicer to travel with them. One afternoon DS13 didn't want to go to AK so we left him at OKW and I went with the twins. Now that he is a teenager he just wants to sleep.
Last January I went with a girlfriend for 6 days. She and her DH and son go often to WDW so she is a veteran. Well we decided to make this as much of a girl trip as possible. We got tickets to the Pirate and Princess Party.
We had an early dinner in the castle. Something I have always wanted to do but with 3 boys.....not happening. We wore our tiaras and had a absolute blast. We were silly and crazy and didn't have to worry about embarrassing our boys. It was probably one of my best trips ever. We took a ton of pictures and did all the things our boys don't want to do. We had been home for 2 weeks when she presented me with a scrapbook of our trip. She made herself one, also and they are work of art. I don't know how she does it. I am still working on the trip with DS from 1998.Last summer the twins and I went to Vero Beach
for 3 days and WDW for just 2. They were supposed to be playing in a baseball tournament in Cocoa Beach but it was cancelled after we made the plane reservations so we made do and went for fun. Of course DS15 wasn't going because he had baseball games at home. And I am sorry to report he is getting more and more like his dad everyday. They hate to travel and would rather sit home and do nothing. The twins and I are just the opposite. We like nothing more that staying in hotels, we don't care where they are. It works out for me because when one of the boys has an out of town baseball tournament I get to take them. So that bring us up to date. Next post, how I convinced DH to let me go solo again.
They are still on Mouseplanet if anyone is interested. I always keep notes, take pictures of my food and have always meant to write another one but never have. I have been a member of DIS for quite awhile but had only posted a handfull of time. Just for basic questions. But that was all about to change.
.....How have I lived. It started innocently enough reading about the lady who went with her beautiful family all the while having two broken arms. I had to read about the woman and her mom that took her sister and partner and haven't hardly spoken since. I started staying up till 2 or 3 in the morning reading trip reports. There is the True Confessions trip, the Up, Down and All around trip report...I actually had a dream about her son.....the bittersweet report from the woman who lost her dear son and now these wonderful people were making special outfits for her daughter for their next trip....It was all too much.....I started posting......I knew I had to go again.....I had to write my own trip report.
but decided I would use ME instead.
I did get into a photopass share and then I saw 
the parks will be on Fri and Sat before the super bowl. Touring Plans website is predicting it will be very crowded on Sat. For that reason I am planning on doing AK for my last day. I would think most families, if they are only there for a long weekend, would not choose AK over the other parks. But we will see.
quite as much as I was planning. Oh well. I could start early and give my self time to sober up before I leave 
I did go to DS15 baseball game today. It was 32 degrees when we were there. I only stayed for a little while but I did get to see my son get a nice hit so that was nice. It is crazy to think that Friday it was 80 degrees. 
I thought no one would comment. Thanks for being my first. I hope not my only 
And I eat of lot of them darn it.
