MT and AZ take on WDW! – A September PTR

[oboedm]

I worry we might feel a bit rushed this time.

I am sure you will be just fine, especially with the low crowds!

 

[oboedm]

Chapter 7: DH's Past WDW Experience

For the next couple of updates, I thought I would tell you about our previous WDW experiences. Both DH and I had been to WDW once as teenagers before our trip together last year.

First up, DH!

When I was a kid my family decided to take a trip over to Walt Disney World. This was huge considering I'd never been on a plane, and the fact that I had only ever been to Disneyland. I love my family, but we weren’t much of a "family trip" family (like Paula’s was). I was going to start 7th grade in the fall, and I could just imagine how awesome it was going to be to come back after the summer bragging about my time at Disney World.

My first shock was the fact that we were not going to fly, but drive to Orlando, Florida. Uh... what? That's across the United States. What could be the reason? Why was this the ideal method of travel. It turns out that my father wanted to not only go to Disney World, but take us on a mini tour of places where he used to live.

Oh, okay. I could be excited about that (not really), but I did have a concern. We only had a Ford Pickup and Pontiac Grand Prix at the time. Were we going to rent a van? I mean, with three boys (none of which were ever small kids) and the long distance, a van made sense. Nope! Not to my parents apparently. Just cram three brothers into the back seat of a two door Grand Prix. Travel, rinse, repeat.

We fought like cats in a bag. I hated most of the trip due to the constant fighting for such important things like leg room and the ability to not be touched by my brothers. Finally, after several days we pulled up to the wonder that is Walt Disney World. Well, to be honest, we were at Epcot Center, but all the same, there it was. As we exited the car all of our arguments washed away. My brothers and I embraced under the shade of that mighty sphere, and we couldn't wait.

We, checked out all of the science exhibits and rides in “Future World” and marveled at the wonder around us. Right around 6 pm my father piled us into the car, and off we went... BACK HOME! No world showcase, no Magic Kingdom, just a big silver sphere. I wish I was kidding. We traveled across the entire country for one day at Epcot Center. The nerd of Disney World. Ugh.

The end.

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

Nice update.

I can't imagine driving that far with three boys in the back seat of a car.

 

[Joyciemc]

That may be the worst Disney trip ever. No offense, Evan.

Here's hoping your future trips are always better than that one!

 

[trickiwoo]

Love the ADRs!!!! Since we're only doing regular dining plan and only staying for 5 nights, we only have 5 TS meals. But of the 5 TS meals we're doing... you're eating at 4 of the restaurants we chose!!! (The only place we're eating that you aren't is The Wave.) And a lot of the restaurants you chose are places I'd like to eat at in the future!


Oh no! You drove all the way to Orlando just to spend a day at Epcot! That's so sad!!! I mean, I love Epcot and everything... but I can't imagine going to WDW and only going to one of the parks!

Well, at least you get to make up for it by having great experiences at WDW as an adult!

 

[klacey1]

WHAAAT? I would have sprinted away from my parents and hopped on the monorail lest they try to take me all the way to FL in a cramped car and not see Cinderella's castle! I'm sure your later trips more than made up for it, though!!
I can relate to the non "family trip" trips. My parents are divorced, so my mom took us on FL vacations and to other random places, but my father ONLY took us to Ireland, where he is from. Three weeks with my grandmother who admitted frequently that she didn't like me. Woof.

 

[oboedm]

Chapter 8: My Past WDW experience

I had a much better experience at WDW than Evan as a teenager. My family had been to DL a few times before this, but this was our first time to WDW. This was the only time we went as a family. My next trip to WDW would be 13.5 later with DH.

We went spring break of my sophomore year. We flew to Florida, went to Cape Canaveral and WDW. I think we were going to go to Key West as well, but we didn’t make it because it was stormy. We ended up buying another day at WDW.

Me in front of a LEGO Nasa Space-something-or-other. It was so cold and windy this day. My AZ blood couldn’t take it.

When in Florida we stayed off property (I don’t remember where). As far as parks were concerned, went to MK for two days, Epcot for one and MGM for one. It seems that all the pictures I have scanned are of me in MK.

However, we have a couple of hours of camcorder footage, and I LOVE hearing all the fighting in the background of the video. Even though we rented a van (and the four of us sisters weren’t crammed into the back of a two door Pontiac) we still fought like cats and dogs. I guess that is teen and pre-teen girls for you.

I don’t really remember any stories from the trip, so I will just make comments on the pictures.

Why are we not more excited in this picture? We are at WDW! Maybe we were just teenagers are “over” everything.

On the far left you will see my oldest sister who just announced that she is pregnant with her sixth child. They are cute though, so I don’t mind. This makes 3 people I know who are pregnant and due from Jan-April of next year. What are they drinking and where can I get some of it?

DH said that if we don’t get pregnant in the next few months that we could take his sister, her husband and their two girls to DL for Spring Break. So I have things to look forward to! Wahoo!

In front of BTMRR. Don’t know why these scans turned out so shadowy! Love the tucked in plaid shirt. I was styling in 1996!

Was this ever in style… or was I that unfashionable? My mom bought my clothes… didn’t really pay attention to that stuff until the last year or so.

Why are we faking excitement on this ride? I love BTMRR. Maybe my dad told us to pose or something and it came out forced. Love the hair/boredom on the woman behind us.

Apparently I was excited for Peter Pan’s flight, yet my drama queen sister was not. I have so many pictures of me and her together, yet, we were the ones that fought the most growing up. Disney does funny things to people, I guess.

Me somewhere in Fantasyland. I seem to remember eating at Pinocchio’s Village Haus on the trip. Maybe this was taken after lunch?

Waiting for the Enchanted Tiki Room. Don’t really know why I am making this face. On the right is my youngest sister.

While my first WDW experience was more extensive than DH's, I don’t remember a lot and it’s less funny.

We can’t wait to take BIL (who was part of the awful WDW trip with DH’s family) and SIL (who has never been to a Disney Park). It should be amazing! In a month from now I will be in the Animal Kingdom having lunch at Yak an Yeti!

Up Next: Daily Plans and possibly Packing Posts!

 

[oboedm]

Nice update.

I can't imagine driving that far with three boys in the back seat of a car.

He said is was awful. Evan was 6 feet in 7th grade, and his brothers are only a few inches shorter. People that tall should never right in a two door car!

That may be the worst Disney trip ever. No offense, Evan.

Here's hoping your future trips are always better than that one!

I can't see how they couldn't be better! It isn't hard to top. He always says that the trip we took last year was the best trip of his whole life!

Love the ADRs!!!! Since we're only doing regular dining plan and only staying for 5 nights, we only have 5 TS meals. But of the 5 TS meals we're doing... you're eating at 4 of the restaurants we chose!!! (The only place we're eating that you aren't is The Wave.) And a lot of the restaurants you chose are places I'd like to eat at in the future!

Seems like we have similar taste in food! I am rather unadventurous and we seriously considered the Wave, but there were too many other places and we were already going to have the chance to check our CR with CA Grill.

WHAAAT? I would have sprinted away from my parents and hopped on the monorail lest they try to take me all the way to FL in a cramped car and not see Cinderella's castle! I'm sure your later trips more than made up for it, though!!
I can relate to the non "family trip" trips. My parents are divorced, so my mom took us on FL vacations and to other random places, but my father ONLY took us to Ireland, where he is from. Three weeks with my grandmother who admitted frequently that she didn't like me. Woof.

I don't even think that they told the boys that MK existed! I think MGM was only a few years old as well, but the boys didn't know about it. They trusted their parents too much and should have done their own research. This was before the internet, though, and they were teenage boys. I don't know of any teenage boys who would research WDW independent of their parents.

What I love is that they didn't even know WS was there. Did they not notice the other half of the park? I mean, it's hard to miss. If they were near the rear of future world at all, they would see it. I wonder if they only went to FW East and West and never ventured beyond the fountain. I wonder if this was a deliberate elimination on the part of my inlaws... maybe my FIL didn't want to visit other countries?

Love the grandmother mention. Sometimes I wonder about my grandma. She always tells me that she loves me on my birthday, but most of the time she gives disapproving looks and makes negative comments about the other grandkids, so I wonder what she really thinks of me.

 

[trickiwoo]

Haha! I'm so happy to hear you had a much more pleasant first WDW trip than your husband!

At least you both got to go to WDW as kids! We're from the West Coast (San Diego) so we went to Disneyland a lot. But then we moved to the East Coast when I was 7. And my parents figured that since we'd been to Disneyland we didn't need to go to WDW.


Congrats to your sister on her pregnancy... but 6 kids??!! She doesn't need that many! She should let you have some!

 

[javaj]

Great pre-trippie! We just planned a Labor Day weekend trip and so I'm looking for my fellow travelers' pre-trip reports

Our trip is much shorter than yours, from the 1st through the 6th, but you have me seriously considering the deluxe for part of our trip now. We tried deluxe last year for the first time and it was definitely way too much (esp with kids!) and I said never again.

But we have 3 separate DVC ressies (the pains of last minute planning) and we're doing the quick service the first and last night. Right now we have the basic dining plan for the middle 3 nights, but I've been considering the deluxe. If I could just get 1 or 2 more ressies such as 'Ohana, or find a grand gathering to share for the illuminations reception, then it would be an easier decision!

Happy September trip planning!

 

[Joyciemc]

At least your trip looked like fun!

It should be a lot of fun sharing it with BIL and his family!

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

Love the flashback pictures!

 

[oboedm]

Great pre-trippie! We just planned a Labor Day weekend trip and so I'm looking for my fellow travelers' pre-trip reports

Our trip is much shorter than yours, from the 1st through the 6th, but you have me seriously considering the deluxe for part of our trip now. We tried deluxe last year for the first time and it was definitely way too much (esp with kids!) and I said never again.

But we have 3 separate DVC ressies (the pains of last minute planning) and we're doing the quick service the first and last night. Right now we have the basic dining plan for the middle 3 nights, but I've been considering the deluxe. If I could just get 1 or 2 more ressies such as 'Ohana, or find a grand gathering to share for the illuminations reception, then it would be an easier decision!

Happy September trip planning!

The DxDDP is a LOT of food, but I figured that since we are taking someone for their first time, we could splurge! The next time we go, we will probably just do the regular plan-- or not do the plan at all, if we do the annual pass thing at TIW.

At least your trip looked like fun!

It should be a lot of fun sharing it with BIL and his family!

We are so excited! My nephew just opened his pirate shirt! I will have to post pictures.

Love the flashback pictures!

Thanks! It was a lot of fun scanning in the old school slides!

 

[onescgirl]

Ya'll two are the cutest couple!!

And, thanks to your husband, I have had the best laugh reading about his 1st WDW trip! I am still cracking up thinking about it!

And, I love your old WDW pictures!

(I just sent you a PM)

 

[klacey1]

Love the pictures!! Especially you and your sister on Peter Pan!

 

[oboedm]

Chapter 9: Nephew Gifts, Short Update~

I few months ago I sent mail to my nephew with a letter from Mickey and a countdown chain (courtesy of the DISigners). He was SO excited to get this piece of mail! In other news, we got all our Mickey Mail last week! My SIL wrote on my FaceBook wall right away. They are so excited!

Here is a picture of the mail from Mickey:

I decided to make him a few other things. An autograph book and a few t-shirts. Each week his mom gives him a new piece of mail. (I shipped them in one box, but he doesn’t know that. She keeps them hidden).

He received the autograph book for his fourth birthday. I know it is big, but I wanted to have a place for pictures. I also made pages for the different Epcot pavilions. We can either take a picture with the KidCot person or one of Hayden in the pavilion. I am thinking that it would be cool to have him with the KidCot person, since they will be signing and stamping the book.

Do you think a thick Sharpie like this will be big enough for the characters to handle? Do you think the chisel tip will be too weird for them to grasp? I want the marker to be thick enough so you can see the signature on the colored cardstock, and I don’t think the Disney Pens will work for this

The other day Hayden opened his pirate t-shirt and was really excited! He just had to play pirates before bed!

Don't worry! Ginny is getting shirts too. Her pirate shirt says "Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of milk". I got the iron on transfers at Jo-Ann Fabrics.


Here is my current dilemma. I would love to do the Pirate’s League for Hayden since the experience sounds pretty awesome. However, I don’t know if it is really worth splurging for. Here is a post from all ears that describes the process.

http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2009/06/pirates_league.html

The cost is now $30.00 and includes:

-- Choice of facial effect (5 pirates or 1 Empress to choose from)
-- Reversible bandanna
-- Earring and Eye Patch
-- Sword and Sheath
-- Temporary Tattoo
-- Unique Pirate Coin Necklace
-- Personalized Pirate Oath
-- Official Pirate Name
-- Removable Teeth
-- Participation in a daily Adventureland Pirate Parade

(information from allears.net).

I think the memories, pictures and video footage we could get would be worth it (for us parents), since most Hayden won't remember it past a certain age (he is four, and I only have a few memories from back then).

What do you think?

 

[oboedm]

Ya'll two are the cutest couple!!

And, thanks to your husband, I have had the best laugh reading about his 1st WDW trip! I am still cracking up thinking about it!

And, I love your old WDW pictures!

(I just sent you a PM)

Thanks for the PM! I will reply ASAP!

Glad that he is good for a laugh! He always has interesting stories from his childhood. For example, his dad thought/thinks that the apocalypse will come at any second, so they grew up taking camping trips where his dad would give them various "scenarios" they would have to work through. His dad also claims to have met someone from Atlantis!

He is the sweetest man in the world though! Maybe I just say that because I think I am the favorite (or so DH tells me).

Love the pictures!! Especially you and your sister on Peter Pan!

I know! She is such a drama queen! She has toned down a bit, but we aren't the closest of the sisters because she lives 3 hours away. We still don't really "get" each other, even in our late 20s.

 

[Joyciemc]

Your nephew is so stinking cute!!!
I love the mail and things you are sending him, the autograph book is great- it will become a scrapbook once you add the pictures!
I think a sharpie will work great. But does the chisel tip write strange if it isn't held the right way? It might be tough for the characters to hold the marker right.

Hmmm, this might be fuzzy Disney math (like with me ordering the bride and groom ear thing), but I thought the pirates league was way more than $30... so it sounds reasonable to me... and the pictures look like a lot of fun!

 

[stephielela]

Subbing!

I totally think $30 for the pirates league is worth it. I wanted to do it for DS, but he isn't 3 yet. Plus I know he wouldn't sit still long enough.

Your DH's story is CRAZY! I'd be so mad! That would mean lots of therapy later on in life!

Looking forward to more!

 

[onescgirl]

You're such a great Aunt! Love the Autograph book & t-shirts!!!

We used a retractable Sharpie for autographs. They are big & you don't have to worry about the cap.