mackeysmom
Let's Go Mets!
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2003
- Messages
- 1,030
Cast of Characters:
Laura (me) - age 34
Joseph - age 7 - my nephew/Godson
For those of you who may have read my previous trip reports (Cousins take on the World), you might remember that I am a compulsive Disney planner. A year before arriving, I pretty much know every move I will make in Disney, every PS I will need, even to the point of knowing what I will be ordering for dinner on any given night. It helps that my usual traveling partner (my cousin Annmarie) is the same way. We are already in the midst of planning our October 2005 trip.
About two years ago, I tagged along with my sister, brother-in-law, and two nieces (then ages 2 & 3) and nephew (then age 5) on their "Disney" trip. I put "quotes" around Disney, because they stayed off-site, ate off-site for the most part, lounged about in their hotel during prime park time, and basically didn't have a clue where to go, when to go, and how to get there.
I am very close to the kids, and try to spend as much time with them as possible. I started a tradition of taking Joseph on mini-vacations each year for his birthday - little overnight car trips - just the two of us. Of course, once the girls get a little older, I'll do the same for each of them.
Last year I made a deal with Joseph. If we were to forgo our annual trips for a year or so (to give me some time to save up money), I would take him to Disneyworld when he was 8 or 9. We shook on it -- it was a deal.
Of course, I am always looking for any excuse to go to WDW, so when the Visa/Free Kids package came out, I decided that was fate telling me to take him a little earlier. I booked it without telling him and sprung it on him in January. Needless to say, he was so excited and started counting down the days.
At first, I thought about planning every minute. I mean, after all, we are only going to have 3 1/2 days there so I better make the most of every minute. I thought I'd make our PSs for each meal, I'd book the Hoop-Dee-Doo, I'd send him on the pirate cruise, etc.
Then a few weeks ago, I went to see him after work one night. He was waiting for me at the door holding something. It was a new pair of swimming trunks my sister had purchased for him. He excitedly gave me an impromptu fashion show and asked me to describe the hotel pool. In my head I was screaming "What? You want to go swimming? There's no time for swimming - we have to get on every ride and see every show and eat at every restaurant!!" It was then that I realized that this was not MY Disney trip, this was HIS Disney trip.
With that, I cancelled almost all of my plans. The only things I kept were my PSs for Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace. I also signed the two of us up for the Family Magic Tour.
So, here is our planned itinerary -
Wednesday
Fly Jet Blue from JFK to Orlando
Tiffany Town Car to All Star Movies
Off to Magic Kingdom after check-in (about 3:00 p.m.)
Stay at MK until closing and head over to dinner PSs at Chef Mickey's
Thursday
No PS's made
Spend morning at MGM
Back to the hotel for a mid-afternoon break/swim
Evening at MGM (see Fantasmic)
Friday
No PSs made
Spend morning at AK
Back to the hotel for mid-afternoon break/swim
Late afternoon/evening at Epcot
Saturday
Family Magic Tour at MK
Lunch at Crystal Palace
Balance of afternoon/evening wherever Joseph chooses
Sunday
Early flight back to New York
As you will see in my upcoming detailed reports, those plans were pretty much shot to hell.
I hope to have the first installment shortly.
-- Laura
Laura (me) - age 34
Joseph - age 7 - my nephew/Godson
For those of you who may have read my previous trip reports (Cousins take on the World), you might remember that I am a compulsive Disney planner. A year before arriving, I pretty much know every move I will make in Disney, every PS I will need, even to the point of knowing what I will be ordering for dinner on any given night. It helps that my usual traveling partner (my cousin Annmarie) is the same way. We are already in the midst of planning our October 2005 trip.
About two years ago, I tagged along with my sister, brother-in-law, and two nieces (then ages 2 & 3) and nephew (then age 5) on their "Disney" trip. I put "quotes" around Disney, because they stayed off-site, ate off-site for the most part, lounged about in their hotel during prime park time, and basically didn't have a clue where to go, when to go, and how to get there.
I am very close to the kids, and try to spend as much time with them as possible. I started a tradition of taking Joseph on mini-vacations each year for his birthday - little overnight car trips - just the two of us. Of course, once the girls get a little older, I'll do the same for each of them.
Last year I made a deal with Joseph. If we were to forgo our annual trips for a year or so (to give me some time to save up money), I would take him to Disneyworld when he was 8 or 9. We shook on it -- it was a deal.
Of course, I am always looking for any excuse to go to WDW, so when the Visa/Free Kids package came out, I decided that was fate telling me to take him a little earlier. I booked it without telling him and sprung it on him in January. Needless to say, he was so excited and started counting down the days.
At first, I thought about planning every minute. I mean, after all, we are only going to have 3 1/2 days there so I better make the most of every minute. I thought I'd make our PSs for each meal, I'd book the Hoop-Dee-Doo, I'd send him on the pirate cruise, etc.
Then a few weeks ago, I went to see him after work one night. He was waiting for me at the door holding something. It was a new pair of swimming trunks my sister had purchased for him. He excitedly gave me an impromptu fashion show and asked me to describe the hotel pool. In my head I was screaming "What? You want to go swimming? There's no time for swimming - we have to get on every ride and see every show and eat at every restaurant!!" It was then that I realized that this was not MY Disney trip, this was HIS Disney trip.
With that, I cancelled almost all of my plans. The only things I kept were my PSs for Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace. I also signed the two of us up for the Family Magic Tour.
So, here is our planned itinerary -
Wednesday
Fly Jet Blue from JFK to Orlando
Tiffany Town Car to All Star Movies
Off to Magic Kingdom after check-in (about 3:00 p.m.)
Stay at MK until closing and head over to dinner PSs at Chef Mickey's
Thursday
No PS's made
Spend morning at MGM
Back to the hotel for a mid-afternoon break/swim
Evening at MGM (see Fantasmic)
Friday
No PSs made
Spend morning at AK
Back to the hotel for mid-afternoon break/swim
Late afternoon/evening at Epcot
Saturday
Family Magic Tour at MK
Lunch at Crystal Palace
Balance of afternoon/evening wherever Joseph chooses
Sunday
Early flight back to New York
As you will see in my upcoming detailed reports, those plans were pretty much shot to hell.
I hope to have the first installment shortly.
-- Laura
