My first Pre Trip Report - Completed - with pics

[2Tiggies]

Well here goes. Never done this before so I don't know how interesting it will be but anyways, I have been promising and like to think of myself as one to keep my word.

I suppose it is only polite to properly introduce you to my little family.

It's me (Lee). I don't feature in many photos, mostly because I prefer to be behind the camera and a little bit because there is usually nobody to take a pic of me. So this was taken by my daughter. She thought it was funny because I was really tired an remarked that Eeyore would make a cosy bed for a quick power nap.

And this is my 8 year old daughter Tové, blissfully unaware of what is coming up in a few weeks.

So for those of you who don't already know (probably nobody ), this is my 8 year old daughter's surprise trip!

Last year her dad told her that he would come and see her this year. She was quite concerned that if we went to Disney this year he wouldn't come. He has been promising for about 2 years now .... tick tock Heard it all before and waiting to see anything come of it. Anyway, on the flight home last year I suddenly had a brainwave If we go this year anyway and I play along that we are sitting this one out, I can make it a surprise. Just in case anyone thinks I am really mean, I did contact her dad and tell him my intentions and offered that if he could co-ordinate his dates, he is welcome to join us. I know that he would not come for the two full weeks and would obviously have to arrange his own package as he wouldn't be staying in the room with us , but I thought it would be an awesome surprise for her if we could both pull it off together. Rather unsurprisingly, when I was finalising my ADR list, I spent a week or two trying to get some kind of commitment out of him, and he told me to go ahead and book without him. So I did, but spent a few months on tenderhooks, wondering if he would come and then end up being left on the sidelines when we went for character meals - I didn't want this to happen.

Anyway, all that out the way now and let's move on to the plans

By the way, I am clueless as to how to go about this report, so if I am way off track, please feel free to post so I can make sure it falls in line with the way it should be.

Next up: Breaking the news

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Oh am I first?!!! Its nice to see what you look like!!!

Great start!

 

[2Tiggies]

Oh am I first?!!! Its nice to see what you look like!!!

Great start!

Oh did I not scare you? I don't have Photoshop to make myself look presentable

Busy with the next chapter which I will post tonight. Is it too detailed for a PTR? I don't have a clue what I am doing.

 

[grantforrest]

It's just great the way it is Lee! Keep up the good work and I look forward to the next installment

 

[2Tiggies]

It's just great the way it is Lee! Keep up the good work and I look forward to the next installment

Oh thank you so much. I didn't want to hit the submit reply button on part two yet in case I was doing it wrong. Thank you.

 

[2Tiggies]

Here's the plan for letting Tové into her own little surprise.

She thinks we might do a quick trip to Spain to see some friends over the October week the schools have off. Also, a recent unforeseen chain of events has her in the throes of changing schools. This has all come about in the last week and it looks like her placement request approval (red tape ) should be in by the middle of this week so she will start on Monday if all the paperwork is sorted. I think this has her pre-occupied at the moment, but in a positive way and is very excited.

So who knows? Well those on the DIS of course . My mum, brother and sister now know where we are really going. As for my dad, well he is so enthusiastic about life I doubt he could keep a secret. So I have let him into the 'secret' (I need him to take us to the airport and have also booked an extra room for him and my mum at the airport hotel the night before we fly). However he has my little line about a trip to Tenerife

The plan is that on the Friday (day before we fly out) I am finishing work early so I should be home no later than 1 pm. That should give me enough time to pack Dad will come by the house around 2 pm and collect the cases to be stowed safely in the boot. I wil then go to the school at 3 pm to meet Tové when the school comes out for the weekend. It is not unusual for me to be there on a Friday as I usually finish work early on Fridays anyway.

When we get back to the house, I am going to tell her I have a surprise for her: we are going to stay in a hotel for the night. Tové LOVES hotels No doubt she will be ecstatic about it. So far, she is to think that the hotel is the surprise.

Now I deliberated for months as to whether to tell her on the morning we fly or the night before at the hotel ..... or better still, just leave it for her to figure out . I decided the night before is probably best. I think it might just be too much for her to spring it on her on the morning and I doubt I would get a satisfactory level of co-operation in getting ready to get to the check in desk as she will be bouncing off the walls. I also really want my parents to enjoy the big revelation as I think it will be something special for them too.

So I have prepared a powerpoint presentation on the laptop with music and a rather animated little spiel about what we could do tomorrow, followed by suggestions such as a movie, go out for a nice lunch .... usual Saturday stuff. It then goes on to announce that shock, horror: Mum forgot Friday is 'menu night'! , followed by profuse apologies and a promise that 'Tomorrow night I will make it up to you' A brief background, every Friday night is her Menu Night. I write out a menu for her with a selection of fun meals (read: not optimal in nutrition) and she gets to place her order before school for what she wants to eat, drink and a small dessert or treat. The following screen pops this up (courtesy of Mel from the Creative DISign board, although I changed some of the text to suit:

I have set it not to stay on the screen too long. She may or may not get it the first time, so there are several announcements through the little presentation, in various forms. As to how soon she will realise something is up ... well that's anyone's guess. So on the next screen there is subtle Disney wallpaper and a question pops up asking: How would you like to stay in a hotel again tomorrow night? A few second later, 'Do you like this one?' at which point a picture of POFQ's pool and waterslide flashes up and dissolves away. Tové has been besotted with POFQ for 2 years, ever since she first spotted a picture of the pool in a brochure.

At this point the music changes to the Spectro Magic music, new slide comes up with a picture of a Mickey baseball cap. In sails an arrow which lands pointing at the words 'Where Dreams Come True' on the hat and the arrow flashes for a while as the music builds up. Seconds before the music reaches a climax, new screen unfolds: blank. As the music hits its peak, this comes spinning in: (If she hasn't got it yet, this should seal it for her )

There is more, but it is really just clips of some of her favourite Disney bits, photos attractions, etc. I am not too worried about whether she figures it out at the beginning or the end as I will burn it onto a CD for her as a keepsake. I accept that she is not going to take in everything in one go, but it will be nice for her to look back on and she is quite a sentimental little girl.

At this point, my dad (who would have been briefed earlier that day) will bring through our suitcases. Tové's hand luggage is already pretty much packed. So far I have wrapped a few gifts from the Disney store, popped in her Minnie Ears (not buying new ones every time) and also made her:

A Disney colouring in book
Two autograph books
An Epcot Passport
Bought her a copy of the Kids Guide to the Magic

She is also going to be presented with a home made voucher for the amount of spending money I am giving her for the trip. She has been saving all year thinking if she saves until next year she will have lots. I can't wait to tell her that her money is all in the bank untouched and this is a gift from me.

Next up: Meals and special things for this trip.

 

[jamjar84]

Aww, what a great PTR, and a lovely surprise for Tove. I can't wait to hear more.

 

[strawberry blonde]

Wow! What a lovely Mum. Tove is such a lucky girl.

I would love to see her face when she finds out that she's going to Disney. This is something that she'll always remember and I love the way you've planned it so that your Mum and Dad get to enjoy the surprise too.

Can't wait to read more

 

[dixonsontour]

How lovely you've done this for her.

Do you think she will jump up and down or be in absolute shock? Are you going to video or take pics of the reveal.

Keep going, great start.

 

[MrsTigger]

Aww how exciting!! What a great way to tell her. Looking forward to hearing more

 

[2Tiggies]

How lovely you've done this for her.

Do you think she will jump up and down or be in absolute shock? Are you going to video or take pics of the reveal.

Keep going, great start.

I have prepared myself to expect the unexpected. There is no way of telling how she will react. Yes, I do plan on getting it on video - or at the very least, some pictures. Pictures will be great if I can get some good ones as then I will be able to post them.

 

[mandymouse]

Wow, what a fab pre-trip report. I wish I could see your daughters reaction when she figures out she's off to WDW I look forward to reading some more about your plans

Not long now

 

[disney_princess_85]

Ooh, great report so far Lee! I can't believe how close your trip is.

 

[Rachey_101]

.

 

[VailaTigger]

Fabby PTR!!! I love the fact that it's a surprise for your daughter.

We dithered between surprise for DF's 2 boys or tell them we'd booked our trip this April... we decided on tell them, then they could enjoy the count down and build up with us.

If we go again, I think the surprise route would be a good one!

Can't wait to read more!!!
(makes me feel bad that I've only written one day of my actual PTR so far, and haven't even posted that!)

 

[PJB71]

Oh Lee you had me in tears with all the thought and effort you have put in to make this a surprise

Really looking forward to reading more

 

[2Tiggies]

If we go again, I think the surprise route would be a good one!

Can't wait to read more!!!
(makes me feel bad that I've only written one day of my actual PTR so far, and haven't even posted that!)

My take on the surprise thing is that it is a one off. There is something very special about letting the children be part of the planning and countdown. I had it easier because Disney is a daily topic of conversation in our house. DD is Disney-Nuts! (It might be hereditary )

BTW, the only reason I got this posted so far is because I decided against typing out and pasting into the thread. I know there is a better chance of anyone getting to read it if I just knuckle down and type it straight into the thread.

Oh Lee you had me in tears with all the thought and effort you have put in to make this a surprise

Aw that is so sweet. I have had fun doing it. We all want to do something special for our children - a surprise is one way to do it, but there are so many others.

 

[eeyorefanuk]

It's me

Loved your pre trippy, nice to see it all down in print even though I knew a bit about it. Cannot believe how quickly it is coming around now.

 

[2Tiggies]

It's me

Loved your pre trippy, nice to see it all down in print even though I knew a bit about it. Cannot believe how quickly it is coming around now.

I know. But I knew this would happen. The last few weeks always fly by for me, usually because work gets very busy, trying to clear my desk. However some added distractions this time with DD changing schools on Monday, I need to sort out a new uniform by the end of the week, workmen arrived last weekend to assess the re-plastering of a wall in the living room (they lifted about 1.5 square metres of floorboards, pulled all the skirtings out and buzzed off. They are coming back on Friday and Monday to do the plastering), DD has just been given her November date for her ballet exam .... oh and there is work and general day to day goings on as well. While doing the dishes last night I found myself thinking of how my life before being a parent had been twice as jammed with things, a more demanding job, longer hours, lots of work functions, busy social life ..... yet I only had to be half as organised and things ran smoothly. Total control! Fast forward a few years and I am more organised than I have ever been yet I seem to live in double the choas! Ah well, it's helping the countdown now, so it's all for a good cause!

 

[2Tiggies]

This trip we have the QSDP. It suits us better. The DDP is not for us. We had the option to upgrade, but when I worked out the upgrade costs plus the estimated tips vs the cost of paying for the TS we want OOP, we still come out ahead doing it this way, especially considering that 2 of our restaurants are not on the DDP but we do have Restaurant.com certificates. A $25 certificate goes quite a long way on one adult and one child - espcially the way we eat.

There were two major differences making ADRs this year. One was the online system (last year it wasn't up and running until a few months after we got back) and the fact that the window reverted back to 180 days instead of the 90 days in effect last year. It was so much easier to get reservations this year! The other thing that was very different this time around was the hype surrounding ADRs. Now dare I say this ... but last time round I was still a loooong time lurker on the DIS. Not actively participating in the discussions seems to have prevented me to a large extent from being sucked into the intensity of the suspense and anxiety surrounding making meal reservations. It was a strange feeling and I kept trying to rationalise the way I was feeling but was unable to explain myself ... to myself!

In the end all worked out perfectly. I knew pretty much what I wanted, had my list of first and second choices plus alternative times and got everything I wanted at my requested times. The 'worst' I had was being 15 minutes off of the time I had entered. Not bad at all.

You will see there are quite a few character meals. I would not normally do this many but I think DD is at that stage where she will have her favourites but it won't have such a big pull in the future so I wanted to make the most of this stage.

So this is what we have:

• Crystal Palace breakfast - 8.05 am. We love this place and getting into the park before official opening time is a must for us.
  [*]Ohana - late breakfast at 10.50 am. I chose a late breakfast because we have a late nigt the night before and plan on staying for park closing at MK this night so it gives us a slower paced start to the day and we should be wide awake for our evening of fun.
• House of Blues - 7.30 pm dinner. I am very excited about this one. I love the cuisine and of course a gift certificate means we can really enjoy ourselves. It has also been carefully planned after our AK day so that we can stroll through DTD and take the scenic route to the West Side. I love DTD at night.
• Cape May Cafe - breakfast at 10.55 am. Another last sitting breakfast and for the same reasons as the other one. I always have a bold red line under the end of a day with a late night and a bold green one above a day with an early start. The rule is that I must never have a red and green line against one another, or the day is at risk of going pear shaped. It has been quite successful in the past so I am sticking to it. Oh, Cape May is a replacement for Chef Mickey which I decided to skip this trip. Nothing wrong with CM, but wanted something different.
• Whispering Canyon Cafe - late lunch. Another leisurely morning followed by MK so it made sense. This was booked just for DD. She has been itching to eat there for the antics. WCC has been my biggest dilemma because there is very little on any of the menus that appeals to both of us. I can see DD ordering an adult appetizer and me eating a salad. I really hope she enjoys it.
• Crystal Palace lunch (AGAIN!) - yes I did say we love it. Let's just say this is not the first time we are doing it more than once on a trip. Besides, Tigger is there. How can anyone miss an opportunity to see Tigger again?!
• Garden Grove dinner - 8.00 pm. This one is seriously at risk of being cancelled. I got a restaurant.com certificate for this as well. The conditions on this one are different to HoB as you don't have a minumum spend, but have to order 2 entrees. Nowhere does it state whether both must be adult although I assume it is the case. I would really like to eat there as it looks so charming and I love seafood and mediterranean food, but as it is a buffet I am not paying $32 plus tax for an 8 year old to pick at the kids section just to redeem a $25 certificate.

Another reason I may cancel Garden Grove is so I can change the HoB to that night in order to make way for a last minute almost-made decision to do MNSSHP. I don't want to lose HoB but that would be the best night to go and on checking the website today I see there are several times available on another day which would be suitable.

Oh and no ressies required for this, but we will also be spending some time at the Food & Wine Festival. Okay, just food for Tove, but still, something we haven't done before.


Next up: More magical stuff!