My Son Loves Halloween...5/5 3 updates! Main Street, castle, statue photos

[kathleen27]

My Son Loves Halloween….so we celebrated a month early at Disney!!!

We took an early Halloween, mother and (almost teen) son trip to Disney in Sept so we could attend our first MNSSHP, and we took a ton of photos!

We spent a lot of time planning, shopping, and doing crafts to get ready. It's all in the pretrip!

The trip report starts on pg. 18!!!

Index with links is in the second post.

**************************************************************************

This trip is just my son, Jacob and I.
He is twelve and we both love Disney and love to travel.
He also loves to decorate for Halloween. He likes Halloween more than Christmas.

We are heading down for an extended weekend at the end of September. Fri 9/26 to Tues 9/30. At the moment, our plans include MNSSHP, the four Disney theme parks, Food & Wine festival, and some character meals. This will be our first time staying on sight! We will probably stay at POP! We have a lot planned for this trip including a lot of rides, a few shows, and this trip we want to stop and pay attention to the little details, and take lots of photos.

I just had to start my pretrip today, so I could say...

100 DAYS till DISNEY!!!!

 

[kathleen27]

Index Pretrip:
Intro
Who's Going
Goals
A Disney day with WallE and double Disney Mail
Hi from Jacob
Gifts and a list
ADRs and Plans
Jacob's ideas
Costumes and clothes
Crystal Palace Photos
Booked the Room at Pop!
Halloween 2007 decorations
One little change in plans
OT RI photos
Liking disney too much
40 days, thinking about costumes
Pennies and Quarters
Shopping
Colors for AK
JackOLantern Spectacular 2004
Jacob's Party ideas
JackOLantern Spectacular 2006 part 1
JackOLantern Spectacular 2006 part 2
JackOLantern Spectacular 2006 part 3
OT First Day of School
Progress update
More shopping!
Overscheduled
Indiana Jones and the new camera
Costumes for me!
Progress update
Pins and Mickey crafts
To Do List
Tie Dye
Revised to do list
Tie dye, pins, and iron ons

Jacob's pretrip report:
Jacob's start
some info
costume thoughts
costume ideas
schedule and plans
clothes and costumes

Back home:
Back from Disney
Disney on Ice part 1
Dinsey on Ice part 2
Disney on Ice part 3


Trip Report

Day 1
Travel
MCO, ME, and POP
A short Walk at Pop
Jacob's travel comments
Arriving at the Magic Kingdom
Adventureland and Pirates of the Carribean
Liberty Tree Tavern - Kathleen's post
Liberty Tree Tavern - Jacob's comments
Haunted Mansion - Jacob's post
Haunted Mansion - Kathleen's comments
Halloween update: Jacob's Halloween party
It's a scary ride after all - Jacob's small world post
It's a small (and lonely) world - Kathleen's post
Disney Mail and Haunted Mansion photopass pics

Off Topic--Halloween Day Posts
Costumes and clip art post 1
Costumes and clip art post 2
Costumes and clip art post 3

Day 1 - cont'd
Buzz Lightyear's SpaceRanger Spin and Other Spooky Stuff
Other Spooky Stuff Con't
Hallowishes
Boo to You Parade part 1
Boo to You Parade part 2
Off Topic - Christmas post
More photos from MNSSHP
End of night at MNSSHP

Day 2
Morning at POP Century
DTD - Window Displays and Days of Christmas
The 12 Days of Christmas - Disney Version
Downtown Disney - Kathleen
DTD - Jacob World of Disney
DTD - Jacob - Lego Store
DTD - Jacob - Bionicles, Leogs, and more
DTD - Jacob - Christmas Carolers
Chef Mickey's part 1
Chef Mickey's part 2 - the Characters
Chef Mickey's part 3 (desserts!)
Chef Mickey's part 4 - 2002 photos
Chef Mickey's part 5 - gift shop
Kathleen's Chef Mickey comments and OT - Hannah's Birthday
The Magic Kingdom:
Walt Disney World Railroad
Tom Sawyer Island
A walk from Frontierland to Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland - TTA
TTA, Liberty Square, and Frontierland
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
The Castle and the Mosaics
Saturday evening at MK
8th Grade National History Day Project- Walt Disney
Evening at Pop, Bowling Pin Pool
Evening at Pop con'td

Day 3
Early Morning
Main Street Photos
Main Street Photos part 2
Main Street / Castle photos part 3
Castle & Statues, part 4


Off topic - Ft. Lauderdale trip in April 09
April in Ft. Lauderdale photos

 

[kadesha]

Can't wait to follow your report!

We love Pop, it's so fun!!

 

[irky416]

I'm so excited you started a pre-trip! I can't wait to get caught up when I get back!!

 

[kathleen27]

Can't wait to follow your report!

We love Pop, it's so fun!!

Glad to hear about Pop. It looks like a fun place. I think Jacob will love it!

I'm so excited you started a pre-trip! I can't wait to get caught up when I get back!!

Hope your having a great time at Disney!

 

[kathleen27]

We are now in Double Digits!!! Just 99 more days!

And today was the last day of school!!! (finally)

 

[RachelNinja]

Yay! A PTR I like knowing that even when you finish your other TR, there's still another one on its way!

 

[kathleen27]

Yay! A PTR I like knowing that even when you finish your other TR, there's still another one on its way!

Thanks!
It's nice to know I can keep writing about Disney. And post some photos from older trips too!

 

[kathleen27]

Who’s going….And who’s not…

Just Jacob

And I are going

My 10 year old daughter Hannah and my husband are staying home this time.
My Dad and step mom who often join us won’t be there either.

I have been going to the Magic Kingdom since I was 8 years old. From age 9-17, I lived in South Florida and was lucky enough to make many trips to Orlando over the years. About 25 years ago my family bought a couple of weeks at a time share in Orlando. We’ve been staying there ever since.

My Dad & step mom live in Ft. Lauderdale and in March 2002 while visiting them we drove up to Orlando for a few days. We visited MK, Chef Mickey's and Sea World. The kids were 4 and 6 on this first Disney trip. Even my husband went along.

We didn’t make it back until Feb 2006. My husband is not a Disney fan. And I got tired of waiting for him to go with us and planned a trip without him. When I asked my Dad if we could get the timeshare for that week, he was happy to join us. My step mom spent the weekend with us too. We spent one day in each park, my first time visiting AK and DHS/MGM, plus Disney Quest, Downtown Disney, and Sea World, and a couple of days of “rest” at the time share. A few days into the trip I promised to take the kids back in 2008 for another full week.

So we went back in Feb 2008 and had a wonderful trip. My Dad met the kids and I in Orlando and we stayed at the time share again. One day in each park, DQ, DTD, chef Mickey’s, Sea World, and Universal. But there was just not enough time to do everything. The link to that trip report is in my signature.

I came back not wanting to wait another two years. But I had promised Hannah and my Dad & step mom that we would visit them in Ft Lauderdale next year. We get a week off in Feb & a week in April. We would go to FtL in Feb and April break was Easter week this year. Then my DH announced he wanted to visit FtL in April not Feb, because the water would be warmer and he freedives. OK. Then maybe we could go to Orlando in Feb. I came up with three options to go back to Disney---
The kids and I in Feb for a week
Jacob and I in Sept or Oct for a few days
A solo trip in April or May for Flower & garden Fest.

I talked to the kids and Hannah announced she would rather go to NYC in Feb for her Birthday. She wanted to have a family party at the Afternoon Tea at American Girl place. We had been there in April 2007 and she loved it!

She is ok with the fact that we are going without her. She does not like to stay out too late and is afraid on many rides. She gave us two rules. 1- We need to buy her some things and 2- We are not allowed to go to Chef Mickey’s

Jacob’s first choice was September, the minute he heard Halloween at Disney that was all he wanted to do!

 

[kathleen27]

This trip will be different because -----

I’ve wanted to stay on site since I was a kid, and I am finally going to!!!
We usually go in Feb so Sept will be hotter and probably rainier than we are used to.
We usually arrive at park opening, but instead we are going to stay up as late as we can!
We will do (at least) one early morning though…We have 8:05 ADRs for Crystal Palace!!!! This will be our first time at a park before opening and we are super excited.
We are going to try some rides we have not been on yet…some of the thrill rides!
I am going to try a Dole Whip this time!!!! (I have said that the last two trips)
We are going to try to take lots of photopass photos
We are only going to Disney – Not sure that I’ve been to Orlando without visiting Sea World before
We are going to MNSSHP, which I’ve wanted to take Jacob to for years.
We are going to decorate our window for Halloween
I am going to finish all my trip “projects” on time

 

[irky416]

I love the old picture from Chef Mickey's!

Have you decided for sure you're staying at POP yet?

 

[kathleen27]

I love the old picture from Chef Mickey's!

Have you decided for sure you're staying at POP yet?

Its funny to see how little the kids looked on that trip.

We want to stay at POP, its our first choice, but I'd also love to get a discount. I have been waiting to see if they announce discounts for that time period. They have something new on the Dis updates today, dicounts through 9/27, we are there 9/26-9/30, so I have to check that out. I plugged my dates in on the Disney site, and it looks like the price went down $50.

Trying to decide if I should wait til August to see if there are better discounts, or try AAA or a travel agent now. I have the Disney Visa so I can book the discount early if one comes out.

 

[t-beri]

Kathleen,
Just jumped over from my PTR!! Your son will LOVE MNSSHP!!! Mac was 6 the first year we took him and we were afraid he would out grow it but he loves halloween just as much as the rest of us and prefers to go to MNSSHP than go trick or treating. This year we are going a little early so he may get to do both.

And might I add he is one of the most handsome boys I have ever seen??? Hannah is beautiful as well, I bet she just loved the AG cafe, how much fun. I am looking forward to getting to have a mother/daughter trip w/ Liliana...I have a few years. We have something special planned for our pre-trip trip, but I don't want to spoil it.

I can't wait to hear more of your plans!

...t.

 

[kathleen27]

Your son will LOVE MNSSHP!!! Mac was 6 the first year we took him and we were afraid he would out grow it but he loves halloween just as much as the rest of us and prefers to go to MNSSHP than go trick or treating. This year we are going a little early so he may get to do both.

I think Jacob chose Sept over Oct for Disney, so he could have the full month of Oct to decorate the house.
Last year he thought about staying home to give out candy and show off his decorations, but Hannah and I convinced him to go trick or treating with us. He had fun and some of the neighbors complimented his decorations.
He is so excited about this trip!!!

And might I add he is one of the most handsome boys I have ever seen??? Hannah is beautiful as well, I bet she just loved the AG cafe, how much fun. I am looking forward to getting to have a mother/daughter trip w/ Liliana...I have a few years. We have something special planned for our pre-trip trip, but I don't want to spoil it.

I can't wait to hear more of your plans!

...t.

Thank You! And he always has a big smile!

 

[kathleen27]

We had a very Disney day June 27th.

The Wall E movie came out and the kids had been dying to see it.
We had plans the rest of the weekend, so we went Friday afternoon.
At the end of the movie Hannah turned to me and said "I loved it!"
Jacob loved it too. He is a big pixar fan.
They were giving out free watches to the kids at the theater.
Probably equivalent to a happy meal toy, but a nice surprise.

When we got home we had mail with a return address of Lake Buena Vista.
I couldn't figure out what it was at first.
Then I realized it was my MNSSHP tickets a week earlier than expected!!!


We are going twice!!! Friday night and Sunday night!

There was a second piece of Disney mail as well.
Jacob gets very excited whenever we get a package. Then he's disappointed because they are usually addressed to his Dad.
So I had Secretly ordered the Wall E movie rewards poster and had it addressed to him.
He was so surprised. Since Hannah loved Wall E as well, they put it near the computer they share.

I had also gotten them Wall E June pins from Disney shopping, which I gave them that day as well.

 

[irky416]

The poster and the pins are so cute!

I'm so jealous you're going twice! I have decided I really want to go to MNSSHP.

 

[kathleen27]

The poster and the pins are so cute!

I'm so jealous you're going twice! I have decided I really want to go to MNSSHP.

The more time I spend on here the more things I really want to see and do--
Flower and Garden Festival
Star Wars Weekend
Christmas lights and decorations and MVMCP

We've wanted to go to MNSSHP for a few years. Its tough to schedule this time of year because of school, its just so early in the school year to miss, they start after Labor Day. Jacob has the Tuesday we return off, and will miss two days (Friday and Monday). Seemed like a good year to do it, because his school team is "looping" so he should have most of the same teachers as last year. Also its his last year of middle school.

There was so much we missed at the one Pirate & Princess Party that we would have loved to go two nights, but there was only one party during our stay. (Because of the President's day holiday weekend).

We are so excited there will be two parties in the five days we are there! There is even another the day we leave, but we will be home by the time it starts.

 

[Indiana Jacob]

Hi. Im Jacob and I really do like Halloween!

 

[kathleen27]

Hi. Im Jacob and I really do like Halloween!

Jacob has decided to start his own pre trip report:

Raiders of the Found Party Tickets

He's really excited about this!!!

 

[kathleen27]

Jacob gave me a very nice mother's day present back in May

He decorated his own wrapping paper & made a clay sorcerer's hat!

Notice the Hidden Mickey!

Thank you Jacob!!!

Because I want to see lots of the little magical details that are easily overlooked. And because I love all the background stories I bought the Complete Walt Disney World 2008 a couple of weeks ago. Its really good, and after flipping through a bit, I started at the begining and have read the first half of the book. A couple of days ago I was showing some info in it to Jacob, and he borrowed it for a couple of days. He read the MK section and brought me a list of all the MK attractions broken down into 3 categories. "Have to", "Want to", and "Don't care". Then he went back and starred the best of each category.

The Have to list:
* Philharmagic
Peter Pan
* Small World
Winnie the Pooh
* Tea Party
Dumbo
* Jungle Cruise
* POTC
* Haunted Mansion
* Splash Mountain
* Big Thunder Mountain
* Buzz Lightyear
* Space Mountain
* Indy Speedway

He has a couple on the Want list that I will bump up
Monsters Inc & TTA

I laughed that he has Small world on the must must list, and Jacob says its not a trip to disney if you don't ride its a small world. Then he started singing.

I'm glad he likes Disney so much!!!