Paparazzimama
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2007
- Messages
- 794
Okay, so this is my second attempt at what I hope to be an interestingly captivating PTR! Well, I know what youre thinking Why should we give this dis-celebrity wanna-be another chance when she failed us so miserably last time? 
But, to hopefully squash any hesitancies that you loyal readers of the dis may have, I offer this oath to you:
(Picture right hand raised, left hand on the UTG) I, Melonie, take the the dis to be my dutifully bound life source. To love and to cherish during all of my hours at the computer for as long as the internet shall exist. In dial-up connection, and in DSL; In desktop, and in lap; I do so vow to give my undying cyber-devotion to you.
There! I hope that was convincing to any doubters I still may have had that I will absolutely finish this PTR and not leave you hanging in the dark for the next post that may never come.
Alrighty, well now that all the legal jargon is out of the way on with the show!!!
First Installment: Cast of Characters
Me: Melonie (29) loves ALL things Disney! Always has a trip in the works (whether DH is aware or not) and never stops thinking of plans for the next trip. Could not function without Excel spreadsheets and does not like anything that I cannot plan and obsess over in advance and be in complete control over! Was a spoiled only child (okay, okay, so still am . .. ) and always got my way much to DHs dismay since (as I like to put it) I was that way when he met me, so he knew what he was getting into and has accepted the responsibility to keep me in the lifestyle I am accustomed to!
LOL! Okay, so no flames I am definitely a spoiled brat, but have coated it with a sweet and loving personality. 
Thankfully, DH does love me the way I am, and I want to say here that I love him with every fiber of my being! He is the greatest man I have ever known and its so exciting to think that after the blessing of 10 years of marriage, we still have so much to look forward to in life. Being married to him is what I cherish most in life (GASP! Yes, more than Disney World) and we enjoy the time that we spend together. In other news (read those words in the voice of Tom Brokaw), I work full-time outside of the home as a bookkeeper, but my favorite job is being a mother! I hope to one day have the opportunity to only work during the hours that my children are in school so I can have more time to enjoy them in the innocence of their childhood. (Its in my 5-year plan! And, yes, that plan is in the form of an Excel spreadsheet!) 
Okay, so enough about me I will talk about myself enough in the rest of this report! 
DH: Brandon (28) As stated above, he has his hands full putting up with me, but he does a fabulous job of it and spoils me and our 2 children to a point that is probably not healthy.
He is a youth pastor and is an amazing man of God! He reaches teenagers in a way unlike Ive ever seen before and they feel totally comfortable coming to him with their problems. He substitute teaches at the junior high and high school in our community and takes advantage of that opportunity to connect with his students and be completely involved in their lives. I guess you could say we have 2 biological children and 40-50 foster children that can be expected to pop by at any moment. (Our house is NEVER quiet!) As far as Disney goes, he really enjoys it, but is not as into it as I am. Actually, I think the only reason he goes along with me insisting that we go there every year is because he knows how much joy it brings me and the kids. Okay, so I guess its mostly me that gets so much joy out of it, but the kids like it too dangit!!! (Rant over) 
He hates my OCD planning of every detail and usually rolls his eyes at the sight of the Disney Binder (where I put the printed spreadsheets) but he amuses me for the most part and even pretends to look at it sometimes. Gotta love him! I think the thing he is looking forward to the most this trip is the fact that we are on the Deluxe Dining Plan and get to try some awesome restaurants that are paid for before we even get there. I hope to get him to comment during the trip report, because he has an amazing sense of sarcastic humor and is a natural riot!
DD: Brooke (7 ½ ) I think this child may have the potential to follow in her mothers spreadsheeting footsteps.
I constantly see her making lists people she wants to invite to her next birthday party, things she needs from Wal-Mart, party supplies, etc . . . An OCDP (obsessive compulsive Disney planner) in the making I do believe. She is in the 2nd grade and makes straight As cries over any missed answers on homework or a test. She is everything Id ever wanted in a daughter beautiful, smart, sassy, confident, and compassionate. She probably spends too much time around adults, as I often hear her saying things well beyond her years. For example, the other night she and two of her friends were cleaning up the mess of toys they had made in their Sunday school classroom when I overheard her say to the others, We should pray before we dismiss. Too funny! When it comes to Disney, she is a roller coaster lover!!!! Her favorite rides are Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Expedition Everest, Rock n Roller Coaster, and Space Mountain. She is a princess fanatic and is looking forward to eating in the castle again and also to having dinner with Cinderella, the step-sisters and Lady Tremaine. She will sit at the computer with me for hours watching youtube videos of the places we are going during our trip. See what I mean OCDP all the way baby!!!
DS: Bo (5 ½ ) This boy has the most personality of any one person Ive ever met! In just a few words all goodness, badness, sweetness, mischief, kindness, sarcasm, lovingness and comedian rolled into one little boy! He keeps me on my toes and has the entire family laughing all the time! He just started kindergarten and is self-proclaimed as the smartest kindergartener. I mean, the boy reads on a 3rd grade reading level, so I guess he is justified in thinking that, but we are trying to work on his inflated ego issues!
Bo will do ANYTHING for a laugh and we are very worried about the phone calls from the school that we will receive this year. I should also mention that as much as he is comedic, he is very very tender-hearted. Any time someone is sick or hurting (physically or emotionally) he gets very upset and worries over the situation until he knows that its all over and everythings okay. I just love this kid! In terms of his Disney personality he is up for anything! The only ride that he was unable to do last trip was Rock n Roller Coaster and we are measuring him weekly to check his progress for this year. We have about an inch to go so were thinking of buying some heelies (without the wheels in) for our MGM day. 
He is going to be absolutely heartbroken if he cant ride it. He is pretty much a go with the flow kind of child and will probably spend his trip going along with whatever everyone else wants to ride. Oh, and he is DEVISTATED that he has not gotten a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal on any of our past trips so he will be purchasing one as soon as we arrive to our resort!
There are actually 5 other members of our trips cast, but they have their own PTR, so at this time I will direct you over there for their introductions. So go over and meet my DBFF, Katie, and her family. We will all be traveling down together, staying at the same resort, and have most of the same ADRs.
We're Going To Disney, But It's Our Little Secret
And here are some more pictures of our family:
Wow!!! Just realized that DD has her lips closed in every smile in every picture! I promise she is a happy child - but since losing her 2 front teeth, she is a little self-concious about it.
Okie-Dokie, so now that introductions have been made, stay tuned for the next post . . .
Our Disney history
But, to hopefully squash any hesitancies that you loyal readers of the dis may have, I offer this oath to you:(Picture right hand raised, left hand on the UTG) I, Melonie, take the the dis to be my dutifully bound life source. To love and to cherish during all of my hours at the computer for as long as the internet shall exist. In dial-up connection, and in DSL; In desktop, and in lap; I do so vow to give my undying cyber-devotion to you.
There! I hope that was convincing to any doubters I still may have had that I will absolutely finish this PTR and not leave you hanging in the dark for the next post that may never come.
Alrighty, well now that all the legal jargon is out of the way on with the show!!!
First Installment: Cast of Characters
Me: Melonie (29) loves ALL things Disney! Always has a trip in the works (whether DH is aware or not) and never stops thinking of plans for the next trip. Could not function without Excel spreadsheets and does not like anything that I cannot plan and obsess over in advance and be in complete control over! Was a spoiled only child (okay, okay, so still am . .. ) and always got my way much to DHs dismay since (as I like to put it) I was that way when he met me, so he knew what he was getting into and has accepted the responsibility to keep me in the lifestyle I am accustomed to!
LOL! Okay, so no flames I am definitely a spoiled brat, but have coated it with a sweet and loving personality. Thankfully, DH does love me the way I am, and I want to say here that I love him with every fiber of my being! He is the greatest man I have ever known and its so exciting to think that after the blessing of 10 years of marriage, we still have so much to look forward to in life. Being married to him is what I cherish most in life (GASP! Yes, more than Disney World) and we enjoy the time that we spend together. In other news (read those words in the voice of Tom Brokaw), I work full-time outside of the home as a bookkeeper, but my favorite job is being a mother! I hope to one day have the opportunity to only work during the hours that my children are in school so I can have more time to enjoy them in the innocence of their childhood. (Its in my 5-year plan! And, yes, that plan is in the form of an Excel spreadsheet!) Okay, so enough about me I will talk about myself enough in the rest of this report! DH: Brandon (28) As stated above, he has his hands full putting up with me, but he does a fabulous job of it and spoils me and our 2 children to a point that is probably not healthy.
He is a youth pastor and is an amazing man of God! He reaches teenagers in a way unlike Ive ever seen before and they feel totally comfortable coming to him with their problems. He substitute teaches at the junior high and high school in our community and takes advantage of that opportunity to connect with his students and be completely involved in their lives. I guess you could say we have 2 biological children and 40-50 foster children that can be expected to pop by at any moment. (Our house is NEVER quiet!) As far as Disney goes, he really enjoys it, but is not as into it as I am. Actually, I think the only reason he goes along with me insisting that we go there every year is because he knows how much joy it brings me and the kids. Okay, so I guess its mostly me that gets so much joy out of it, but the kids like it too dangit!!! (Rant over) He hates my OCD planning of every detail and usually rolls his eyes at the sight of the Disney Binder (where I put the printed spreadsheets) but he amuses me for the most part and even pretends to look at it sometimes. Gotta love him! I think the thing he is looking forward to the most this trip is the fact that we are on the Deluxe Dining Plan and get to try some awesome restaurants that are paid for before we even get there. I hope to get him to comment during the trip report, because he has an amazing sense of sarcastic humor and is a natural riot!
DD: Brooke (7 ½ ) I think this child may have the potential to follow in her mothers spreadsheeting footsteps.
I constantly see her making lists people she wants to invite to her next birthday party, things she needs from Wal-Mart, party supplies, etc . . . An OCDP (obsessive compulsive Disney planner) in the making I do believe. She is in the 2nd grade and makes straight As cries over any missed answers on homework or a test. She is everything Id ever wanted in a daughter beautiful, smart, sassy, confident, and compassionate. She probably spends too much time around adults, as I often hear her saying things well beyond her years. For example, the other night she and two of her friends were cleaning up the mess of toys they had made in their Sunday school classroom when I overheard her say to the others, We should pray before we dismiss. Too funny! When it comes to Disney, she is a roller coaster lover!!!! Her favorite rides are Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Expedition Everest, Rock n Roller Coaster, and Space Mountain. She is a princess fanatic and is looking forward to eating in the castle again and also to having dinner with Cinderella, the step-sisters and Lady Tremaine. She will sit at the computer with me for hours watching youtube videos of the places we are going during our trip. See what I mean OCDP all the way baby!!!
DS: Bo (5 ½ ) This boy has the most personality of any one person Ive ever met! In just a few words all goodness, badness, sweetness, mischief, kindness, sarcasm, lovingness and comedian rolled into one little boy! He keeps me on my toes and has the entire family laughing all the time! He just started kindergarten and is self-proclaimed as the smartest kindergartener. I mean, the boy reads on a 3rd grade reading level, so I guess he is justified in thinking that, but we are trying to work on his inflated ego issues!
Bo will do ANYTHING for a laugh and we are very worried about the phone calls from the school that we will receive this year. I should also mention that as much as he is comedic, he is very very tender-hearted. Any time someone is sick or hurting (physically or emotionally) he gets very upset and worries over the situation until he knows that its all over and everythings okay. I just love this kid! In terms of his Disney personality he is up for anything! The only ride that he was unable to do last trip was Rock n Roller Coaster and we are measuring him weekly to check his progress for this year. We have about an inch to go so were thinking of buying some heelies (without the wheels in) for our MGM day. He is going to be absolutely heartbroken if he cant ride it. He is pretty much a go with the flow kind of child and will probably spend his trip going along with whatever everyone else wants to ride. Oh, and he is DEVISTATED that he has not gotten a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal on any of our past trips so he will be purchasing one as soon as we arrive to our resort!
There are actually 5 other members of our trips cast, but they have their own PTR, so at this time I will direct you over there for their introductions. So go over and meet my DBFF, Katie, and her family. We will all be traveling down together, staying at the same resort, and have most of the same ADRs.
We're Going To Disney, But It's Our Little Secret
And here are some more pictures of our family:
Wow!!! Just realized that DD has her lips closed in every smile in every picture! I promise she is a happy child - but since losing her 2 front teeth, she is a little self-concious about it.
Okie-Dokie, so now that introductions have been made, stay tuned for the next post . . .
Our Disney history
(Rant #2 over) Anyhoo, I did manage to make 2 more childhood trips to Disney 1 with my mom, a friend of hers and her daughter, and another with my mom and grandmother. Each of those trips only made me want to go back more and more. As I grew older and it came time to think about a Senior trip and where my friends and I wanted to spend it, hands-down Disney won!!!! I was elated!!!!!!!!!!!! And to top it all off, my boyfriend (who went to a different school) was going to be able to come with us! (Yes, I can talk about a high school boyfriend since he turned out to be my hubby) 
I was so sad to see that my beautiful dream home (aka Cinderellas Castle) was decorated like a spacewalk that was decorated like a cake!!! I was not at all pleased by this and wanted desperately to have my house back! But, I guess other than that it was still an awesome senior trip. Animal Kingdom wasnt open yet, and there wasnt a Rock n Roller Coaster, but there was still tons to entertain us teenagers with. Here are just a few pics from that trip:
We went in mid-April, and while it was very hot, it wasnt at all intolerable. We stayed at Windsor Hills and my mom came with us. She is not a thrill-ride person at all, so it was so nice to have someone who didnt mind (actually loved) letting DH and I ride the big rides while she entertained the kids. It was our first time to ride RockN Roller Coaster, and also our first time at Animal Kingdom oh, and bonus Expedition Everest had just opened the week before our trip so we got to experience it as well. 
Like I said, it was Mary Poppins practically perfect in every way! Oh, and here are some pics from that trip:
Long story short of it, we got resident annual passes and spent every free weekend in my favorite place! Here are some pics from a couple of those weekends:
The kids are already out of school, Im already off 3 days that week . . . this is definitely doable! So, without much deliberation, I booked us an 8 day/7 night stay at AllStar Music for the week of Thanksgiving!!! During the planning of this trip is how I discovered the marvelous world of disboards! 
I began reading thread after thread of tips and insight on everything and anything Disney. We were going to be there on DDs 7th birthday, so I was able to learn from the dis about the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and eating at Cinderellas Royal Table which I was able to secure reservations for! And began developing a strategy for tackling the World on one of the busiest weeks of the year! This trip turned out to be so wonderful! Yes, it was very busy, but with the wonderful help of my forum friends, we were successfully able to do and see everything we had wanted to and then some! Here are some pics from that wonderful trip:
You're so funny! And even funnier - I get the same way with yours! Guess that's why we're DBFF's right?!?!
My mind immediately starts thinking of a time that we could go back and avoid the crowded seasons: Summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. . . and I immediately though OCTOBER!!!! Thats it!!!! Low crowds, not as extremely hot, and the kids are out of school the 9th and 10th for a local festival! Its perfect!!! So, after pleading my case to DH that it would be the perfect time for us to go, he said yes! (See, I told you he loved me! 
) Oh, I think we need to back up a minute and talk about the Thanksgiving trip some more. As I mentioned earlier, DBFF and her family were there the same time as us (we sort of invited ourselves in on their trip, lol). Unfortunately, though, we didnt get to see them very much. Her parents were vacationing with them and they had their Dining Plan ADRs (we couldnt do the 
We can fly! We can fly! We can fly! Oh, and in the time that we were waiting to book flights, we were able to get free dining added to our reservation, and upgrade to the Deluxe plan for a little less than what it would have cost us to pay for the regular plan outright! 
Oooh, and we made ADRs too! Wanna know what they are???? Ill bet you do . . . 
Well, here is a print to scanner copy of my (you guessed it) itinerary spreadsheet! (With confirmation #s and personal info removed of course) 
But no worries, I will be prompt and efficient in delivering the new post by 10a.m. 
I can't remember - all the details are fuzzy. Of course, that was a whole 7 months worth of countdown ago! 
Thank you so much for reading! 
