*OFFICIAL* July 2010 Thread! It’s Hot. It’s Crowded. AND WE LOVE IT!

[bangzoom6877]

My experience has been that you could fill in the blanks with ages 14 and 16 and for the "like when" blank you could write in anything.

No, really, toddlers are hard. And they are still so stinking cute!!!

See, that's why I said my experience so far, as I have not gotten to that teenage point yet! I don't want to jinx myself, as I can't even imagine how hard it gets when they reach high school age...right now my kids are always with me, so I know where they are and what they are doing. As teens, they will be with their friends a lot and that scares me so! And yes, toddlers are so cute!!

 

[Zuzu03]

See, that's why I said my experience so far, as I have not gotten to that teenage point yet! I don't want to jinx myself, as I can't even imagine how hard it gets when they reach high school age...right now my kids are always with me, so I know where they are and what they are doing. As teens, they will be with their friends a lot and that scares me so! And yes, toddlers are so cute!!

DD is just 17 and has a boyfriend and tons of friends who are always doing things, so it's definately been an adjustment to when it was just her and I and DH! I think the boyfriend spends more time at our house (mealtimes, hmmmm) than at his own! Luckily, Emma stays in good touch with me, texting where she is, with whom she's going etc. But it is still hard to "let go". She's an amazing kid also, I've NEVER had problems with her - she's always respectful, happy, hard working, responsible, etc. It's going to be hard next year without her (especially when I have to reach things high up out of my reach!), but I trust her to make good choices and take care of herself - I'm just going to be a wreck come September 1st!

 

[matt314hew]

Me too!!! Well, we're the following week, but I really want to add an extra night just so we can have one more day of MK PM EMH. Oh, and ......WHAT UP PITTSBURGH!

That is why we want to add the extra day. So we probably will, depending on the cost of adding an extra day.

And not much in Pittsburgh, just hot hot hot.

 

[ocalla]

Oh My.........check out my ticker!!!! Only 10 days to go, and the excitement just keep building and building!!!

Speaking of Teens, DD18 will be missing this trip so it will be very different for us. But we are looking at the bright side, it will be DD13 first trip as a Teenager, first trip alone with us, and DD18 will have her first taste of "The Real World"!!!

Come to think of it, it's kind of scary to think that in 5 years our youngest will be 18 and we may be heading to the world ALONE..................maybe scary is not the correct word, how about EXCITING!!! Just kidding, we do love out kids, but we also have fond memories of our honeymoon at Disney just the two of us!!!

 

[bangzoom6877]

DD is just 17 and has a boyfriend and tons of friends who are always doing things, so it's definately been an adjustment to when it was just her and I and DH! I think the boyfriend spends more time at our house (mealtimes, hmmmm) than at his own! Luckily, Emma stays in good touch with me, texting where she is, with whom she's going etc. But it is still hard to "let go". She's an amazing kid also, I've NEVER had problems with her - she's always respectful, happy, hard working, responsible, etc. It's going to be hard next year without her (especially when I have to reach things high up out of my reach!), but I trust her to make good choices and take care of herself - I'm just going to be a wreck come September 1st!

Sounds like you did something right! My parents always welcomed our friends into their house. They never understood the parents who refused to allow kids into their house...they said they always knew where we were and that we were safe if we were at their house with our friends...makes sense to me!

 

[disneywatcher]

Trina your doggies are soo cute with the ears on!

I went to Walgreens yesterday for 2 things! I came out with about 65 dollars worth of stuff wondering "What did I buy?" I also went to Old Navy because they are having a huge sale on shirts and other things. I also got 10% off because I have an Old Navy Card.

6 days left and I have to finish up the laundry, constantly sweep, mop and vacumn the floors. I have to clean out my car from all the sand the lake brought to us.

Bangzoom~I too have a little girl about that age. She is very into running away from me and telling everyone NO! Part of me cant wait for this stage to be gone but the other half is trying to enjoy it because she's my last one.

I tried to do the online check in about 5x now all with the same results "We cannot find your reservation at this time." So I called up the tech support for the WDW page and spoke to this nice lady who said she would work on it. As of today I still cant check in online. I know my reservation is there, I got my itinerary in the mail and when I call the resort line to make sure they have it they assure me it's in the system. I think the website just doesnt like me at all.

6 Days left and I will be on a plane and then at WL. After a late dinner were going to head over to the MK to hopefully nab some ride time before we call it a night.

 

[OneBadApple]

You guys are so lucky to have low crowds!
I'm with you - a little rain is not a bad thing at all! I just hope we don't end up with a wash-out with the depressions floating around!

Thanks for all the clever ideas, everyone!
I made some "info cards" to take with us to the parks. On one side, I listed the attractions we most want to see at each park. I noted the location and any special notes ("Fast Pass" or "rarely has a line" stuff like that). On the flip side, I listed 3 CS and 3 TS restaurants that had gotten good reviews and were not too expensive. I also hunted restaurants that tend to have openings - we only have 1 ADR - we are winging it!!!
Anyhoo - I'm laminating them at OfficeMax so they won't be ruined if they get wet. So, when we head out to a park, we just grab that card to take in the bag and we have somewhat of a loose plan. I hope it works!!!
Here is a pic - sorry it is so big - my pics come out so HUGE!!

I love your cards. I may have to come up with something like that. I also like the idea of laminating them.

 

[OneBadApple]

Ugh Crohn's disease and pre trip jitters do not mix! Plus came home to a disaster left by the path of a little kitten who knows how to push open doors with his little nose!

But there is a Mad Men marathon on, so at least I have some packing entertainment!

I wanted to share some pictures of the shirt I designed for our trip. This is the 'blue one' but we also made one with pink lettering, let me know what you think!

Love the shirts!!!!

 

[OneBadApple]

Here are the shirts I made with the help of the creative boards!!

Those are absolutely fantastic.

 

[OneBadApple]

Mommy can we come to Disney too?? We'll be good we promise!

They are so adorable in their disney hats.

 

[OneBadApple]

Wow, I had over 10 pages to catch up on.

Yesterday I ordered by rewards card. I have finalized my touring plans for MK and HS. I still need to wrok on Epcot and AK. I am getting very excited about this trip and it has definitely kept my mind pre-occupied. I'm not in my normal July funk.

 

[Miss Mo]

LOL at the toddler comments - our little one was 2 in April - he was great last year, this year I know that he's REALLY going to love the characters and be a lot more into some of the rides this time BUT not looking forward to the 9 hour flight so much and he wants to walk EVERYWHERE - so not looking forward to the stroller fights so much either. Will have to find some method of bribing him into stroller. Last year he would fall asleep in the stroller after dinner and we had many a lovely evening sitting drinking nice cold beer outside House of Blues and in Epcot - I'm thinking this might not be the case so much this year.

Anyway 4 sleeps!!! but we are actually leaving in 2 days - having a couple of overnights on the way to the airport.

All ironing done, going to attempt packing tonight!! Hoping to have a calm day tomorrow whilst hubby at work and DS at nursery, get to the gym in the morning and meeting friends in the afternoon - but we'll see if the workout actually happens!! 9.30 nail appointment on Friday morning then the holiday begins!!

Can't wait!!!!!!!

mo x

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Mommy can we come to Disney too?? We'll be good we promise!

My daughters just went nuts!! "They're adorable! They're cute! They're angels! AWWWWWW!"

 

[PopArtGal]

I can't wait to do the online check-in.................. tomorow!!!

 

[RWilcox91]

Only 3.5 days of work left. Then is time to hit the World.

 

[trinaweena]

Thanks to everyone for their comments on the puppies haha! I have them trained for photo ops! Although Scutter (the boy) did not want to keepy his ears on! He will usually let me put anything on him! So weird!

Well it's about that time folks, in half an hour I leave for work, my last shift before vacation, should be an easy one! Then at 9 i come home with my friend to send the dogs off to her house and Boyfriend will come to pick me up to spend the night at his house. I am (pretty much) all packed picked up a few things this morning, got my eyebrows done and we are ready!

Tomorrow our flight leaves CT at 7:40 and we will be in Orlando by 10:30! We are picking up the rental car and heading to AKV where we will drop off our luggage and then four of us will head to a park while the other's head back to the airport to wait for the rest of the party who are heading over from the UK!

I'm excited and I will try to check in from Disney but everyone have fun and I will see you when we get back!!

 

[SRUAlmn]

Come to think of it, it's kind of scary to think that in 5 years our youngest will be 18 and we may be heading to the world ALONE..................maybe scary is not the correct word, how about EXCITING!!! Just kidding, we do love out kids, but we also have fond memories of our honeymoon at Disney just the two of us!!!

You're in the opposite phase as us We got married in WDW, had our honeymoon in WDW, and have now had 3 years of trips alone since then. We have been trying to start a family and can't wait to be able to take our kids one day.

I can't wait to do the online check-in.................. tomorow!!!

I know!!!! I think we can on Friday!!! No, wait!! I think we can TOMORROW!!!!

 

[PopArtGal]

Went to get my hair done!! One more thing done for the trip!! I love the color! Looks amazing! hehe I kinda have hair like "Giselle". Although not as blonde.

Tomorow: car appointment.

 

[edk35]

Went to get my hair done!! One more thing done for the trip!! I love the color! Looks amazing! hehe I kinda have hair like "Giselle". Although not as blonde.

Tomorow: car appointment.

I have a car appt. story to tell you. Okay yesterday our 2008 Sienna had an appt. for the oil change/check up before the road trip on Sunday. Toyota calls me around 10 and tells me the front brake pads need to be replaced since we are going on a trip and that they are at the min. 3/32. I was a little surprised by this since the van only has 27,000 miles and two oil changes ago they were at like 11/32. SO...I called my husband and he said nah...I think it is fine just let them do the other stuff they are probably just trying to get money out of us and there is probably several more months of good driving left on these. The brakes were going to cost 299 bucks at Toyota dealership.

SO then it started bugging me about the trip and maybe we should get a second opinion. I called Sears where we have had brakes done over the years on our OLD 1998 Dodge Caravan. They told me they could do the brake eval for 15 bucks and wave the fee if indeed it needed brakes. Cost about 135.00 bucks for front brakes and rotars turned.... so I decided to take it there to see.

OKAY...our dd had to work so she was in her Toyota Corolla so I couldn't have her follow me to drop it off or have our son take her car to follow me. I didn't want to wait on it because I had stuff to do.... SO...I had our son (16 1/2) drive over in our old 1998 van so I could drop the Sienna off and we could take that old van back home. We get in the parking lot and he comes over to where I parked the Sienna and says "MOM the white van is smoking and the red light came on right as we were turning at the light"... which was where the mall is. SO I walk over and YES IT IS SIZZLING AND SMOKING.

So MAJOR REGROUP.....we go into Sears and tell them we are NOW leaving the WHITE VAN and they go out and look at it ...thinking it is the radiator and would do a check on it and call us. SO we left and get home....are about to eat dinner and they call. THE RADIATOR HAS A BAD CRACK AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE WATER PUMP AND THE SERPENTINE BELT. The radiator has to be replaced ..can't be sealed or anything. WE HAD NO DESIRE TO PUT A BUNCH OF MONEY INTO THIS OLD VAN. Well since it could not be driven and we do use it occasionally my husband said we have to do it. SO that is costing us 784 bucks. YEAH just what we wanted to do days before leaving for Disney AND....IT IS NOT EVEN THE VAN WE ARE DRIVING TO DISNEY. Not to mention that I am still going to get the NEW van checked out today when I go to pick up the white van. I am worried about the brakes...more like paranoid now. So..... I did find a 15 buck FREE brake eval coupon on the Sears site to take with me.

SO here's hoping YOUR CAR CHECKS OUT OKAY WITHOUT MAJOR ISSUES. UGH

This came after just a few weeks ago we had to replace two front tires on the Sienna. I picked up a roofer nail and we have run flats so they can't repair the hole. SO of course they say you should replace tires in "TWO'S" UGh so that was around 450 then like 4 days later...OUR DACHSHUND PUPPY chewed up my son's inhaler and had to spend the night in PUPPY ICU and that cost us over 600. SO..I just want to get out of here on SUNDAY without any other major issues.

 

[SRUAlmn]

Oh, Denise, sorry about all your car issues! Cars can be such a pain sometimes!!



I just called Disney and added some requests to our room reservation and talked to Cranky McCrankypants. Geesh! Don't you know I'm excited for my trip!? Put a smile on and suck it up, lady