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

[Nettaboo]

Ok... I have been doing some thinking...well I think about Disney nonstop lately, but I am thinking about it from a new perspective.

My mom is going to Disney with us this year... It has been an extremely hard year for her so far. My step father died at the end of December of this past year. He would have been 58 this year. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor about two year prior. It was a devastating blow to my family..but especially my mom. They were together in high school...lost touch..then found each other again and together every since. In any case, we are all dealing in our own way, but she has not been on vacation in years. They were big home bodies and didn't travel very much. We are taking my two LO which I know for my mom is enough in itself. She adores them and loves spending time with them, but I want to make the trip special for her too. Any suggestions on what I could do to make this trip really special, memorable, but not hard on her at the same time? I know she misses him dearly, we all do, but I just want her to remember this vacation and make it more of a celebration and not a sad time.

If any thoughts or special ideas come to anyone's minds, please post.

I am sorry for your loss . I think a pick a pearl would be nice..but I think just having fun and losing yourself in the magic and seeing your kids have fun will make her feel great!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Only 17 days left, and I was so productive last night and this am. Rearranged some dining reservations, cancelled some dining reservations, added the dining plan...

I downloaded touringplans.coms Lines app to my iTouch (it is free when you sign up for touring plans - which I did with a discount for buying the 2010 book).

It was 9:00 pm and I was asking my daughters to pick a ride, then I would tell them the wait time.

I don't have an iPhone, but I am seriously debating renting my SIL's for our trip. (I don't know if she can live without it for ten days so maybe if I pay her???) I wonder if you can rent an Iphone? I have to google that...

If only Wifi was available in the park...

 

[Marshay]

Okay, new question everyone, to help pass the time. Are there any souvenirs that you are absolutely going to buy?

I like to get a new t-shirt, esp if it has Mickey or the castle on it. I'll get a new magnet for our fridge and front door (my girls love to play with them).

Okay, I THINK I've finalized our ADRs. Here we go:

Monday, July 12 – Tusker House Restaurant– 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 17 – Kona Café – 8:30 a.m.

Hey, we are going to be at these restaurants, too! See you there!!

Any suggestions on what I could do to make this trip really special, memorable, but not hard on her at the same time?

I just have a simple suggestion. Make sure to include her husband in the trip. I know that sounds weird, but when you get to a ride or show or eat something that he would have liked, why not mention it. Say, Oh, wouldn't "Dad" really have like this. Can't you just see him laughing at that? or, oh, your dad wouldn't be happy waiting in that l-o-n-g line".

I know sometimes it seems like people want to ignore all thoughts of a departed loved one for fear that it will be harder on mom; but I think the exact opposite. Yeah, you might cry but it will also be a good cry.

I've lost loved ones and honestly, I hate it when my friends or family just didn't say anything or didn't want to talk about the good times.

Another thought ... if there was something that he always did with or for your mom, maybe you can do it, too? Did he give her flowers? Did they enjoy getting ice cream? Was he the type to give her a card?

Or can just the two of you get away for an hour or part of a day? Just have mother-daughter time.

Best of luck in your decision.

 

[OneBadApple]

I just have a simple suggestion. Make sure to include her husband in the trip. I know that sounds weird, but when you get to a ride or show or eat something that he would have liked, why not mention it. Say, Oh, wouldn't "Dad" really have like this. Can't you just see him laughing at that? or, oh, your dad wouldn't be happy waiting in that l-o-n-g line".

I know sometimes it seems like people want to ignore all thoughts of a departed loved one for fear that it will be harder on mom; but I think the exact opposite. Yeah, you might cry but it will also be a good cry.

I've lost loved ones and honestly, I hate it when my friends or family just didn't say anything or didn't want to talk about the good times.

What a wonderful idea!!!!! I can't believe that I didn't think of it. We are going down to Disney to "remember" our daughter on what would have been her 16th birthday.

I hate it when people just choose to ignore the fact that we lost our daughter. I have one friend that every year since I have known her sends me a card/note around Alaina's birthday and you just don't know how much I appreciate that.

 

[disneywatcher]

I completely spaced and forgot to post up my ADR's!

13 July 8:45 pm LTT
14 July 8:30 am Ohana
14 July 8:30pm Crystal Palace
15 July 9:15 am Akershus
15 July 1:00pm Les Chefs
15 July 8:55pm Ohana
16 July 8:00am 1900 Park
16 July 7:05pm Sci-Fi Dine In
17 July 8:20am Tusker House
17 July 1:30pm Yak & Yeti
17 July 8:00pm Tony's Town Square
18 July 8:15am WCC
19 July 9:30pm Wolfgang Puck Cafe

I've decided to get DH one of those green alien T-Shirts (He LOVES LOVES LOVES Toy story and often says "Ohh I have been choosen! The mystic portal awaits!")
I am going to get myself one or 2 pins, a pair of mouse ears and a T-Shirt but I duno which one or who I want on it. Kids and my sister are each getting a pair of mouse ears as well. My oldest DD wants a stuffed Sulley doll while my middle DD just wants all the toys they have to offer

 

[Marshay]

What a wonderful idea!!!!! I can't believe that I didn't think of it. We are going down to Disney to "remember" our daughter on what would have been her 16th birthday.

I hate it when people just choose to ignore the fact that we lost our daughter. I have one friend that every year since I have known her sends me a card/note around Alaina's birthday and you just don't know how much I appreciate that.

Wow -- what a lovely way to remember your daughter! Can't you just see her laughing on the rides with you?

I am very sorry for your lost. Your friend has a heart of gold to remember you all each year in that special way.

 

[Nettaboo]

Today marks my 30 day countdown!!! See my ticker!! I want to tell my daughter soooo bad!!!But I am going to try to wait till the week before- wish me luck!!LOL

Another hot one in MD today-code red-temps 97. Tomorrow is my office picnic- I am going to try out a park outfit and see how it does!

 

[Marshay]

Thanks for posting about the updated parade schedule for MK. I'll go recheck the dates/times now.

Also, someone mentioned doing on-line check in when arriving at 9pm. YES, Do it!!!

They actually assign the rooms several days in advance, so if you only wait until 9pm to get a room, you will certainly have few pickins'.

If you are really worried about room choice, check where your room is on the map before you leave the on-line check in area. If you don't like it, then ask the CM (may need to go to the front desk) if you can switch to another available room.

When I checked in at BLT in November around 3:30pm (I didn't use O-LCI), I had two rooms to choose from ... total. The CM said that if I would have used O-LCI, my room would have been assigned from all the available rooms, definitely more than 2.

However, YMMV.

We are now going to use O-LCI.

 

[trinaweena]

Okay, new question everyone, to help pass the time. Are there any souvenirs that you are absolutely going to buy? I need some more t-shirts and sweats, stuff from the Basin at DTD, pajamas, stuff from France in Epcot for my students and hopefully some soccer stuff (at Epcot - especially England) for the World Cup! Those are the must haves - anybody else have anything that they absolutely must get on their upcoming trip??

I'm getting the disney Dooney and Burke bag. I've been eyeing it for awhile and my birthday was in may, so boyfriend said he would get it for me when we went down there using his aunt's discount (she works for disney!) can't wait! Other than that, we get a beach towel EVERY time we go and there is also a pooh tshirt i'm eyeing.

Good news: Checked in this morning!!

Icky news: Heading to dentist this afternoon for cleaning, but I have a feeling there is something brewing. Hopefully it's nothing major or too expensive.

Good luck! I have a root canal on tuesday if it makes you feel any better!

 

[Kurby]

Today marks my 30 day countdown!!! See my ticker!! I want to tell my daughter soooo bad!!!But I am going to try to wait till the week before- wish me luck!!LOL

Another hot one in MD today-code red-temps 97. Tomorrow is my office picnic- I am going to try out a park outfit and see how it does!

we wanted to wait to tell DD too - i wanted to much to just wait and see her reaction when we pulled up to the resort or got on the boat to dtd that night for dinner or even the next day when we go to have tea at GF


but i couldn't wait.


we've been talking about it for weeks now and she's sooooo excited. she HATES that we're doing 2 other trips before Disney but within the same month

she HATES (and so do i) that we aren't having dinner there tonight - every night for weeks LOL

i can't keep a secret so i think the only chance we'll get to surprise her is if it truly is a last minute decision to fly out tomorrow otherwise i'm hopeless

 

[mom2clr]

Good luck! I have a root canal on tuesday if it makes you feel any better![/QUOTE]

Oh! I'm hoping it's not that serious! I can handle some fillings, but I don't even want to think of a root canal. Hope you're feeling better.

And another good note: I just received my documents.

 

[Kurby]

ohhhhh horrible flash back to a few months ago

i had to go back 3 times before it was finished.

i haven't got it capped yet (had to finish paying for our disney trip - we know where our priorities lie don't we LOL) and hopping to cap it in Sept but since getting it - my tooth broke 75% off and i had to get a post. then the post came out and i've had to have it replaced and now there are a few chips in the "filling" part.

i swear i will never get another root canal ever again. i'd rather have it pulled and a fake one put in.

 

[mom2clr]

ohhhhh horrible flash back to a few months ago

i had to go back 3 times before it was finished.

i haven't got it capped yet (had to finish paying for our disney trip - we know where our priorities lie don't we LOL) and hopping to cap it in Sept but since getting it - my tooth broke 75% off and i had to get a post. then the post came out and i've had to have it replaced and now there are a few chips in the "filling" part.

i swear i will never get another root canal ever again. i'd rather have it pulled and a fake one put in.

Root canals are not fun. I had one when I was a teen (bad teeth just runs in my family!!!) but I have had 2 crowns and I don't remember having it be as painful. Costly, yes.

I'm hoping my portion of whatever work might be needed (am I really thinking it's just fillings) won't be too much.This is already a budget trip so I don't know how much more budget I could make it.

 

[Nettaboo]

ohhhhh horrible flash back to a few months ago

i had to go back 3 times before it was finished.

i haven't got it capped yet (had to finish paying for our disney trip - we know where our priorities lie don't we LOL) and hopping to cap it in Sept but since getting it - my tooth broke 75% off and i had to get a post. then the post came out and i've had to have it replaced and now there are a few chips in the "filling" part.

i swear i will never get another root canal ever again. i'd rather have it pulled and a fake one put in.

The same thing happend when i had to get a root canal-FOUR DAYS before my destination wedding! I wound up having to get it pulled anyway

 

[Nettaboo]

I forgot to tell yall what happend to my toe nail. After swim class we stopped at the dollar store. My keys fell off my ring and hit my toe-it hurt but I was glad it hit my toe or else I would not have known my house keys had fallen. Fast forward to home where I take a closer inspection of my toe to see that the key has put a hole in my nail from the bottom to the side(because my nails were very soft due to being in the water that long).. the nail was hanging on and I had to clip it off so it would not rip..so now I have a little piece of toe nail on the side on my BIG TOE!!
I was like WHY WHY WHY right at the start of summer!!!

 

[disneywatcher]

I forgot to tell yall what happend to my toe nail. After swim class we stopped at the dollar store. My keys fell off my ring and hit my toe-it hurt but I was glad it hit my toe or else I would not have known my house keys had fallen. Fast forward to home where I take a closer inspection of my toe to see that the key has put a hole in my nail from the bottom to the side(because my nails were very soft due to being in the water that long).. the nail was hanging on and I had to clip it off so it would not rip..so now I have a little piece of toe nail on the side on my BIG TOE!!
I was like WHY WHY WHY right at the start of summer!!!

OUCH!

Mom2Clr~I hope your dentist appointment goes well and you dont need any dental work done other then the cleanings!

Anjalee~ The pearl necklace is a nice idea. You could also make a reservation somwhere for just the 2 of you even if it's just for tea at the GF. Remember to take your time with her while going through the park making happy memories, take lots of pictures and have lots of laughs.


Took the kiddo's the the library today and checked out Tarzan for them to watch. DH bought my engagement rings the day we went to see that with my Nephews so it's "Our Movie" so to speak.

 

[anjalee6]

Thank you for the suggestions. Can you someone tell me more about the pick a pearl? I think that is something that she would def. enjoy. I am also thinking of a nice massage. I could go for one myself and I know my mom would enjoy the relaxation as well.

We took my son to see Toy Story this morning. What a good movie! I really enjoyed it and so did my son and DH. It was my son's first movie experience. He did a great job. I was thinking he would be up and down and talking the whole movie, but we explained that you are not supposed to talk in the movies and he did a great job staying quiet. Now...what else can we take him to see???

 

[mom2clr]

Being I'm doing such a short trip, I will only have a carry-on so I'm wondering if I can take a razor?? I don't know what I would do without being able to shave...I mean, it's not like I would turn into Chewbacca in a day, but still.

 

[guarn3md]

Thank you for the suggestions. Can you someone tell me more about the pick a pearl? I think that is something that she would def. enjoy. I am also thinking of a nice massage. I could go for one myself and I know my mom would enjoy the relaxation as well.

We took my son to see Toy Story this morning. What a good movie! I really enjoyed it and so did my son and DH. It was my son's first movie experience. He did a great job. I was thinking he would be up and down and talking the whole movie, but we explained that you are not supposed to talk in the movies and he did a great job staying quiet. Now...what else can we take him to see???

I did the pick a pearl in Maui. It is actually the same company in Maui (Ka'anapali beach) as it is in Japan. You pick an oyster and the person opens it up. Inside is a pearl - it is a gamble the size, color, etc... Then you have the option to just take the pearl and do with it what you want or you can pick a setting from their store and they will mount it for you. My son, who was 6 at the time saw the stand and really wanted to do it. I think it was $15 to pick the oyster, but after getting the pearl he was just going to carry it around so I nixed the idea - thought it was a waste of money. He got so mad at me! So I came up with the plan that I would pay for the oyster and he could pick it out and then together we would decide what to do with it. I had $250 birthday money from in-laws to spend... He picked the oyster and got a huge creamy pearl. We chose a Honu (sea turtle) pendant and it sits in a cage in the belly of the turtle. It is really cool and will always remind of our trip. Here is the kicker - so because I picked an expensive setting the woman then tells me we get to pick another oyster for free! So now my son gets a pearl! After all that... He picks another oyster and the pearl inside wasn't as big but it was tinted a very light blue. I wanted that pearl! So I convinced him to trade with me...I told him his future wife eek would love the huge pearl. Not sure he bought that but I got the blue pearl. He keeps the pearl in the silk bag they gave him in his room.
It is a neat experience...I definitely recommend it. I thought it would be a rip-off but in the end it turned out good. I love wearing my pendant and I really do think of our trip! Have fun!
Debbie

 

[Marshay]

We've been going through a Disney movie every few days to get my girls ready for the characters.

So far we've seen:

Peter Pan
Sleeping Beauty
Mulan
Epcot
MK
AK
Aristocats

Now we're watching 101 Dalmations.

It's been great! Some of these movies I hadn't seen in years!