Oh it's a Jolly Holiday with Masseys, a Pre Trip Report

[mFont23]

HELLO! And to our (me and my mom @vamassey1 ) PRE TRIP REPORT!


Now, this is my very first PRE trip report, but we have just completed our first trip report together (my first one, ever) from our February 2018 trip to WDW. Blended Ohana Trip Report- Feb 2018

We've done most of the major holidays in Disney:


1- Thanksgiving

2- New year's

3- Memorial Day

4- Labor Day

5- Easter

6- Valentine's Day

and many, many Mardi Gras holidays. Yes, we are those crazy (more like FUN) Louisiana people!

We’ve celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, and even WEDDINGS!

But we've never been for Christmas! Or 4th of July, but I can't say we will ever have that desire. It's hot enough at HOME that time of year.




So this year, we've decided to go “Home” for the holidays.

My mother is a tried and true Disney addict and has passed that down to her children and grandchildren with perfection. Because of this, I have had the pleasure of being the show-runner on two of our past trips. But this one, Mom's running point! Although, we are all contributing our opinions...duh. But to me, my Mom is Mary Poppins... Practically Perfect in Every Way. She really is an Angel. With her heading this trip, we've decided to call it


A Jolly Holiday with Masseys
(our family name, my maiden name).


Reasons to Read our PTR:

1. We are SUPPPPPPPPER extra
2. Mother/Daughter banter is always cheeky *Mary Poppins Reference*
3. My kids are super cute
4. Outfit planning has been an essential part of our pre-tripping for many years. We take it very seriously.
5. I love spreadsheets and lists and will indulge you in my organized chaos, if you so wish
6. It’s just good fun to keep us busy and excited until we’re back in the World.

Have we convinced you to join in? Are you even remotely interested in watching as our plans unwind? Well, I'm spilling the deets, either way.


Even though this is the beginning of our PTR, I feel like we are already so far behind. WE HAVE TO MAKE ADRs IN 4 DAYS!


FOURRRRRR DAYYYYYYYYS!


Also, just to go ahead and throw a little drama in the mix to hopefully get you interested…


(ominous music)


my husband was between jobs for over 2 months this year… as we were planning this. Like, booking flights-level of planning this. So trying to cement plans in the middle of that is less than ideal and it feels like plans and ideas are still changing daily. But more on that later...


So HERE WE GOOOOO


Off to Neverland… or, Planning-Land, so-to-speak.

 

[mFont23]

Leaving this open for all the Trip planning fun chapters!

The Characters

The Plans

ADR MADNESS

 

[vamassey1]

I'm here too!

 

[KSL]

Hello! I'll follow along -- I'm in the midst of planning my family's first holiday trip, too. We're staying at BLT 12/19-27. Good luck with your ADRs!

 

[jjbmk144]

We're making our ADRs in about 2 weeks. It's amazing at Christmas. We've got our kids and their families for Thanksgiving (family refers to this as Thanksmas) this year. So we decided to spend a few days at WDW at Christmas. The last time we were there during the Christmas season was 12 years ago.

 

[mFont23]

I should probably give you a quick run-down of the characters in our saga. Need to keep this back and forth tale as user-friendly as possible, right?


Me-

I’m Michelle. I’m STILL IN MY TWENTIES, and I’ll leave it at that. Disney Addict, duh. I identify with Belle. She’s smart and brave and stands up for what she believes in. I’m an auditor by day and a wife/mom by night.I’m very independent, very “extra”, and I like to keep things light. However, I’m also very organized and I’m a big planner. My first trip to Disney was in 1999. Mom won a trip through work and we left Dad at home and 12-week-old Danielle, too. I loved characters then and I do now. I love experiences the most, especially now that I’m a mom, myself.


Mom-

I’ll let Mom tell you more about herself, but i’ll tell you she is wonderful and kind and selfless. She was born to be a Mom and has so much love to give. She’s not just my mom, she’s my best friend. I can’t imagine that’s an easy act to pull off… trying to be the supportive friend, but having momma-bear instincts ready to attack whoever hurt her babies! But she does it and she does it gracefully.


Dad-

My dad’s grandpa name, and self-proclaimed character is Grumpy. And he likes to tell people it is a title he earned. NO KIDDING! Dad’s great, but he is a stubborn man that’s quick to anger and temper tantrums. He’s gotten SO MUCH better over the years. But he is and will always be Grumpy. His first trip to Disney, ironically, was a trip HE won through work and he and Mom did a weekend alone. I don’t think he was on the first ride before he had pen and paper planning when and how to take the whole family back. He got bit by the Disney Bug!


Danielle-

Danielle is my (almost) 20 year old sister. She’s a student at LSU and works as a hostess/waitress at a local restaurant as well. She’s the baby of the family and is the stereotypical baby. She’s a good kid, but can get pretty feisty. Her favorite princess is currently Rapunzel, but we still see her most as Tinkerbell. Of course, she thinks I’m Maleficent. Her entire childhood she called me “Evil M”. And despite all of that, we are actually pretty close. She’s WELL versed in all things Disney, and specifically Disney Parks, related. She spends her free time watching youtube videos of rides and random facts.


Jimmy-

Jimmy is my husband of 4 years. He is an italian diva that does not ride rides, but is quick to buy into our silliness. He is another level of ridiculous. And I mean that as a compliment. When I’m being too serious, he can easily break me of my funk. But that also means if I’m angry… it’s probably because he is ridiculous. We identify him as Gaston, but I do think he’s more Beast than he gives himself credit for. Like the scene where Belle is tending his wounds from saving her from the wolves. That’s me and Jimmy in a nutshell. He is a business manager in the Harley Davidson industry. He works 99% of the time and is extremely driven. But he’s got that big, Italian heart, too. If you’ve ever seen the Hulk, they ask him his secret to being able to turn his green man/anger on/off. (SPOILER ALERT) He says, “I’m always angry” then bursts his shirt open to become the Hulk. Well that’s Jimmy. Except we joke that he’s “always love drunk”. And he would probably still rip his shirt off when he says it, just because. He is a character!! His first trip to Disney was as a kid, but he doesn’t remember much. We got him back into it in 2015 WHEN WE GOT MARRIED on the beach outside the Polynesian. It was incredible!!! And he hasn’t stopped drinking the kool-aid since. He told me this week that he googled if there was a world record of how many times a person rode Small World…because that’s his goal.


John Paul-

My John Paul. He is my everything! My little Momma’s boy. He is all boy. He loves balls and trucks and sports. He just turned 2 in May and he just speaks so well and he is so sure of himself. We are VERY close and he is VERY attached to me. He loves his Daddy and he loves his Sissy and he loves all his grandparents. But for now, it’s all about Momma. And I’m eating up every second of it. He’s definitely a Disney baby! His favorites are Cars, Beauty and the Beast (and I swear I didn’t even push it), Little Mermaid, Incredibles, Monsters, “Let It Go”, and he’s into “Woody and Buzz” right now. He’s starting to sing the songs. We have a little hand held mirror in our Beauty and the Beast themed half-bath. He likes to pick it up and say, “Show me the Beast!” He’s just hilarious and perfect and I can’t wait to bring him back to Disney. His first and only trip was at 9 months old. I highly recommend it!


Gia-

Gia is my 9 year old step daughter. She’s with us every other week, and I’ve been a part of her life since she was 3. She was my first baby and we’ve always been very close. I don’t imagine blended families or living in 2 houses to be easy, and I cannot relate, but this is her normal and for better or worse, we are an integral part of each others’ lives. She is very smart and verrrrrrry sassy. But she has a very big heart, too. Just like her Daddy. That little girl loves her brother. My God! As sassy as she is, she’s not big on being the CENTER of attention, but she is keen to want your individual, undivided attention. Her first trip to Disney was when she was 2 with her mom and her mom’s family. She’s been a few times with them and a few times with us. The girl has probably been more than any one person in our family, though. But I will say, the magic never dies for her. And each trip we find new and exciting ways to make things special for her. She is a Princess, through and through. ALL GIRL! There was a time her favorite color was “glitter”. And in 2015, she convinced my in laws to buy her a Jasmine costume and she wore that one thing the rest of the trip. She may not be my own flesh and blood, but she is my child, and I am her parent.

Next: Our Plans!

 

[mFont23]

Hello! I'll follow along -- I'm in the midst of planning my family's first holiday trip, too. We're staying at BLT 12/19-27. Good luck with your ADRs!

Man! Looking at your signature, yall have got some trips under your belt. I bet you're just as excited as us to get in there for Christmas!!! The only thing is that my dad is entirely too impatient and we do Christmas at home, so traditionally that we couldn't actually skip Christmas to be at the world.

We're making our ADRs in about 2 weeks. It's amazing at Christmas. We've got our kids and their families for Thanksgiving (family refers to this as Thanksmas) this year. So we decided to spend a few days at WDW at Christmas. The last time we were there during the Christmas season was 12 years ago.

We've been between Christmas and New Years, so we've seen the decor. But Christmas is such a special time and feeling, that I'm really looking forward to experiencing it this way. Thanksmas. I LOVE IT! As we get older and have families of our own, I see our core family traditions changing, and I think it's hard on my Dad the most to bend and make things work like that. But what a fantastic idea and great way to celebrate!

 

[pkondz]

Here!

Fair warning, I tend to not comment much on PTRs.

Yes, we are those crazy (more like FUN) Louisiana people!

Or 4th of July, but I can't say we will ever have that desire. It's hot enough at HOME that time of year.

I believe you.

I'm here too!

Hi, Vanessa!

I’m Michelle.

Never heard of her. Do I know her?




Hi, Michelle!

I’m STILL IN MY TWENTIES, and I’ll leave it at that.

Of course. What more is there?

I’ll let Mom tell you more about herself, but i’ll tell you she is wonderful and kind and selfless.

Mysteriously also in her twenties.
I don't know how you guys do that.

John Paul-

My goodness! Getting so big!

 

[kclark9830]

I loved your TR and can't wait to join in!

 

[cstorm65]

Followed you over here from your Trip Report and am excited about seeing another one of your trips! Happy planning to you!!!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Oooooh I'm here and so excited to read all your plans! Love all the photos of the various holidays you've celebrated at WDW. It was like seeing you grow up on hyperspeed (with a little age reversing thrown in for luck lol).
John Paul and Gia are getting so grown up and are as gorgeous as ever
We hope to visit either Christmas 2020 or 2022 finances depending (flights are crazy expensive from here) so I can't wait to hear how you all get on. Looking forward to more

 

[*tinker*bell*]

I'm excited to follow along with your plans. Going to read your previous trip report too

 

[DLo]

Hopping over fri. Your TR. looking forward to reading more

 

[mFont23]

Fair warning, I tend to not comment much on PTRs.

Totallllllyyyyyy understand! Don't worry, I AM GOING TO TAKE BETTER NOTES on this trip and we will have a supercalifragilistic trip report from it when it's all said and done.

Of course. What more is there?

When I turned 20, I told people I was in my 20s and pretended to be coy about it so they just assumed I didn't want to give my age, like women do. But really I just didn't want people to know I wasn't 21 yet. Now, I'm hanging onto the "I'm in my twenties" as long as I can. Jimmy is 7 years older than I am. I'm not ready for us to be in the same category.

Mysteriously also in her twenties.
I don't know how you guys do that.

My husband tells me he married me because my mom looks so good. SHE DOES NOT AGE!

My goodness! Getting so big!

I loved your TR and can't wait to join in!

YAY! Thank you!

Followed you over here from your Trip Report and am excited about seeing another one of your trips! Happy planning to you!!!

Thank you, Thank you!

Oooooh I'm here and so excited to read all your plans! Love all the photos of the various holidays you've celebrated at WDW. It was like seeing you grow up on hyperspeed (with a little age reversing thrown in for luck lol).
John Paul and Gia are getting so grown up and are as gorgeous as ever
We hope to visit either Christmas 2020 or 2022 finances depending (flights are crazy expensive from here) so I can't wait to hear how you all get on. Looking forward to more

First of all, WE LOVE YOU and so glad you're following along. It was pretty fun to find all those photos. I had the post drafted for a while and got the idea, and Mom and I really enjoyed it. Aren't those crazy kids getting big?! He's like a tiny little man and we have full conversations and he tries to negotiate and stuff. Then Gia, God help us, is just too big and too pretty for her own good.

I cannot imagine what it's like to fly internationally. Jimmy is about to start working out of the Northeast, and will be traveling back and forth as much as possible. We may be eating soup for weeks at a time to make sure we can afford to have him home as much as possible LOL.

I'm excited to follow along with your plans. Going to read your previous trip report too

Yay! Thank you! Mom actually has a few reports under her belt. I'm not as versed in the Dis world.

Hopping over fri. Your TR. looking forward to reading more

 

[mFont23]

The Plans:


Warning, I don’t have fun pictures for this. Use your imagination.


Now that we know the characters, we should maybe give a rough outline of the plot.


First thing is first:


WHAT’S THE 411 ON THE TRIP. You know, the basics. The stuff you jot down on a sticky note at work when you’re playing with dates to request off, what costs what, and the best way to get the most out of your paid time off and vacation with family. I can’t be the only person that does that regularly! When you’re looking at a calendar and think, “What about Spring Break? That would be a good time to take everyone to Disney. Oh, but Mardi Gras would be easier for DH to get off of work. Hmm but I’d accumulate more PTO if we wait until Easter. Wait, when does the tax return hit?” Those little self-conversations.


Well LOTSSSSS of sticky notes were used to make this trip possible, and I still feel like so much is up in the air about it all. For better or worse, we have flights booked and we make ADRs Monday morning.


You see, we had been planning this December trip for a while. Long before we could even book it, really. It’s been a long road to where we are right now, so bare with me.


First plans: We had hoped my sister would land a job in the college program this fall and so we would obviously go visit her. I was going to take my kids and husband for a long weekend, where the kids would miss 2-3 days of school in early December. We hadn’t done Christmas yet and would love to do a Christmas Party! And it’s totally worth missing school if we get to see Danielle WORKING there.


Problem: Danielle (my sister) ended up never progressing in her application for Fall 2019 once it was submitted. She was, and probably still is, a bit devastated. But one of my best friends, Katelyn, did the College program and told her that she didn’t get in on her first try. I think that helped, and we are still hoping she gets back on the horse and tries again. Danielle’s never really known rejection, so this has been hard to process. She’s finally started talking about it again and I think she may even be stronger now because of it.


Second Plans: Mardi Gras 2020. Our kids actually get out of school for a week at Mardi Gras. It would still fall between when Gia turns 10 and JP turns 3 and they both get more expensive. My husband was working in New Orleans at the time we were planning this and his business shuts down for Mardi Gras (let’s just take a moment to think how crazy Mardi Gras must be that the whole dang city shuts down for days!). So that would just make more sense for us. I was also kinda hoping that Danielle would be in the college program by then, too.


Problem: Gia’s dance school still hadn’t announced what their plans were. They’ve done “Dancing in Disney” the past few years at Mardi Gras, but were talking about a cruise this year instead. I’d hate to book a trip and her miss either the trip or a chance to dance somewhere else exciting. And Gia’s school was in the process of voting on whether or not to close school the full week or just a few days for Mardi Gras moving forward. Gia’s Mom also mentioned maybe going at Mardi Gras so her little one could get one more trip in before he turns 3. They left him at home last Mardi Gras. And I don't mind working out a trip with them, but it’s not really what I have in mind. We’ve already done that. I want my kinda trip with my people this time. Also, we wouldn’t be able to solidify anything until this summer because it would be in 2020, and the rates weren’t available yet.

Still following? I know. It's a lot.

We went back and forth with Mom about it. She was in for Mardi Gras and I even sold my Dad on the idea. We’d have more time to pay for it, Danielle may be working, blah blah blah. But Mom and Dad decided to keep the December plans, include Danielle, and they wanted to take my toddler, too. It wasn’t worth planning a trip on the maybe that Danielle gets into the college program or not. If she gets in, wonderful! We’ll just find a way to go AGAIN.


Also, at the time all of this transpired, my husband found himself between jobs. Then we got a call from my friend Katelyn, same friend mentioned above that did the Disney college program and ended up moving back there and still works for Disney, IS NOW ENGAGED!


New Plan: We figured Jimmy would find work soon, so let’s plan to just go whenever Katelyn gets married. Gia just went with her Mom last Mardi Gras, JP will be going with my parents in December, and we will just do an adult weekend for the wedding when we know when it’ll be. Not ideal, but everyone wins. Let’s make another baby in the meantime and our next big, family trip will be all of us, hopefully plus 1.


Problem: As luck would have it, he was between jobs a lot longer than we anticipated. Happens to the best of us, right? So the idea of Disney just kept slipping further and further away. And that’s how we ended up on our current plan, which is kinda of the only-option-right-now-plan (because no disney is just NOT an option, duh). My husband still totally thinks he’s going, but that’s another room and new ADRs and all that and he literally starts working this coming Monday… so those are not commitments I'm ready to make just yet!


The idea of going for Spring Break/ Easter next year as our family of 4 is still something I have in mind. And it makes me feel less guilt about just bumming off my parents for a few days and the others missing out. He’ll be more settled with work and it’ll be our 5 year anniversary trip. So we will see how it all pans out. For now, it’s just ideas.


CURRENT PLANS:


The Masseys (my parents and sister) are taking my toddler to Disney for a week in early December. I will be joining them a few days in, in their room as the 4th adult. I originally was going to fly out with them and just fly back early. But I kept thinking how much I’m going to cry leaving my baby and we’re pretty attached, he and I. Hopefully it won’t be a Bates Motel kinda mother-son relationship, but I don’t think he would do well with me leaving either. So the day we booked the flights, I decided to tell my parents I’d just fly in a few days after they’ve been there and we can all fly home together. That would work out better for all of us going. So that’s what we are doing.


Flying in- Saturday, December 14 and staying at Pop Century (Dennis, Vanessa, Danielle, and John Paul)

Flying in- Tuesday, December 17 and bumming off my parents…. Me.


We ARE doing the dining plan, and Mom has me included in the room the whole trip, as opposed to splitting the trip into two, linked reservations (we’ve done this before)… which just means we are going to bank up some extra meals and those suckers are going to do a 2-meal credit while i’m not there!


Then we are all flying out Saturday, December 21 before the Christmas rush really begins. But flying out that evening and taking that day to shop, and do lunch at TREX... knock on wood this works out with ADRs on Monday.


I love the family that Jimmy and I have created. I love bringing along my in-laws and incorporating everyone. But this trip isn’t MY trip. This is my parents’ trip and I just get to be a kid. Their kid. A kid with my own kid, but a kid, nonetheless. I don’t have to bare the stress of coordinating everything or making sure everyone is taken care of and happy. Again, I LOVE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE IN OUR LIFE and I am so blessed to have them all, especially when we can all do stuff like this together. But this is MY trip to RELAX and just enjoy the smiles on my little boys’ face. And if God wills it, Jimmy and I will take the kids in 2020.


Next: ADR MADNESS!


But, here’s a picture, for fun. This is Mom, Danielle, and I Disneybounding for Disney on Ice last month. We took the kids as a Mother’s Day Treat and had a BLAST. Highly recommend. Also, Gia took this picture, so it’s not particularly flattering… but can you guess who we all are?

 

[pkondz]

Totallllllyyyyyy understand! Don't worry, I AM GOING TO TAKE BETTER NOTES on this trip and we will have a supercalifragilistic trip report from it when it's all said and done.

Can't wait!

When I turned 20, I told people I was in my 20s and pretended to be coy about it so they just assumed I didn't want to give my age, like women do. But really I just didn't want people to know I wasn't 21 yet. Now, I'm hanging onto the "I'm in my twenties" as long as I can. Jimmy is 7 years older than I am. I'm not ready for us to be in the same category.

Well, you still have... what? 8? 9? more years to go?

My husband tells me he married me because my mom looks so good. SHE DOES NOT AGE!

 

[pkondz]

Warning, I don’t have fun pictures for this. Use your imagination.

I always do...

so bare with me.

Is Jimmy okay with this???

We had hoped my sister would land a job in the college program this fall

Had followed along on that (mis)adventure.

She’s finally started talking about it again and I think she may even be stronger now because of it.

Good for her.

Still following?

Hopefully it won’t be a Bates Motel kinda mother-son relationship

Also, Gia took this picture, so it’s not particularly flattering…

Patently untrue.

but can you guess who we all are?

Nope. I'm not even gonna try. I suck at guessing DISbounding.

I'll go out on a limb and say... something Disney.
Far as I'll go.

 

[Eeyore daily]

Yay! I've read the other trip reports you and your mom wrote so looking forward to this! I've always wanted to go in December hoping to do so next year. For the photo I'm guessing Snow White and sorcerer mickey? Not 100% lol

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

First of all, WE LOVE YOU and so glad you're following along

Aw thank you! Love you and your family too

I cannot imagine what it's like to fly internationally

After a while the hours just blend together and hopefully everyone gets some sleep

Jimmy is about to start working out of the Northeast, and will be traveling back and forth as much as possible. We may be eating soup for weeks at a time to make sure we can afford to have him home as much as possible LOL.

Hope Jimmy enjoys his new job and you get to spend lots of time together fingers crossed
I also have a great recipe for vegetable soup in case of emergency lol

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

I’m guessing Snow White, sorcerer Mickey and Beast for Disney bounding outfits but I’ll be amazed if I’m even close to being right