OMG I just got a free trip to Disney World

[MK2010]

So here's the scoop. I went to Disney World with my family a year ago. I planned and planned and planned and it was a dream vaction, the most magical place on earth. (thanks DIS and Tour Guide Mike). So my friend started planning one this summer for 9 people. (Her husband, daughter, and son, her parents, and brother,and then each of her kids got to invite a friend.) So I started helping her plan her vacation. Okay, scratch that, planned her vacation. I went over yesterday to go over the final plans because they leave in three weeks. She was still freaking out and I said, "Well, hey, I just got some money how about if I come with you and serve as your prsnal tour guide. I can orderyou lunches and set them out for you, I can run and get your fastpasses, and make sur all of your purchases get back to the car nd ferry eople back and forth between the rental house and the parks." She was like," Really? You would do that?" I was like, "Oh yeah."She had an extra plane ticket and then she decided that if I was willing to go and do all of that, then she wouldjust pay for my park tickets too! How awesom is that???????? So in three weeks I will be in Disney World for FREE! Granted it won't be all fun and games for me. There's a lot I won't get to do, but I totally get a kick out of watching the magic unfold for other people and knowing that I helped to make that happen. Its those, "Wow" moments tha make the trip so great. And I get to be there to see it first hand!!!!! I'm totally psyched.

 

[ilovepete]

Wow that is really neat! Very cool, have fun!

 

[MK2010]

Hmmm. double post.

 

[MK2010]

So, I suppose I could get a little more detailed and turn this into an actual pre trip report. I was so excited when I first found out that I just kinda put up the bare essentials. You know, I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD. Really when it is all said and done what else do you need to know?

Like I said, last December I suprised my family with their first ever trip to Disney World. All of my family and friends watched me pour over websites and spreadsheets- y'know, like any good Dis'er. Well, I got a great deal. Door to door our trip for 6 people cost $6000. We stayed in a hotel the Sunday before we left and flew out on a Monday morning and back in on Friday, Dec. 4. We stayed on property and everything was absolutely magical. I followed TGM's advice to a tee and we only missed seeing 3 things that were on our to do list. (POTC, TSM, and the Tiki Room). We would have seen POTC and the Tiki room, but a winter storm was blowing into Houston where our connecting flight was and they had to bump our return flight home.

I cam home and raved about our trip. Showed off my 1500 pictures and my slideshow. So a friend had some extra money and decided this was something she wanted to do for her ENTIRE family and asked, "Will you help me plan it?" Well, I jumped on that right away. Any excuse to hang out on the disboards and make magic come alive for another set of people I'm all about. So in July, we started planning a trip for 9 people. My friend, her husband, her dd, and dd friend, her ds, and ds friend, her dad and stepmom, and her brother.

Whew! That's a lot of preferences to take into account! She found some discount tickets online and opted to stay off property in a rental condo at Windsor Hills. There are pros and cons to this choice. At first, I was like, okay regroup, this will not be your vacation. That's okay it will still be magical. For the size of her group I think this is a great option. The only thing I don't like about it, is that it excludes them from the dining plan, which I really think is the best thing ever invented! She's had a couple of small (and I mean miniscule) disappointments. Basically, when she realized how cost prohibitive TS meals were gong to be. But, she booked them tickets to La Nouba with dinner at Wolfgang Puck's Cafe and a lunch at the Sci-Fi movie theater.

I helped her decide which parks to go to on which day and when to watch Fantasmic and Wishes, etc. then I left her on her own. She had subscribed to TGM, but kept complaining that the site was overwhelming. (Which I have to agree) I found the touring plans and told her to read through those, make a daily plan and she would be fine. A month went by.

She....

Oops gotta take the kid to Swim Club and then off to work.

So tell me, for this group, was off site a good idea or should they have gone with on-site?

 

[hollie1974]

While I can't answer your question, I am digging your free trip and can't wait to read the rest of the story! Free trip, very cool!

Update soon please!

 

[MK2010]

Have I mentioned that I love my job? I work as a nurse tech at a small surgical hospital. We have been slammed the past few weeks. We only have 18 beds in our patient stay unit which is where I work nights. I prayed all day for a breather and got one! We only have 10 patients and our one nutso patient finally zonked out after more than 48 hours of no sleep! Hallelujah! In addition to all of this, I have a nurse who will break into the computer for me. (For some reason I STILL don't have a username and password.) This means good news for you as I can continue with my story.

Now where were we? Oh yes, she...

She got totally overwhelmed and couldn't even finish ordering her customized maps. Of course, she is a mother of a Senior in high school, a Sophomore in college, working full time, involved in her church, and just finished selling the last of two houses she had to update in another town 2 hours away. Very busy lady!

So I went over to her house to iron out her daily touring plans. When I walked in the door she gave me a plaque that said "My husband said it was him or scrapbooking. I took pictures of him packing and scrapbooked them" Lol! She had been buying Disney themed items for her family on e-bay and found me a Sorcerer Mickey shirt. I LOVE Sorcerer Mickey! He is my favorite.

We finally got down to business and she just kept saying, "Why don't you just come with us and keep all of this straight?" I joked with her. I said I would love to be a personal tour guide. Then I remembered my Dad gave me a small inheritance from when my grandma died in the spring. I thought, "Hmmm, maybe my husband would let me use that." We were still kinda joking around about it and the plan kept evolving. She had extra points for the flight so that would only cost $100. Since she was staying off site at the house, that wouldn't cost any extra. It was just going to be the cost of the park tickets. So for like $500 I could have a trip to Disney for 5 days and 6 nights. My husband wasn't going for it, so she was talking to her husband while I was on the phone with my husband and they just decided they would pay for it!

I couldn't believe it! We didn't book anything for another couple of hours. We were both trying to come to grips with the decisions that had just been made. I, of course, kept questioning her sanity! In exchange for the trip, I will be their fastpass runner, photographer, videographer, chauffeur (pray for them, I'm a horrible driver), parade seat saver, and general tour guide. This is the best part. I get to make all of their dreams come true and give her the bill!!!

Before, I kinda felt like she should be in the driver seat of the whole thing and I didn't want to push too hard. Now, she has pretty much given me free reign! I design everything with two options and submit it to her and she picks the option she likes best. Then I come up with another scenario and she chooses between those two. She is getting to make decisions, but not having to be bogged down in planning. I'm loving this. I get to do the planning and not have to make any final decisions (which I am horrible at). So I think we make a pretty great team!

 

[hollie1974]

Have I mentioned that I love my job? I work as a nurse tech at a small surgical hospital. We have been slammed the past few weeks. We only have 18 beds in our patient stay unit which is where I work nights. I prayed all day for a breather and got one! We only have 10 patients and our one nutso patient finally zonked out after more than 48 hours of no sleep! Hallelujah! In addition to all of this, I have a nurse who will break into the computer for me. (For some reason I STILL don't have a username and password.) This means good news for you as I can continue with my story.

Now where were we? Oh yes, she...

She got totally overwhelmed and couldn't even finish ordering her customized maps. Of course, she is a mother of a Senior in high school, a Sophomore in college, working full time, involved in her church, and just finished selling the last of two houses she had to update in another town 2 hours away. Very busy lady!

So I went over to her house to iron out her daily touring plans. When I walked in the door she gave me a plaque that said "My husband said it was him or scrapbooking. I took pictures of him packing and scrapbooked them" Lol! She had been buying Disney themed items for her family on e-bay and found me a Sorcerer Mickey shirt. I LOVE Sorcerer Mickey! He is my favorite.

We finally got down to business and she just kept saying, "Why don't you just come with us and keep all of this straight?" I joked with her. I said I would love to be a personal tour guide. Then I remembered my Dad gave me a small inheritance from when my grandma died in the spring. I thought, "Hmmm, maybe my husband would let me use that." We were still kinda joking around about it and the plan kept evolving. She had extra points for the flight so that would only cost $100. Since she was staying off site at the house, that wouldn't cost any extra. It was just going to be the cost of the park tickets. So for like $500 I could have a trip to Disney for 5 days and 6 nights. My husband wasn't going for it, so she was talking to her husband while I was on the phone with my husband and they just decided they would pay for it!

I couldn't believe it! We didn't book anything for another couple of hours. We were both trying to come to grips with the decisions that had just been made. I, of course, kept questioning her sanity! In exchange for the trip, I will be their fastpass runner, photographer, videographer, chauffeur (pray for them, I'm a horrible driver), parade seat saver, and general tour guide. This is the best part. I get to make all of their dreams come true and give her the bill!!!

Before, I kinda felt like she should be in the driver seat of the whole thing and I didn't want to push too hard. Now, she has pretty much given me free reign! I design everything with two options and submit it to her and she picks the option she likes best. Then I come up with another scenario and she chooses between those two. She is getting to make decisions, but not having to be bogged down in planning. I'm loving this. I get to do the planning and not have to make any final decisions (which I am horrible at). So I think we make a pretty great team!

That is really cool! Congrats! And I think you are a really terrific friend for doing it!

 

[MK2010]

999ghostlover has made a Disney bucket list in her pre-trip report Dave Ramseying to Disney. So here is mine. Or at least a start.

Stay at:
Ft. Wilderness Campground
Poly
AKL
Grand Floridian (?)

Eat:
Dinner at Ohana's
Mama Melrose
Teppan Edo
Nine Dragons
Dole Whip

Experience:
Pick a Pearl
Main Street Electrical Parade (again)
Meet Sorcerer Mickey
Toy Story Mania

Finally:
A no kids trip
A Disney Cruise

So I'm sure this isn't complete, but what would your Disney Bucket List be?

 

[MK2010]

It dawned on me yesterday that perhaps now is the time to start panicking a little. I worked all night Thurs. night. We weren't busy, but I played on the Disboards instead of working on the touring plan. I slept until noon on Friday and then my kids had a gingebread house decorating party at 2:30. Plus, I had to squeeze in a little Christmas shopping in there. Yes, that's right. I am NOT done with my Christmas shopping yet. I have never been this bad before.

Well, anyway, after the party I picked up my kids, dropped off the three boys and then my daughter and I drove the 7 hours to my parents house. They live just outside Dallas. Today is my daughter's 9th birthday. So we're going to go to the Galleria Mall to the American Girl Doll store and pick out her very first American Girl Doll!

She is excited. I am not. I was a HUGE girly girl, with dolls everywhere. Lauren, not so much. She doesn't really play with them. Never has. At most she strips them down naked and leaves them on her bed. I find myself asking, "Why on earth am I buying this 9 year old a $100 doll?" Whatever. You only live once right?

Anywhoo, I digress. So we'll go home tomorrow. I'l have Monday and Tuesday to do some planning, but I'm back to work for three nights starting Tues. Then we have Christmas. Thankfully, I don't think we're going anywhere for Christmas Eve, but Christmas Day will be spent at his parents house. They only live 30 minutes from us. I can plan to my heart's content. But I very seriously doubt the family I'm planning the trip for will want to spend their Christmas checking e-mails and approving the plans! My family is coming to my house for Christmas the following Tuesday. Which means in between Christmas Day and then, I will be cooking and cleaning like a mad woman.
I go back to work that night for four in a row. That leaves New Year's Day to pack and then on Sunday we're leaving for Dallas to spend the night before out 6 a.m. flights! Whew!

So, I guess I should get off of here and do some planning before we go into Dallas this afternoon. Thankfully, all big decisions are made. All that is left is the touring plans. I'm done with Monday and Tuesday. So I just have Wed.- Fri. to go on that. I want to print out and laminate 10 sets of park map. I have all of the driving directions printed for how to get from the house to each park and vice versa, I just need to put them in the notebooks organized by dividers. I aso need to print out some menus from restaurants in each park so people can decide where they want to eat and what they want to eat. Since we're staying off property we're not eligible for the Disney Dining Plan and TS meals are fairly cost prohibitve for 10 people. They are going to eat at Wolfgang Puck's Cafe in Downtown Disney on Wed. night after they see La Nouba. On Thurs. they are going to eat at Sci-Fi Dinner theatre on Thurs, too. At first, I thought she was going to have me driving back and forth from the parks to the house for every meal, but thankfully she just decided to do CS and give everyone a food allowance each day.

ONce all of that is done I'm almost ready to go. Last year when we went my husband made our whole family matching Disney shirts for each day tht we were in the parks, but they got destroyed becuse I didn't wash them inside out the first time when we got home. (oops) So anyway, this time I want 2 shirts. I want one covered with pictures from our last trip. I have a couple of favorites out of the 4000 I took (HEy I narrowed it down to 1500 AND I only printed out 750.)Then for the second shirt I want is either a repeat of our shirts that said, "Its all about the mouse," or one that says, "I'm the Mistress of the Mouse"

Well, I guess that is all of the update for now. I will be posting the sample tours I've made soon. So stay tuned!

 

[MK2010]

Just back from the American Girl doll store in Dallas. It was sooo much fun. However, apparently the Saturday before Christmas isn't the best time to go! Who cares? Lauren is definitely MY child. Noise and crowds make it hard for her to think and process. But we finally focused and she picked out a doll, Ruthie, Kit's best friend. Unfortunately, they were out of Ruthie. My Mom and the sales lady both tried to get her to pick Kit. They look identical! Lauren was having none of it. She looked at the My American Girl dolls. The ones you can pick to look just like you. They didn't have any that looked like her, (Except Kit of course!) which was fine with her. So, she picked out another doll. It was out of stock. So we went back to the historical figures. She picked out Rebecca. In stock. Hooray! I had her take one more look before we bought it to make sure that was the right doll. She went back by the Felicity doll which they had prominently displayed at the front since she is being retired this year. Lauren loved her and opted to change her mind and pick Felicity!

I am super excited! Samantha is my favorite character and they have already retired her. I've seen her on ebay for $200.So, I was glad that Lauren chose this doll that won't be available for much longer. That store is bad for me. I had no problem handing over $123 for a doll, hairbrush, and a pj set for my niece who is getting an American Girl doll for Christmas. All I could think of was, "Oh yay! I can't wait to come back. Oh look Felicity's horse $75 dollars!" Well the last one might have brought me back into reality. But seriously, a whole store full of nothing but dolls and their clothes! I might be 10 again!

Afterwards, we stoppedbny La Madeleine for dinner. I think the experience was wasted on my daughter who ordered pizza. But at least she didn't order pb & j like she would have done a couple of years ago. All in all its been a great girls weekend. Well, I'm off. I promised Lauren that she could play on the American Girl website!

 

[MK2010]

Okay its time for everyone to chime in. I need decisions people! I have the first four days planned out (I will post those shortly) But, I am having trouble with Day 5 at Magic Kingdom. For the most part this is our only day there. Let me re emphasize who is in our party- two senior citizens around 60. 4 adults in their early forties/late thirties and four teenagers- 2 in college and 2 high school seniors. The teens have already said they can pass on Snow White, Peter Pan, and Winnie the Pooh. No one is interested in Its a Small World. I have vetoed Astro Orbiter, Indy Speedway, The Barnstormer, Magic Carpets, Jungle Safari, etc. for them.

The older adults MAY be interested in:
Carousel of Progress (Its one of my favorties, but I'm a history major)
Hall of Presidents

Also, do I try to fit in TTA?

And will everyone in our group (generally speaking) find Stitch's Great Escape and Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor worthwhile?

GIVE ME YOUR OPINIONS PEOPLE!!!!!! We leave in fourteen days. I have two family Christmas celebrations and 7 days of work in that amount of time. Time is running short! Help me out!

 

[MK2010]

Monday Jan. 3rd

· 4 am arrive at airport
· 6 am flight
· 10:30 arrive MCO
· Pick up checked bags, shop at airport, get rental car
· 12:00 lunch at fast food restaurant
· 12:45 Finish Lunch/ find grocery store
· 1:30 grocery shopping
· 2:30 Finish grocery shopping/ kill time
· 4:00 arrive at house/unload/unpack
· 4:45 leave for the park
· 5:00 arrive at Walt Disney World/Exchange tickets
· 5:20 take ferry/monorail to MK
· 5:45 arrive at MK
· 6:30 in front of Hall of Presidents for parade
· 7 p.m. Spectro Magic Parade
· 7:30 p.m. go to Rose Garden to view Wishes fireworks show
· 8 pm Wishes
· 8:30 grab a snack while the park thins out
· 9 back to main entrance to catch monorail/Ferry back to TTC
· 9:20 in car en route to house
· 9:45 arrive at house
· 10:30 Night night

We have made 1 change. We are going to leave after the parade because we will be back at this park on Friday and they are showing Wishes then.

 

[MK2010]

Animal Kingdom (Day 2)

We need to be at the park no later than 8:30 .

· Mt. Everest (this is one of the few high intensity roller coasters in the Disney World Kingdom) –while everyone rides this I will obtain another set of fastpasses for this ride later in the day.
· ? Primeval Whirl (this is a very jerky ride. Quite possible that only the teenagers at most will want to ride this)
· Dinosaur (you get in a jeep on tracks and experience going back in time for a dinosaur egg. Very thrilling, a couple of rocky places as the ride simulates going off road) –possibly FP after initial ride.
· It’s Tough to be a Bug (3D movie)
· Maharajah Jungle Trek
· Lunch- I will go to Kilimanjaro Safari for FP
· Kilimanjaro Safari (a Safari ride where you see live animals)
· Pangani Forest Exploration Trail
· Festival of the Lion King (bleacher type seating for a cute musical show.)
· Choose 1: Flights of Wonder/ Mt. Everest/ Dinosaur
· Exit park via TGM Secret Jungle Trail
· Head home or to DHS

 

[MK2010]

Epcot (Day3)

Arrive no later than 8:30

· Soarin’- While you ride, I will obtain a set of FP to ride again later in the day and then I will ride in the single rider stand- by line
· The Living Seas with Nemo and Friends. I will get FPs for Test track for later in the day.
· Spaceship Earth
· 11:00 a.m. We want to begin touring the World Showcase as soon as it opens! This is a very short park day.
· I will grab FPs for Mission Space
· Start with Canada and work your way around. This is all shopping pretty much.
· Lunch can be grabbed at several C.S, options. I would probably snack through the day and then pick up a lunch back at the house around 3:30.
· 12:30 Voices of Liberty in the USA performs.
· 12:55 Miyuki- candy artist- performs in Japan
· At any time people can take a break from shopping and go back into Future World an use the FPs
· Exit the park at 3p.m.
· Back at house by 3:30
· Leave for La Nouba by 4:15
· La Nouba 5
· Wolfgang Puck’s café 9:00
· Shop Downtown Disney til you drop. The boys should really check out the Lego Store. (Everyone should really, just sayin’.They’ve got some great displays goin on.)

 

[MK2010]

Disney Hollywood Studios (Day 4)
Arrive no later that 8:30


Option 2
· Tower of Terror- I will FP Toy Story Mania
· Wait in short Stand by line for Rockin’ Roller coaster
· I will FP either Rockin Roller Coaster or Tower of Terror
· Toy Story Mania
· Walt Disney: One man’s Dream
· (?) American Idol- I will obtain FP for Muppet Vision 3-D
· Lunch at Sci-Fi Dinner Theater
· Muppet Vision 3-D
· 2 p.m. Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular
· 3 options: Stay at DHS and use any remaining FPs (shop, see some of the other attractions), go to another park, go home*
· Return for 6:15 Fantasmic

I will obtain FP as soon as a window opens throughout the day.

* There is the Friendship boat launch that runs between DHS and Epcot with stops along Disney’s Boardwalk. The Boardwalk contains shops and other Disney hotels. This might be a nice way to see some more of Disney, plus you could go back to Epcot and see The British Invasion (In the U.K. at World Showcase,) and possibly catch either Mo’Rockin in Morrocco, or the Chinese acrobats in China.

 

[MK2010]

Option 2:
· Space Mountain-I will FP Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
· Buzz Lightyear
· I will FP Stitch’s Great Escape for later in the day
· Mickey’s Toon Town
· I will obtain FPs for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Pirates of the Caribbean. I will be MIA for the next portion of the itinerary.
Group A:
· Stitch’s Great Escape
· Lunch
· Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor
Group B:
· Carousel of Progress
· Lunch
· Hall of Presidents

Everyone
· Meet up for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
· Pirates of the Carribean
· Haunted Mansion
· Mickey’s Philharmagic

It is now 4 o’clock.
Options: Go back to the house, stick around and ride a few classics?, go to another park?

· Arrive back at Magic Kingdom between 6:30 and 7:00 for Wishes.

 

[arielrebornxoxo]

Free trip with your friends So exciting! Make sure to take some great pictures for them!

 

[MK2010]

We only had 7 patients at work tonight so I had to call my husband and have him bring me my Disney project. I was totally expecting waaaay more. Oh well. this way I have the driving directions notebooks for both cars done.

Tonight we are only going to have 7-8 patients so I will probably change my dividers in my planning notebook. I'm ready for some new ones. I think I will add a section for all of the menus. I can print those off of allears.net. That way people can look and decide where they want to go for lunch.

I haven't begun packing. I know. It seems early, but it really isn't. I will sleep all day today and tomorrow. Friday is Christmas Eve and I still have some last minute shopping to do. Plus, I promised the kids we would bake cookies. I'm trying to get the laundry all done, but my dryer isn't cooperating with me!

 

[MK2010]

I got the menus printed! Yay! and I have my notebook organized.

 

[MK2010]

So, the time is almost here! My family is coming over tomorrow for Christmas dinner. Wednesday my parents are taking the kids home with them. I go back to work tomorrow night for four in a row. I'm trying to get laundry done so I can get everything packed, but my dryer isn't cooperating. Its taking 2 hours to dry a load of laundry. I keep telling my husband (Mr. Fix It), but he just shrugs his shoulders and walks off. Very frustrating. I would take it all to the laundromat, but that would come out of my check.

I went today and got my hair cut. It was driving me NUTTS. (Yes, I misspelled nuts on purpose. That's the last name of the family I'm going to Disney with. ) Now I can get away with just taking my flat iron instead of my curlers. I looked for T-Shirts to put iron ons on, but didn't find any at the Dollar Tree. I may have to go to Hobby Lobby. Can't quite make up my mind. Again, my husband is the techie and he's kinda balking at making me any T-Shirts for this trip. I have four options and I only want 2, or 3, or okay maybe all 4.

1) On the front says I'm goin' to Disney World. The back has pictures from our last trip.

2) A picture of Mickey on front. On back it says Mistress of the Mouse. (He's really put his foot down about this one! )

3) A picture of Mickey on front. On back it says I heart the Mouse.

4) The one I REALLY want: On front a picture of Mickey. On back Hey Mickey You're So Fine. I will be downloading that song with the itunes gift card my son gave me for Christmas.

We'll see how that turns out! In other news, I had a great Christmas. My in-laws got me Mickey Mouse fleece pajama pants. My husband replaced the diamond in my original wedding ring. The original fell out 4 years ago.

Well, that is my update! I hope to get up 1 more with my notebook and final plans before I leave.