One More Anniversary (21) I Guess We'll Go To Disney World--Again!

[mikep_97]

Welcome to my Pre-Tripper (my first thread) . I have lurked and read for a while and continue to learn from experienced poster-type-people.

I first came to the DIS forums in the fall of 2005 to rent points from a DVC owner so we could stay at BWV in 2006. What started out as a purely informational visit is becoming a habit I'd rather not stop!

Our first visit to the World was back in 1997, courtesy of Make-A-Wish. It was a wonderful trip where it all started for us--but that is another story for another day! We have returned 3 times, including a 20th anniversary trip last year.

Our 5th trip will be September 18-25, 2007, staying at AS Sport and loving the Free Dining Plan! Glad you have decided to come along for the ride! (There is someone here, isn't there? Anyone?) Oh, yes, hello. I'll be back shortly to introduce the cast with pictures.

 

[mikep_97]

Here we are.

.

I am Mike, 40-too-many year old Minister and Computer Tech. I work with a small church in a small town and spend a good bit of my time during the week doing computer work for several small businesses in the area. Gina is my lovely wife of 21 years (in September). DD Taylor, age 13, is an every day joy and a bright spot in our lives. DS Dakota, age 2 3/4, keeps me young, or makes me wish I was young.

We also always travel with Nana and Grandaddy.

Grandaddy is retired, and is an artist. He paints (oil is his main medium) and gives away all the paintings I really like. After all, I am just a DSIL. Nana spends her retirement talking on the phone, mostly to my DD, listening for hours to my daughter's endless details about her 13 year old life. Right now they are talking about our upcoming trip.

Stay tuned for more details!

 

[kindakrazy2]

Am I first? I'd love to be first!!!!!!

Thanks for the link Mike! Glad to have found you over here!

You have a beautiful family - thanks for sharing the photos!

Can't wait to read along as you plan! Keep it coming!

 

[kindakrazy2]

Yes! I was first!

 

[Disneydad99]

Followed Sarah from her TR looking good so far & is that a drawing of your dog in the Background? look fwd to more!!!

 

[mikep_97]

My web exposure to Disney for the last several years has mostly been through the Mousesavers website/email and Allearsnet. We had planned for 18 months to celebrate our 20th Anniversary with a WDW trip and started with a reservation at BWV. This was accomplished through rented points and was completed exactly at the 11 month window DVC members have for their home resort. Sun-Thur in a two bedroom villa for $10 a point. Totally awesome! We went ahead and reserved four days prior to BWV at POP Century and added the Dining Plan. Then, when Free Dining was released in April, we had our reservation changed to AKL with Free Dining for only $250 more. So, it was a great trip that I may cover in detail somewhere else, some other time.

We weren't really planning on going again this year. But, back in April, I visited one of the sites and saw that Free Dining was about to be opened up again, and spent the next few days convincing my family that we needed to take advantage of such a great deal (it wasn't too hard to convince them!) For us, Free Dining Plan is the perfect incentive to take the plunge and make the trip.

We usually fly out of Lubbock or Amarillo to MCO but in April the prices were pretty high. I shopped around for several weeks and finally decided to leave from DFW, which is about 400 miles from home. We will leave home on Monday and drive about 7 hours to Dallas and spend the night. The hotel includes free parking for the entire length of our trip and a free shuttle to the airport for our early flight on Tuesday. We should get to MCO about 11 a.m. If all goes well, Magical Express should deposit us at AS Sport in time to check in, grab a quick lunch, and then head to AK so DD can ride EE. She shouted "awesome" and "righteous" non-stop when we rode it last year, so she can't wait to start out there again. In three previous visits to AK we have never stayed until the late-afternoon parade, so this will hopefully be the perfect time to see it. We are also really looking forward to the Finding Nemo stage show, although my wife claims that she will really miss looking at Tarzan in his skimpy outfit! I'm not sure if we will make it to the show that afternoon or need to wait until we return later in the week for a full day.

 

[mikep_97]

Yes! I was first!

Thanks for coming!

Followed Sarah from her TR looking good so far & is that a drawing of your dog in the Background? look fwd to more!!!

Thanks for dropping in! What sharp eyes you have! Grandaddy did a pencil sketch of their family's dog, Fifi, back in the 70's and 80's. Nana and Grandaddy went through one more toy poodle, Dandi, and now my family has a solid black toy poodle named Sugar!

 

[mikep_97]

One of our many pleasant dining experiences from previous trips. This was lunch at the Hollywood Brown Derby in 2002.

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We all had the filet, which had a slice of plantain on top as a decoration. We lovingly refer to this as "the flying banana."

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I know this is not the food porn thread, but I'll do whatever it takes!

 

[mikep_97]

Also want to introduce you to our dog, Sugar, the only one of the family who doesn't enjoy our trips to WDW--she has to stay at home!

 

[mvazul]

Hi!

I found your pre-trip through DisneyMom5's report. Great start so far. How did you like the Brown Derby? My mother, sister and I have reservations when we go. I am looking forward to it. That steak looks great. Hopefully I can get them to leave the plantains out of my food - I am allergic to bananas. I know plantains are not bananas, but they are close enough and why test it on vacation???

Anyway, just wanted to stop back in and say hi!

 

[mikep_97]

Hi!

I found your pre-trip through DisneyMom5's report. Great start so far. How did you like the Brown Derby? My mother, sister and I have reservations when we go. I am looking forward to it. That steak looks great. Hopefully I can get them to leave the plantains out of my food - I am allergic to bananas. I know plantains are not bananas, but they are close enough and why test it on vacation???

Anyway, just wanted to stop back in and say hi!

Welcome! We did love Brown Derby but haven't been back in 5 years--too many other places we wanted to go first. I don't know if they even still do the plantain, but if they do it could easily be skipped. I have also been reading your report!

 

[mikep_97]

Last year for our 20th anniversary we found an Ebay vendor Sibling_Ts and bought one set of matching T-shirts. We went to MK that day and ate at Ohanas that night. We really liked several of the pictures that day with the matching shirts. So, this year, we decided to do matching shirts every day.

A little research suggested that our best option was to use a heat press with inkjet transfers. I tried to get a heat press on Ebay but they kept going above what I really wanted to pay. We learned of a youth minister nearby who has one and he was willing to help us. So, after we get all of the transfers printed, we will pay a couple of kids from the youth group to run the press and apply the transfers.

We ordered shirts and transfers from blankshirts.com and total cost per shirt will be about $3. We also ordered some extra shirts and used an iron today to make a couple of test shirts. Here are some pics.

and

 

[SerinaEmily]

I love the shirts lol .. I'll totally recognize you if we cross paths!

I think it's great that your DD and MIL are so close and talk all the time .. what an awesome gift in both their lives!

 

[mickeymouseclubhouse]

Hi there!

I decided I had to check out your pre-trippie from Serina's pre-trippie because I wanted to see the T-shirts , they turned out very cute! I love the fastpass one!

Good report so far!

I think I'm trying to read too many pre-trippies at once, I'm going to start confusing myself

 

[Disneydad99]

Love the T-Shirt Idea I might have to Mention it to DisneyMom!! & see how much trouble I can get in

 

[mikep_97]

I love the shirts lol .. I'll totally recognize you if we cross paths!

I think it's great that your DD and MIL are so close and talk all the time .. what an awesome gift in both their lives!

Thanks for coming in! You are right about the DD/MIL thing! It is great for a kid to know their grandparents so well. It is one more foundational relationship. Plus, since we enjoy traveling together, we share even more!

Hi there!

I decided I had to check out your pre-trippie from Serina's pre-trippie because I wanted to see the T-shirts , they turned out very cute! I love the fastpass one!

Good report so far!

I think I'm trying to read too many pre-trippies at once, I'm going to start confusing myself

Glad you like the shirts! We have six more that aren't quite ready, but I will post them as we make progress.

Love the T-Shirt Idea I might have to Mention it to DisneyMom!! & see how much trouble I can get in

It does require some work and some $ but we have had so much fun looking for ideas and talking about designs! I think it is going to turn out as one of our favorite Disney ideas ever! Good luck with DisneyMom!

 

[mikep_97]

This was our one tshirt from last year for our 20th anniversary.

 

[heath-and-javens-mom]

Hi.
Im on board your PTR too! What a wonderful family you have! I love the shirts! I am wanting to do something like that this trip but dont know if Ill have the time---or money for that matter!

Ill be following!!!

 

[Tanya90210]

hehe... I love your last years shirt... I'm along for this ride!

 

[LeeLee2U]

I'm here now! Ummmm the food looks good! We are designing some shirts too! I'm gonna look up that web site! Thanks!!