Our Bigger Better Vacation From Missouri

[luulu1999]

I am soo excited we have finally decided on our dates, so I decided to do a pre trip report to get me even more excited!! I don't know how interesting it will be but I am going to give it a try!!

First I will introduce you to my family

Briley she is 5 and a Diva in every sense of the word...she has changed her name about 5 times this week alone because Briley is "boring" so it has been Valentine Easter, Cupcake, Cookie, and Cat....She is so excited and can't wait until our trip


Brandon II (BJ)-is all boy!! he is 6 and is at the 48 inch mark and wants to ride ALL the rides



Brandon(Dad)-Ummm he is a bit of a fuddy duddy...I secretly don't know if he even knows how to have fun...but I am going to try to fix that this next trip





And ME!! I am trying to lose at least 50lbs for our trip but it is soo HARD!! I am a nurse work, go to school and take care of kids is what I do!....I became addicted to Disneyland after our first visit and can't wait to get to go back




Now if these pictures go on here right everything will be great!!!

 

[luulu1999]

Yaaay!!!! My pictures worked!!! SCORE!!!

So our first and only family vacation was Christmas of 2012 and it was to DISNEYLAND!! My kids had seen all summer the commercials on Disney channel about the Cars Land and wanted to go so I was determined to make that their Christmas and it worked out for us!! Everyone asked why we chose Disneyland instead of Disney World since it is closer for us and Cars Land was the reason, that is where my kiddos asked to go so that is where we went!! Here are a few pics from that trip...I didn't know about all the trip reports and stuff so I didn't take pics of our hotel or anything like that...we stayed at the Clarion and I did not really like it the Lobby was nice and shiny and new looking....our room was not.

 

[luulu1999]

SOO...since we went at Christmas last time I wanted to go in warmer months this time so we could visit some beaches and have some nicer weather....After much deliberation and trying to figure out vacation time at jobs we have decided July 27-Aug 4


We will be staying at the Park Vue Inn which I am really excited about because it is RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET!!! And it had everything I was looking for...bunk beds, breakfast, free parking, microwave and fridge's in the room, and did I mention it is RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET!! I haven't heard many people talking about Park Vue but trip advisor seems pretty positive...I do wish they still did the little gift baskets because my kiddos would love that!!

Now the kicker of the trip...we live in Southeast Missouri....Brandon does not fly....so we DRIVE!!! And Brandon being the fuddy duddy that he is does not like to stop and sight see or any of that...he just wants to get to where we are going I just reserved our mini van today for our trip

We are going to the parks for 5 days, our last visit was only 3 days in the park and there was SO much we didn't get to do!!

Then we have two days that will be for LA/Hollywood and beaches

I have sooo many food places that I want to try but right now we are doing two Character meals one at Goofy's Kitchen for dinner (we not big breakfast people and we get it free at the hotel) and then a late lunch at Ariels Grotto. We also have medieval times dinner planned and we will be eating one meal at Café Orleans for sure.

This is what I have going on so far....Friday I am planning on booking our hotel and ordering our tickets so I am (im)patiently waiting til then!!

Thanks for reading along (if anyone does) and I will try to update often and after our trip this will turn into a trip report

 

[luulu1999]

I am excited, I just made the decision that we will be driving straight thru until we get to Vegas and that is where we will spend the night, it will also give us more time in Anaheim the first day because we will be there earlier in the day.

We are also going to be doing the F! dessert package I am excited about that and a little nervous about spending that much money

I have called my bank today to get ready for my large purchases on Friday and I am excited for Friday to get here!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Oh my goodness,......I'm not sure I would want to drive THAT far......at least not with my 2 older kids.....that tend to fight every waking hour...... That's why we break up our days with activities....otherwise I'd go nuts!!

So I've heard a mixed bag on Park Vue.....we thought about staying there on one of our trips but then I read about some "unattractive activity" happening in the parking lot......so we switched gears. Other reports were favorable......so it's hit & miss. Being across from the parks is awesome....we're actually staying further away because of price and we've stayed at the Motel 6 before & it's a nice one.

Your kiddos are so cute!! Well now that I've found your PTR, I'll follow along!!!

 

[Dismamx2]

I'm in too
We're going in July for the first time and I'm super excited, I'm in awe of how organised you are and how much you have sorted already (I followed the link in your sig to here from the 'July 2014' thread).
Your kids are super cute

 

[luulu1999]

Oh my goodness,......I'm not sure I would want to drive THAT far......at least not with my 2 older kids.....that tend to fight every waking hour...... That's why we break up our days with activities....otherwise I'd go nuts!!

So I've heard a mixed bag on Park Vue.....we thought about staying there on one of our trips but then I read about some "unattractive activity" happening in the parking lot......so we switched gears. Other reports were favorable......so it's hit & miss. Being across from the parks is awesome....we're actually staying further away because of price and we've stayed at the Motel 6 before & it's a nice one.

Your kiddos are so cute!! Well now that I've found your PTR, I'll follow along!!!

we drove the last time also and I was actually VERY surprised at how good my kids were, We left at 3AM and I was like o they will go right back to sleep in when we get them situated in the van...WRONG they knew where we were going and wide eyed!! My daughter asked a million times before we got out of MO if we were there yet but other than that they did very well!!

I really hope we don't have any problems with Park Vue but it had EVERYTHING we were looking for and the price and location was just perfect so we are gong to give it a try!!

Thanks so much for following along I am excited to have some readers lol

 

[luulu1999]

I'm in too
We're going in July for the first time and I'm super excited, I'm in awe of how organised you are and how much you have sorted already (I followed the link in your sig to here from the 'July 2014' thread).
Your kids are super cute

Thanks so much!!! I was really worried no one would follow along

I think one thing that is keeping me organized (im usually the complete opposite) Is I want to plan out as much as possible to make sure the money is put back to pay for all of it!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

I rescind my last statement about Park Vue......I was wrong on that.....it wasn't Park Vue that had the issue it was Del Sol which also sits kinda behind all those motels across the street from the parks. So our issue with Park Vue in the past was not having openings for the dates we were coming! If I recall.....now that I have the right place in mind......it comes highly recommend on the Dis! Sorry for the confusion.....that's what happens when you get older, have too many kids and a head cold.......

 

[wiigirl]

Following along.

 

[luulu1999]

I rescind my last statement about Park Vue......I was wrong on that.....it wasn't Park Vue that had the issue it was Del Sol which also sits kinda behind all those motels across the street from the parks. So our issue with Park Vue in the past was not having openings for the dates we were coming! If I recall.....now that I have the right place in mind......it comes highly recommend on the Dis! Sorry for the confusion.....that's what happens when you get older, have too many kids and a head cold.......

Thanks for the clarification...that makes me a little less nervous!!

 

[luulu1999]

Following along.

YAAY!!! Thanks so much!!!

 

[luulu1999]

Yesterday and today have been busy days for me with our vacation!!!!

Yesterday I ordered our photopass plus, our medieval times tickets, a in and out gift card, and our Character meals thru Orbitz with ebates (hopefully getting 20% back on that)

I also started getting the stuff together to make us some shirts....I am not creative AT ALL...I ordered some iron ons from Etsy...have to borrow an iron from my mom because we just use the dryer to get wrinkles out and plan on working on those this weekend, I will post pics when I get them done, hopefully I don't mess them up!!

TODAY!!!!....Tickets are ordered thru Orbitz with Ebates (20% cash back) so that means I will get around $270 cash back with ebates AND Orbitz had 3 and 4 day PH's where you get an extra day free so I got the 4 day ones with 5th day free

AND Park Vue Inn is booked...they are sending me an email where I can go ahead and pay for the whole thing instead of just the first night ( I want to have as much as possible paid for now)

We may have a few more purchases between now and then, and I am putting the money for the car rental in the savings account so it doesn't get spent

This just all makes me soo excited since now I know its real...now I can't wait until the time to book dining reservations and F! dessert reservation!!

 

[Dismamx2]

Hi Luulu, can't wait to see your shirts

You really have so much organised already. I think I will buy the Photopass in a couple of weeks myself

Can I ask about booking the character meals? Are they actually booked now for July or is vouchers that you use as payment? I haven't seen this before and I don't know if I can do it from Ireland. I would prefer to have this pre-paid before we go. My girls are 11 & 14 but we love to do a couple of character meals.

 

[luulu1999]

Hi Luulu, can't wait to see your shirts

You really have so much organised already. I think I will buy the Photopass in a couple of weeks myself

Can I ask about booking the character meals? Are they actually booked now for July or is vouchers that you use as payment? I haven't seen this before and I don't know if I can do it from Ireland. I would prefer to have this pre-paid before we go. My girls are 11 & 14 but we love to do a couple of character meals.

The vouchers you use and then at the 60 day mark I can call and make our reservations....I got my money back from Orbitz for the Character meals and I did get 20% back so I am super excited!! You just take the vouchers you print from Orbitz to a ticket window and they give you the passes...also with Orbitz gratuity and everything is included!!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

It does get more real & exciting when you start ordering things!!

I totally forgot about the Photopass+, guess I better add that to my "To Do" list!!

 

[luulu1999]

It does get more real & exciting when you start ordering things!!

I totally forgot about the Photopass+, guess I better add that to my "To Do" list!!

it does!! And I am SO excited about the cash back with ebates because last trip I did not get one thing for me so I decided this time since the kids have their own spending money I wanted to get me a Dooney and Burke purse while we are there and now with the money I get back with Ebates i still won't have to spend my spending money and will be able to get just about any one I want (which I already know which one I want its just a matter if I will be able to find it)

 

[DizNee Luver]

it does!! And I am SO excited about the cash back with ebates because last trip I did not get one thing for me so I decided this time since the kids have their own spending money I wanted to get me a Dooney and Burke purse while we are there and now with the money I get back with Ebates i still won't have to spend my spending money and will be able to get just about any one I want (which I already know which one I want its just a matter if I will be able to find it)

Yay for the Dooney & Bourke!! I had 2 and love them......I have this one:



and this one:



I lucked out on the Tinkerbell Marathon one.....they just happened to have a few leftovers from the weekend & I saw it in one of the gift shops......that baby had to come home with me!!

 

[luulu1999]

Yay for the Dooney & Bourke!! I had 2 and love them......I have this one:



and this one:



I lucked out on the Tinkerbell Marathon one.....they just happened to have a few leftovers from the weekend & I saw it in one of the gift shops......that baby had to come home with me!!

OMG!!! I LOVE the TINK one!!!!! I am planning on getting the black rainbow one (i have a hard time keeping light colors clean) unless I get there and see something else I just HAVE to have!!

 

[luulu1999]

My cash back has officially posted in my ebates account!! I started working on shirts this weekend, I just got the 4 family shirts done, I don't think I did to terrible...the kids ones were a lot easier than the adult ones so hopefully since I only have kids ones left to do (unless I find us another one for all four of us) I should be ok