Our First Christmas with Mickey a magical trip on a budget!

[Monny2AE]

Our First Christmas with Mickey…a magical trip on a budget!​

Welcome to my PTR!

This December will be my family’s 5th trip to Disney and our very first visit while Disney is filled with the Christmas spirit!

This trip almost didn’t come to be due to finances. We need a new roof and it was either Disney on a budget so we can still put a new roof on our house or postpone the trip until next year. I hate making grown up decisions sometimes but I suppose a roof over our heads is kind of important.

Here's a picture of our gang from our January 2010 trip- Me, DH, DS7, DD4

​

Thanks for joining me as I count down to our first Christmas with Mickey!!!!

 

[Pluto_fan]

Yea Kim! I can't wait to read along!

What a cute family you have.

 

[Monny2AE]

Thanks for joining me Kathy!!!!

Here's your prize for being first... Better eat it before it melts!

 

[Pluto_fan]

How exciting! I've never been first!

DD just saw your family picture in the first post and asked, "Is that me?" She does look a lot like your DD!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I'm here Kim! Can't wait to read more.....

 

[Monny2AE]

How exciting! I've never been first!

DD just saw your family picture in the first post and asked, "Is that me?" She does look a lot like your DD!

Must be the cheesy grin that makes them look alike!

I'm here Kim! Can't wait to read more.....

Hi Shelly! Thanks for stopping by!

 

[Monny2AE]

TRIP DETAILS…

All of our previous trips we have stayed at CBR. It’s our most favorite resort and holds a special place in our heart! DH and I stayed there for the first time on our honeymoon in 2001 and fell in love with it!

Some CBR eye candy from our past couple trips...

10 years, 2 kids and 1 thinly stretched budget later- we have decided to try a value resort for the first time! We are booked at Disney’s All Star Movies Resort for 7 nights with Free QSDDP!!!! I'm excited to try a new resort. I think my kids will LOVE the theme.

I will miss the pools at CBR but I'm hoping we will be so busy experiencing all there is to see and do during the Christmas season at Disney that we won't have much time for swimming anyway. It’s not much more money to stay CBR but our family enjoys the QSDDP much more than having to schedule ADR’s and eat sit down meals. If we upgrade to CBR we have to get the regular DDP. Why they won’t let you downgrade to the cheaper QSDDP when you are paying more to stay at a moderate is beyond my understanding but Disney has it’s reasons I’m sure.

Our package also includes park tickets with Park Hoppers. I know we could save a little skipping the park hoppers but we love to park hop and I’m just not willing to part with park hopping.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I forgot you were staying at ASMo this time. That would be my first choice if we were going to a Value resort! I can't wait to see what you think of it!

 

[seacrestpromo]

Hi Kim!!

Great start to your trip report

What adorable pictures of your kids! They have grown up so much.

Can't wait to hear about this trip.

Sea

 

[Monny2AE]

I forgot you were staying at ASMo this time. That would be my first choice if we were going to a Value resort! I can't wait to see what you think of it!

I hope I can give it a glowing review! DH is already bummed it won't have a fridge but we will have a little cooler and they have ice machines. We don't spend tons of time at the resort anyway so as long as it has beds and a bathroom I'm happy.

Hi Kim!!

Great start to your trip report

What adorable pictures of your kids! They have grown up so much.

Can't wait to hear about this trip.

Sea

Hi Sea! Thanks for stopping by! I didn't realize how much they have grown either until I was looking back at some of their pics!

 

[princess&her4princes]

Hi Kim!

You just joined my PTR and I was so happy to see you had one going, too!! Your family is too cute and I'm so excited for your December trip! LOVE it that time of year!! We went in 2008 and it was our favorite time of year to go!! Will you do MVMCP?

We stayed at ASMo the 1st time we took our boys and we just loved it! I think you'll be happy there! The theming is really cute for the kids...our boys were so into Toy Story so we requested that section and my oldest (4 at the time) thought it was so neat we were staying in "Andy's room" on vacation! I also get having a resort that brings back such wonderful memories of your honeymoon! That's how we feel about Port Orleans Riverside, we honeymooned there 11 years ago when it was Dixie Landings and took our boys back for our 10 year annivesary there, it wasn't exactly the same but so nice, too!

Can't wait to hear more!!

 

[Lil'Mermaid75]

Yeah! A PTR!!

We've stayed at Movies three times. I think you'll like it!

 

[mari360]

I'm here!!!!!!!! Can't wait to read more......

 

[Monny2AE]

Hi Kim!

You just joined my PTR and I was so happy to see you had one going, too!! Your family is too cute and I'm so excited for your December trip! LOVE it that time of year!! We went in 2008 and it was our favorite time of year to go!! Will you do MVMCP?

We stayed at ASMo the 1st time we took our boys and we just loved it! I think you'll be happy there! The theming is really cute for the kids...our boys were so into Toy Story so we requested that section and my oldest (4 at the time) thought it was so neat we were staying in "Andy's room" on vacation! I also get having a resort that brings back such wonderful memories of your honeymoon! That's how we feel about Port Orleans Riverside, we honeymooned there 11 years ago when it was Dixie Landings and took our boys back for our 10 year annivesary there, it wasn't exactly the same but so nice, too!

Can't wait to hear more!!

I'm so excited to finally see Disney at Christmas! MVMCP is not a budget friendly event but we are going to skip character meals and other extras so we have the extra money to splurge on the tickets. I know I would regret going all the way to Disney and not doing MVMCP. I need to sit down and look over the park hours and such to decide if we want to go to it on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Yeah! A PTR!!

We've stayed at Movies three times. I think you'll like it!

I'm so happy to hear your family loves ASMo! I have no doubts that we will like the resort. I'm just worried we're arriving at the tail end of Pop Warner week and it might be a little loud and crazy for the first couple of nights. Hopefully not!

I'm here!!!!!!!! Can't wait to read more......

Hi Mari! Thanks for stopping by! I know you're a busy gal these days!

 

[Monny2AE]

GETTING THERE…

Those of you that know me know that I really wish I would be telling you that would be getting there in an airplane. Alas, flying is out of the question when trying to keep the budget low. The cheapest airfare I could get for our family of four was $861. Driving means we can keep the cost to less than half the cost of airfare. Sooooooo that means we will be driving our fuel efficient hatchback Nissan Versa.

I hate driving and would MUCH rather fly but driving is the most cost effective way for us to get there. We’ve always driven to Disney so that’s nothing new for us. What will be new is trying to pack everything for a week for four people into a compact hatchback car. All of our previous drives have been in a minivan or Ford Explorer. It’s going to be tight and we are going to have to limit what we pack to just the essentials. One thing I will definitely be making room for is the Dramamine for the kids. Our last drive was a horror story. DS didn’t sleep well the night before because he was so excited for our trip and he's just like me...lack of sleep = upset tummy. He was nauseated and sick the whole ride. I’ll spare you the details…let’s just say I was thankful I had grabbed the box of gallon baggies before leaving that morning and that it was the worst 16 hour drive I’ve EVER experienced. I am praying it’s going to be a better road trip this time around.

To save us from spending too much on the road trip, I’ll be packing breakfast, lunch, drinks and snacks for the ride. We’re going to stop to eat and stretch our legs every so often but it will save us some money eating the food I pack rather than eating out for each meal. Our plans are to leave around 4am and we are hoping to make it to Disney by 7 or 8pm. Our best record for drive time is 15 hours. I’m still trying to convince DH to pick up DS from school and leave Thursday afternoon instead of Friday morning. We could stop overnight, get a full night of rest and arrive at Disney by lunch time Friday afternoon giving us an extra half day at Disney. It would add an extra night at a hotel to our cost though. Just in case I am able to convince him between now and then, I kept our park tickets as 8 day hoppers and we could pick them up a day before our free dining package starts.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I'm here!!!! So excited for you guys! There's nothing like WDW at Christmas time! It's just so beautiful. I have a castle picture as my screen desktop on my laptop at home year round!

 

[jenjolt]

Hi Kim!! I'm definitely in!! Can't wait to hear all about your plans!

 

[Monny2AE]

I'm here!!!! So excited for you guys! There's nothing like WDW at Christmas time! It's just so beautiful. I have a castle picture as my screen desktop on my laptop at home year round!

I'm beyond excited to see the castle in Christmas lights!!!! Disney at Christmas has been my dream for many a year and it's finally coming true!!!

Hi Kim!! I'm definitely in!! Can't wait to hear all about your plans!

Hi Jen! Thanks for stopping by and saying hello!

 

[Monny2AE]

6 weeks until Disney!!!!! ​

6 weeks from today we will be on the road heading to Florida!!!!​

 

[Mndisneygirl]

6 weeks until Disney!!!!! ​

6 weeks from today we will be on the road heading to Florida!!!!​

I love this guy! 6 weeks doesn't seem like that long! Are you packed yet? Shelly would be started already you know!