Ok gang...my ticker says there's only 5 days left!!
Wooooo Hoooooo!!!!!
I'm so excited I can barely contain myself! I always get like this before I go back to my happy place, but this trip is different...I have never been to WDW for the holidays so I'm even more excited! I'm thinking it's a good thing that I booked this trip for the holidays since this will be our first Christmas here in North Carolina and we will be alone. Really alone. No family. No friends in the area stopping by. We used to have an annual Christmas party at our house with the same group of friends...all of our kids would play together and open their gifts while the grown ups would enjoy good food and good drinks and a lot of laughs. I will miss that. It's too expensive to fly home to NY to visit with my family and I can't...just can't...drive 16 or 17 hours up there to visit for a couple of days and turn around and do it again...ARGH...
Ahem...so where was I? Ah yes...holidays with the Mouse!! So far, I'm off to a good running start this weekend. With the exception of a load of white clothes that I have to do later on today (I should really be doing that RIGHT NOW), DS and I are all packed...I packed us both up on Thanksgiving day while their turkey was cooking. I have a smaller suitcase for an overnight stop somewhere on our way down Thursday if we can't drive straight through and clothes for Friday day and Friday night. And then have suitcases for the rest of our stay. I thought just a small one to carry in to the AKL rather than all 16 suitcases for one night. Naw...I don't really have 16, but it will feel that way to DH as he carries them all down the stairs and out to the car!
I almost got busted by the way...my Animal Kingdom Lodge stay was almost discovered by DH!! GASP!!
I've got my days planned out...my Disney calendar has been tweaked and laminated to prevent me from making any more changes!!! It's shrunken down to a handy size - maybe 3x4, along with each days itineraries....I was cutting them out and getting ready to put in my Passport binder when DH looked at the calendar...he demanded to know WHY I have us leaving Thursday night when it clearly says on my calendar that we're not checking in to the Poly until Saturday? Hmmm....good question. I tried to explain that I had to put that info in Saturday's block as I couldn't fit all my reservation information on Friday...? I'm not sure he bought it, but I seriously don't think he suspects the AKL...I'm not sure how I'll pull it off, but I'll drive this baby until it craps out on me!
So my calendar and daily itineraries are now laminated and I can see why V is going to thread hers on a ring...they're slippery little suckers! My DH thinks I am completely insane after having seen all that...I have a bunch of LGMH's...some are laminated luggage tags, already hanging from my baggalini and stroller, etc....others may be for hotel windows/doors...
All of my Mousekeeping envelopes have been printed and stuffed and sealed and are tucked safely away. I've even put aside a tip for the sleigh ride driver already so I don't have to worry about that either.
I have spoken to the good folks at Disney Dining. It's gotten to the point where I simply call to say hello now...don't want them to wonder if I'm ok just because I haven't called!
Here's my final plan...well, of course, it's always subject to change!!
Friday - 1st - Check in to AKL, dinner @ Boma
Sat. - 2nd - Epcot day (at some point check into Poly - perhaps after CP show). Coral Reef for a late lunch followed by CP at 5.
Sunday - 3rd - Animal Kingdom day! Sneak preview showing of the new Nemo Musical, and dinner at Rainforest Cafe @ 4:30...Tambu Lounge at the Poly that evening!
Yummmm....Mai Tai's...
Monday - 4th - MGM day! Date night! DS is going to the Neverland Club and DH and I have dinner at Flying Fish (formerly Brown Derby, formerly Shula's, formerly Mama Melrose, etc., etc.)
and possibly Jellyrolls afterward. I'm kind of digging the idea of going to Jellyrolls...we've never been...something new and different!
Tuesday - 5th - This is our
MVMCP night so we'll be taking it easy during the day...DS has the Jester Cruise at 9 at POR so DH and I will grab b'fast there. We have a late lunch/early dinner at CP at 2:30 - the only ADR I could get for any of the MK restaurants so I jumped on it.
Wednesday - 6th - 10am b'fast at O'Hana's....free day again...no plans...maybe take in Xmas decorations at other resorts? 3:30 dinner at House of Blues followed by the early LaNouba show.
Thursday - 7th - All MK, all the time...no ADR's for this day...I may, just may call and see if we can squeeze WCC into our day here...no dinner plans either...Hmmm....do you guys know how much having this big empty space on my calendar is just eating away at my brain??? Maybe an in-room pizza party? Let's see how we can do one day by the seat of our pants...will our Heroine be able to survive?? Will our gang of travelers STARVE TO DEATH? Tune in to the actual trip report to find out!
Friday - 8th - Don't really have any day time plans...maybe Typhoon Lagoon (we'll see if the weather is warm enough) or a catch up day at some park...DS goes to Neverland Club again and DH and I have a 6pm ADR at Artist Point...hopefully PI that night....I really want to go back to the Adventurer's Club again!
Saturday - 9th - Yet another "free" or catch up day...seems like I'm making a habit of this...We check out of the Poly and in to the All Star Sports...We have a 6pm ADR at Narcoosee's, followed by the WL sleigh ride at 9:30...hoping to view Wishes from the GF while we're there....we'll see...
My theme park plans are all written down and laminated and all go "to the left". The only must-do's are the things we missed last time...which could practically fill our days up anyway, and a few special ones...DS insists that he ride BTMR if he does nothing else. That's my boy!!!
Our new planning DVD arrived the other day...needed several tissues to watch the thing! I think it's much better than last years. We (DS and I) watch these planning DVD's like they're any other movie
...drinks
, popcorn
and a lot of dreaming and wishing..."Oh I want to go on that" "me too!!", etc. etc...so we're ready to go...mentally and (almost) physically.
I've wrapped small stocking stuffers that will appear in DS's stocking each night, that is, IF the stocking ever shows up...I'm FREAKING out...it's not here yet...I didn't buy a little tree...don't know if I will or not...I'm thinking that I probably won't if I haven't already...KWIM?
So that's the plan fellow Mouseketeers....full enough to make me feel like I've got plans, but loose enough to satisfy DH, I think...We'll see about that!!
Ok gang...I'm off to go and do that last load of laundry and finalize my and DS's packing!!! Later Gators!!!
So far, my week has been riddled with computer issues. 
nothing new to report...I tried calling for HoopDeeDo and they're booked for the 5pm seating, but have a 7:15 and I thought that'd be cutting it too close since we have to be at the WL between 9 and 9:15...
Hmmmmm....
That's for me, 'cause my trip's done and I'm back to work.
