Our once in a lifetime Dream Trip to WDW and Disney Wonder Cruise Pre-trip Report

[Kimmielee]

Let’s just start out by saying I’m very blessed. My DS(6), affectionately called the “man cub” for report purposes… has been to WDW twice in his six years. I have been 4 times in my 44 years, but never as a young child. Our first trip was October of 2003 when he was 4 and then again in October of 2004 for Halloween at WDW! It was MAGICAL to be at MK for Halloween night. However, I digress. That was then, this is now and I was a DIS lurker back then… way too shy to post a trip report!

Given the reports from ZZUB, horsegirl, tenorsinging, vettechick, 100thhappyhaunt, delswife and the likes… I was inspired. I only hope I can live up to their greatness!

To start this report we must go back to February of 2005. I went on a Carnival Cruise (yes, I am one of THOSE people!) with a gal pal and without my darling little man cub. He stayed behind with family and Mommy got some Kimmie time on her own, with adults… that don’t report to me and have to “listen” me! It was a good cruise, my first ever. Actually my first ever week long trip without the man cub and it was HARD! How come no one ever told me that having fun as a Single Mom would bring the guilt on too?

Every port we pulled into, it seemed as though we ran into the Disney Magic ship. Even in Port Canaveral as we began our trip, the FIRST ship you see was the Disney ship. It was a breathtaking sight and hence, guilt trip #1 came flowing over me. So, my mind began working…. How soon can I take the man cub on THAT boat? Hmmmm….

I already had booked our 3rd annual October trip to WDW but had not shelled out the bucks for airfare yet. I had talked to other parents on the Carnival Cruise that had experienced the Disney Cruise and their advice was save, save, save and do, do, do.

In preparing the man cub for my 8-night absence while on my Carnival Cruise, we kept seeing the Carnival commercials. He had asked, before I left, “Mommy, why can’t I go on the big boat with you?”. I gulped and told him that Mommy had to do work on the ship. Oh, another thing… why didn’t someone tell me that as a Mommy I would also become a LIAR?????

After I returned, all rested, tan and guilt ridden, I was secretly harboring the desire to partake of the Disney “Magic” but didn’t dare tell the man cub. Yeah, what is it about Disney’s marketing group? Can they smell desire all the way from Michigan? Within days of my return the man cub goes to the mailbox to retrieve the junk mail and the one or two “real” pieces of mail that we get. That is one of his “chores”. That and bringing the empty garbage can back to the house on garbage day. Hey, he is the man cub of the house after all!

This particular day he comes RUNNING up the driveway yelling, “Mommy, Mommy, look! Mickey Mouse invited me on his boat!” It was a brochure for DCL and arrived in our mailbox addressed to the man cub. Not to me, the adult who should be in charge of these decisions, but the man cub personally! "Ok, let’s do it", I say. We went into the house, turned on Old Betsy (my computer that is as old as my son – which in computer years means DYING) and began our now infamous journey into our Dream Trip to WDW and first ever Disney Cruise!

Being that I have two nieces that are Teachers and reading the boards to know that the whole topic of “should I take my kid out of school” is a HOT topic with flames flying everywhere… I decided to do the responsible (yeah, right) thing and cruise over our school district’s Spring Break. So, I booked the 7 night April 15, 2006 Magic Cruise.

I promptly cancelled our October 2005 trip because the cost of the cruise was SO much. The cost was higher than it could have been, because I am spoiled and must have a verandah. I had one on my very first cruise and can’t imagine life without it! Especially if man cub is sick or tired or asleep when I’m awake and can sit out there with a cup of joe and a romance novel that will take me to a place I’ve yet (but still hope) to experience? Ahhhh…. The verandah. It just rolls off the tongue sounding luxurious and I MUST HAVE IT. Just call me the Verandah Princess!

So, you know how people say “Everything happens for a reason”? Our trip was scheduled for October 25th. Wilma hit Florida on October 25th. We had been extremely lucky up to this point with Hurricanes being that the previous two years the weather was PERFECTION and no threats from these horrible monsters.

As I sat in Michigan, horrified that yet another hurricane was ravaging the state of the Mouse – I ironically thought to myself… had DCL not sent the man cub the brochure, would I have booked the cruise and cancelled the October trip as quickly as I did? Surely, everything happens for a reason!

Pre-trip installment #2 will follow soon. As you can tell by my travel dates listed below... I didn’t stick with “just the cruise”, didn’t stick with the April 15th 7 Night cruise (I miss my buddies Marypoppinsiam and djs113 from that cruise though!), threw caution to the wind and took the man cub out of kindergarten for whole week AND the trip just seemed to grow and grow and grow…

 

[PURTYPAT1]

So far So.......Good!!!! Keep it coming!!!!!!!

 

[OhMari]

Repeat, sorry.

 

[OhMari]

I never got into a debate about keeping kids out of school-

One of my favorite sayings to my kids are:

In Kindegarten "you learned to keep your hands to yourself", "if you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all". That about sums it up.

Wow, huge vacation coming up, glad you decided to write a report.

 

[Azure]

My parents just make the teachers give us our homework.

 

[Kimmielee]

What started out to be a 7 night cruise and flying in the day before, as so highly recommended by all my buddies on the DIS Cruise Line board, began to look horribly amiss without visiting the House of the Mouse, aka WDW. So… missing ONE day of school, the day before Good Friday, that’s not too bad is it? Nah…. My Teacher nieces won’t think badly of me for one day. That would give us two days at WDW. Then, I realized that I get 3 weeks vacation in 2006 so my mind began spinning.

If we had 4 days at WDW before our cruise and then sail for 7 nights, stay one final night and go home on Sunday – what a trip that would be! Great! Now man cub is missing 4 days of school.

On and on the planning goes, and I swear the CM’s at Disney travel know me by name. Ah, Ms. Kimmie, changing your dates AGAIN??? So, I started thinking, if he were to miss 4 days, a full 5 wouldn’t be too bad, right? I emailed his teacher to explain the almost $2k savings by switching the cruise date from 4/15 to 4/22 and him missing school. Guess what? She’s a single Mom and she appreciates how hard it is to earn a buck as well as how important it is when you save one or two… THOUSAND. She was on board (so to speak) and off I go to make even more changes.

Our WDW visit went from pre-Easter to post Easter and he will miss the week after Spring Break vs. the week before. Whew… planning done. Yeah, right.

I poured over the DISboards. I lurked, chatted , asked, answered what I could and learned a TON!! Had it not been for these boards I wouldn’t have known (just days before my 180 day mark) that Disney changed the rules for making ADR’s!

After reading during peak times over Thanksgiving and Christmas, that it was very hard to “walk up” to any of the restaurants, I decided to add the Dining Plan to our trip. To make the ADR’s, that meant more planning as to which park, which day and which restaurant!

I won’t bore you with the amount of times that I’ve changed our ADR’s, but being just the man cub and myself, I took advantage and booked a character breakfast, lunch or dinner for every other day (3 total) and managed to fit in LeCellier for Kimmie! That more than pays for the dining plan and will be unforgettable for the man cub! The rest of the dining is pure bonus and we’ll be eating quite well.

Another planning frustration was watching airfare fluctuate and Northworst (not a typo - they are our main airline out of Detroit and they can, well dare I say... suck???) worries about NW filing BK, I finally bit the bullet and paid through the NOSE for our Spirit Airlines 4/18 – 4/30, non stop trip to MCO. $750 for man cub and myself. Last time, we paid $418 total, but hey, this trip is during Easter. Well, prices dropped and I could have gotten the same flight for $478 total. Lesson learned, don’t panic, watch rates every day and pounce when they drop!

Fast forward to “the time” to make the final payment for our cruise – late January…. My job pays a bonus on a quarterly basis. I’ve worked for this company for 5 years and never ONCE, in all that time were bonuses paid late. My bonus was due the day the final payment for the 4/22 cruise was due. Great timing, eh? I’ve learned my lesson, never count on a bonus and especially never count on it getting paid on time. I get notified, the week in advance as to the bonus amount and strangely this time, no email. I thought that my Boss was busy and forgot so I called her. “Oh, didn’t I tell you?” Bonuses are delayed due to QC audits not being completed.” AAAARRGGGHHH!

Now, mind you, my bonus was the entire amount of the remainder due on my trip. I don’t have credit cards. Been there, done that, got into trouble, learned my lesson, won’t do it again. OH MY GOSH, what now? I don’t have enough cash to pay the entire balance due in 1 week, what do I do?

So, off to the DCL website to figure out my options. Hmmmm… I could put together a 5 night land/4 night Sea/3 night land trip cheaper than the entire 7 night cruise!! Ok, my frugal side kicks in. The down payment is already made on the land portion for the first 4 nights, I just need to add a 5th night. I can add an 8 day park hopper to that leg of the trip for the last 3 days since the park hopper tickets are good for 10 days…. The wheels keep turning…. I have enough savings to pay for the 4 night cruise(less than ½ of what was due for the 7 night) and I can use the bonus to replenish my savings… and I don’t have to book the room only portion for the last three nights until later!

After hectic phone calls to Carol my TA at Cruise Planners to alert her to my plan… we literally had each other on “hold” while I changed the dates of the original 4 day on land to 5 and she switched the cruise from 7 to 4. Viola! Success! We coordinated and conquered. I paid off the 4 Night Cruise leaving 4/23 then and there and bonus being late crisis averted!!!

Next installment: Man cub sees commercial for Universal and realizes Spiderman is there!

 

[Minniespal]

Enjoyed reading your report ~ Keep em comin.

 

[Kimmielee]

Man cub is a die hard Spidey fan. He has anything and everything a little man cub could have that has Spidey on it. With that said, I knew that Spidey was at Universal but had been able, so far, to “hide” that fact until he was a little older. Universal seems to have kicked up their marketing and sure enough, the cat… or in this case… the HERO is out of the bag. He was jumping up and down, screaming like a GIRL when he found out. Ok, new twist… more changes.

I understand the “Adventures of Spiderman” has a 400 foot drop included in it’s ride. Oh my, I don’t have the stomach for that and I’m the only one able to go on the freakin ride with him!!!

Granted, man cub is a big boy for age 6. Most people think he’s at least 8. He’s very tall and will meet the height requirement. From what I can find, there is no age requirement although it’s recommended for “pre-teens” and up. How do you take Spidey’s #1 fan to Universal and tell him he can’t go on the ride of his hero????

Well, once again, thanks to the DISboards… I found out that there is a character breakfast at Universal Island of Adventures and the main “star” is SPIDERMAN!!!

I had bought an 8 day pass with my 5 day package for the first leg of our trip, but it was only $6.00 more to add on the extra 3 days. If I forgo one of the days and take man cub to IOS to have breakfast with Spidey and check out the park it’s not like I’m losing a TON of money, right?

Wait, how does one get to Universal without a rental car? My philosophy on renting cars on vacation is to NOT do it. I don’t want to waste time driving around, getting lost, dealing with traffic and parking, etc. For the love of Mickey Mouse, I’m on VACATION!

This brings us to the transportation portion of our trip. As stated in the first installment, I am very blessed. Single Mom, great job (I’ve been in the same line of work for 23 years) and even though man cub’s Father (I use that term loosely) has never been financially responsible for his son, I never pressed the issue because I made more money than he did. Not by a little, by a LOT. He has never shown any interest in man cub and has never seen him. It was one of those situations that happens in life and I’m incredibly grateful to the man that gave me the required ingredient to create my little man cub…. But a man who can walk away from a cub… that is just not right. So, rather than go for child support and force him into man cub’s life, I chose to go it on my own and make sure that man cub had plenty of male role models in his life. He is very loved and a great little man cub. I truly have been blessed. I was married for 15 years and tried to have a baby for 12 of those. I had been told I'd NEVER have a baby. Ha! Fooled them!

Due to my really great job and the typical “overcompensating” that single Mom’s tend to do, I’ve never used anything other than Tiffany’s town car to get us to and from WDW. The very first time when the driver was standing in the baggage claim area with man cub’s name on a sign, PRICELESS!!! This trip, with the cruise in between, etc… it began with 2 Tiffany pick ups. Now, here I am about to add a third!

Remember that “frugal” side? Yeah, totally goes out the window when it comes to transportation. I refuse to drive on vacation!!!!

To fit in Universal, I decide that the second to last day in Orlando is a good day to go there. It’s a Friday, the cruise is done and it leaves us Saturday to relax and prepare for re-entry back to the real world on Sunday, etc.

I book the character breakfast for 9:15 a.m. on Friday morning and yes, book the third Tiffany pick up to take us there and bring us back! YES!!!

As for accommodations, we had been originally booked in POFQ. We graduated to the moderates on the second trip in 2004. I LOVED the difference that this resort made for us. It’s smaller, not a bad building location in the resort, IMHO, and the ease of getting to DTD with the boat was a great food alternative to get away from the food court, if we were so inclined. I had struggled in the food court in AS Sports with a then barely 4 year old man cub that wanted a hot dog when Kimmie wanted pasta. The young man cub could not order or navigate with food. I was always eating cold food. The dining choices with a Moderate were much better for a single parent!

Man cub is a great Internet explorer, so to speak. I put him on the computer and take him to the Disney site and he can make his way around. Well, he was navigating and bumped into All Star Movies. Let’s just say, that before Spidey was his hero, it was Woody. Great, he saw the 36 foot tall Woody at the AS Movies resort and begged to stay there. I tried to tell man cub that there would be no slide at the pool (another perk of the Moderates) and that the boat doesn’t go there, but there was no talking him out of it. It is, after all, HIS vacation, right?

This is early February by now. AS Movies is one of the first value resorts to fill up due to the incredible Disney touches. Needless to say, I have been working on this trip since last June, truly thought I was done with all the plans at the end of January and here I am trying to make changes again.

On a daily basis, I would check the Disney website. No vacancy. No vacancy. No vacancy. At one point – there was NO VACANCY in any resort for 4/18 – 4/23. Oh my, the resorts are full – how crazy is this time of year going to be.

I came down with bronchitis and it took me out of work for a week. The first 4 days I could barely get out of bed (man cub asked me if I was going to die on day #2… broke my heart… and by day #4 he asked if my hair was going to fall out!) but on day #5, I was capable of checking again. OH MY, there was a Standard Room available at All Star Movies! Yes! Yes! Yes! I immediately call Disney Travel and was told that nothing was available. “Our site sometimes shows rooms that are available that really aren’t”, I’m told. WHAT? Give me the room!!! I waited a few moments, called again and the system was DOWN!!!

I kept telling myself to stay calm. I had a reservation at POFQ after all…it wasn’t like we couldn’t “go” if I didn’t get All Star Movies, but darn it all… that’s what man cub wants!

By the time I got through on that day, the room was gone. Oh well, nice try. Most people would give up, right? Not Kimmie. I went back to work the next week and even at work I’d check every hour or so. I was banking on the fact that someone would cancel as it grew closer and closer to the final payment being due.

One night, around 8 p.m., I thought, what the heck, final payments are due tomorrow, perhaps, just perhaps…. and sure enough it was available!!! Three weeks of non-stop checking and there it is! I hop on the phone with Disney Travel and was told that nothing was available. AAAARRRRGGGHHH…. So, I called one more time because it was still popping up on the web site. Sure enough, the second try was a more “friendly” cast member that appreciated my diligence and spirit and put me on hold. Viola! Success! My persistence paid off! Moral of the story… if you want it, keep trying!!!!

As much as I am not thrilled at losing the things I love about POFQ for the first 5 days of our trip, man cub is happy. It is, after all, all about him, right?

Next installment: The Nick Hotel or WHY have all these commercials suddenly appeared to drive me crazy?

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

Sounds like everything is falling into place. I so want to go on a Disney Cruise someday!!!

Can't wait to hear more.

 

[Kimmielee]

Now.... I never made it back to finish the pre-trip but am putting the finishing touches on the REAL trip!

My current working title is... Who said it would be busy during Easter Week OR did the entire WORLD decide to go the LAST week of April?

Our trip was amazing... the cruise portion trip report is started on the Cruise thread and this one will be done in the next couple of days! I can't wait to share with you!!

 

[6IrishDisneyKids]

What a great report! I can't wait to read the rest!

 

[OhMari]

I know life gets busy, but how did the rest of your trip go.

 

[mrsscooter]

A little off the subject, but not really............We will be going to wdw October 8th to the 15th and my DD6 and my DS4.5 will miss a week of first grade and pre school. Did your sons teacher send you any home work or just "busy" work for him to do and keep up with his class??? I am also one of those moms who takes their kids out of school for vacation. I know, I hope I wont get flammed...........BUT I beleive that family time is just as important as school time and with a husband who is in the Navy and who has been hardly home due to a very active submarine schedule, you need to seize the moment per say. Okay, with that said. I guess my question is did you try and add school stuff in during the vacation?? With pre school I am not really worried, but first grade, I am not sure. Any info/suggestions from you or anyone really would be great...(just be nice) LOL

 

[Kimmielee]

A little off the subject, but not really............We will be going to wdw October 8th to the 15th and my DD6 and my DS4.5 will miss a week of first grade and pre school. Did your sons teacher send you any home work or just "busy" work for him to do and keep up with his class??? I am also one of those moms who takes their kids out of school for vacation. I know, I hope I wont get flammed...........BUT I beleive that family time is just as important as school time and with a husband who is in the Navy and who has been hardly home due to a very active submarine schedule, you need to seize the moment per say. Okay, with that said. I guess my question is did you try and add school stuff in during the vacation?? With pre school I am not really worried, but first grade, I am not sure. Any info/suggestions from you or anyone really would be great...(just be nice) LOL

My son's teacher was awesome about the time off. I put together a journal from a thread I found on here... (I haven't figured out how to post the link but I'll find out) and it included journal pages, activity pages, word finds, etc... the first 5 pages were themed WDW, then 4 pages for DCL and 3 more for WDW and in the back of the journal was a list of our reading goals. I put it together in a binder and he took it in to his teacher prior to our trip to show her his "homework". She was AMAZED and said it was the best trip journal she had EVER seen! I'll find the links and send them to you!

 

[calstitcher]

subbing...