Our Rockin' Trip to the World~February TR! UPDATE 5/15 ~ LINK TO PTR!!!!!!

[annmarieda]

I know I too wanted to get up and do the dance seeing those gates! Thanks for sharing the picture.

Sounds like your room is a good one... even though it stunk that they beds were not made when you got there.

You time at the pool sounds amazing. I hope that when we go in December it will be warm enough to swim... we always skip pool time and since the pools are always so neat I don't want to skip them again. Course.. weather has to be permitting.

Speaking of weather... I was there last February. I remember how cold it was. I even wore gloves. I am so happy for you that this was NOT the case this year. Weather can be a bit unpredictable down there....

Great update... cant wait to read more.

 

[All7OfUs]

YAY! First stop!! And I find it absolutely adorable that Max recognized it right away from pix on your computer!

I'm with you! Who cares if the beds aren't made? REally, if your plans are to not be in there anyway, you KNOW they'll be made soon and personally, I"m always on such a 'getting there' high, that not much bothers me.

Nice swimmy start!!

 

[dizneeat]

Hi Tina!

So sorry to hear that my little friend Max was sick! Give him a hug from me! Next time we meet I am looking forward to spend more time in the pool with him.
He is just so adoreable!

So your trip to the World went well, hm, sounds like I already knew that - oh wait, you told me when we were there!

I just typed out day 2 - the DISmeet and EMH day and it actually is 7 (!!!!) pages in word, so watch out for it!

Can't wait to hear more! Especially about your Epcot day. Did you have a caramel experience that day?

 

[PirateKate]

Glad to the flight was easy. And the bus ride, too. I think my boys might have been disgruntled to have made it through the flight only to have to ride again.

Sounds like a really fun afternoon swimming! We love the Digsite, but it was too cold to swim last time we were there. 80 degrees would have been perfect.

 

[KatMark]

As usual, I'm late. Now back to read and catch up.

 

[that's nice]

2 updates ago was Nancy Sinatra...

Great updates!

I'm not going to comment on everything because I am going to try to catch up on all my threads!

8B at CSR is a great spot!

 

[tinacaplan]

Soooo jealous of those margaritas by the pool right now! It sounds like the trip down was great! I only hope to be so lucky! What a great first leg of the trip!!

Thanks! It was exactly as I had envisioned it! Perfection...and how often does that happen?

I know I too wanted to get up and do the dance seeing those gates! Thanks for sharing the picture.

Sounds like your room is a good one... even though it stunk that they beds were not made when you got there.

You time at the pool sounds amazing. I hope that when we go in December it will be warm enough to swim... we always skip pool time and since the pools are always so neat I don't want to skip them again. Course.. weather has to be permitting.

Speaking of weather... I was there last February. I remember how cold it was. I even wore gloves. I am so happy for you that this was NOT the case this year. Weather can be a bit unpredictable down there....

Great update... cant wait to read more.

Seriously...Mark and I could not get over what a difference a change in weather (and attitudes ) makes! So many trees and bushes were flowering, it was incredible! CSR, as well as the rest of Disney, was just beautiful. It felt like summer!

YAY! First stop!! And I find it absolutely adorable that Max recognized it right away from pix on your computer!

I'm with you! Who cares if the beds aren't made? REally, if your plans are to not be in there anyway, you KNOW they'll be made soon and personally, I"m always on such a 'getting there' high, that not much bothers me.

Nice swimmy start!!

Max can be pretty adorable...but, seriously, you went through all of this seven times? I can't even begin to contemplate that.

And I agree...there wasn't much that could have bothered me at that point, especially with the weather as gorgeous as it was.

Hi Tina!

So sorry to hear that my little friend Max was sick! Give him a hug from me! Next time we meet I am looking forward to spend more time in the pool with him.
He is just so adoreable!

So your trip to the World went well, hm, sounds like I already knew that - oh wait, you told me when we were there!

I just typed out day 2 - the DISmeet and EMH day and it actually is 7 (!!!!) pages in word, so watch out for it!

Can't wait to hear more! Especially about your Epcot day. Did you have a caramel experience that day?

Karin, you know I can't WAIT to read all about it! And we want to get more quality pool time with you, as well. Interesting to know that we have that week that seems to line up, even across continents. Its really rather cool if you think about it!

And, more the point, what day DIDN'T we have a caramel experience?

Glad to the flight was easy. And the bus ride, too. I think my boys might have been disgruntled to have made it through the flight only to have to ride again.

Sounds like a really fun afternoon swimming! We love the Digsite, but it was too cold to swim last time we were there. 80 degrees would have been perfect.

Max is still young enough to find bus rides (or any ride where a car seat isn't involved) exciting!

The weather was perfect and the Digsite is beautiful. We had such a wonderful time there, more than once, during our trip!

As usual, I'm late. Now back to read and catch up.

and better late than never, my friend! I knew you'd be here sooner or later!

 

[kstinw19]

First of all, let me give those of you who care a little hint about today’s song lyrics. They date from the decade I was born and the song was part of a very popular children’s album.

Another CT resident subscribing here.

Oh, and I am not sure if anyone has guessed yet but I know, I know! It's from the album "Free to Be You and Me" with Marlo Thomas. I sing those songs to my kids all the time

 

[tinacaplan]

Arrival Day: EPCOT -- Part One

It seems somewhat funny to have a favorite place in my favoritest of places, but I do. I really, really do. And its EPCOT. I know that for most of you on the boards, your happy place is the MK. Now, I enjoy the MK, don’t get me wrong. I’m not, you know, inhuman...but EPCOT holds a special allure for me. Maybe because it was my dad’s favorite park (granted there were only two to choose from back then, but still...) or maybe its because I’m a true child of the Eighties. Or maybe its because I love history and learning about world cultures (regardless of how stripped down and sanitized those cultures might be, once they get the Disney treatment). I’m not sure...but when I see that giant ball, I know that I’m exactly where I want to be.

Our plans for our first evening took us to my favorite park, where the plan was to visit an attraction or two and have dinner with Chip and Dale at the Garden Grill. EPCOT is also my husband’s favorite, as well. What would Max think of it? Only time will tell...

I was beyond thrilled when I walked out to the bus stop from our room only to discover that we were closer to the bus stop than we had been last year, staying in Casitas 4...and we were really close there! I do not recall waiting for a bus for very long and Max was excited to get on his first Mickey bus!

In what seemed to be only a matter of minutes, we were pulling into the EPCOT lot. Now, I have an important Disboard question here: do they move the resort bus stops around from time to time? It seemed as though CSR’s stops were in a different place than they had been the year before, but I could also be making that one up. Sometimes I am not to be trusted!

Our first glimpse of the ball:

And wasn’t the music, which I know now is entitled “Legacy,” just the greatest? The music is yet another small touch that sets Disney apart from anywhere else I’ve ever been. I’ve always wanted a permanent soundtrack to my life and I think it is so thoughtful of Disney to make that dream of mine come true! For the most part, Max was content to sit back in his new stroller and take it all in.

While I was tempted to stop off and ride Spaceship Earth, we were close to our ADR time at the Garden Grill, so I held off for later. Spaceship Earth is one of my favorite attractions in all the parks! I don’t quite remember Horizons, but something is telling me I probably loved that, too!

I don’t quite remember were this Donald topiary was, but somewhere near the front. Max and Mark deigned to awkwardly pose for some pictures:

And no, I don’t believe that Mark was purposely trying to dress like Charlie Sheen!

We then walked by the exterior of Nemo and Max was quite excited about the seagulls. Who wouldn’t be?

Stroller parking outside of the Land...this always cracks Mark and I up:

Pretty scenery outside of the Land:

And it was time to venture into the Land and seek out Chip and Dale and our dinner! So, how will Max respond to his very first ever character interaction?

How will Mom and Dad handle it? We shall see...

 

[pinkxray]

Your arrival at CSR sounds just about perfect. I still can't believe that you had such beautiful weather in Feb.

Max seems like he is enjoying himself so far I can't wait to see how his first character meal goes.

 

[WDisneyMom]

Loving your Report! Followed you over here from Karin's reports...yay!
Max is a cutie! I just started my first PTR this morning also...trip is in 20 days! exciting!! Can't wait to read more!

 

[annmarieda]

Your update made me smile! I can't help it either... Epcot is probably my favorite too. I think maybe because of the food.

Can't wait to read about Garden Grill.. trying to decide if I want to add that to my ADR list....

 

[All7OfUs]

Well, I only have done it (am doing it) 5 times- the 7 includes DH and I And honestly it DOES get easier. The older kids begin to help with the younger ones, even sometimes giving school lessons and definitely doing their fair share of cleaning and cooking and yard work. Big families are VERY fun!!

I think you all are going to do great at your Garden meal and that Max is really going to like the characters.

 

[Nermel9]

I'm a little behind, but I just got caught up! Sounds like you had a great flight down! I love SW, they always seem to arrive 30 minutes early!

I've never taken the ME, but I kind of want to, just to see the video they play on there! I love driving under that welcome to Disney World gate! I always ask my DH to pull over so I can get a decent picture of it, but he won't! Other people do it!

I love Epcot too, it's my favorite park! I love "Legacy", all the Epcot music, really! I wish they had an Epcot soundtrack, I'd be the first to buy it!

Can't wait to read about Garden Grill!

 

[tinacaplan]

Loving your Report! Followed you over here from Karin's reports...yay!
Max is a cutie! I just started my first PTR this morning also...trip is in 20 days! exciting!! Can't wait to read more!

Thanks! And congrats on going in twenty days! That is super exciting. I'll have to check out your PTR.

Your update made me smile! I can't help it either... Epcot is probably my favorite too. I think maybe because of the food.

Can't wait to read about Garden Grill.. trying to decide if I want to add that to my ADR list....

Thanks.... the food at EPCOT is pretty fantastic. I was a little dissapointed at what a hard time I had finding anything I wanted for snacks at MK. I thought that was weird. Perhaps if I enjoyed either funnel cakes or turkey legs I would have been happier.

GG is my next update! Would have done it tonight, but I must sleep!

Well, I only have done it (am doing it) 5 times- the 7 includes DH and I And honestly it DOES get easier. The older kids begin to help with the younger ones, even sometimes giving school lessons and definitely doing their fair share of cleaning and cooking and yard work. Big families are VERY fun!!

I think you all are going to do great at your Garden meal and that Max is really going to like the characters.

Oh, wait...Liesa...you mean this whole parenting thing isn't over when Max turns, like, seven? Shoot! Oh, well! I should have known it was five...in the interest of full disclosure, I've read some of your blog posts, as well.

My husband maintains that things would get easier as the kids get older and I'm sure he's right. And I think a big family would be wonderful and fun. Who knows what the future holds?

I'm a little behind, but I just got caught up! Sounds like you had a great flight down! I love SW, they always seem to arrive 30 minutes early!

I've never taken the ME, but I kind of want to, just to see the video they play on there! I love driving under that welcome to Disney World gate! I always ask my DH to pull over so I can get a decent picture of it, but he won't! Other people do it!

I love Epcot too, it's my favorite park! I love "Legacy", all the Epcot music, really! I wish they had an Epcot soundtrack, I'd be the first to buy it!

Can't wait to read about Garden Grill!

We love ME. I am looking at the Swalphin for our next trip because you cannot beat the combo of the price and the location, but I don't want to give up ME, of all things! I know we can get a car service, but... I love the fact that they take our bags at curbside at our home airport and we don't have to worry about them again until we're at our resort. I think that's pretty magical!

I don't think I'm giving too much away if I say that we got the Four Parks, One World CD this time and I'm loving it! More music for EPCOT would be great, though. I agree.

 

[tinacaplan]

Just a super quick real-life update for everyone involved... I will spare all of my loyal readers the gory details, but... it is looking ever more likely that (fingers and TOES crossed) we might be able to swing a trip this July. This would be amazing and beyond all of my wildest expectations. It is also still quite likely that it won't happen, but that hasn't stopped me from making plans already! This is also why I'm not making a ticker YET! I should know one way or another by the end of the month!

I am scouring the internet for a good deal and am finding some amazing ones at Travelocity and Expedia, as well as directly through Southwest. Now, I know that the big disadvantage over booking through Disney would be not being able to pay it down over time, but that might be OK, too. How does under $5000 for a week in tower, MK view room at the Contemporary, with roundtrip, nonstop flights and parkhoppers? I'm not saying that I will be doing this. I will go for a mod this time, but... that's just to give you some idea of what I've seen.

Do any of you have any experience booking through Expedia, Travelocity, or SW? Just curious! Never hurts to ask...

Also, as you know, Max was sick last week.... He's MUCH better now, although he is awaiting surgery to remove his adenoids and possibly put tubes in his ears. Not a big deal, but it will surely make the poor guy a bit uncomfortable. And make me a wreck..but I am trying to be more graceful about such things... I thought I would leave you with a picture I snapped with my phone, on our couch. Max is asleep, his beloved bear tucked under one arm, and our poodle, Roxy, sleeping on his legs. So cute!

 

[annmarieda]

Poor Max... Poor Mom!! It is so hard when our small ones are sick. Hang in there! I hope he feels better soon!

 

[All7OfUs]

Awesome news of a possible trip!! Keeping those fingers crossed for you!

Poor baby! I sure hope he can get whatever he needs to get him to feeling better!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

Great news on another possible trip! I've booked small weekend trips with Expedia and they have gone fairly well for the most part. You're right on the fact you have to pay it all at once, but hey, isn't that what credit cards are for?!

And I'm so sorry Max has been so sick! I hope everything gets better with him!

 

[PirateKate]

I think the song is More than a Feeling by Boston.

Epcot is so beautiful, I can see why it's your favorite place. I'm surprised to see topiaries. Was the Flower & Garden Festival already going on?

Your trip in July sounds very exciting! I hope it works out for you. We booked a seven night Land and Sea Adventure through Travelocity over two years ago. A month after we booked, we found out Carter was coming and had to cancel. We got all our deposit money back, so that's something.