Our Trick AND Treat- DD's Surprise Bday Trip! 11/4 Get Movin'

[Diamondintheruff]

We stayed at POR and I hated the busing. The same bus picks up at all the stops and sometimes that includes POFQ. Although POFQ gets on first. I found it was best to go to the first stop because you were guarenteed to get on but it meant an extra 10-15 of stopping at the other stops first. If you waited at the last stop you might not make it on to the bus. Sometimes they sent a empty bus just to the last stop but that was only after you had waited and not got on a bus.

Of course this is just my opinion. The resort is beautiful and if I had a car I might try it again.

We spent a couple afternoons at POFQ and really like it. However, like I said sometimes those poor people get on a bus and it heads over to POR before going to it's final destination.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

We stayed at POR and I hated the busing. The same bus picks up at all the stops and sometimes that includes POFQ. Although POFQ gets on first. I found it was best to go to the first stop because you were guarenteed to get on but it meant an extra 10-15 of stopping at the other stops first. If you waited at the last stop you might not make it on to the bus. Sometimes they sent a empty bus just to the last stop but that was only after you had waited and not got on a bus.

Of course this is just my opinion. The resort is beautiful and if I had a car I might try it again.

We spent a couple afternoons at POFQ and really like it. However, like I said sometimes those poor people get on a bus and it heads over to POR before going to it's final destination.

Ya, that bus thing would really annoy me! I think that's my hesitation about moderates- all the multiple bus stops.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

So i was downloading pictures for my mother (she still can't figure it out no matter how many times i write it down- woman runs one of the biggest hospitals in the state and can't download pics off a digital camera )

Anyway, I came across these two pics! And any Disboutiquer worth their salt will realize my horror.

No...I'm not talking about the fact that my mother PAID for a DOLL to have a cup of ice cream! I'm talking about the fact that the DOLL is wearing a Minnie dress and my DD is wearing play clothes from Kohls!


This does tie into my PTR, I promise! My latest issue is this. Aisling has historically NOT been allowed to take the AGs on planes. Something about a $100 doll at an airport and potentially getting lost freaks me out. But tonight I hear her having a meeting with the dolls about who was going to get to come on her bday surprise (remember...she thinks we aren't flying ) SOOOOO do you think that I should allow her to bring the AG doll now that she's older and can keep better track of it herself???

Oh and speaking of the plane- I've been having major issues with SW. One of the best things about SW is that you can change your airfare w/o fees. Well I've been watching the airfare and it just keeps going up and up (remember- my original flight 1) gets us there DURING our scheduled ADR at CMs and 2) IS NOW ON THE WRONG DAY!). Today it went down a bit. So I figured that I better bite the bullet and re-book it (still more than I wanted to spend but oh well). So, I go online, click to charge my flight from MHT-MCO and the new price comes up for the flight. BUT it's also changing my return flight price So I call. Problem is that the cheaper rate is a web only. Booking over the phone would cost me the increased fare PLUS $150! No way. I finally ended up with a FAB agent who solved it by having me start the process of booking a one way flight, pause while he cancelled my original outbound flight and thus giving me ticketless travel credits, and then having me finish my one-way ressie using the credit.


So we now are taking the 12:55pm flight out of Manchester which means that I'll still be able to surprise Ash at school, she will only miss 1/2 day the first day and if everything goes well...we'll be arriving by 4pm-which gives us plenty of time to ME to POP, check-in, and get to Chef Mickey's for our 7:45pm ADR. If we are running late at any point, I'll just take a cab to speed up the time!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

On our very first trip with the kids we stayed at POFQ. We loved it there. It is a very compact resort with a great pool and the boat to DTD is a lot of fun and a great alternative to the bus.

We have stayed at POR several times but we prefer POFQ but at times POR was the only moderate with rooms available. We stayed for 3 nights at Coronado Springs and we hated it. It is huge and spread out and we had a room in one of the preferred buildings. It was a long walk to the bus stop and their food court is different and it takes more time.

For our upcoming trip we are staying at Caribbean Beach. All of their rooms are newly renovated. We are paying extra for a Pirate Room, the other rooms have Nemo on the bedspreads and the wallpaper border. I hope we don't have to walk too much at the hotel, but the Pirate rooms are the furthest from the food court. We are looking forward to the pool and Pirate themed room, we don't eat a lot of our meals in the food court so hopefully it will work out well.

I'm interested to hear what you think about Caribbean Beach. I do like the looks of that one but the size kinda frightens me!

I don't have time to log-in one night and look at all the activity I miss!

I tend to agree with lovesdumbo in that I have not found a reason to try a moderate yet. If I am going cheap, we love Pop and if not going on the cheap, we like Deluxe. We have stayed at AKL and WL. I think Ash would like WL - Jordan did. She actually has asked to go back to WL. The things we liked about WL were theming, room size, boat to MK as well as bus, proximity to MK. Things we did not like about WL - the size of Roaring Forks (the CS rest), bus service to other parks was sometimes slow (not bad though), hearing the electric water light pageant thing every night when we were trying to put Jordan to bed.

From the research I did on moderates when we were considering those, it seems like POFQ would fit our needs best with size, buses, etc.

Hope this helps!

Does WL have a water slide (Sadly that is my child's #1 requirement!)

I can't weigh in on a moderate, having not tried one, but I'm enjoying reading other's opinions. Good luck with your decision!

Thank you!

 

[KathyRN137]

Hi Kristine!

I'll weigh in, since you're asking us to!

1) AG Doll at WDW: Tricia begged and begged; finally I gave in and said that ONE doll could go. She loved having her doll for the first day or two, then she left it in the room because it became too much trouble to carry her around the parks. She has since opted not to bring a doll....

2) If you are leaning toward a deluxe, I vote for trying WL; its not as pricey as the monorail resorts. We stayed at the WL villas in '07 and the kids loved the lodge!! Transportation was good and there is always that boat option to the MK! Oh, and the pool does have a water slide!

Kathy

 

[twob4him]

Kristine I feel so guilty coming out of lurk mode to say that I am really actually following along and cheering you and all of your mommy wonderfulness!!! This is going to be great!!!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Hi Kristine!

I'll weigh in, since you're asking us to!

1) AG Doll at WDW: Tricia begged and begged; finally I gave in and said that ONE doll could go. She loved having her doll for the first day or two, then she left it in the room because it became too much trouble to carry her around the parks. She has since opted not to bring a doll....

2) If you are leaning toward a deluxe, I vote for trying WL; its not as pricey as the monorail resorts. We stayed at the WL villas in '07 and the kids loved the lodge!! Transportation was good and there is always that boat option to the MK! Oh, and the pool does have a water slide!

Kathy

Do you have two trips planned? Did I miss something??

The doll will NOT be allowed to go the parks. She'll be strictly to play with one the plane and when we are in the room. It's hard enough keeping track of Puppy in the parks....which I'm hoping to avoid this year. Since she has gone to camp and gotten used to puppy not coming with her everyday (he has gone EVERYWHERE with her since she was an infant!), I'm thinking maybe I can convince her to let him stay in the room.

Since you haven't read my previous TRs...I will let you know that there are actually 4 puppies. There used to be more. One of them now permanently lives on the MK Two years ago, I luckily brought 2 of them with us. We came out of the laugh floor and went back to our stroller and puppy was gone (as well as our mister). Now puppy has to wear a collar and leash in public with our cell phone numbers on it but according to Aisling- it was "itching" him so she took it off! When she noticed he was missing- I told her that he had to go potty and ran back to hotel room When we got to the hotel, Randy distracted her for a second and i threw the backup puppy in the bathroom. Aisling then went in and congratulated him for going potty all on his own

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Kristine I feel so guilty coming out of lurk mode to say that I am really actually following along and cheering you and all of your mommy wonderfulness!!! This is going to be great!!!

Thank you

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

PSA of the day....DisneyShopping.com is now selling park merchandise

 

[MomTo4+more]

Do you have two trips planned? Did I miss something??

The doll will NOT be allowed to go the parks. She'll be strictly to play with one the plane and when we are in the room. It's hard enough keeping track of Puppy in the parks....which I'm hoping to avoid this year. Since she has gone to camp and gotten used to puppy not coming with her everyday (he has gone EVERYWHERE with her since she was an infant!), I'm thinking maybe I can convince her to let him stay in the room.

Since you haven't read my previous TRs...I will let you know that there are actually 4 puppies. There used to be more. One of them now permanently lives on the MK Two years ago, I luckily brought 2 of them with us. We came out of the laugh floor and went back to our stroller and puppy was gone (as well as our mister). Now puppy has to wear a collar and leash in public with our cell phone numbers on it but according to Aisling- it was "itching" him so she took it off! When she noticed he was missing- I told her that he had to go potty and ran back to hotel room When we got to the hotel, Randy distracted her for a second and i threw the backup puppy in the bathroom. Aisling then went in and congratulated him for going potty all on his own

I am so glad you had back up puppy with you! Good job keeping it positive for her. We left Chantae's favorite blankie behind at a water park once. She cried for nights. Of course housekeeping had tossed it because it was so well loved it was more of a rag than a blankie. Things like these are just not replaceable.

 

[KathyRN137]

Do you have two trips planned? Did I miss something??

The doll will NOT be allowed to go the parks. She'll be strictly to play with one the plane and when we are in the room...

Since you haven't read my previous TRs...I will let you know that there are actually 4 puppies. There used to be more....

No... but I wish!! Just the Halloween trip planned for now!

Good idea about leaving the doll in the room... its fun to see what mousekeeping does with dolls, stuffies, and towel creations. Sometimes they make such lovely vingettes!

I haven't read the older reports, but I did read your last one and I recall the puppy-went-potty incident! Good thinking, Mom!!


Kathy

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

No... but I wish!! Just the Halloween trip planned for now!

Good idea about leaving the doll in the room... its fun to see what mousekeeping does with dolls, stuffies, and towel creations. Sometimes they make such lovely vingettes!

I haven't read the older reports, but I did read your last one and I recall the puppy-went-potty incident! Good thinking, Mom!!


Kathy

I think it was CJackearl's TR that had the "park planning meeting" with their stuffed animals. That was the best one I've ever seen!!!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I am so glad you had back up puppy with you! Good job keeping it positive for her. We left Chantae's favorite blankie behind at a water park once. She cried for nights. Of course housekeeping had tossed it because it was so well loved it was more of a rag than a blankie. Things like these are just not replaceable.

We always fly with a backup puppy! We had to order his replacements from the actual company online. She does not know there are backups. We rotate them about every 2 weeks so 1) wash them and 2) make sure they wear evenly. I was soooo scared when we moved that she would discover the box I keep the backups in!

 

[sohappy]

We cannot leave puppy in the room for MNSSHP- remember, he is getting a costume too!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

We cannot leave puppy in the room for MNSSHP- remember, he is getting a costume too!

I know...I know He'll just have to wear his collar under his costume!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

In two months I will be halfway through my vacation


I am alive! Sorry that I haven't updated in days. We have had a billion things going on. At 5pm Friday I will be off work for 10 whole days though Now if I can just get through the next 4 I'll be good


Hope everyone is doing well and having fun wrapping up the end of the summer!

 

[Lady Lallie]

WOO HOO for vacation!

Do you have any big plans?

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

No real plans. Aisling has no school Monday and Tuesday, only goes to 11 on Wed and Thursday and then no school on Friday and Monday is the holiday! I figured since i would only be able to work a couple of hours, I might as well take the whole week off!

Aisling wants to go window shopping at AG Place, go to the zoo, make a scrapbook, do some sewing, go to the dentist (yes, that's a request!), visit her old day care, have 3 playdates, and swim everyday! Hopefully, we'll squeeze it all in!

 

[cjackearl]

Sounds like a busy, fun filled week.

Did you make a decision on the AG doll? I don't think I allowed my girls to bring them although they bought outfits for them in WDW. My girls liked the IDEA of bringing the dolls places, but then they'd get tired of dealing with the actuality of it and guess who got stuck carrying Elizabeth or Kaya or Samantha or....

 

[jenb1023]

I've been super busy too so I can understand! I am way behind but. . .

1 - WL does have a water slide

2 - Grandma let her wear playclothes to AG place! Sounds like my mom. I told Jordan to pick a dress to wear to meet her teacher yesterday. My mom and Jordan meet me at school and not only does she not have a dress on but her shirt and shorts did not match!

3 - I also vote for letting her bring an AG doll but leaving it in the room.

4 - You are supermom with the puppy!

5 - Woo-hoo for flights and 10 days of vacation!