Our trip never happened but there's still hope!!

[PennyLane1084]

Hi Everyone! This is my first Pre-Trip Report and I’m a n00b to the DIS Boards but I’m really loving it. I really want to do a PTR and hopefully get some feed back about stuffs. My family has been to Disney several times, mostly in the 90’s. When my brother and I got older we wanted to do different vacations and my parents started to vacation on their own without the kids. So, we haven’t done a Disney Trip as a since 1999. We’ve decided it was time to take the whole family to the World. Let get started with the cast of characters shall we?

Me (Kristin): 23 year old Female geek who loves to plan vacations. This will be my first time planning a Disney trip. W00t! I love games of all kinds be it video games or RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons. I’ve been to Disney 6 times when I was younger but haven’t been there since 1999. I was excited about the trip but once I browsed through the “Details” pictures post in the Theme Park section, it made me remember why I love WDW. My passion for Disney came back to me like a tsunami and now I’m like a giddy school girl.

Steve (DBF): My 22 year old geek boyfriend. He is the Ying to my Yang, the Batman to my Robin, the Mickey to my Minnie. We’ve been together for 5 years.This will be his first long vacation with my family. Hope you don’t drive him too crazy. He’s really laid back and leaves all the planning to me. Last year was our first big vacation together to Vegas, which was a huge success! He loves to play games of all kinds especially MMORPGs like World of Warcraft. Was in Disney a few years back with his family.

Michelle (DM): My mom. The vacation planner extraordinaire, she’s taught me everything I know. Just yesterday we were discussing our ARDs we need to make and we both pulled out our Disney Planning notebooks at the same time. She loves to cook and travel. Hasn’t been to Disney since 1999 but was in Universal last year while on business in Orlando, much to us kids’ chagrin.

Humberto (DF): OR Beto for short. My dad. He also hasn’t been to Disney since 1999 but when to Universal with my mom last year. This year we will be in WDW for his birthday which is also Halloween. My dad turns into a big kid when he goes to Disney and he’s excited. He loves to work out and is a bit of a health freak.

Ryan (DB): 17 year old Brother. Also hasn’t been to Disney since 1999. He is a typical Teenager. He loves sports and video games. He aspired to be a Stand-up Comedian one day. He’s a huge Star Wars fan and is very angry that Disney didn’t have the Jedi Training Academy when he was a kid.

Ceil (DGM): My grandmother. She’s LOVES Disney. She’s been to the World a few time in recent years with friends who weren’t as into it as she was. This is her first trip with the family since 1994. She’s really excited about going with her grandkids. Here favorite thing about Disney is watching Tinkerbell fly from the Castle before the fireworks at Magic Kingdom. We watch Season of Disney every Friday on the Travel Channel together to get revved up for the trip. This lady however doesn’t consider herself a “senior citizen.” She love to dance the polka and her favorite past time is singing disco tunes at the local karaoke bar.

Mia (DC): My 8 year old cousin. This will be her very first time to Disney. She’s a little fire cracker and a total girly-girl. The BBB is one major must-do for her. She loves Disney almost as much as Grandma. Disney Channel is constantly playing in our house when she’s over. Her current obsession is Hannah Montana.

Jennifer (DA): My Aunt and Mia’s Mom. Hasn’t been to Disney for about 13 years or so. She is very excited about watching her only child experience Disney for the first time. She was never really into Disney that much until she had her Daughter. She was always a bit fan of Universal.

Next post..... Getting there, where we're staying, and so on and so forth

 

[PennyLane1084]

The details of the trip

We usually take our Disney trip around the middle to end of May. This year we've decided to go during a different time entirely. We will arrive in Orlando on October 25th and head home November 1st.

My dad and brother have been saying they want to take a road trip for a year or 2 now. Since it would be slightly more economical to fly what with raising gas prices, we're going to make the trip from Chicago, where my family hails from, all the way down to Disney. And in all the times I've been to Disney my family has only flown once. Now there will be more drivers since my brother and aunt will be helping my dad with the driving. Since our group is so big, my boyfriend decided to drive his car down, as looking forward to a road trip. I will not be in the car with my family. Just me and my honey-bunny. Which I am very excited about because my family drives me a bit nuts on long road trips.

Every other time I've been to Disney I've always stayed on Disney Property. The buses to the parks are so helpful. But with we couldn't afford to stay on site this time around. We won't be far at all though. We're staying in a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom house in the Indian Ridge sub-division. Which is 5 minutes from Animal Kingdom and right next to Celebration. The house has a heated in ground pool and jacuzzi, wi-fi, a pool table and ping pong table, it's looks really nice and we got it for a great price. It's very spacious and we can say by having breakfast at home if we want to.

Next up.....pictures

 

[friendswithdave]

I'm in! Sounds like a real mixed crowd. It will be interesting to see how the trip appeals to the different ages of the group.

We are also going in Oct and staying offsite!

 

[PennyLane1084]

This is our tentative schedule for now. Things will most likely change along the way. Next week is our 180 day mark and we can reserve our ARD's. w00t! We're also planning on going with the 7 Day Magic Your Way Park Hopper Pass.

Friday, October 24
We'll make off towards Sunny Florida via the I-294 South at the butt crack of dawn. Make some pits stops for food and Peaches in Georgia (Can't forget those Yummy Peaches). Probably drive at 12 hours or so until we reach Marrietta, Georgia which is right outside Hot-Lanta to sleep for the night. There's no way my family can drive straight through. We'd all kill ourselves by the end and never make it to the World. We haven't decided where we're all gonna stay as of yet.

Saturday, October 25
We leave at approximately 5 am to make our way towards Kissimmee! Along the way we'll stop for some breakfast at Wafflehouse (mmmmm....I can taste that cruchy waffle goodness now ) and at the Florida State Welcoming Center for Free Orange Juice and a potty break. Then we will arrive in Kissimmee!
Now my mom and I have different opinions about what we should do the first night. Of course we gonna lay low and recover from the looooong drive. But my mom thinks we should walk around Old Town Kissimmee, where as I think we should go to Downtown Disney. I want to jump right into the Disney Experience.
What do you guys think? What would you pick the first night?
Then off to bed early for our first day at the parks!

Sunday, October 26
Today we plan on hitting the Magic Kingdom. Since the park closes at 7 for MNSSHP. I think we should grab lunch at Pecos Bill or Cosmic Rays. The night has yet to be determind for now.

Monday, October 27
This day we plan on doing Animal Kingdom. Our Family wasn't really fond of it the last time we were there but it had just opened, so maybe it will be better the second time around. After doing AK we plan on heading back to the house to chill and grab some dinner. Since Sunday at MK has MNSSHP going on at night, we're all going to head back to MK after dinner and staying for Spectromagic and Wishes.

Tuesday, October 28
This day we plan on checking out the Disney Hollywood Studios. We're going to book a Lunch ADR for 50's Primetime Cafe. This one of my families favorite restaurants in Disney. We'll probably head home for Dinner again and come back at night for Fantasmic. My favorite show at Disney.

Wednesday, October 29
Today is the day I'm looking forward to the most. This morning the girls (me, DM, DGM, DA, and DC) are all going to Cindy's for breakfast. Mia is also going to get all dolled up at the BBB before hand. I want to get there for the Rope Drop so that we can get one of the first seating at the BBB and get right to breakfast. Of course we're also going to make an ADR for Cindy's and book the seating in advance for the BBB. After breakfast we're going to meet the boys over at EPCOT. For dinner we plan on hitting up the Food and Wine Fest. We usually do what we called "Eat Around the World" where we go to some countries and share stuff from the quick service stands. My family is so excited that the Food and Wine Fest is going on because we're all a bunch to Foodies. This year we're going to hit up the Fest! The Market Place menu from last year looking sooooo good and the food is less expensive than the quick service booths in the park. I can't wait to sink my teeth into the chilaqueles at the Mexico booth. Yum. I also want to get some Sake at the Japan booth. Then we're going to grab a table for IllumiNations.

Thursday, October 30
Today we haven't quite decided what we want to do. Most of us want to do Universal and/or Islands of Adventure. Me, my DBF and DB and most likely my DA, plan on coming back at night for Universals Halloween Horror Nights. The Alternate plan is to do MNSSHP this instead of on Halloween. We haven't quite decided yet.

Friday, October 31
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! This is a very special day for my family. Not only is it Halloween but it's my DD's birthday. I heard about the birthday pins you can get from the parks, so my dad want to go to every park and collect the pins. Just to have as a keepsake. We will however make him wear at least 1. Then we're going make a ADR for Chef Mickey's for about 4ish. This is my DD's favorite Restaurant in the whole World. Then we're going to go over to MNSSHP. It should be fun!

Saturday, November 1
Today we go home And that's all i have to say about that.

So, I would love everyone's suggestions. I haven't been the World in so long. All the input I can get would be excellent.

 

[PennyLane1084]

We are also going in Oct and staying offsite!

October is an awesome time to go to Disney. Or at least it sounds like it!

 

[PennyLane1084]

Me and the DBF Steve in Vegas last summer at the Venetian Hotel

The 'rents Michelle and Beto in Univsal IOA in Suesslandings last March. It was their 23 wedding anniversary that day.

Grandma Ceil and the Princess of the family, Mia. This was her birthday this year. Notice the Hannah Montana cake.

All the grandkids decked out for Super Bowl '07. My family are die hard Bears fans being from Chicago! I assure you there really isn't anything wrong with us. Really! Dunno what with the faces

Me, Mia and Aunt Jen at my graduation from Columbia College Chicago last May at Chicago's Navy Pier

 

[Native NYer]

I can't resist a new ptr! I'm in

 

[PennyLane1084]

woohoo more readers!!!!!

 

[PennyLane1084]

Finally our 180 day mark has come around! We've got a 11:00 lunch ressie for 50's Prime Time Cafe. That was a breeze.
When we tried to make our ressie for CRT for all the girls in the family, but they could only get a table of 4 and not of 5 for anytime during breakfast. We're going to try calling super early on sunday to see if we can finagle something. If not mom's decided she's not going to go since's she's been there before with both her kids. She figures it would just be really nice for my grandmother to go with her only grandaughters (me and my cousin) and for aunt to be there with her daughter for their first time at CRT. We decided to get the time for 10 am.
Then we got spot for the BBB at 9 am for the cousin to get all dolled up.
The last ressie we need to make on sunday is for Chef Mickey's on the 31st for my dad's birthday dinner. I can't wait. Hopefully everything will work out with CRT.

 

[friendswithdave]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya on CRT!

 

[Princesskeyblade]

Keeping fingers crossed for CRT!

BTW I am in!

 

[PrincessSarah314]

The details of the trip

We usually take our Disney trip around the middle to end of May. This year we've decided to go during a different time entirely. We will arrive in Orlando on October 25th and head home November 1st.

My dad and brother have been saying they want to take a road trip for a year or 2 now. Since it would be slightly more economical to fly what with raising gas prices, we're going to make the trip from Chicago, where my family hails from, all the way down to Disney. And in all the times I've been to Disney my family has only flown once. Now there will be more drivers since my brother and aunt will be helping my dad with the driving. Since our group is so big, my boyfriend decided to drive his car down, as looking forward to a road trip. I will not be in the car with my family. Just me and my honey-bunny. Which I am very excited about because my family drives me a bit nuts on long road trips.

Every other time I've been to Disney I've always stayed on Disney Property. The buses to the parks are so helpful. But with we couldn't afford to stay on site this time around. We won't be far at all though. We're staying in a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom house in the Indian Ridge sub-division. Which is 5 minutes from Animal Kingdom and right next to Celebration. The house has a heated in ground pool and jacuzzi, wi-fi, a pool table and ping pong table, it's looks really nice and we got it for a great price. It's very spacious and we can say by having breakfast at home if we want to.

Next up.....pictures

We are going in May this year for the first time! Also, we are from Chicago and drive also! W e have only flown down once, and I didn't love having my feet off the ground !

I can't wait to read more! I've subscribed!

 

[PennyLane1084]

It turns out the trip i wrote about in my PTR never ended up happening. I wasn't exactly sure were to post this tread so i posted it here. Due to financial reasons we couldn't do the trip and in June we canceled the house reservations and all of our ADRs. After June I couldn't come back on the board because my little heart was broken. Although not going on the trip was actually a blessing because my Aunt got pregnant in May and my dad hurt his foot a week before we should have left for the trip. He would have been our main driver and would have been out of comission. I also lost my full time job back in march and had to go back to working part time. So i believe this trip, was just not meant to be.

I just wrote this to vent my disappointment to people who would understand the most. And to announce my new idea. I though maybe if fewer people went during the value season, it might be afforable enough. I thought it would be really nice to have a girls trip with just my grandmother and her two granddaughters. I brought the idea up to my parents and we discussed how disappointed my grandmother was the most from this trip being canceled and how she just wants to see her youngest granddaughter see disney for the first time. Then my mom remembered that next year is my grandma's 80th birthday and she would get more joy out of a trip to disney than she would from a big expensive party. They also figure the money that would spend on a big elaborate party would be about has much as the trip to disney. And we're going to make this all hush-hush and not tell her were leaving until a week before we go.
So we shall see.

 

[vdarrell]

Sorry to hear that things didn't work out the way you had planned.
I think an 80th b-day for your grandmother at WDW would be something everyone would remember for years to come.
I hope everything works out for you and your family.

 

[JKMJ441724]

I'm so sorry that you had to cancel your trip. But good things come to those who wait.

Here's some hugging skittles just for you.

 

[addictedtothemouse]

I don't know what your financial situation is, but if you're willing to stay at a value resort with the buy 4 get three free deal maybe you could swing it?

 

[PennyLane1084]

Thanks everyone! I think the buy 4 get 3 free deal is good but my grandma doesn't really like the value resorts. We shall see.

 

[addictedtothemouse]

I believe they are offering the 4/3 deal at all of the resorts.

 

[PennyLane1084]

Oh Really? I didn't realize that! That might not be a bad idea. I should really consider this because might be our chance.