Our very First Walt Disney Vacation!!

[bcbmom]

Hi Bonnie,

You posted on my TR a while back, and I am finally making it over to check out your pretr. Well when I saw your dates I realized that we will be there a few of the same days. Jacob and I will arrive Fri 9/26 afternoon. We head home on Tues 9/30.

You have a beautiful family. And I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. There's so much to do for every age group. It should be fun to have your sister's family along too!

Your plans look great! I have changed mine back & forth many times.

That's an Amazing price on the airfare!!!

I don't think I noticed that we are both there around the same time. I remember all of your wonderful pictures from your last trip but not if you have a new pretrip started, i'll have to check it out.
Thank you so much for the comments. I agree our airfare price is amazing. Dh keeps making comments that they'll probably go bankrupt before Sep sooo not funny whatsoever.

 

[bcbmom]

My sister lives in a small town that has yard sales the first weekend in June every yr. So we decided to try our luck and make some more disney $. I told the kiddies anything they were willing to part with would be there spending money. Can you believe we actually made over $300!!! Now they each have $100 all to themselves We decided on this amount each as it gives them enough to bring home something fun but not too much where we'll have a house full of trinkets that never get looked at again. Also they don't have to buy any food, drinks, snacks etc...sooo i'm thinking $100 ea should be plenty!?! I have the tipping $ put aside but now it's time to save for Chad & I....and the few drinks I'm craving (reading too many trip reports, lol).
I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend.
It's beautiful here, but I promised Brenna we would make our envelopes tomorrow. So a few pictures soon....

 

[Jaelynnandmom]

My sister lives in a small town that has yard sales the first weekend in June every yr. So we decided to try our luck and make some more disney $. I told the kiddies anything they were willing to part with would be there spending money. Can you believe we actually made over $300!!! Now they each have $100 all to themselves We decided on this amount each as it gives them enough to bring home something fun but not too much where we'll have a house full of trinkets that never get looked at again. Also they don't have to buy any food, drinks, snacks etc...sooo i'm thinking $100 ea should be plenty!?! I have the tipping $ put aside but now it's time to save for Chad & I....and the few drinks I'm craving (reading too many trip reports, lol).
I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend.
It's beautiful here, but I promised Brenna we would make our envelopes tomorrow. So a few pictures soon....

Congrats on the great outcome with the yardsale I think $100 is plenty for kids at Disney to spend on souvenirs & whatever. We usually get DD a shirt and a few other things she really likes and we spend a little under $100.
I can't wait to see you envelopes!! I am in the process of making ours as well.

 

[dddisrunner]

$300 that's AWESOME!! I think 100 dollars is PLENTY of money for them!!

 

[bcbmom]

Congrats on the great outcome with the yardsale I think $100 is plenty for kids at Disney to spend on souvenirs & whatever. We usually get DD a shirt and a few other things she really likes and we spend a little under $100.
I can't wait to see you envelopes!! I am in the process of making ours as well.

Thanks for the message! About to post pics of the envelopes, although you may not find them too exciting but the kids had fun, lol. I'll have to check out your pretrip again soon and see if i've missed anything

$300 that's AWESOME!! I think 100 dollars is PLENTY of money for them!!

That is good to know. I was debating but thought that was a good amount. My goal was to make that at the yard sale and dh thought there was no way...but we did it!! The kids have there $, i'm planning on about 250 ish with tipping...soo i'm thinking about $800 should be more than enough!?! Did you find you spent much more than that on your trip? Obviously we will have our debit & credit card but I just want to be prepared and would rather have the money saved rather than coming home to bills. Hope you enjoyed a wonderful weekend!

 

[bcbmom]

Our mousekeeping envelopes!!

Sorry but I edited to flip the pic in photbucket but it's still copying here like this!?! Oh well it gives you an idea. Casslyn & Brenna had so much fun and actually Brady even made one too (he's at that age where he's too cool for things like that). Not sure if you can tell but the bottam one Brenna made look like a car with three kids in it (too cute), we aren't actually driving but it was still cute, lol. They also started a count down calendar but ran out of numbers, so it's a work in progress. I think we are at 105 days so they have a few days to finish. We tried going to our local dollar store to get Disney stickers but no such luck. I filled the van today and with the price of gas I wasn't about to drive 20 minutes away just for stickers. But I think they turned out cute anyways and we can always add to them later.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Hard to believe it's already Monday tomorrow , hopefully it'll be a quick week!!

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

Hi! I just wanted to stop by and say that I'm now a fellow reader

I love all of your ADRs, you have done some good planning!!

I'm not sure how many ppl answered your ? about your luggage. I have been at WDW for the past 5 months in the College Program and my family visited me twice and both times their flights got in at 10pm. They..along with my Dbro(21) packed a pair of PJs and extra undies in their carry-ons. You are allowed to take some liquids in your carry-on as long as they are in the approved ziplock bag (you can get the bags at Walmart or Target stores) So they would pack their tooth brush, paste, deod, and other small items to get them through the night. Both resorts: WL and CBR told us to call in the morning and a bell hop would bring the bags up and both times the bags were brought up within 5 mins of the call which was very nice!!

Anyways I hope this helps with your bag issues. They say the bags will be in your room up to 3 hours after your flight gets in (unless it's delayed and the bags are on a later flight). If you wish to wait for your bags you can and DME driver will load them in the bottom of the bus and unload them for you at your resort.

Happy planning!!!

 

[joanng]

We will be there the same time as you at POR 9/20-9/27 for free dining and 1 day at Epcot food & wine festival. - we are going for our 25th wedding anniversary no kids this time-

We have been 3 times with our kids and the first time my kids were 8 & 11 like 2 of yours- Its a wonderful age - like you said not too young but old enough to stay out at night ect.

I am so glad that you got thru your DH illness and your right sometimes it takes that to give us a wake up call of whats important.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful time- I was there last year with my DH,DD,DS and my mom who hadn't been for 20 years like you, and my mom loved it. Quite a difference in 20 years.We stayed at CBR and had adjoining rooms worked out great , since we're going alone wanted to try another resort and POR looks like what we are looking for.

I am a research the trip to death kind of person so I am on this site all the time, it gives the best information so enjoy reading and planning , sometimes its half the fun

 

[bcbmom]

Hi! I just wanted to stop by and say that I'm now a fellow reader

I love all of your ADRs, you have done some good planning!!

I'm not sure how many ppl answered your ? about your luggage. I have been at WDW for the past 5 months in the College Program and my family visited me twice and both times their flights got in at 10pm. They..along with my Dbro(21) packed a pair of PJs and extra undies in their carry-ons. You are allowed to take some liquids in your carry-on as long as they are in the approved ziplock bag (you can get the bags at Walmart or Target stores) So they would pack their tooth brush, paste, deod, and other small items to get them through the night. Both resorts: WL and CBR told us to call in the morning and a bell hop would bring the bags up and both times the bags were brought up within 5 mins of the call which was very nice!

Anyways I hope this helps with your bag issues. They say the bags will be in your room up to 3 hours after your flight gets in (unless it's delayed and the bags are on a later flight). If you wish to wait for your bags you can and DME driver will load them in the bottom of the bus and unload them for you at your resort.
Happy planning!!!

Thank you so much for the message. Glad to hear you love our adr's. It's so hard not to question my choices sometimes when I here such wonderful reviews about other restaurants...but I do remind myself we can't try them all in one trip,lol. So I think we have a great mix and everyong will be happy. Thanks so much for the advice regarding the luggage...I was definately still questioning what to do and you've really been a help

We will be there the same time as you at POR 9/20-9/27 for free dining and 1 day at Epcot food & wine festival. - we are going for our 25th wedding anniversary no kids this time-

We have been 3 times with our kids and the first time my kids were 8 & 11 like 2 of yours- Its a wonderful age - like you said not too young but old enough to stay out at night ect.

I am so glad that you got thru your DH illness and your right sometimes it takes that to give us a wake up call of whats important.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful time- I was there last year with my DH,DD,DS and my mom who hadn't been for 20 years like you, and my mom loved it. Quite a difference in 20 years.We stayed at CBR and had adjoining rooms worked out great , since we're going alone wanted to try another resort and POR looks like what we are looking for.

I am a research the trip to death kind of person so I am on this site all the time, it gives the best information so enjoy reading and planning , sometimes its half the fun

I do agree it probably is half the fun it's amazing how much you learn from the site & reading others trip reports. Congratulations on 25 years, what a wonderful way to celebrate your anniversary. POR does look beautiful and I've heard some really great things about it, so we are so excited. Did you happen to book the carriage ride one night? I'm thinking I should look into it, it would probably be a wonderful memory.You know what we look like now so if you happen to see us you'll have to say hello Thanks for the message

 

[joanng]

Hi, Yes we plan on doing the carriage ride haven't booked it yet tho, just getting my ADR finished, changed so many times already. now that thats done will book the carriage ride.

Yes it will be a great way to spend our 25th. We live in MA and were going to go to New Hampshire into the Mountains in the fall for the foliage but changed our mind, that something close by that we can do anytime so this is what we decided to do- Went to Disney for honeymoon in 1983 was just MK & Epcot then!!!!

Yes I will look for you, if I can talk my DH into wearing a anniversary pin you probably will spot us at POR.!!!

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[bcbmom]

We are one happy family today!
We are finally at 100 days and
the girls are able to start using their countdown calendar!!

 

[sherreis]

We are one happy family today!
We are finally at 100 days and
the girls are able to start using their countdown calendar!!

Hooray! dance3:

 

[dddisrunner]

GREAT mousekeeping envelopes! YAY for 100 days, tomorrow you can say DOUBLE DIGITS!!

 

[lmillercrew]

Yeah you! 100 days I can't wait until I get to 100 days.

 

[Princess.Rachel]

Cant wait to hear more! We wil be at POR at the same time.

 

[bcbmom]

Hooray! dance3:

Thank-you

GREAT mousekeeping envelopes! YAY for 100 days, tomorrow you can say DOUBLE DIGITS!!

You are still around!! I am really excited to be in the double digits, it is actually going quite quickly, for now anyways...

Yeah you! 100 days I can't wait until I get to 100 days.

It's been going quite quickly. Some days not quick enough lol. I've been working on paying it off & putting spending $ away, once that's complete it'll probably drag, lol. Thanks for your message

Cant wait to hear more! We wil be at POR at the same time.

I see you've stayed at POR before...good to know you are returning I have heard such wonderful things about the resort. I'm wishing we had booked a few more days to have some more down time at the resort. I hope you have a wonderful trip, maybe we'll acually run into eachother

 

[kathleen27]

Congrats on double digits!!!

 

[bcbmom]

Congrats on double digits!!!

Thank you! I feel like I have soooo much to do still. I don't think the planning & purchasing will ever end until the day we fly out

 

[bcbmom]

Hello Everyone!!
It's been awhile but we are still planning away & sooo excited to be going so soon. We only have 54 days as of today!!
I have been picking up things every where we go. Dh & kids are completely ready with water shoes, clothing etc. I on the other hand really need to start purchasing a few new things for myself...if I wait too long it's only going to be fall/winter clothing out, lol.

Our trip is now paid in FULL

I think I am close to being finished with all of the things we needed to pick up but I still need to go through the list and double check everything. We have new toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo/conditioner, gum, wipes, antibacterial handcream, body lotion, sunscreen, hair accessories for the girls, tide stick, laundry detergent...and that's all I can think of for now. My biggest dilemma now is purchasing a new digital camera. There are sooo many to choose from I just don't know!?! I still haven't found ours and really have no idea where I may have left it. I don't want to purchase a really inexpensive one but at the same time I don't want to purchase a really expensive one and something happens to it in Disney!

Last week I paid the trip in full, switched all of our spending $ over from canadian to american, pre-ordered our photopass cd & even ordered a few things from garden grocer to be delivered to the resort. It all seems so real now. The only thing we had trouble finding was some autograph books so we've decided to just purchase them as souvenirs in Disney.

Our garden grocer order consisted of water (lots of it), cereal, milk, poptarts, breakfast bars, muffins (for our first morning), yogurt, bananas & plastic spoons. I am hoping we thought of everything!! We are on the dining plan but plan on trying to get to rd most of the time so we needed a few things just to start the day. Also dh's transplant med's need to be taken first thing in the am with milk/yogurt...he always needs to eat first thing.

Not too sure if i'm forgetting anything but I plan on getting back to reading other reports and hopefully that will get me back on track and catch something I may be missing.
I hope you are all well & enjoying summer!!

Oh and ofcourse our Itinerary did change (again) but I really do think this is it now!! We did decide not to do mnsshp (after almost purchasing tickets many times, lol), just too much to do already for our first trip. And our flights changed slightly getting us in a little earlier

sat - arrival
sun - AK, Whispering Canyon
mon - Epcot fw tour, The Garden Grill, Disney Quest
tues - MK, Chef Mickey's (we were able to book this when they opened lunch hrs ), possibly Blizzard Beach
wed - DHS, Mama Melrose, Fantasmic
thurs - Epcot wsc, Chefs de France
fri - Lilo & Stitch breakfast, Typhoon Lagoon
sat - Boatwright Brunch, MK, Kona Cafe, MK for spectro & wishes
sun - AK, Yak & Yeti lunch, Ohana (our last dinner)
mon - departure

 

[dddisrunner]

WOW, 54 days, that time went by fast! Your lists of things to do/buy looks very thorough! Your updated itinerary looks great! Congrats on getting Chef Mickey's! You all must be getting very excited!