PART THREE! *December 2012 Roll Call* Holidays, FLE & MVMCP!! A very, merry thread!

[SAT887]

Did you tell him all the thrill rides were supposed to be in the parks?

In DH's defense, it was raining and all our vehicles at home are 4WD. He was just so totally shocked when the steering wheel turned and the car did not!

Hahaha his defense.... Ehhh not do good his brother had called him with important news but he could have called him back needless to say he got an earful from me

So today my 15 month old made me very excited about WDW. We dropped DD3 off at pre K and went to the town clerk to make sure I was registered to vote. Well the leaves were blowing across the parking lot and she was amazed by them I thought "you think those leaves are cool.... Wait until you go to WDW!!"

 

[BDL]

Hahahahahahaha this reminds... Yeah I tell DH "Orlando is apparently the most dangerous city to drive in.... Because tourists have no idea where they are going.."

"Really? You think so?" He says

"I know so... Remember when you cut across how many lanes of traffic last year????"

Did anybody in the car throw their hands up in the air and yell "WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" while looking for the camera to get the post ride picture? Or were those traffic cams?

 

[SAT887]

Did anybody in the car throw their hands up in the air and yell "WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" while looking for the camera to get the post ride picture? Or were those traffic cams?

Hahahaha probably traffic cams!! We were glad not to get the post ride pic!!! He just got my cryptic curse word replacements since my 2 kids were in the back

 

[tofubeast]

Sorry to hear about the stomach bug. Hope you recover quickly

I saw on your trip report that you have an Elf on the Shelf. We had one for our DGD (named Elfie) when she was 2 and she has loved him ever since - she is now 10 and I don't know if she will believe this year or not. We had so much fun with Elfie playing tricks every night until Christmas. One morning he had lined up all her stuffed animals and they were all watching a Disney video with popcorn spilled all over. My favorite: He painted DH's toes with bright red polish. Have you seen this thread for Elfie tricks: http://blossombunkhouse.com/2011/11/08/101-elf-on-the-shelf-ideas-2/. We used a lot of these - also DH built a special sized door so Elfie could come and go as he pleased. So much fun! By the way your DD is adorable.

Thanks for the sweet word AND the Elf link!! That is awesome. So many great ideas there. I think you should bring back Elfie this year, just for fun! Keep the spirit alive!

We will have the Dec 2012 Roll Call Group Trip Report, Pixie Dust Moment, Group Therapy Thread

Ohhh I like how you think! Will that be Part 6 or 7?

 

[tofubeast]

So in 10 days we have made it past the halfway point of thread #3!

Because we rule!!!!!! See you in Part 4 in 10 days!

Did anybody in the car throw their hands up in the air and yell "WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" while looking for the camera to get the post ride picture? Or were those traffic cams?

You made me spit out my gatorade (I need those electrolytes). Too funny.

 

[DisneyMom0709]

50 more days till we leave for Disney!!! And..
I paid off the vacation today!!
My Dh and I just choose to stick with deluxe dining so everything is paid for so happy !!!!!
Just need to get some outfits ready
My son wants Disney Christmas shirts I know Walmart sells them
And I need to get my daughter the belle holiday dress !!
It has come so fast!! I been on these boards and planning from march!

 

[Howgreat]

to the group!!!! I think dinner on Christmas at a resort is a great idea. Then you can decide if you want to venture into a park or just take it easy and resort hop or swim.
We fly out the day you arrive. Where are you staying?

All-Star Movies! It's perfect for us, since we're really just there to nap and sleep at night.

 

[Tltorrez]

I send DH screen shots of what I want hahaha

I keep a Wish List on Amazon and Scrapbook.com. I maintain one for DH and DS too. Makes it so much easier for the grandparents.

 

[Tltorrez]

So I went over to touringplans.com with great anticipation because they had added a feature where one could incorporate a FP runner into the touring plan. From what I can tell, all it does is add the words "Using a FastPass runner, remaining party skips this step." In green.

But, despite what it claims to do, it still might add in the time it takes for the FP runner. I've tried it several different ways and it just doesn't work.

For instance, selected an FP for TSM when the park opens, then RnR. It showed my FP collection at 9:05 and RnR at 9:13. If I try RnR first and enter the FP retrieval second, I get a FP distributed at 9:24. You can't do two things at once. Other times it causes the party to wait.

Fail.

Someone please tell me I'm just doing this wrong!

I'll try it later when I get home. I also have the web from for reporting bugs. I'll post that too.

 

[WedgieSock]

Hahahahahahaha this reminds... Yeah I tell DH "Orlando is apparently the most dangerous city to drive in.... Because tourists have no idea where they are going.."

"Really? You think so?" He says

"I know so... Remember when you cut across how many lanes of traffic last year????"

HA!!! Love it!

All-Star Movies! It's perfect for us, since we're really just there to nap and sleep at night.

Thats where we went last year (our first family trip) and we loved it! Nicely kept and the larger than life icons really bring that Disney feel, its Disney 24/7 Did you book preferred? We stayed in the Toy Story section, we love that movie so it was awesome.

Funny story about that ..... we got a free photo album last year. I had such fun uploading our PP photos and personalising each page with memories about our trip. I had a double spread about our resort with some fab pictures. I wrote about how much we enjoyed the resort and that it was awesome waking up to a giant woody every morning Yep. There in print FOREVER

 

[mom2travel]

HA!!! Love it!

Thats where we went last year (our first family trip) and we loved it! Nicely kept and the larger than life icons really bring that Disney feel, its Disney 24/7 Did you book preferred? We stayed in the Toy Story section, we love that movie so it was awesome.

Funny story about that ..... we got a free photo album last year. I had such fun uploading our PP photos and personalising each page with memories about our trip. I had a double spread about our resort with some fab pictures. I wrote about how much we enjoyed the resort and that it was awesome waking up to a giant woody every morning Yep. There in print FOREVER

 

[Tltorrez]

I don't get it either. I was overweight in school and got made fun of plenty, but it was not so bad. Kids also being so connected with texting, social networking etc etc etc makes it so hard to get away from. One of my goals as a relatively new parent is to try and make sure my kids have a good moral compass because these things break my heart. I know its not all me, but I also want them to know there will be consequences if they every are so unkind to people.

It's funny but I see it as being better today. Seems like kids were just as mean, but you have so many other social options now. I was picked on some as a kid but mostly I was ignored. I as incredibly lonely. I grew up in a small town. We all went to the same school, mostly the same church. There were very few organized groups outside of sports. There just weren't other options for making friends.

Granted I live in a more populous area now so the kids in my son's private school are different than the kids in the neighborhood, and his baseball team, guitar class, summer camp, etc. are all different kids too. But even if we were in a small town I have to wonder how different it would be to be able to connect online with people that actually have something in common, even if they aren't local. Kind of like we're doing now. ;-)

 

[SAT887]

Thanks for the sweet word AND the Elf link!! That is awesome. So many great ideas there. I think you should bring back Elfie this year, just for fun! Keep the spirit alive!

Ohhh I like how you think! Will that be Part 6 or 7?

Well I think it will start with 6.... And probably go on to 7!

 

[ciao_gina]

Oh I watched the game!!! It was awesome! I was going for the Giants too and the rain was insane! Insane in the membrane, insane in the brain... Sorry, couldn't help it...

but as for your suggestion of the santa video... um, lets just say, I think my girls would look at that and say "really, mom?!? It's bad enough you went without us and you bring us a personalized santa video?" yea, don't think that would go over too well... but a bag of salted caramels from Goofy's might help ease the pain

gina

Another Gina and another Giants fan? Cool!

Actually I meant using that video as a way to announce that Santa was granting the wish of going to WDW. I think it is personalized with the kids names and gifts

 

[SAT887]

HA!!! Love it!

Thats where we went last year (our first family trip) and we loved it! Nicely kept and the larger than life icons really bring that Disney feel, its Disney 24/7 Did you book preferred? We stayed in the Toy Story section, we love that movie so it was awesome.

Funny story about that ..... we got a free photo album last year. I had such fun uploading our PP photos and personalising each page with memories about our trip. I had a double spread about our resort with some fab pictures. I wrote about how much we enjoyed the resort and that it was awesome waking up to a giant woody every morning Yep. There in print FOREVER

HAHAHAHAHAHA that is hilarious! I'm so glad my kids don't judge me when I randomly laugh at my phone

 

[happy tink]

Whether your tween son would like the dance parties or the shows or not... He will LOVE the short lines for Pirates of the Carribean, Haunted Mansion and the mountains.[/QUOTE]

That sounds wonderful! Next task figure out which night to book it!

You know I left you guys about 4ish hours ago and I come back to 5 more Paige's! Your a chatty bunch alright.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

As of about 12:30 PM today we are PAID IN FULL!!! Gave them all our flight information too, for the Magical Express!!!! Doing the happy Dance!!
51 days, 15 hours until our flight from Pittsburgh to MCO!!!!!

WOO-HOO!!

50 more days till we leave for Disney!!! And..
I paid off the vacation today!!
My Dh and I just choose to stick with deluxe dining so everything is paid for so happy !!!!!
Just need to get some outfits ready
My son wants Disney Christmas shirts I know Walmart sells them
And I need to get my daughter the belle holiday dress !!
It has come so fast!! I been on these boards and planning from march!

Yea for paying off the trip!

We are doing DxDP too. Lots of food, but I am looking forward to trying so many different things.

I still would like to get my kids Disney Christmas shirts.

it just occurred to me that I have not been to the disney website to check or tweak ADRs or anything today. quick somebody hand me a thermometer

The day is still young, dont worry just yet. If you havent checked anything by bedtime, I will begin to worry about you

I just made some hot chocolate at work. Is it wrong if I pretend to be at MVMCP?

The surprise is out of the bag; we told the kids on Sunday they gave us the perfect lead with asking us to call santa and ask him for tickets for Disney. So Jeff called Santa and he said yes. The kids were like that's great hey can we go play. I was a little (okay a lot) disappointed in their reaction, but let it slide. So last night at dinner Kate (DD) asked how many more days until we go to Disney I said 39 days. Her eyes looked like a deer in the head lights, she screamed and said we are going this year. Jeff and I both looked at each other with a confused look, the kids thought we were going next year at christmas. After we explained the situation we got the reaction we wanted the jumping up and down and the faces all aglow.

Thats funny they thought it was NEXT Christmas! I bet their reaction was great when they realized it was just 2 months away.

So I opened an envelope from my mortgage company this week and the envelope contained a check. My property taxes had dropped and apparently they had withheld to much for escrow. So not only did my mortgage payment go down by $100/ month. But I have a check for $1900 that I was not expecting. That makes the trip budget a lot less tight.

What a nice suprise!!

39 DAYS! I can almost not stand it!

Are the "probable hours" based on last years extended hours? I'm okay with extending time later in the day but would like to keep the morning hours as is....especially because of my before park opening ADRs!

Check easywdw website. Josh has projected hours based on historical additions. Several of our days we are losing our pre-park ADR , but there are also lots of later hours.

☺☺����me!!!!!!

I can't wait to hear all about it and be able to plan out our visit!!

I am so anxious to hear all the details and start seeing pics of MVMCP!!

I really want to get to November, but then I want it to slow down. Not that I don't want to be in DW like tomorrow, but the quicker it comes, the quicker it is over. DH and I decided we will not be taking a trip in 2013, so I need to make this baby last!

I know what you mean about not wanting the trip to be over. I'll be sad when our Christmas trip is done.

 

[SAT887]

It's funny but I see it as being better today. Seems like kids were just as mean, but you have so many other social options now. I was picked on some as a kid but mostly I was ignored. I as incredibly lonely. I grew up in a small town. We all went to the same school, mostly the same church. There were very few organized groups outside of sports. There just weren't other options for making friends.

Granted I live in a more populous area now so the kids in my son's private school are different than the kids in the neighborhood, and his baseball team, guitar class, summer camp, etc. are all different kids too. But even if we were in a small town I have to wonder how different it would be to be able to connect online with people that actually have something in common, even if they aren't local. Kind of like we're doing now. ;-)

Maybe it's because we are so connected that we hear about all the horror stories... I don't know - I grew up in a big town and I can see from now living small town life (there was more people in my HS than my current towns population) could be much more difficult. I just think its harder for kids to escape when they are harassed on their cells, on Facebook etc... Holding it in at school and at home seems so hard. At least I could go home, hide and not have to deal with mean kids.

 

[WedgieSock]

I don't get it either. I was overweight in school and got made fun of plenty, but it was not so bad. Kids also being so connected with texting, social networking etc etc etc makes it so hard to get away from. One of my goals as a relatively new parent is to try and make sure my kids have a good moral compass because these things break my heart. I know its not all me, but I also want them to know there will be consequences if they every are so unkind to people.

I think also we are all bombarded with info now - every day it is possible to hear/read about someone who is 'doing great' whether that be money/career/beauty so our kids want to be 'great' but they have no idea what that entails. A mean girl telling my daughter that she's lame for playing with dolls makes meanie feel 'great', like she is better than my DD somehow.

And yes, it is so important to teach your children there will be consequences, exactly what I have done, because all too often I hear other parents brush off their childs unkindness with those over-used words "oh, you know how kids are ...."

It's funny but I see it as being better today. Seems like kids were just as mean, but you have so many other social options now. I was picked on some as a kid but mostly I was ignored. I as incredibly lonely. I grew up in a small town. We all went to the same school, mostly the same church. There were very few organized groups outside of sports. There just weren't other options for making friends.

Granted I live in a more populous area now so the kids in my son's private school are different than the kids in the neighborhood, and his baseball team, guitar class, summer camp, etc. are all different kids too. But even if we were in a small town I have to wonder how different it would be to be able to connect online with people that actually have something in common, even if they aren't local. Kind of like we're doing now. ;-)

That I also agree with. The internet & social networking is a double-edge sword. You have the negative side where it can be used against our kids, but then you have the other side where they can escape and find others with a common interest that would not have found in their "real life".

 

[WedgieSock]

Maybe it's because we are so connected that we hear about all the horror stories... I don't know - I grew up in a big town and I can see from now living small town life (there was more people in my HS than my current towns population) could be much more difficult. I just think its harder for kids to escape when they are harassed on their cells, on Facebook etc... Holding it in at school and at home seems so hard. At least I could go home, hide and not have to deal with mean kids.

We had a local 'incident' where a girl was harassed on Facebook, it was a horrible story, mean mean girls made a page in her name and posted all kinds of terrible stuff. The school could not do anything about it because it didn't happen at school yadda yadda yadda. Was a huge deal here in Atlanta.

Interestingly, our county released some new rules in the Code of Discipline this year. Basically, it is against school rules now for a student to harass another student, or defame their character on a social network site. Also, students are not allowed to take photos or video of another student and upload to a social network site in a negative way etc etc. I was so pleased to see that.