Pre-Trip Report: Lynne and Greg do DLR

[LynneDurham]

Hi everyone!

UPDATES in BLUE.

I thought I'd try my hand at my first trip report this time around. Haven't done one yet, even though I've lurked here for 8 years!

The cast:

• Lynne, 46
• Greg, 47
  [*]Rose, DD, 24

Yesterday, I was driving our daughter to a university in northern Michigan for a single-week/full semester credit course. We were listening to Disney podcasts on the way. She turned to me and said,

"The Adventurers Club is closing?"
Me: "Yep."
Rose: "But I've never been there yet!"
Me: "I know."
Rose: "I have a flight voucher...could I go to WDW with you guys?"

WOO HOO!

Will she really go? We'll have to see -- she's not much of a planning type. I told her she'd have to book her flight as soon as she returned from the class, or it might be too late!

We'll keep you posted!

Our Disney experience
Although I had always had an affinity for Disney movies and such, I never really had the desire to visit a park. You see, I was a "thrillseeker." Cedar Pointe was my amusement park of choice and I couldn't for the life of me understand what all the Disney fuss was about.

That changed when I was in Anaheim for a convention in 1998. I was staying at DLH. A colleague and I decided that since we were there, we should make the best of it, and headed over for dinner one evening.

What hooked me? Disney's attention to detail. At the time, I was a creative in an ad agency. Disneyland's attention to creative detail just floored me. The fireflies at Blue Bayou...was I really outside?

I finally decided it was time to take the kids to WDW.

In 1999, Greg and I took our children, Rose and Aaron. By then, they were already 13 and 14. They, too, loved Cedar Pointe but were excited to be visiting Disney nonetheless. We were also joined by my Mom, sister and brother.

All I can say is WOW. One trip was all it took to hook us!

Since then, our daughter's been back with us twice and our son just once...although they promise to go with us again someday. Our visits:

• 1999: the first one mentioned above. I was sooo sick on this trip...I mean, like pneumonia sick. I was off work for a full 12 days AFTER the trip!
• 2001: Greg, me, the kids and my sister Lori
• 2004: Greg and I do the Walt Disney World Half Marathon. So far, our only solo trip to WDW
• 2006: Greg and I do the inaugural Goofy...my Mom joined us to cheer us on! We also did the 5K that weekend, which we walked with my Mom -- her first-ever!
• 2007: Greg, me, Mom, both of my sisters, one sister's SO, our daughter, her friend. We walked the inaugural ToT 13K with my sister...it was her first race!
  2007: two weeks later, I was back at WDW at the Swan. There for business, but was able to put in plenty of time in the Boardwalk area! When I went for my morning run, I couldn't believe how early people were lining up at Studios...but then I found out it was Soap week!

Now comes our great Disneyland Resort adventure!

I never really got to see enough of it on that very first trip. I didn't know what to do or where to go. I had great fun anyway. And Greg has never been before. So we decided to use some vouchers and miles and head west!

We have two weeks off, but many things to do. So here's our plan:

• Sept 6: drive to Chicago, got a great rate on a ParkSleepFly hotel.
• Sept 7: leave for Anaheim; arrive before noon. Tix were vouchers from a bump coming home from St. Kitts earlier in the year. Hotel: Fairfield Inn, using Marriott points (thanks to those on the boards who suggested I switch from one Marriott property to another, closer property)
• Sept 7: Haunted Mansion at least three times since it won't be open the rest of our trip! Other stuff as we see fit and PS at Jazz Cafe.
• Sept 8-10: follow Ridemax plans to maximize our time in the parks. Carnation Cafe, Steakhouse 55, and Blue Bayou PS all set.
• Sept 11: fly to Chicago. Another night ParkSleepFly.
• Sept 12: fly to MCO. These were free flights we got through a T-Mobile promotion.
• Sept 12-15: Pop Century resort. Our first-ever Hoop-De-Doo Revue! Every night for HOOPLA! at AC. Right now, we are NOT planning on parks! Crazy, right? But everytime we go, we talk about visiting all of the resorts to decide where we want to stay next (we always just fall back on the Value!). So we decided this trip would be Boardwalk, resorts, pool time, AC and Hoop-De-Doo!
• Sept 15: fly to Nashville
• Sept 15-20: Visit my goddaughter's family in Tennessee and Greg's dad and stepmom in Alabama.

Whew! We're going to need a vacation from our vacation!

Thanks to everyone for the help in planning this thing!

Lynne

 

[mommaU4]

Hi there! Wow your going to be busy on this trip!! Sounds like a blast though. Can't wait to read more.

I see you are in Michigan. I was born in MI but we moved to SoCal when I was little and that's where I grew up. We moved back for 3 years from 2004-2007 but I couldn't handle the winters, so we went the opposite extreme and ended up in Vegas where it's hotter then heck!

Anyway, I see it says Benton Harbor but I'm not sure where that is. I'll have to Google it. We were up in Traverse City.

Well, you're off to a great start!!

 

[LynneDurham]

Hi there! Wow your going to be busy on this trip!! Sounds like a blast though. Can't wait to read more.

I see you are in Michigan. I was born in MI but we moved to SoCal when I was little and that's where I grew up. We moved back for 3 years from 2004-2007 but I couldn't handle the winters, so we went the opposite extreme and ended up in Vegas where it's hotter then heck!

Anyway, I see it says Benton Harbor but I'm not sure where that is. I'll have to Google it. We were up in Traverse City.

Well, you're off to a great start!!

Benton Harbor is home to Whirlpool world headquarters. We're down in the southwest corner of the state, about 90 miles outside of Chicago.

Traverse City is so beautiful! My daughter (FINALLY graduating college in December ) is taking a class that Eastern Michigan is offering up there the first week of August.

Las Vegas is another one of our favorite places in the world. We've been there together three times -- the last was when we did the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim in 2005. We've often thought that Vegas would be a great place to ditch the Michigan winters. But I'm a snowbunny at heart.

 

[mommaU4]

Benton Harbor is home to Whirlpool world headquarters. We're down in the southwest corner of the state, about 90 miles outside of Chicago.

Traverse City is so beautiful! My daughter (FINALLY graduating college in December ) is taking a class that Eastern Michigan is offering up there the first week of August.

Las Vegas is another one of our favorite places in the world. We've been there together three times -- the last was when we did the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim in 2005. We've often thought that Vegas would be a great place to ditch the Michigan winters. But I'm a snowbunny at heart.

Oh, I see. Seems like everyone I've talked to on the DIS who lives or lived in MI was down near the bottom of the state or near Detroit. That's nice to be so close to Chicago. I bet that helps with air travel. There was no way to get decent flights out of Traverse with out paying an arm and a leg.

It was nice being here in Vegas this past winter. I was thrilled to wear flip flops and short sleeves in February! And I got to tease my mom and other family who are still back in MI. about all the snow.
Of course, now they are the ones teasing me since we're having temps in the 100's on a daily basis now while they are enjoying a nice mild summer.

I liked the snow in MI, just not for so long. A white Christmas was really nice. A white Easter? Not as much.

 

[reyasmommy]

WOW! Your so lucky to visit both DL and WDW on a single vacation!! You're going to have a wonderful time. Can't wait to hear more.