Prelude to a WDW Dream...Sept. 08 *NEW 9/9 Post 350*

[CJsMom]

Sorry to hear about this. Sending lots of your way.

 

[busymomma123]

I hope all goes well. Sending some prayers your way.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Jay I am so sorry I hope things get better. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. My husband just lost his stepmom to cancer last week. ((HUG)).

 

[pikaboo27]

Hi Jay! I found your pre-trippie but I am way behind and trying to catch up! In case you are still on the fence about Yak and Yeti, DH and I went for the first time this past January and it was wonderful! I'm still working on my trip report for that trip (I know, I'm slow!) and here is what I wrote about that meal.

"It was just about time for our Yak and Yeti ADR, so we checked in and headed to our table, which was on the second floor and was a great spot for people watching. The restaurant doesn’t look like much from the outside but it is richly decorated on the inside. Bonnie (a wonderful CM) showed us around and told us the story of the restaurant. Now one thing about Yak and Yeti, it is pricey. We just had lunch and it was still almost $40 for the two of us. We decided to do appetizers and share them. We ordered 2 iced teas, the dim sum platter, lettuce cups, and a side of chicken fried rice and we shared it between us. Everything was very well prepared, though DH thought the dumplings were a little doughy. The lettuce wraps were the best part and had a delicious seasoning and the sauce that came with it was yummy too! Plus the luttuce was crispy and fresh, not wilted at all. We had a great server there, though we were a little worried about him at first. When he got to our table he was completely out of breath. We asked him what happened and he told us that he had just had to chase someone down who had tried to leave without paying! Yikes! But over all, he was an excellent server. We also really enjoyed the people watching, especially once it started to rain and we were nice and dry inside. Hee hee"

Anyway, great PTR so far, I can't wait to catch up and see all the other great plans you had.

 

[momrek06]

JAY JAY, hope you and DH had a wonderful vacation. And very sorry to hear of the latest news of your grannies. They are in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[jaycns]

Not Jay, but will answer your question. All the deluxe rooms for five people at the AKL have been converted to DVC. There are only standard size rooms now which will only accommodate four. Check out the thread below. I sure someone will explain how to book a DVC room which will hold more than four.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1633854

Thanks for jumping in with an answer! Sorry guys for neglecting the thread. I am back in the planning saddle now...so watch out! You may start wishing for the "quiet weeks".

So sorry to hear about the sick grannies, I will keep you all in my prayers

His maternal grandma is now at his parents house! She has come through the dangerous part and now just has a period of regaining her strength before she is able to move back into her own home. We got her settled in on Saturday before we left to come back home. She is such a tough old gal. I hope I have half of her strength and willpower at that age! Heck, I hope I just make it to that age.

Jay, I'm so sorry I'm keeping your family in my thoughts, hope all turns out okay.

Dh's paternal grandma is doing the same. She has her good days and her bad days but the prognosis is sadly the same. We are hoping to make a few trips back to his parent's house this summer. Although we wish it was not true, we think this will most likely be her last summer with us.

Prayers & pixie dust on the way! Keep us posted.

Glad you made it home safely.

We are home safely!! Thanks for the prayers and pixie dust. If anyone is interested, I would be willing to write a mini trip report about our time in St.Martin.

Praying that all will go well and the grandmothers will regain their health!!

Thank you for the prayers!

So sorry to hear about both grandmothers. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Thanks...and thanks again for jumping in and helping out with the AKL question. Oh how I wish I was at AKL right now!

Jay, prayers coming your way for the two lovely ladies (who must be lovely since you love them so much) and for you and DH. It never matters when it comes, it is always unexpected and terribly sad. Prayers do not stop!

Awww...how do you always say the sweetest things?! HOW ARE YOU DOING? I haven't seen an update on your health and I have been concerned and praying. Please post one or PM me.

Oh Jay, I am so sorry to hear this. I believe in the power of prayer and I will definitely be praying for both grandmothers, as well as for you and your DH.

Thanks MouseTriper! You will be happy to hear that I have ordered another laptop...so I should be back to chatting soon. Using the boys computer has definate limitations.

Sorry to hear about this. Sending lots of your way.

Thanks for the pixie dust. I know it helps! Well, at least it helps me. I keep dreaming of our Disney time to be as a way to escape. I am really looking forward to our upcoming trip. And now that it's June, our trip is only 3 months away!

I hope all goes well. Sending some prayers your way.

Thank you very much. I am very happy with how things turned out. I am also very happy that we were able to spend some time at his parent's house helping out. Sometimes just having extra bodies to be able to go and sit with ailing ones helps out. At least I hope we did.

Jay I am so sorry I hope things get better. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. My husband just lost his stepmom to cancer last week. ((HUG)).

I am sorry to hear about your loss. How is your husband doing? Was he very close to her? Your family is in my prayers. Losing someone is never easy. Is that not the biggest understatement ever?!

Hi Jay! I found your pre-trippie but I am way behind and trying to catch up! In case you are still on the fence about Yak and Yeti, DH and I went for the first time this past January and it was wonderful! I'm still working on my trip report for that trip (I know, I'm slow!) and here is what I wrote about that meal.

"It was just about time for our Yak and Yeti ADR, so we checked in and headed to our table, which was on the second floor and was a great spot for people watching. The restaurant doesn’t look like much from the outside but it is richly decorated on the inside. Bonnie (a wonderful CM) showed us around and told us the story of the restaurant. Now one thing about Yak and Yeti, it is pricey. We just had lunch and it was still almost $40 for the two of us. We decided to do appetizers and share them. We ordered 2 iced teas, the dim sum platter, lettuce cups, and a side of chicken fried rice and we shared it between us. Everything was very well prepared, though DH thought the dumplings were a little doughy. The lettuce wraps were the best part and had a delicious seasoning and the sauce that came with it was yummy too! Plus the luttuce was crispy and fresh, not wilted at all. We had a great server there, though we were a little worried about him at first. When he got to our table he was completely out of breath. We asked him what happened and he told us that he had just had to chase someone down who had tried to leave without paying! Yikes! But over all, he was an excellent server. We also really enjoyed the people watching, especially once it started to rain and we were nice and dry inside. Hee hee"

Anyway, great PTR so far, I can't wait to catch up and see all the other great plans you had.

THANK YOU for posting that. I know have the lettuce wraps on my list of "to try" foods. HA HA HA on the dry watching of the wet people. That is something I myself would really appreciate!

JAY JAY, hope you and DH had a wonderful vacation. And very sorry to hear of the latest news of your grannies. They are in my thoughts and prayers.

Awww Kar...we did have a FANTASTIC vacation (even though I missed the boys like crazy). Also, thanks for the prayers and that pixie dust. How are the wedding/honeymoon plans coming?

 

[jaycns]

This Friday afternoon I am scheduled to talk with our event planner and the "magic makers" at Disney. After that I will be posting our final options/decisions and I am sure I will be so excited that I might babble on and on. Me talk lots?! Never!

As far as the special day we are still in a holding pattern.

BUT...tomorrow I will be posting our tentative plans for our final day at WDW. We are planning to spend it at Disney Studios.

After that I will move on to planning the cruise part of our vacation aboard the Disney Magic! I promise to have all of my cruise planning posted by June 27...because starting June 28 at 12:01AM I can start making reservations!!

 

[2ScottishPrincesses]

This Friday afternoon I am scheduled to talk with our event planner and the "magic makers" at Disney. After that I will be posting our final options/decisions and I am sure I will be so excited that I might babble on and on. Me talk lots?! Never!

As far as the special day we are still in a holding pattern.

BUT...tomorrow I will be posting our tentative plans for our final day at WDW. We are planning to spend it at Disney Studios.

After that I will move on to planning the cruise part of our vacation aboard the Disney Magic! I promise to have all of my cruise planning posted by June 27...because starting June 28 at 12:01AM I can start making reservations!!

YAY can't wait for the update

 

[MouseTriper]

Ohh Jay.....I am so glad you are back!!! My thoughts and prayers for your grandmothers will remain. That was wonderful that you were able to spend some time there and are planning on more trips down this summer.

I am also elated that you have ORDERED a new laptop!!! Yeah!!!!!

Oh and I must admit, I can NOT wait to see the rest of your plans!!! I need help with mine for Decemeber. I haven't even started planning...well I take that back, I have a list of my days down on a pad of paper but nothing more. No ADR's....no parks listed./...NOTHING. HELP!!!

Oh yeah....one more thing...YES I say YES to a mini TR about your vacation with DH!!!!!!

 

[Figment's Friend]

Hi, Jay! So glad you're back!! Your grandmother's thoughts are still with me. It must be very hard for all of you.

On another note, you better be babbling in your updates!! I look forward to hearing all of your plans, can't wait in fact!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Oh yeah....one more thing...YES I say YES to a mini TR about your vacation with DH!!!!!!

 

[SkyGirl]

Yipee, Jay is back!

So happy the Grandmother's are holding their own. Being with family means sooo much.

I would love to read about your trip! And congrats on the new laptop! I just got one myself after an electrical surge killed my old war horse. I'm still mourning all the stuff I had in Documents that I didn't back up on disc!

 

[jaycns]

Ohh Jay.....I am so glad you are back!!! My thoughts and prayers for your grandmothers will remain. That was wonderful that you were able to spend some time there and are planning on more trips down this summer.

I am also elated that you have ORDERED a new laptop!!! Yeah!!!!!

Oh and I must admit, I can NOT wait to see the rest of your plans!!! I need help with mine for Decemeber. I haven't even started planning...well I take that back, I have a list of my days down on a pad of paper but nothing more. No ADR's....no parks listed./...NOTHING. HELP!!!

Oh yeah....one more thing...YES I say YES to a mini TR about your vacation with DH!!!!!!

HA HA HA. I will get a mini trip report up very soon. And...my new laptop has arrived!! Now I just have to figure out how to set it up and remember how to put the messanger feature on it and then remember my password...THAT could be a problem.

Hi, Jay! So glad you're back!! Your grandmother's thoughts are still with me. It must be very hard for all of you.

On another note, you better be babbling in your updates!! I look forward to hearing all of your plans, can't wait in fact!

HA HA HA Did you all see that? I have permission to babble!

Yipee, Jay is back!

So happy the Grandmother's are holding their own. Being with family means sooo much.

I would love to read about your trip! And congrats on the new laptop! I just got one myself after an electrical surge killed my old war horse. I'm still mourning all the stuff I had in Documents that I didn't back up on disc!

You and me both. I lost everything because I was totally unsavvy and had NOTHING backed up. Lucky for me, I had most of the photos at least backed up on disc because I always buy the disc when I print them. But UGH...everything else is *poof*. ICK

 

[jaycns]

Day 8...To the Studios we go.

For our last full day at WDW we will be heading to the Disney Studios.

Lunch will be at Hollywood and Vine. We will be dining with Playhouse Disney characters. I cannot wait to take some pictures of the Little Prince with what will surely turn out to be some of his favorite characters while he is young.

Dinner will be at the 50's Primetime Cafe. We all had so much fun having lunch there last year that we are going to hope for a meal half as much fun as that one was! I am really looking forward to it. Not so much for the food but for the fun atmosphere!



TOMORROW...I get to talk with theDisney planners TOMORROW!!! WOO HOO!

To be continued...

 

[Figment's Friend]

Your last day sounds fun! You are going to love 50's Prime Time Cafe! I remember eating there for my 16th birthday; the waitress made me stand up in front of everyone and then made them all sing me Happy Birthday! Can't wait to hear more of your plans....

 

[moparop]

I am glad to hear that you are going to 50s PT. We are trying it on this trip largely because of what we read in your last TR. Oh,.... and let's hear about that conversation with the planners!!

 

[jaycns]

Today I had the pleasure of talking with two wonderful and very creative event planners. I had so much fun hearing them walk through the vision they had created for our luncheon.

First I will share the general rundown they shared with me as to their "big ideas" that they thought were "toned down". And honestly, they were...but still, just a TAD bit over my budget.

Our luncheon itself would be pirate themed with silk scarves, pirate hats and gold coins scattered on the tables. Pirate Goofy would come for a visit during the meal itself. Also during the luncheon portion itself we would have three pirate theme game booths set up with pirate dressed CMs running them. At the luncheon's end, a pirate actor would appear to lead them on a treasure hunt to the Grand 1. At the Grand 1, Pirate Mickey would appear and visit with the group before we would head out for our hour long sail/desserts and be dropped off at the Magic Kingdom for MNSSHP.

After seeing some of the pricing, I had to scale back a bit plus, the boys are now total adventure nuts. Indiana Jones is like Superman to them right now. So we are getting final pricing on the following plan:

The luncheon will be just that, a luncheon, no games. No characters during the meal. Just good eats and good friends. This is more in keeping with what dh wants...a relaxed meal. But the relaxation ends when the food is taken away. Upon the completion of our meal an adventurer will join us and lead the kids on a quest. The quest will lead them to the Grand 1. Adventurer Mickey will be waiting for them. He will "surprise them" right after the surprise of the Grand 1 itself. After our visit with Mickey, we will board the Grand 1 and cruise for an hour while having desserts. Which brings me back to the food. I am still waiting to get something back from the chef on that.

The chef is waiting for me to pick a theme. Thus we are at a standstill. Monday I will get the final pricing work up and pick the final theme by the end of next week. Then the chef will go to work theming the menu to fit what we pick. He will take the foods we suggested and change their names to fit the theme. For instance, scalloped potatoes could end up being called ancient coins or french fries could be "mini planks" for a pirate theme. Something like that.


As far as desserts the pastry chef is going to work on something special based on our theme and I am hoping they can work in a suggestion that I laughingly threw out but came to find out was really possible. She asked what sort of dessert I was dreaming an adventurer would eat. I JOKINGLY told her that I would love to see the boys able to try the monkey brains dessert that Indiana Jones eats in the Temple of Doom movie. SHE SAID, "OH WE DO THAT"!! And she was serious. Now, she didn't mean real monkey brains in real skulls but rather the skulls could be made of ice or chocolate and filled with sherbet, ice cream, mousse or fruit or some other tasty concoction. HOW AMAZINGLY COOL IS THAT?! Yes, my tastes do leave something to be desired. I plead my excuse is that I live with FIVE males. After a bit, it just rubs off. So some sort of skull something and whatever sort of pastry type item the chef can dream up to go with it.

After our desserts and the cruise we will be dropped off AT the Magic Kingdom. I don't know how anyone else will feel when that happens, but I am sure I will be quite overwhelmed. I am very excited about this portion of the event even if it means it will be coming to a close.

Which is okay, the close I mean, because after our event, we will be attending MNSSHP!

What an amazing day this will be!

Changes may occur due to budget issues BUT I think we even have all of those worked out. By the end of next week, I should have signed an entertainment contract and be ready to start day dreaming about what is GOING to happen instead of what just may happen.


And somewhere in there we talked about the boys getting Inidana Jones type hats and the girls getting embellished scarves with jangly things hanging from them. I just don't remember how or when. Too many ideas. Too many happy moments!!

 

[Figment's Friend]

Jay, I loved hearing about all of this! It's amazing what Disney can really do. It sounds like so much fun, so special -- love the adventurer leading everybody to the quest and who else but Adventurer Mickey to be waiting! The Indiana Jones-themed food sounds great, your boys will be so surprised! Heck, it's making me hyper just reading about it! Oooo and an hour on the lagoon eating desserts.....it really will be a dream! Keep us updated, can't wait to hear more!

 

[SkyGirl]

Hey, that's my DD above me! Great minds think alike!!

Jay, how exciting. I LOVE the fact that the event planners are so wonderful! The whole adventure sounds amazing and fun and will be such a surprise!!

Hey, where is that mini-TR? I'm not being demanding or .... okay, so I'm demanding a little!!

 

[MouseTriper]

Oh my goodness Jay....that plan sounds UNBELIEVABLE!!! How exciting and fun!!! Your boys are gonna freak with excitement!!! I can't wait to see pictures from this big surprise!!!! You ROCK....!!!