Princess Isabelle Introduces Princess Stella to The World 7/18/09

[awaldo]

Alright, I'm going to give this another try. Last trip was kinda a quick set-up, and I failed miserably at my PTR. BUT - This time will be better. Promise!

Here's the setup:

Me, 34, Father of Two Princesses, and Lucky Husband. I have been to WDW many, many, many times. My parents started that. Mainly my mother. Anyhow, my love of Disney has continued and grown, and am fortunate to have two princesses that I can use as an excuse to go to WDW.

DW, roughly the same age. We've been to WDW about 5 times together, 3 before the kids and twice since, with DD4. I think she'd been there twice with her family growing up, but they are not Disney people. I shuddered at the recounts of the trips that they had taken. I guess I'm just a spoiled snob, but I don't understand WDW being a sidetrip as part of a trip to the beach...

DD4. Isabelle. The quintessential Princess. She cries if we ask her to wear pants rather than a dress. Not really, but close. We have to leave her shirts untucked when she wears pants and tell her they are shirt dresses. She has been Disney Brainwashed since birth, and so far it is working. All she wants to be for Halloween are different princesses. The only vacation she is interested in is to WDW. So far, so good.

DD.75. Stella. Her first trip was actually last March, in DW's belly. Of course, we've been trying to brainwash her Disney as well, but it's too early to tell if it is taking. Our July Trip is part of the Master Plan.

The specifics, July 18-24, 2009. POFQ. Driving down from Indiana.

 

[awaldo]

This is Isabelle and I, last year, coming off Goofy's Barnstormer. We rode it 9 times in a row. She's a little small for her age, so it was a big deal the she was actually tall enough to ride it. Truth be told, we made sure we had some really thick soled shoes for her to wear that day. Seriously, she's tiny.

This is Isabelle and her mother enjoying a banana split last year at the Plaza. It was a really big deal for her, because she is allergic to peanuts and treenuts, so finding a place that would make her an ice cream treat that was safe is a monumental deal for her. And her mother, frankly, since we had to give them up too for her sake!

This is all three of my princesses at the Castle from last March. DW was a real trooper, I know she was not faring so well with Stella in there the whole trip.

 

[ehstrojette]

I am in.. your princess is adorable and can't wait to see how both of them do at the most funniest place on this earth.

waiting for Stella pics

edited to add that this is the first time I have been the first person to reply to a new PTR

 

[awaldo]

Hooray Hooray! Someone actually read my rambling! Welcome. Thanks for stopping in! Per your request, here's Stella:

This was from our family cruise we took with my parents and sister's family in February. The two girls couldn't be more dissimilar in physique. It's hilarious.

 

[awaldo]

Like most of the rest of you, our Disney trips and planning for them borders on an addiction. DW and I had always enjoyed WDW before the girls, but once Isabelle went with us the first time, we soon realized what many of the rest of you know: WDW is quite possibly the perfect vacation for a family. With the exception of a cruise thrown in once in a while, we are both perfectly happy going nowhere else. So when Isabelle demonstrated a love for all things Disney, we were ecstatic. Originally, our plans were to attempt to return to WDW annually, in July. Why July? Well, I work in retail agriculture, and my wife is an educator, which basically gives us a period of about three weeks that my business is slow and she isn't working as well. So, we are forced to trip it mostly in July. Although last year, we had to travel in March, over her spring break, because Stella was expected in June and, although we gave it some thought, decided maybe a one month old at Disney in July wasn't the best of ideas. So thanks to Mother Nature giving us a wet spring last year, we didn't have to deprive our poor Isabelle of a trip to WDW, although it was thrown together really quickly and the planning wasn't nearly as much fun. With this July trip planned, though, I have full ability and time to micromanage the entire vacation!

 

[awaldo]

So We've gotten as far as planning what to do on each day:
Thursday after work: Depart, drive to Elizabethtown, KY and stay overnight, approx. 6 Hr. drive.

Friday: Leave E-town around 4-5 AM (we're early risers, plus with the destination in striking distance, that will make it easier). Arrive in WDW around 12 hours later. Check in, browse around POFQ and prepare to attack the next day.

Saturday: Magic Kingdom. Lunch ADR at Cinderellas Royal Table, secured yesterday morning.

Sunday: Hollywood Studios.

Monday: Downtown Disney, Typhoon Lagoon.

Tuesday: Epcot. May attempt to go to MK for EMH, then monrail to Epcot for rope drop. Lunch at Rose & Crown, no ADR yet.

Wednesday: MK. Lunch at Plaza, no ADR yet.

Thursday: AK.

Friday: MK for the morning, then leave for home around 4 PM, drive to GA, stay overnight.

Saturday: Finish the drive home.

So as you can see, I took advantage of my 90 day window opening yesterday morning and secured a coveted CRT ADR. I didn't make any others yet - in fact, most of these plans were made just today at the lunch table. Somewhere, I have to wedge Hoop-De-Doo Revue in there. Haven't quite figured out where yet though.

 

[shordiebecka]

Hey! I think it's so cute that you call your ladies your princesses. My dad is also surrounded by the ladies- me, my mom, 2 cats and a dog- all females. When I brought my male cat into the house, he rejoiced to have another male. Can't wait to hear more!

 

[awaldo]

Thanks Becka! I must confess, though, I have been lurking through your PTR! Isabelle mostly refers to my DW as "Queen Mommy", though I still consider the three my princesses.

I'll try not to bore you too bad!

 

[awaldo]

I almost forgot to mention, because it isn't that primary to the story, but my mother will be traveling with us. Several reasons: first, she has collected, through our family trips over the years, many tickets with a day or two left on them. And with our children being so young and small, another adult in our room will not be an issue, as the princesses will most likely be sleeping in our bed with us. A horrible habit of Isabelle's, and I am afraid at some point, Stella's too most likely. SO frankly, she will not have to spend a dime, and my father is very busy around the time we are going, so will not be noticed as gone . In our favor, my parents do a god job of spoiling the princesses, so I have no doubt that she will more than pay for her way, if you know what I mean, at meal times and such.

Plus, hey, I'm not above a little free nannying. Even the best princesses can wear on a king after a while on a trip like this....

 

[ehstrojette]

Maybe Grandma will let you all hit the parks late at night for some Mommy,Daddy time I would love that myself. Can't wait to hear the rest of your ADR's. We only ate at Chef Mickey's but next time we will be going during free dining and try all these places out.

 

[awaldo]

Shoot, I forgot that one! Thanks for reminding me. I think we'll try to squeeze Chef Mickeys in on our waterpark day for breakfast. Mom did offer for some alone time without the kids, but we'll see. After 12 years of being up by 5 and in bed by 10, we have a hard time staying up late enough! I feel like an old fuddy-duddy sometimes!

 

[awaldo]

Our wonderful TA booked all our ADRs today. Got everything that we had discussed getting earlier. Now, we're thinking about booking a Wishes pontoon cruise for the 5 of us. It's not cheap, but we're trying to make some Magic Memories, and that seems like a great idea. All the Princesses love cruising on the pontoon here at home, so I figure, what better place to cruise than at MK to watch the fireworks?

 

[ehstrojette]

I feel the same way sometimes. I was in bed at 7:30 last night and I am lucky if I stay up past 10

 

[awaldo]

I killed it last night. I was up until 9:30!

 

[awaldo]

Well, we decided on another "key adventure". We are trying to have a few super special activities during our trip, which is how I would categorize Hoop-De-Doo and of course Lunch in the castle. So, in the same vein, I went ahead and reserved A Wishes Fireworks cruise. I think it will be a better way to enjoy them. The kids can relax in semi-privacy and watch them, and if they fall asleep, so be it. Isabelle loves riding on our pontoon here, so I think she will think that is just amazing. The only concern I have is that there are no "outside" food or drinks allowed, and with her Peanut Allergy, I wonder which snacks they will have on board? I think she should be able to make it an hour without snacks if need be. Maybe I will call the marina at the GF ahead of time and find out just what exactly they stock the boats with.

The weather is finally conducive for farming, so we may actually get some field work done the rest of the week!