Princess Phoebe's Pre-WISH-Trip Report (arriving in MK 4/17/10)

[Wee Annie]

I'm going to go ahead and start working on the NEW plan with only 6 days total and see how I can squeeze it all in. How on earth are you guys finding room for everything? I was having trouble when I thought we had a full 7!!!


Melissa,
if you're working on the assumption that you only have 5 full days, I think you have to realize that you just can't squeeze everything in. Even the passes they give you are for 6 days (isn't it 3 days WDW, 2 US/IOA, and 1 Seaworld?). Now if you're going to extend, perhaps you can do more. On that note, if there's any chance you might want to extend for even one night in Orlando, I would start checking out hotels for that Friday night. It's a spring break week for parts of the northeast (that's why we're going then). I'm sure there are hotels aplenty with availability now, but you might want to reserve one night if you're even thinking about it, so that it's available if you need it. If you decide you don't want to extend (or find out that you will be at GKTW that night), you can just cancel.

Ann

 

[kellyw8863]

Thanks Kelly. I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. That's a hard time of your life to lose a parent, and a hard time of year to remember it. I'm glad he told you to go so that you didn't have any guilt or doubts about it. It sounds like you really needed that trip.
Things would be different for a parent, but I will definitely keep things as planned unless it literally came down to the wire and there was a funeral to be missed. I couldn't ask my family to postpone or speed it up just for us. My grandparents are Mormon and there are a million descendants who will be trying to get there as well. I don't even know what state it would be in, which would complicate things, if we tried to travel to both in the same week. Anyway, I'm trying not to worry until I have something to worry about. My mom sounds optimistic about her getting out of the hospital but it sounds to me like she's in denial. It's hard to know what's really happening since I'm not there to hear the docs myself. Thanks again, to everyone, for the support. Hopefully things will be stable until we are home from the trip.

Sorry - I didn't mean to imply that you should ask your family to postone/speed things us, nor did I mean to imply that you might even be in a similar situation. I'm going to stop talking now because I feel like I'm just putting my foot in my mouth. I hope that she makes a speedy recovery and that this is all a non-issue.

 

[yinyanggirls]

Sorry - I didn't mean to imply that you should ask your family to postone/speed things us, nor did I mean to imply that you might even be in a similar situation. I'm going to stop talking now because I feel like I'm just putting my foot in my mouth. I hope that she makes a speedy recovery and that this is all a non-issue.

Oh no, I didn't think you were telling me to do that. Just sharing what you guys did when faced with a slightly similar situation. Times like these, my brain just goes a hundred miles an hour thinking about EVERY possibility, so when you shared that it was MY brain thinking about whether or not that would be an option. You're fine really. Thanks again.

 

[yinyanggirls]

Melissa,
if you're working on the assumption that you only have 5 full days, I think you have to realize that you just can't squeeze everything in. Even the passes they give you are for 6 days (isn't it 3 days WDW, 2 US/IOA, and 1 Seaworld?). Now if you're going to extend, perhaps you can do more. On that note, if there's any chance you might want to extend for even one night in Orlando, I would start checking out hotels for that Friday night. It's a spring break week for parts of the northeast (that's why we're going then). I'm sure there are hotels aplenty with availability now, but you might want to reserve one night if you're even thinking about it, so that it's available if you need it. If you decide you don't want to extend (or find out that you will be at GKTW that night), you can just cancel.

Ann

Thanks for the info about spring breaks. I knew the parks would be bad around Easter which we avoided, but it's good to know that week could be tricky as well. Clearly, there is no way to do it all. Before I was planning to split one of the parks. Now we will have to split two or skip one. Or as you suggested, use one of our extended days to do a park. We had planned to leave Orlando straight from GKTW and drive north along the coast. I haven't made any reservations yet so that's easy enough to adjust. I just feel behind the curve now, thinking I had one week mostly planned. Back to the drawing board!!!

 

[pipersmom]

Now you know why our schedule is the way it is..ugh. Our inbound flight doesn't land til like 4pm, so that day is pretty much gone, and we have a half day on the day we leave, but I really want to use that for DTD..hence splitting AK/DHS and US/IOA. I'll let you know how that goes when we get back even if our TR isn't done.

 

[myasma]

To piggyback off of what Pipersmom said, US/IOA should only take one day. There's not much to do for smaller children so it shouldn't take up more than one day. I wouldn't stress too much about planning because once you get down there alot of your plans will probably change.

 

[Wee Annie]

Melissa,

I'm probably splitting IOA and US into just one day that first Sunday. If we don't get both in that day, we'll either just forgo one of them completely (probably US), or try to add it onto the second half of an AK day.

The thing is, when we went to WDW with my older girls, before Elke was born, their absolute favorite thing to do was to hang out at the pool in the afternoon. We pretty much never were in a park past 1:00 pm (and often didn't return). And that was with two healthy little girls. I take my hat off to people who can get more touring done with little ones, but mine just don't seem to be able to handle it.

So I am trying to schedule a decent amount of "down time" at GKTW into our schedule.

Ann

 

[cantwaittoseemickey]

I thought ours was a day longer as well. But it isnt so I have forgone the planning out the days. I know there will be no way we will be able to do it all. I am going to take a schedule of parades shows and fireworks with us though I hope you are able to do some planning and also have some downtime too.

 

[yinyanggirls]

Thanks for all the tips. This new realization is really cramping my plans. LOL! Phoebe still sleeps the amount of an infant. She can sleep 12 hours at night and still need at least one 2 hr nap. The funny thing is, that is when she is home. When she's at school she can keep going and going. She loves the pool for about half an hour and then gets bored and falls asleep on the raft. So she can go, go, go if there is stuff going on to go TO, or she will nap all day. I hope to try and alternate long, busy days with shorter more relaxing ones. I love the sound of GKTW, because if Phoebe needs more sleep there is still stuff for Tessa to do. I am going to look into getting our own hotel the last night so we could still leave Sat as originally planned. We'll see...

 

[myasma]

Thanks for all the tips. This new realization is really cramping my plans. LOL! Phoebe still sleeps the amount of an infant. She can sleep 12 hours at night and still need at least one 2 hr nap. The funny thing is, that is when she is home. When she's at school she can keep going and going. She loves the pool for about half an hour and then gets bored and falls asleep on the raft. So she can go, go, go if there is stuff going on to go TO, or she will nap all day. I hope to try and alternate long, busy days with shorter more relaxing ones. I love the sound of GKTW, because if Phoebe needs more sleep there is still stuff for Tessa to do. I am going to look into getting our own hotel the last night so we could still leave Sat as originally planned. We'll see...

That is a great idea. Cool that you guys get to prolong your visit.

 

[kayrosek]

When we went down, we didn't actively plan to stay for the fireworks but it worked out that as we were eating dinner at Ohana's they piped in the audio and it could be seen out the restuarant. Crowds are definitly not an issue with the GAC card but the crowd itself was the issue when we went down. Alot of carelessness and sometimes there is downright rudeness. I hope you are able to atleast catch Wishes. We mistakingly caught it and it was one of the best memories of our trip.

I have to agree with Myasma. Lines and such won't be an issue but crowds can still be a bit of a problem. My DH was in a wheelchair with an elevated leg and I was surprised how many people just walked into his foot without even stopping to apologize. I think it's a great idea to avoid the EMH's as much as possible.

 

[yinyanggirls]

I arranged for DH to have a helper today and I ran off with a friend to "town" for some serious shoe shopping. We have a couple of grocery stores and a WalMart in our little town. The closest shopping area is about 25 mins away but that is what I refer to as the "ghetto Target" center. Ghetto Target is still better than WalMart, but it is ghetto Target. Seriously, folks. When you find this sign in the restroom you know you're there!

Needless to say, I really enjoy the rare opportunity I have to branch out beyond the confines of Ghetto Target and it's neighboring stores. Today was such a day!



My friend and I hit up BabiesRUs as she needed a bunch of stuff there. I bought kids' toothpaste (Finding Nemo Super Sparkle Grape).
Then we headed on down the road, but wait! What's that we see? Chipotle?!? Gee, since we both skipped breakfast, better stop and have a bite. Yum! I love Chipotle!

Oh, and as long as we stopped here, there's a Macy's next door. Why not take a peek? I found flannel PJs for Phoebe for next winter (7.99) and a fur collar snow vest for my niece for next Cmas (7.99 - was 40). I hit the shoe dept and got lucky on the sale rack. I couldn't believe it! Cute comfy shoes, 60% off! I've found my WDW shoes!!!

Okay, Okay. So those aren't really gonna work at WDW, but I couldn't pass them up just for that minor detail, could I? Nope.



Okay, back on the road to DSW. I love DSW! Aisles and aisles of lovely shoes! I found a pair of Born thongs that I really wanted. They were comfy and I wore them around the store the whole time to make sure. They were 50 I think. Then I found some Merrell, um, I don't know what to call these, walking shoes? for 70. Ouch. Not what I wanted to pay for shoes that I'm not really in love with, but...
Band-Aids - 2.99
Good shoes - 70.00
Not needing Band-Aids while visiting WDW - priceless.
They are not nearly as cute as the thongs but they are just a tad more supportive.

We headed home at that point but I felt so accomplished. Later, DH and I went out to dinner and we stopped at Ghetto Target for a couple of grocery type items and we browsed the whole store. I checked out the cameras they had on display but didn't get too far since they didn't have a memory card and wouldn't save the pics it would take with them. They had tons of sale items in the toy aisles. I found this adorable Princess and the Frog toy. It makes a kissing noise when Tiana's lips touch Naveen's cheek.

The frame was in the dollar section and the two squares rotate so it holds 4 pics. I figured it would be good for Tessa's room since it was in the dollar section. She's broken several others I had on shelves in her room. So now the question is, try to smuggle toys to WDW without the kids seeing them to give as surprises while we are there? Or wait until after?

 

[dawnbu40]

That sign is too funny (actually it's probably gross if you see it in person but funny online ) Looks like you had a fun and productive shopping day! I love the stuffed frogs! Caitlin and I were actually playing with those in our Target the other day I would "smuggle" some goodies in your suitcase and give the treats there. We still do "Tink" gifts sometimes where Tinkerbell leaves little gifts in our room. When I pack them I just wrap them in tissue paper and put them in the checked suitcase.

 

[pipersmom]

Okay... at the Target bathroom sign! I have never seen anything like that in my life! (bumpkin creeping in there)..I'm still laughing when I think about it! Deep breath, Amanda..deep breath. I like the shoes! Not sure about the color (for me) but they're very cute nonetheless. The wedges are cute too! Also can I just say...you westerners with your "thongs" also make me laugh...flip flops people! They're flip flops..thongs cover your bum, not your feet! I love the froggies..I'm with Dawn on wrapping stuff ahead of time and then tucking it into your suitcase..just don't forget the village leaves a little somethin'-somethin' in the villa every night too! Is there a way you..or someone else..could put the things out for the girls to find when you get home? Maybe with a lil note from Mickey saying how wonderful it was to see them or something? Just a thought...

 

[Charleston Princess]

I can honestly say I have never seen a sign like that before!

Love the new shoes -- both pairs are super cute!

 

[cantwaittoseemickey]

That sign is just too funny I love the shoes! I really like the second pair. Those look very comfy. I say thongs too lol. My dd looks at me like huh?? Those frogs are soo cute!

 

[jordanyosh]

I can honestly say I have never seen a sign like that before!

Love the new shoes -- both pairs are super cute!

In Mexico, the sewer system is poor and can't handle paper in many places. so they put the used tp in a waste basket next to the commode. many people who move to the US from Mexico continue to practice this. That's why if you ever visit a border town or even many places here in SoCal, when you go to public restrooms you will occasionally find toilet paper thrown on the ground next the the toilets.

 

[jordanyosh]

Merrell's are great shoes. I've had mine for at least 8 years-they are finally showing their age.

 

[pipersmom]

In Mexico, the sewer system is poor and can't handle paper in many places. so they put the used tp in a waste basket next to the commode. many people who move to the US from Mexico continue to practice this. That's why if you ever visit a border town or even many places here in SoCal, when you go to public restrooms you will occasionally find toilet paper thrown on the ground next the the toilets.

I never knew that, Jordan! (Which may have been obvious from my reaction to it, lol) Anyway, I'll consider that my random fact for the day..and be thankful for having a good septic system!

 

[jordanyosh]

I never knew that, Jordan! (Which may have been obvious from my reaction to it, lol) Anyway, I'll consider that my random fact for the day..and be thankful for having a good septic system!

Many places put trash cans in the stalls now in both the mens and womens restrooms.