Princesses, Slushes, LEGOs, and a maxed CC - Sept 2009 1st Timer TR

[crocko]

Hello all.

Crocker Family has just recently gotten back from a 9 nights' stay in Disney World! (September 17th thru 26th, 2009)

Some of you may remember me from my Pre-trip Report (see signature)
If not, then I'll make sure to tell a little bit about myself and the travelling party shortly.

For now, I just wanted to get this TR started, so I would have a place to come back to. I will at least give some basic info and some previews of what is to come in this TR.

Info:
Sep 17-26, 9 nights/10 days at Animal Kingdom Lodge - Kidani Village
Myself (John), my wife (Bridgette), my 5-year old son (Joshua), my 3-year old daughter (Samantha), plus my sister and parents. 7 total!
Celebration -- Joshua and Samantha's first ever trip to Disney World!


Preview (fun things to see/hear reported as this TR progresses):
Princesses....and lots of them
Slushes....a report about the Disney Dining Plan (1st time to use it) and how we "slushed" the plan to its maximum
LEGOs....for my son, this trip was not only about Disney World, but also about playing with LEGOs.
a maxed CC -- I quickly had to make a credit card payment when we came home due to nearly maxing it out...How'd we manage that? Tune in...

Pictures! If you like pictures in your TR's, then you should enjoy this one. We looked at our Photopass pics last night and we had accumulated 209 during the trip...of which about 60% are ones that we really like. Next step is to add enhancements all over the place....so we can bump that 209 to 300..400...sky's the limit!!
Furthermore, between myself, my wife, and Joshua we came home with a total of about 3,800 pictures. I got them all imported to our computer yesterday, so now we have to go through and get them flipped the right direction and get rid of the bad pics.....

Also, along the way, I'll make sure to give insights into September weather and attendance...current updates on Disney service and quality...and any other helpful tidbits I can think of/remember.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Hi, glad you had a nice time, can't wait to hear all about it.

 

[ComparedforMe]

That's very nice.. I want to visit Lego Land myself even though I'm not a kid anymore!

 

[mommyof2Pirates]

I am following along! I am interested to hear how you felt about the crowds and weather too. I have my own comments but I will let you read them in my report. Cant wait to read more.

 

[crocko]

Hi, glad you had a nice time, can't wait to hear all about it.

Woohoo!! You're the 1st to reply....here's some extra magic your way

That's very nice.. I want to visit Lego Land myself even though I'm not a kid anymore!

Yeah, Joshua would probably love LEGO Land....hopefully we'll get to head out west to it sometime in the next few years.

 

[crocko]

I am following along! I am interested to hear how you felt about the crowds and weather too. I have my own comments but I will let you read them in my report. Cant wait to read more.

LOL....sounds like we'll both be interested in hearing the other person's thoughts.

On the weather, just remember...I'm from Oklahoma, so the heat may impact me differently then someone farther north.

 

[chicagoshannon]

I can't wait to hear all about it and see all of your pictures!!

 

[longing2Batdisney]

waiting patiently to hear how the celebration went!!!

 

[WrightFamily06]

Good intro Can't wait to hear all about your trip so I'm subing !

 

[la_la]

Subbed Can't wait to hear all about your vacation and see all of those pics!

 

[crocko]

I can't wait to hear all about it and see all of your pictures!!

Glad you're here!

waiting patiently to hear how the celebration went!!!

Thanks for the patience...will try to update soon

Good intro Can't wait to hear all about your trip so I'm subing !

Thanks! Glad to have you on board!

Subbed Can't wait to hear all about your vacation and see all of those pics!

Awesome...enhancing Photopass pictures today and tonight will be getting Day 1 pictures ready to go (that's the plan)

 

[deslynnpatterson]

i am joining in to read your TR you got my attention already I was in disney the same time you were from sept 10th-20th-- i just got back too I cannot wait to read more sounds like you have a exciting trip

 

[stacikristine]

Hi John! I'm here It was fun running into you...can't wait to read about your family's vacation!

 

[crocko]

i am joining in to read your TR you got my attention already I was in disney the same time you were from sept 10th-20th-- i just got back too I cannot wait to read more sounds like you have a exciting trip

Awesome, glad to have you on board....from what I experienced and what I've heard....you were there at the perfect time from an attendance-standpoint.

Hi John! I'm here It was fun running into you...can't wait to read about your family's vacation!

You too!
Animal Kingdom Lodge rocks, doesn't it?!!





Update: spent some time this afternoon enhancing photopass pictures. Man! That's a lot of work....but it's fun and I hate not to take full advantage of the enhancement possibilities before ordering the CD.

 

[chicagoshannon]

oh enhancing those pictures takes a long time. The cd comes really quickly after you order it though.

 

[California Jenn]

I'm in. I'll have to go back and read your PTR, but sounds like fun so far! Can't wait to hear about your stay at Kidani Village and hear how the little ones loved their first trip. Isn't there something magical about Legos?

 

[deslynnpatterson]

oh the crowds were so low when we were there it was incredible!! We were able to walk on mostly everything-- but towards the end of our stay, around the start of your stay it was getting busier and the last day we were there its a small world had a 25 min wait and the whole week it was a walk on-- it is a great time of the year to go though how were the crowds during your stay?

 

[crocko]

Character Introductions (and yes, I'm basically stealing the 2nd post of my PTR)

--------------------
Above I have mentioned who the cast is but now to put a friendly (or something like that) face to the name and info. [All pictures are from BEFORE this trip]

First, me (John)...your author and my wife (Bridgette)

These pics come from the 3-day trip my wife, my sister, and I went on back in December last year. (I've lost about 30 pounds since that trip, so I should look a little different in the September pics that I post) You can also see my wife and I posing for shots in Agrabah and in Japan.

And there's one of my beautiful wife with Pocahontas (was really cute how excited my wife was to get a picture with her)



Next, my sister (Mary)

We did MVMCP our first night and it rained off-and-on that night. Mary is very camera-phobic so this is one of the few I have of her, but I really like this one of Bridgette and her. You can tell that despite being wet we are having a good time.



Then, my parents (Jim and Linda)

Picture of my dad during his birthday last year

Not sure of the event, but picture of my mom sometime last year as well.



And now, for the kiddos....Joshua and Samantha

Joshua with his new Cars bike
Samantha looking very mysterious and pretty at the zoo
and the two together laughing about something silly Bridgette said to try and get them to smile (I love that pic)

 

[crocko]

oh enhancing those pictures takes a long time. The cd comes really quickly after you order it though.

Glad it comes quickly.....but yes, it is a lot of work....I managed to get through enhancing half of our pictures yesterday, though...so that's good.

I'm in. I'll have to go back and read your PTR, but sounds like fun so far! Can't wait to hear about your stay at Kidani Village and hear how the little ones loved their first trip. Isn't there something magical about Legos?

Oh yes...LEGOs are mighty fun and since we've been back, we can hardly pry Joshua away from them.

oh the crowds were so low when we were there it was incredible!! We were able to walk on mostly everything-- but towards the end of our stay, around the start of your stay it was getting busier and the last day we were there its a small world had a 25 min wait and the whole week it was a walk on-- it is a great time of the year to go though how were the crowds during your stay?

Sounds about right....without doing any math, in general, it felt like the parks were getting a little busier as our trip progressed. With good planning and FastPasses, we still managed to have very few lines.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Woo Hoo, I'm very happy I got some extra pixie dust for replying first!!! And Now................. I'm impatiently waiting to hear about your trip