PTR for the planning obsessed....Updated 11/5 We're home now.

[jordanyosh]

How about a keg party? I'll get Heather on the horn and see what we can dream up.......if only Heather were still around..

Western theme party

Cops n Robbers

Space party........

I had to dig deep for those....jello brain here....

 

[MRYPPNS]

A kegger? I'll dress little Liam in a toga for it. Boones Farm for party favors for the little guests. Nice.

I think Heather is gone for good...just when we were getting our groove on.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

I can just see the parents getting pulled over on the way home. Little kids in the back seat completely smashed. Mom says "But officer, it was Jordan's fault"

 

[MRYPPNS]

I think I'll save the toga party for DS's 21st....


I'm going try to go with the jungle theme. I'll check out Michael's this weekend for the Wilton supplies.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Our Itinerary as it stands now. Park hours and EMH have not been released yet so there is a good chance this will change but hopefully not too much because I really like how the week is scheduled now.

Sunday October 26 2008
Fly out in early am
Pick up rental car
Get groceries
Check In to resort
Relax at resort
Go to Boardwalk area for the evening

Monday 10/27
No parks
Relax at resort
Shopping at Disney outlet store in Orlando

Tuesday 10/28
Disney’s Hollywood Studios (DS)

Wednesday 10/29
Magic Kingdom

Thursday 10/30
No parks
Downtown Disney to shop

Friday 10/31 Halloween
Animal Kingdom
Trick or Tricking in DTD if offered

Saturday 11/1
Magic Kingdom

Sunday 11/2
No parks
Relax at resort
Need ideas of something to do today

Monday 11/3
Epcot

Tuesday 11/4
Depart for Airport (morning)

We will take a mid-day break for all our park days except for AK. We’ll go for as long as we can without a break because AK probably will close at 5pm.


These are the dates that we could go to MNSSHP if we decide to. I won’t make that decision until park hours/EMH are released and I know how much we are paying for the hotel. I don’t want to go on Halloween night.


Does anyone have any suggestions for something to do on Sunday 11/2 ???
…Cheap would be the key. I thought of the petting farm at FW campground…anyone done that before? Or I thought of renting a boat. DH and I did that in 2005 on Bay Lake and that was fun and relaxing but not really cheap.


Suggestions are welcome…especially if you have TGM…this itinerary is based on UG/touring plans


I’ll add my dinning plans in a future update.


My read of the week is a travel blog by Michael Waring –husband of Mary from mousesavers.com; find it at www.foolishquestions.com

 

[pajules]

I'm going try to go with the jungle theme. I'll check out Michael's this weekend for the Wilton supplies.

I'm fullfilling my promise and am glad I did. Your PTR is very fun to read.


Your son reminds me of my nephew. He is almost the same age. He was born last May on Mother's Day! Just this morning I was reorganizing our pictures of him on our computer into new folders and can't believe how the year has flown by.

As far as Liam's party, Oriental Trading company is great. I swear you can find just about anything party related and it's very affordable. Here are some of my ideas to help with your party planning.

1. Order grass skirts from OT, you can tape them around the bottom of tables or even to the walls to look like grass if they're green or huts if they're brown. Plus, you can save them for your next luau.

2. Family Fun online has tons of party ideas. They also have templates for invitations, decorations, etc.....A cute invitation could be like a passport, that says "Liam is going on a jungle expidition and is looking for volunteers to travel with him into the deep dark jungle."

3. Check your grocery store for cute animal plates. I forget who makes them, but I think they come in a pack of 20. Each plate is in the shape of an animal, complete with ears. I think each pack has monkeys, lions, elephants, and tigers.

3. Get a free "Baby's First Birthday Cake" at local grocery store. I'm pretty sure most offer these. That way he has one to smash all over his face for those great pictures and one you can cut up and give to guests without them worrying about slobber in their frosting.

Okay, that's my list of ideas for now....

I'm ready to read more.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Thanks for stopping by.

I'm fullfilling my promise and am glad I did. Your PTR is very fun to read.


As far as Liam's party, Oriental Trading company is great. I swear you can find just about anything party related and it's very affordable. Here are some of my ideas to help with your party planning.

1. Order grass skirts from OT, you can tape them around the bottom of tables or even to the walls to look like grass if they're green or huts if they're brown. Plus, you can save them for your next luau.

I never thought of that...great idea! I have grass skirts from DH's luau party.

2. Family Fun online has tons of party ideas. They also have templates for invitations, decorations, etc.....A cute invitation could be like a passport, that says "Liam is going on a jungle expidition and is looking for volunteers to travel with him into the deep dark jungle."

You're full of great ideas! I wanted to make the invites myself...so that just might work.

3. Check your grocery store for cute animal plates. I forget who makes them, but I think they come in a pack of 20. Each plate is in the shape of an animal, complete with ears. I think each pack has monkeys, lions, elephants, and tigers.

I know what you are taking about...I used to by them for myself when I was single! Do they have cups too?

3. Get a free "Baby's First Birthday Cake" at local grocery store. I'm pretty sure most offer these. That way he has one to smash all over his face for those great pictures and one you can cut up and give to guests without them worrying about slobber in their frosting.

I've never heard of free 1st b-day cakes...I don't think they do that around here. I was planning on making one big cake...the Lion...and then making cupcakes for Liam and the other kids.
Okay, that's my list of ideas for now....

I'm ready to read more.

You have great ideas...you need to stick around on this thread!

 

[BrittBritt]

Ok, so you know you're going to need to post a pic of Liam in a toga, don't you? Too cute!

My mom and I will be checking out of POFQ on the 26th. It's a shame we'll just be missing each other. It would have been great to meet little Liam!

I'm afraid I can't be much help with the free Disney activity ideas. For me, I can't seem to get the words Disney and free in the same sentence.

 

[Charleston Princess]

I had to dig deep for those....jello brain here....

Touche!

A kegger? I'll dress little Liam in a toga for it. Boones Farm for party favors for the little guests. Nice.

It would be the talk of the kiddy party season...

These are the dates that we could go to MNSSHP if we decide to. I won’t make that decision until park hours/EMH are released and I know how much we are paying for the hotel. I don’t want to go on Halloween night.

We went on a Sunday and it was quiet and a ton of fun. From what I have read Sundays and any day during the week is better than Friday or Saturday. I guess a lot of locals attend MNSSHP on the weekend.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Ok, so you know you're going to need to post a pic of Liam in a toga, don't you? Too cute!

My mom and I will be checking out of POFQ on the 26th. It's a shame we'll just be missing each other. It would have been great to meet little Liam!

I'm afraid I can't be much help with the free Disney activity ideas. For me, I can't seem to get the words Disney and free in the same sentence.

Too bad we'll miss each other. I don't have any DIS meets scheduled yet.

We went on a Sunday and it was quiet and a ton of fun. From what I have read Sundays and any day during the week is better than Friday or Saturday. I guess a lot of locals attend MNSSHP on the weekend.

That's what I was thinking too... the dates aren't really good for my current touring schedule. But not even the party dates are official yet so who knows. I'm just trying to be cautious will how much we do and that we have plenty of rest time so I have a happy baby the whole time (that's DS and DH )

 

[Charleston Princess]

That's what I was thinking too... the dates aren't really good for my current touring schedule. But not even the party dates are official yet so who knows. I'm just trying to be cautious will how much we do and that we have plenty of rest time so I have a happy baby the whole time (that's DS and DH )

I hear you! There are some moments when DH acts worse than the kids...like the time he flat out refused to go on It's a Small World.

 

[MRYPPNS]

I have to ride Small World at least once during a trip...I feel really guilty if I don't.

 

[Charleston Princess]

I have to ride Small World at least once during a trip...I feel really guilty if I don't.

It's a must-do for me -- I guess because I have ridden it every single time I have ever gone -- the kids like it too. DH, on the other hand, rode it once in 1995 and vowed to never go again. He was quite adament last summer even though the kids begged him. He wouldn't even get close enough to hear the music. He was definitely being a stinker.

 

[pajules]

You have great ideas...you need to stick around on this thread!

Don't worry I'm subscribing...see I'm getting the official DIS lingo down

I'm pretty good at coming up with different ideas but when it comes to execution I need a lot of help. Like for the passport invitation idea, I know I would have to get someone else to make them for me to match the idea in my head. I've got creativity flowing in me, it just don't flow to my hands.

I'm also surprised about the "First Birthday Cakes." All of our big chains carry them. The only ones that might be in your neck of the woods are Giant and Wegmans, I would at least ask at your bakery. It's usually a pretty small cake, maybe half the size of a 9 x 13 pan. For DS's first b-day we got a "first" cake from 2 bakeries. One he smashed at his party at our house and the other I took into his daycare to share with his classmates.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Wishing you and your family a

Happy Easter

 

[mousescrapper]

subbing in...

know it's late...but I'm curious to see how your good sense advice plays for you too. And you know I'm totally obsessed too

 

[DisMomAmy]

I don't really have any ideas for Liam's party - we did generic "Baby's First Birthday" parties for both of the boys. I like the ideas that others have posted here though.

Your itinerary looks good - You guys just like to do one park per day? I always feel like I have to cram a ton in to each day... probably too much. I'm glad to see you aren't doing that. I hope I can take that approach next time. As far as ideas for your off day... I wish I had some - like I said, we always cram as many parks into each day as we can so we haven't really done much of the "other" stuff.

 

[MRYPPNS]

subbing in...

know it's late...but I'm curious to see how your good sense advice plays for you too. And you know I'm totally obsessed too

Late? How can you be late when I don't leave until October...

I don't really have any ideas for Liam's party - we did generic "Baby's First Birthday" parties for both of the boys. I like the ideas that others have posted here though.

Your itinerary looks good - You guys just like to do one park per day? I always feel like I have to cram a ton in to each day... probably too much. I'm glad to see you aren't doing that. I hope I can take that approach next time. As far as ideas for your off day... I wish I had some - like I said, we always cram as many parks into each day as we can so we haven't really done much of the "other" stuff.

I decided on a jungle theme for the party.

I just got back from Michael's (I'll never save enough money for Disney if I keep going there )
I picked up green paper and animal stickers to make the invites. The lion cake pan was on clearance and then the cashier gave me another 30% off (I don't really know why) and I picked up the pan to make the panda. That pan makes all kinds of animals so I'll be able to use it over and over again. I also got some foam things that make little animals on a stick for a craft project at the party.

Yes I always plan days off. Even my trip in 2001 with my friend Tracey had a planned day off from the parks...I'm sure that we went shopping or something. By planning days "off" I have built in Plan B's. For example on this trip if we get rained out one day from a park prior to Thursday we can just switch it with Thursday's "off" day.
I find that we pretty much get everything done that we want to each day which I credit to a good touring plan. We have only park hopped once that I can remember and that was last Jan. when last minute we decided we wanted lunch at Teppan Edo in EP...then we hoppped to DS as planned.

 

[Native NYer]

Your son is so cute!

I love your plans for your vacation. I'd love to do a couple of no parks days, but I can't bring myself to do it

Can't wait to see your ADRs!

 

[Charleston Princess]

I decided on a jungle theme for the party.

I just got back from Michael's (I'll never save enough money for Disney if I keep going there )
I picked up green paper and animal stickers to make the invites. The lion cake pan was on clearance and then the cashier gave me another 30% off (I don't really know why) and I picked up the pan to make the panda. That pan makes all kinds of animals so I'll be able to use it over and over again. I also got some foam things that make little animals on a stick for a craft project at the party.

It sounds precious! Are you going to make the invites? Can't wait to see pics of it all! Liam will be in seventh heaven!