PTR - Last trip as Family of Four 5/4-5/8

[momto2nenas]

This will be our last trip as a Family of Four b/c in July we'll be a Party of Five! Baby #3 is due July 21st.

This will be our 3rd family trip to Disneyland and its been in the works for months now. My current youngest (DD 3 1/2 yrs.) asks EVERY day can we go to Disneyland. The fact that we live 7 miles from SeaWorld and drive by it several times a week adds to her anticipation b/c she gets confused and thinks its Disneyland (what?! I know right...)

We'll be pulling DD 6 1/2 yrs. from school for a week... still haven't cleared that with the school... but her spring break is early March and w/ the parades and other refurbs (Pirates USED to be on the refurb. list for March and that's a deal breaker for DH) we decided to go in May and hope for nicer weather.

Here is a family pic from our last visit June 2007:

 

[DizNee Luver]

Can't wait to hear more about your plans!!

Congrats on the new baby!!!!! Are you going to feel up to Disneyland in May??? Just thought I'd ask.....

We're pulling our 7 yr old out for a week of school as well.....and we too haven't told them yet. You've got time, we leave in 9 days. Our trip originally was planned as a couples only anniversary trip, but my kids took exception to it, so we came to a compromise.....we get time alone & they can go!!! So our trip wasn't planned during spring break. It was last year....Yikes!! crazy busy last March!!

Will keep an eye on the forums for more....

 

[momto2nenas]

Well I'll be 29 weeks going on 30 the week we are there... . Soon as the mornings here are nice again I will be walking my 1st grader to school and that's 2 miles each morning so I should be in "condition" lol.

I am planning mid-day breaks for sure this trip, for pool/naptime and making a list of "relaxing" rides when I need a break in the parks.

Have a GREAT time on your trip, 9 days!

 

[jakoky]

HI there, it sounds like you will be there close to the same dates as us...we are flying in on may 2nd and will be at the HOJO until the 12th...I cant wait to hear more in your pretrip...this trip will be interesting for us, we are a family of 5, and this trip, my oldest dd is bringing 2 friends (twins) with us so there will be 7 of us there...so excited, and sick of this weather we are having here...

 

[MommyWithDreams]

Looking forward to reading more of your TR. Congratulations on baby #3! I love that picture of your family by the castle. What a great location to get the entire castle in the picture. We leave in 3 days for our 6 day trip.

 

[momto2nenas]

So back to the PTR!

We'll be flying from San Antonio, Texas to LAX midmorning on a Monday. We most likely will be getting a rental car since we like to get out and about on our 2 non-park days. We are booked at the HoJo getting the Entertainment Rate for $69 a night w/ a pool view room! Can't wait to check it out, in the past we've stayed at the Castle Inn which the kids enjoyed but its your typical motor lodge and not very impressive.

I would like to eat at In and Out Burger on our 1st day since there is no such thing in TX, we did eat at one on our first trip and I remember it being very good! We found it by accident though so if anyone knows of one closest to Disneyland...? TIA!

After a late lunch we'll play in the NEWLY renovated pool at the HoJo and then meet some friends who live in Fullerton at the ESPN Zone for dinner.

Day 2 will be Disneyland Day!

 

[momto2nenas]

I love, love, love my trip planning before we go on our trips. I love having something to look forward to and plans to make! This time around I'm really focusing on EATING! As I mentioned before I am expecting our 3rd child and well I need to take advantage of that! So far the plans are in no particular order:

Cafe Orleans (my favorite!) for:
Monte Cristo (ME!)
Ceasar Salad (DH)
Garlic Pommes Frites (share)
Kids Mac-n-cheese (although it scares me a big so orange!)

Corn Dog Castle
Corn Dogs! My girls and I are huge corn dog fans, lol

Carnation Cafe
Soup and Sandwich - can't wait to try it after seeing the pics in the dining thread

Plaza Inn
Penne Pasta (for DH)
Fried Chicken (me and the girls)

Lilo and Stitch Breakfast
This will be a special celebration for my DH! He was recently promoted in the Air Force. He spent weeks studying and one night saw one of the girl's Stitch toys laying around and said "That is how I feel!" (Stitch looks kinda stressed and crazy you know..). From then on I deemed Stitch his "Study Buddy" and he propped him up by his books while studying. I told him when he was promoted we'd celebrate w/ Lilo and Stitch at Disneyland. Now DH thinks I'm a bit crazy w/ this idea and probably has no desire to meet Stitch but the girls and I are sure excited about it!

Frozen Bananas, Mickey bars, and Cherry Cokes are also on the "must have" list!

I'll leave you with a favorite pic from our last trip of my girls' with their favorites..

 

[DizNee Luver]

I love the pic of them eating their ice cream..... your older daughter looked very determined & the younger one looked like her mickey ears were weighing her down...... SO CUTE!!!!!

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that figures out restaurants & certain foods to have (again) or try for the first time!!!

 

[momto2nenas]

Wow, I can't believe we are down to 3 weeks already! The excitement is building for the family for sure! We have recently started walking DD1 to school in the mornings again (after the winter hiatus) and its 2 miles round trip. I *really* need to condition myself before we spend 3 days walking the parks and we are off to a good start. Only thing is, now DD1 thinks any form of exercise or walking is "for Disneyland so we don't get tired" LOL DD2 will stick to the stroller since she complains after only a block.

We have DH's complimentary ticket from MWR on base but there was some confusion on the family member tickets. She said I could get a 3 day Park Hopper for $86 there at MWR and I didn't need to exchange anything at the ticket window when we get to DLR... but Disney told me the complete opposite. Either way you can't beat $86 for a 3 day PH! (Well except for DH's FREE ticket!).

 

[momto2nenas]

So far I have PS at the Blue Bayou on our first day, May 4th at 11:30 and we're hoping for a waterside table. I was SUPER disappointed when I found out that Cafe Orleans is going to be closed the week we are there but BB has the Monte Cristo so all is well! (Well except for the extra $50 the meal is probably going to cost us...)

I also made PS at the Lilo and Stitch breakfast on Friday, May 8th before we go to the airport to fly home. What a GREAT way to end a Disney vacation! The girls are very excited to be meeting Lilo and Stitch. We've not seen them in the parks before so this will be a first time w/ the characters. If we run into them at CA during our 3 days I think I will have to veer the other way to keep their excitement going, lol.

Still hoping to eat at the Carnation Cafe, CornDog Castle, and the Plaza Inn. Its going to get tricky for dinner though since we are planning on afternoon breaks back at the hotel and CA closes at 6pm each night and DL 8pm. We want to eat but not spend too much park time eating... kwim?

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

Oh my goodness, that picture if your DDs eating ice cream is just adorable!!!

I'm in for the TR!

 

[DizNee Luver]

That's a bummer that Cafe Orleans is going to be closed during your trip. The BB is definately gonna run you more. Just in case you've missed the new information on BB.....the split plate charge has gone up to $12!!! They also revamped their menu & they don't offer appetizers (haven't heard that confirmed but the split plate has been).

If you want to eat at the Carnation Cafe get a PS for there as well. This is a very small restaurant with limited tables......very good food...which ever meal you chose.

 

[roxy72]

That's a bummer that Cafe Orleans is going to be closed during your trip. The BB is definately gonna run you more. Just in case you've missed the new information on BB.....the split plate charge has gone up to $12!!! They also revamped their menu & they don't offer appetizers (haven't heard that confirmed but the split plate has been).

If you want to eat at the Carnation Cafe get a PS for there as well. This is a very small restaurant with limited tables......very good food...which ever meal you chose.

Wow. Blue Bayou is pricey. I have ressies for my bday (May 1), but am unsure about the cost of this. I just want to experience the restaurant, and order a Monte Crisco (which I know is available at Cafe Orleans, but I want to eat it here!)

Is there a way to bypass the split-plate charge? Can't I just order the Monte Crisco and my dad gets the pommes fritas? Neither of us are big eaters.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Wow. Blue Bayou is pricey. I have ressies for my bday (May 1), but am unsure about the cost of this. I just want to experience the restaurant, and order a Monte Crisco (which I know is available at Cafe Orleans, but I want to eat it here!)

Is there a way to bypass the split-plate charge? Can't I just order the Monte Crisco and my dad gets the pommes fritas? Neither of us are big eaters.

They don't have ala carte items.....you order a meal, which comes with soup or salad & your entree. I know some people go in just for dessert, but not sure with all the changes if you can still do that or not.

Now the other thing to maybe call Disney Dining is: The Monte Cristo used to be only available for lunches (in Feb the price was $21.99) OUCH!!!

Just thought I'd give you a heads up on those things. Please don't get me wrong....I'm not trying to steer you away from here, we loved it......but the "sticker" shock is something we're still getting over.

 

[momto2nenas]

I have read about the split-plate charge going up, yikes! There isn't anything else on the menu DH or I would order so we are okay w/ splitting. Now I just hope they don't try to charge for us splitting the girls' meal....

 

[momto2nenas]

I love planning my girls' outfits for our Disney trips. Red and white polka dots being my favorite and I'm on the lookout for these type of clothes all year round w/ Disney trips in mind. I recently bought some beautiful fabric in the traditional "Minnie" print that I am hoping to applique into some shirts for the girls (if it doesn't turn out I need to find some iron-ons ASAP!). I really need to get started on that.

We were hoping to come to Disney this past Christmas season and I had all the clothes set aside for that but it didn't happen and I don't think Minnie Mouse ice skating sweaters will be appropriate for May... (smilie is sweating, get it?) so it was back to the drawing board for outfits. I did manage to "recycle" the princess shirts I had already but cutting off the sleeves!

I'm not totally into custom outfits (LOVE them, just not going to dress my kiddos head to toe in them) but definately I prefer "themed" outfits. Here are some pics from our past trip:

This one doesn't show them too closely but you get the idea..

 

[momto2nenas]

Here are 2 more pics of the girls' 1st ever trip to Disneyland in 2006 (and their outfits )!

 

[DizNee Luver]

OMG they are soooooooo cute!!!!!! I loved the "themed" outfits for girls.....so sweet.................but your daughters are just the cutest little things!!!!

 

[momto2nenas]

We are getting down to the final week before our trip!
Yesterday we picked up our 3 day Park Hoppers at the ITT office on base for only $86 each! Gotta love the deal they are doing for our military this year! I believe we still have to trade them in for tickets at the gates, these are just vouchers but they LOOK like tickets and its exciting to have them!

I decided this past week that we should do 1 more character meal and took a vote w/ my girls. I was almost positive of their answers before I asked but its always fun to ask anyway. My oldest voted for Celebration Round-Up although around here its officially called "Woody's BBQ" and my youngest took her time before deciding on Ariel's Grotto aka "Princess Lunch". Well Mommy secretly really wants to do the Celebration Roundup so I kept asking and telling her we'd still see the princesses at PFF... she finally looked right at me and said: "You and "DD1" eat with Woody and me and Papi will eat w/ the princesses." WOW, such logic from a 3 year old right?! But alas, she has also gotten excited about meeting Woody, Jessie, and Bullseye and they BETTER be there when we go! I will be calling tomorrow for a PS but doubt that's even necessary w/ what I read here on the Dis... I *hope the prices have dropped for adults as well since its official they have for the kids.

 

[momto2nenas]

I forced myself to finish the girls' tshirts for our trip today. I've been doing bits and pieces for the past week but knew today was the only day I could devote to getting them completely finished and after several hours I did! I love the way they turned out and can't wait for them to wear them! Here is a sneek peek at the shirts, I had to make 2 of each so they will be matching: