Sarilas' O-fficial Pre-Trip Report (a.k.a. Vacation, Take TWO!) - Jan. 30-Feb. 8, '09

[Lady Lallie]

Wow! What an amazing camera. I am so glad you were able to get a new one before you trip!

3 Days!?!?! My goodness!! I am so excited for you.

 

[MeMom]

THREE DAYS!

Pick yourself up off the floor, woman! It's almost time to go!!!

Awesome camera. Tell 'Papa' thanks from all of us, since we'll all enjoy the great pictures!

 

[GeminiAngel]

Way to score!!!!
A new toy to play with!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Ohhhh, look at that pretty new camera! I am getting so excited for your trip because I know reading about it afterwards is going to be a hoot!

 

[TarzansKat]

That new camera looks fantastic! WOW!

I can't wait to see all the glorious pictures you'll be taking with that. No pressure.

I'm so excited for you! Here we are just a couple days out. Amazing! I bet the kids are off the walls.

 

[MegansMom]

The camera looks AWESOME!!! What a great hubby!!! I'm getting all tingly and excited thinking about how close you are to leaving!!! SO THRILLED for you all!!!

 

[pooh'smate]

2 DAYS!!!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

2 DAYS!!!!

The smiley bouncing on the couch is adorable!!

 

[pooh'smate]

The smiley bouncing on the couch is adorable!!

Thanks I saw it a few days ago and was just waiting to use it.

 

[Sarilas]

Yeah! Congrats on the new camera!

Hi, and thank you!!

Wow! What an amazing camera. I am so glad you were able to get a new one before you trip!

3 Days!?!?! My goodness!! I am so excited for you.

Me too! I'm totally addicted to it right now- every time DH calls he says, before anything else, "you're playing with the camera, aren't you". And of course he's RIGHT.

Pick yourself up off the floor, woman! It's almost time to go!!!

Awesome camera. Tell 'Papa' thanks from all of us, since we'll all enjoy the great pictures!

I'm freaking out, man! And I'm pretty sure I should get some good shots... after all, I've got 10 days on property so I should get SOMETHING drool worthy! (I hope!)

Way to score!!!!
A new toy to play with!!

And I can't put it down!

Ohhhh, look at that pretty new camera! I am getting so excited for your trip because I know reading about it afterwards is going to be a hoot!

Oh, it'll be a hoot alright... You know this family can't go anywhere without someone hooting or hollering!

That new camera looks fantastic! WOW!

I can't wait to see all the glorious pictures you'll be taking with that. No pressure.

I'm so excited for you! Here we are just a couple days out. Amazing! I bet the kids are off the walls.

Yeah, no pressure. The kids are going NUTS. Stasia keeps running up to me and telling me how many sleeps we have till we get on the plane and go to Disney World. She has NO idea what's in store for her...

The camera looks AWESOME!!! What a great hubby!!! I'm getting all tingly and excited thinking about how close you are to leaving!!! SO THRILLED for you all!!!

He is the best! I can't even TELL you how stoked I was! And am still!

2 DAYS!!!!

Holy carp, I'm not ready!

The smiley bouncing on the couch is adorable!!

Adorable AND accurate!



Okay, I'm uploading the last few pics from the point and shoot camera and orchestrating today's update- lots to tell, lots to post!

 

[winkers]

I have camera envy!

I can't believe you leave in 2 days!!!

 

[Sarilas]

Two days! Holy cow this is flying by... but I've got almost everything packed, with the only exceptions being toothbrushes and things that can't go till the last minute, and of course DH's things which he has YET to pick out!

So here's the latest: I called today and canceled a TON of our ADR's. The poor reservationist thought I was crazy, but with the quick service plan on schedule for this trip, I just don't have enough hours in the day for that much FOOD! So I kept four reservations with optimum times for our schedule. Will we use them all? Probably not... but you'll have to wait for the TR to be sure...

What we have as of now is:

Boatwrights for dinner on 1/31. This will be the finale to our day at Animal Kingdom, and it's at the perfect time, as I have a little something planned that requires our absence from the hotel room during dinner time that day... (read on)

Crystal Palace for lunch on 2/1. Our first day of our first time in the Magic Kingdom. Will we keep it? I dunno... we'll play it by ear.

Tokyo Dining for dinner on 2/5. Our family loves Japanese food, and after all those days of quick service I think sitting down to sushi or bento boxes would be a real treat. But will my plan be derailed? Who knows.

1900 Park Fare for dinner on 2/6. This is our only princess meet up this trip, mostly to gauge how Anastasia does around the characters. She's really sensitive to attention (as in, she generally does not like any) but I think everyone would enjoy the interaction here. If I can talk them into it...

I'm really content with these four choices. I have a feeling Crystal Palace may not be kept, and I'm unsure about Tokyo Dining and 1900's draw on my family, but I'm sticking to my guns on Boatwrights. Here's the big secret.

Yesterday I called the Disney florists and at the same, significantly lightened my checkbook. I decided to order the new Mickey's Welcome package from the new in room celebrations! I thought about ordering the GRAND Welcome, except that it comes with an enormous 32" Mickey Mouse plush- how the heck would I get that monstrosity home on the plane?! So I went with the smaller option, which comes with the following taken from the Disney Florist website:

Package includes:

* A festive balloon decoration and welcome banner to set the stage for celebration.
* An autograph book with a personalized Mickey Mouse signature.
* Mickey Mouse footprints leading the way to the welcome gift with a 22" Mickey Mouse plush.
* Inside the large, Mickey Mouse-themed gift box on the bed, several goodies await. (detailed below)
* A character frame featuring Mickey Mouse and the gang with a welcome message personalized to your family.
* And don’t forget Tinker Bell – if you take a peek around, you’ll find Tinker Bell’s shadow twinkling with pixie dust in celebration of your arrival.

Welcome Gift Box

* Inside the large, Mickey Mouse-themed gift box on the bed, several goodies await.
* A pair of Mickey Mouse mitts holds a special “Hidden Mickey” book so you and your group can enjoy a secret hunt around the Disney theme parks.
* Mickey Mouse has also left behind some other playful essentials: a Mister Fan, a glow necklace, a Mickey Mouse buzz wand, some temporary tattoos and Disney character playing cards.


Now, this is all fantastic, but there's only one Mickey plush and I have TWO little girls. Luckily I found out you can order additional stuffed animals to be delivered with your package! So OUR surprise includes a 22" Minnie Mouse plush as well!

But that's not all...

I found this on the website under some Valentine's day offerings and thought the kids would LOVE it as an after dinner treat:

Mickey-head shaped, milk-chocolate candy box. It is filled with delicious white, milk and dark chocolates with Magical wishes from Disney.

It'll be small enough for them to enjoy without going overboard on sugar before bedtime, and come on, it's a Mickey shaped chocolate box! How cool is that?! So I added it to the Mickey's Welcome package, which will be delivered on our day 2, which is really our first full day in Disney. The woman I talked to explained that for these in room celebrations, the Disney deliver 'dream squad' (as she called them) like to wait until at least the day after arrival, so there's no room confusion (if anyone changes rooms or upgrades, etc.) and they like to wait till everyone's in the parks so when we come home it's all set up and everyone's surprised. I think it'll be perfect- we'll be at Animal Kingdom all day, come back to POR to eat at Boatwrights, then head back to our room for the magical surprise!

I also ordered from Garden Grocer today. (I've been busy, I swear!) And the guy just called to confirm my order actually. (Thanks, guy!) They'll be delivering our goodies the evening we arrive, Friday the 30th. I ordered tons of breakfast schtuff, plus milk and juice for the girls AND... drum roll please... diapers. I don't have to haul diapers in my luggage! They'll be there ready and waiting for us, like an old, absorbent friend.

Last but not least on the update front for tonight are a couple of pictures of Tatiana's shirts that I didn't have from Christmas time, because I wrapped them before I took pictures!

Here's her Tink shirt that has the tattoo-ish feel to it. I think it's adorable.

And this one with the hearts and skull, which is not Disney but got the blinged-out treatment anyway.

And speaking of Tatiana, I promised there was a video in existence from when Lexi sprung the Disney surprise early... and, as promised, here it is!



She sounds a little nasally, which I didn't even realize until now... thank God the colds are past us!

Until later...

Happy 2 Days till Disney!​

The 6 trains at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad are named I.B. Hearty, I.M. Brave, I.M. Fearless, U.B. Bold, U.R. Daring and U.R. Courageous.

The 5 stories of the Japanese pagoda symbolize earth, water, fire, wind and sky.

4 types of Americans are represented in Its A Small World; Cowboy, Hawaiian, Inuit, and Native American.

Each year a horticulture staff of more than 600 plants 3 million each of bedding plants and annuals (not including maintenance of millions of other plants including more than 2 million shrubs, 13,000 roses and 200 or so topiary)

The names of 2 of the approach procedures that all aircraft follow into their arrival at Orlando International Airport are named GOOFY TWO and MINNIE TWO.

 

[Lady Lallie]

That video is so cute!!

Those surprises are so awesome!! Your kids are going to love coming back to a decorated room.

 

[Sarilas]

They won't be expecting it at all- and they will definitely trip out!

 

[JenAusty]

I'm am also doing the disney florist for my DH.. I haven't decided what day or exactly what I want but there is one with sausage, cheese and chocolates.. so I might do that! Idk though.. we will see! Great dinner choices.. that had to be hard to choose just 4. But QS will be a lot easier with kids! I can't believe its only 2 dayys CRAZZYY!

 

[GeminiAngel]

OH BOY!!

Nova wanted to see a photo of everyone she is going to meet.
When she saw Kyle I got a "he's cute!" Now she can't wait to see
him in person.

OMG please help me!! This girl of mine is so boy crazy at 7!!!

 

[TarzansKat]

ONE DAY!!!

Congratulations! You made it.

 

[GeminiAngel]

1 Day Dance!!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

ONE DAY!!!!



THE WHOLE GANG CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU!​

 

[MRYPPNS]

Yeah! For ONE Day!!! ​