September/October 2013 check in

[sarefromoz]

Ive deliberately stayed off Dis for a few months because I really need this holiday and it seemed too bloody far away...until now. We arrive into Orlando on Sun 29th September for 10 nights at our DVC home AKL Kidani.

The Boss and DD5 leave a month today to spend time with the Grandparents in Arizona first and I leave 2 weeks later to join them. Then after Florida is done we fly to Seattle for a week touring through SW Canada on a roadtrip through Kamloops, Banff and Jasper.

Did I mention I really need this holiday..........

Sounds like a great trip.

I have never flown long haul with the kids before (melbourne to cairns is the longest we've flown as a family). So for a few of your more experienced travellers with kids I have 2 questions:
What are you plan on dressing the kids in for the flight?
What are you packing for them (cabin luggage)? Each of my 3 kids has a small backpack that we are taking. Plus dh will take his large backpack.

Can I just say...we're down to 12 days until we leave

 

[GrazingGoat1966]

DD6 (appalling father I am- she turned 6 last weekend...oops) is always dressed in a tracksuit with a tshirt and sandshoes and socks. Shoes off...still warm feet. Tracksuit top off....still warm enough with a t/shirt on the plane. We always take colouring books and pencils, reading books (now she can read!) and a charged mini I-pad for the games.

And ALWAYS take a spare change of clothes in the hand luggage in case of tummy bugs that may hit....oh I dont know, somewhere over the Pacific near Hawaii......(but thats another post altogether!).

 

[PrincessInOz]

DS also likes to travel in his trackpants, t-shirt, shoes and socks. He's recently discovered that he quite likes wearing jeans; so we'll see what he dresses himself in on the day. We always take a change of clothes and underwear for all of us on-board.

We take electronic gadgets with us on-board and DS quite likes moving between the gadgets and the in-flight entertainment system.

 

[Marlea98]

DD6 (appalling father I am- she turned 6 last weekend...oops) is always dressed in a tracksuit with a tshirt and sandshoes and socks. Shoes off...still warm feet. Tracksuit top off....still warm enough with a t/shirt on the plane. We always take colouring books and pencils, reading books (now she can read!) and a charged mini I-pad for the games.

And ALWAYS take a spare change of clothes in the hand luggage in case of tummy bugs that may hit....oh I dont know, somewhere over the Pacific near Hawaii......(but thats another post altogether!).

Jeans, T-shirts and a light jumper for us. Next trip I think I'm going to wear my LJ Flashdance pants with a tshirt and light hoodie for the plane. I'll wear my crocs I guess but take a pair of socks for the plane. We are coming from the tropics to an LA winter so will need layers.

I bring cheap books from the op shop plus magazines and iPods.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Marlea98]

Forgot to add the kids will be in similar clothes to me and DH (he wears jeans). The kids and I also take a travel journal to write in.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[WanderlustNZ]

We're taking my son's PJs in our carry on. It's a night flight so I want him to feel like it's bedtime and (fingers crossed) get some sleep.

 

[5ofus]

Sounds like a great trip.

I have never flown long haul with the kids before (melbourne to cairns is the longest we've flown as a family). So for a few of your more experienced travellers with kids I have 2 questions:
What are you plan on dressing the kids in for the flight?
What are you packing for them (cabin luggage)? Each of my 3 kids has a small backpack that we are taking. Plus dh will take his large backpack.

Can I just say...we're down to 12 days until we leave

The boys will be wearing trackies and a jumper. We will take a change of clothes and probably pjs in our carryons. I a making up little packs for them with custom made colouring/activity books, pencils, stickers and a personalized travel diary. We will also ave an iPad and iPod and some reading books for them. For DS3 I have some Cars cars for him and his beloved Lightening Mcaqueen and Mack. Hopefully that will all be enough!

 

[sarefromoz]

And ALWAYS take a spare change of clothes in the hand luggage in case of tummy bugs that may hit....oh I dont know, somewhere over the Pacific near Hawaii......(but thats another post altogether!).

Eeekkkk....I'll definitely do that. Might need to take another back pack just for the change of clothes for the 5 of us.

Forgot to add the kids will be in similar clothes to me and DH (he wears jeans). The kids and I also take a travel journal to write in.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

I've got to get a travel journal for the girls. I'm not asking for any work from school, but I do want them to keep a journal. I think I need to do a last minute shopping list for all these sorts of things.

My girls (6 and 8) are getting iPad minis as an early birthday present (from us and their grandparents). So I've loaded heaps of movies, apps and ebooks. DS4 can alternate between my iPad and my old iPhone. I thought I'd get each of them a colouring book and some new pencils/textas and a puzzle book for the girls. Ds will take some cars. I might take a deck of UNO cards too.

The kids have decided what they'd like to travel in. Dd8 and ds want to wear jeans and layer tops. Dd6 is a dress kind of girl, so she will wear a dress with some leggings and a cardigan.

Oh and I mucked up, it's actually 11 days until we leave...I have no idea that I made that mistake, but I guess it's a good one to make.

 

[australiankaren]

checking the ticker

 

[PrincessInOz]

Your ticker is shorter than mine.

 

[heidispidi]

My DD11 travels in tights/leggings, a t-shirt and hoodie, and generally thongs/flipflops (she hates shoes).

I know it's not a DL/WDW trip, but I'm joining the bandwagon anyway in October - I've booked a 4 night trip for us to visit my best friend in Singapore. Jetstar have a sale on, so my DH agreed it would be a nice little trip to take before the end of year. If anyone has ideas for things to do/see, I'm all ears!

 

[sarefromoz]

My DD11 travels in tights/leggings, a t-shirt and hoodie, and generally thongs/flipflops (she hates shoes).

I know it's not a DL/WDW trip, but I'm joining the bandwagon anyway in October - I've booked a 4 night trip for us to visit my best friend in Singapore. Jetstar have a sale on, so my DH agreed it would be a nice little trip to take before the end of year. If anyone has ideas for things to do/see, I'm all ears!

Congratulations. I have never been to Singapore, but friends have been and loved it.

I just came on to do a little happy dance, because I'm in single digits in 8 days and 12 hours I will be just about to board our first flight.

I made my girls travel diaries today. I'm really happy with how they turned out. I showed them when they got home from school and they're actually excited to fill them in while we're away. That might change when they're busy and tired, but it will be such a nice keepsake for them.

 

[PrincessInOz]

So it's 12 days to September (and still plenty of days before my vacay officially starts!!) and I'm in two minds about whether I want the time to pass quickly or not.

On one hand, come September, a bunch of us can say we're going on holiday this month.
On the other hand, come September, a bunch of us will be facing the post-holiday blues all too soon.


*Oh the Serenity*

 

[Kristin5]

I just came on to do a little happy dance, because I'm in single digits in 8 days and 12 hours I will be just about to board our first flight.

I made my girls travel diaries today. I'm really happy with how they turned out. I showed them when they got home from school and they're actually excited to fill them in while we're away. That might change when they're busy and tired, but it will be such a nice keepsake for them.

Wow, single digits, so close!

I have made a travel diary for DS as well. He is very excited about it as he loves to write. He says it'll be a nice thing to show his own kids one day (lol, he is only 6!)

DS wears shorts and t-shirt on the plane and some sort of slip-on shoes. He will have a zip-up hoodie as well, but I doubt he'll be wearing it much (maybe just on the way to the airport). We also put in a full change of clothes for him. We don't usually worry about a change for us, though I know people who do, just in case luggage goes missing. DS will have his ipad mini and DSi for entertainment on the plane (but Air NZ is pretty good with in-flight entertainment anyway. I have heard that you can take a USB stick loaded with movies and plug it in on the plane too).

 

[Kristin5]

By the way, did anyone see on the main board that there's a rumour that Radiator Springs Racers might be down for refurb 3rd week of September?

 

[coco392]

By the way, did anyone see on the main board that there's a rumour that Radiator Springs Racers might be down for refurb 3rd week of September?

I saw that and if true there will be blood !!!!!!!

 

[alicia1506]

well i'm officially under 2 months now... not exactly wishing the days away, but if i win lotto between now and my departure date... well, that will make me one happy little camper.

i have officially paid off/organised EVERY.SINGLE.THING for my trip ...with the exception of spending money and dlr ADRs (have to wait until 60 days prior to the ADR date and as it will be on our last night in dlr, i have another 2-5 days before i can make the 3 disneyland ADRs i need to.

i am so, so, so ready for this trip to just happen.

still a few bits and bobs to pick up (new socks, new luggage tags, spare batteries etc) but i am 9/10ths done!! oh, what a glorious feeling. and, dare i say it, a tad nerve-wracking as i am constantly worrying i've forgotten something and won't remember until i'm there and trying to figure out why they won't let us in somewhere....

i can't believe our vacations are getting so close, you guys...

this trip is so, so special for me as it is essentially a do-over of our trip last year.

the trip last year was cancelled due to major surgery and post-surgical illness i had *cue the sobbing, wailing and gnashing of teeth but it was the right thing to do at the time*

...and then the issues and dramas with our 4th traveller cancelling on us this year (deja vu, anyone? (had i previously mentioned that? we are down to 3 travellers now --oh, the dramas and changes that entailed...)

...and then last week i was rushed in for an emergency appendectomy (thank god it happened now [and after purchasing my trip insurance] and not in the usa, or worse, just before i was due to fly out ).

... so if i actually make it onto a plane and to the usa and to my happy place... well, let's just say, much merriment will be had by alicia!!!

 

[sarefromoz]

By the way, did anyone see on the main board that there's a rumour that Radiator Springs Racers might be down for refurb 3rd week of September?

Yep, saw that too. I will have one devastated boy if that's the case. There hasn't been an official announcement yet has there?

That's so cute about R wanting to show his travel diary to his kids one day.

Alicia...hope that you have a speedy recovery, but as you say much better here than over there.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Speedy recovery, Alicia.


Yes, another one watching the announcements this week to see if/when RSR is down.

 

[Kristin5]

Alicia, you certainly have been through the wringer haven't you?! But hopefully it's onwards and upwards from here, and all smooth sailing.

I went onto the micechat site and someone there said that if RSR is down it is only for that 1 week. But we really won't know until DL makes it official. We have started preparing DS though just in case, but it would be a major blow if it is closed (should've heard DH cursing about it last night! In fact, it's probably lucky none of you could hear it as he was pretty irate, I had to remind him that it is only a rumour at this stage!) But as Carsland is the only reason we are doing DL this time, otherwise we would've been going to WDW instead, I guess we would be understandably upset if the main ride is not in operation.