Summer and Serendipity ~ July PTR ~ LINK TO TRIP REPORT!!!

[MEK]

I am so glad that your uncle's funeral was so moving and such a positive experience. Maybe this sounds weird, but I really like funerals. I really believe they help bring closure.

As far as your plans - "Rope Dropish". Love that term. I may have to borrow that, if you don't mind.

I love tons and tons of pool time during a summer trip. I literally can't survive without it because it puts a end to that intense mid day heat. And then you're recharged and ready for the evening.

Love 50's PTC. Good choice.

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Hats off to you Tina, because you are so faithful to all of your DIS friends through all of this.

Sounds like some great MK plans though! We can't WAIT to try Yak and Yeti in August, I've heard so many good things! We love P.F. Chang's as well.

 

[tinacaplan]

I am so glad that your uncle's funeral was so moving and such a positive experience. Maybe this sounds weird, but I really like funerals. I really believe they help bring closure.

My mom and I laughed when we saw this. I completely understand what you mean.

As far as your plans - "Rope Dropish". Love that term. I may have to borrow that, if you don't mind.

Oh, thanks...I'd be honored.
I love tons and tons of pool time during a summer trip. I literally can't survive without it because it puts a end to that intense mid day heat. And then you're recharged and ready for the evening.

Love 50's PTC. Good choice.

Can't wait.

Hats off to you Tina, because you are so faithful to all of your DIS friends through all of this.

Sounds like some great MK plans though! We can't WAIT to try Yak and Yeti in August, I've heard so many good things! We love P.F. Chang's as well.

Thanks...the Dis is a great distraction when things in the "real world" aren't going that well.

 

[tinacaplan]

ONLY THIRTY-SIX MORE DAYS!!!!​

...and, yes, this me shamlessly bumping up my little thread...

 

[tinacaplan]

...and I got Mickey mail today....OK, only the DME stickers, but still...so exciting. ​

 

[annmarieda]

ONLY THIRTY-SIX MORE DAYS!!!!​

...and, yes, this me shamlessly bumping up my little thread...

OMG!!! this is coming up quick

...and I got Mickey mail today....OK, only the DME stickers, but still...so exciting. ​

 

[KatMark]

...and I got Mickey mail today....OK, only the DME stickers, but still...so exciting. ​

Any type of Mickey mail is exciting. I can't believe how soon your trip is coming.

 

[tinacaplan]

OMG!!! this is coming up quick

thank you! and thanks for stopping by with everything you've got going on.

Any type of Mickey mail is exciting. I can't believe how soon your trip is coming.

I can't either! I thought the April and May would be SUCH LONG months, as they often are for me, yet they have flown by!

 

[dizneeat]

FOR MICKEY MAIL!!!!!!!!

Isn't that the best distraction from real life?

Hope you are going to have a wonderful weekend!

 

[All7OfUs]

...and I got Mickey mail today....OK, only the DME stickers, but still...so exciting. ​

Mickey mail is the very best kind of mail!!! Hip, hip, hooray!!!! You have only a little more than a month left!!!!

 

[tinacaplan]

After what I am sure will be four fun-filled days packed with activity, I have planned a NO PARK day for us. Its interesting...the first half of the week is super planned out and the second half, well...not so much. I really would like to see where we’re at that point... what have we not done that we wished we had? Or, will we just be really tired?

First, a brief note about my possible level of exhaustion. I’m not done with school until June 24th...if you can believe that! We stay in school forever up here in CT and many schools start after Labor Day. However, I work at a charter school and we are back for staff training on August 1. So, yes, I have five weeks off. Definitely more time than most people and I’m not complaining but I might still be a little worn out. The first week we’re off, we might travel up to New Hampshire (about a three hour drive) to visit some friends of my husband. I will also have a couple of school meetings to attend during that week. The following week is the fourth and Max’s fourth birthday! Ah...serendipity again! Max’s actualy birthday is on the sixth. My husband isl still upset that I didn’t hold on an extra hour so that Max’s birthdate could have been 7/7/07! Max is also starting his new daycare that week.

And then...we’re off to the Beach Club the following week! I can’t believe we’re almost so close!

Now, back to the real story...

Yes, I will want some time to just kick back and relax with no real agenda. This trip started out as the trip with no plans. That changed pretty fast. We start the day with a 9:30 ADR at Captain’s Grill for breakfast. I thought it might be nice to have a good breakfast somewhere and their menu looks good. Then again...Kouizzina is also calling my name. Question is.. is it calling my name loud enough? Not sure.

After that I wouldn’t mind going to Downtown Disney and then taking the boat to POFQ or POR. I’d love to check them both out a bit more closely, as they will have both been recently rehabbed for our next trip. Since packages were just released for 2012, I have realized that a deluxe probably won't happen again and POFQ is really becoming a serious contender. (Maybe February ‘12...keep your fingers crossed!) We could then take the bus back to EPCOT and on toward home.

Or, if I know my husband, we’ll stay at the BC and possibly hit the pool earlier than usual.

I am fine with either option, really. Because the highlight of my day...my must do on this day...will actually be at night. After much hemming and hawing and thought, I decided to go for it and make an ADR at the CALIFORNIA GRILL. This was my absolute, without a doubt, no questions, hands down BEST dining experience I’ve yet to have at Disneyworld. I will offer this one caveat: the night we ate there it was just my husaband and I, celebrating our fifth anniversary, a bit early on Valentine’s Day. We had a 7:30 ADR and Wishes was at 8. OK, fantastic, right? When they brought us to our Mickey confetti covered table directly in front of one of those huge windows that overlooks the castle, I had tears in my eyes. Was this actually happening? Is this the much vaunted Pixie dust I’ve been hearing about? Indeed, it was. The whole evening was amazing, from the food to the service to the ambiance. I think I floated back to Coronado Springs.

I had an ADR there for our February trip, hoping that maybe Max would be game...he absolutely was not. So I cancelled it and the lovely CM at the concierge desk was able to waive the fee for us, thankfully!

Thus, it was not without a great bit of trepidation that I finally made an ADR at California Grill for our upcoming trip. It is one of the few things I truly intend to absolutely, positively MUST DO while we’re at Disney.

I think Max will think it will be super cool to make the trek into EPCOT so we can take the whole trip to the Contemporary on the monorail. Talk about arrive in style! Especially when you’re four!

Our ADR is pretty early; 7:30. I wasn’t going to go any later and risk an incredibly cranky boy on my hands. I know this means we will likely miss Wishes!, but so be it. We might catch it from the balcony there, or..if we’re up to it, perhaps we’ll make our way across the walk way and over to MK.

I can’t wait to eat at California Grill without the dining plan! So many yummy flatbreads and sushi to choose from. I can’t wait. I also think its possible Max might light either of those things. And I”m always the person who would rather order appetizers and skip entrees entirely.

We’ll see..this could be a very special evening...of I’ll end up cancelling it and we’ll have hot dogs at Casey’s! Either way, we’ll be at Disney!

 

[tinacaplan]

FOR MICKEY MAIL!!!!!!!!

Isn't that the best distraction from real life?

Hope you are going to have a wonderful weekend!

Yes, yes it is! The weekend was OK...we had a week of 90 degree temps and then this weekend got cool and rainy. Grrr...was looking forward to some pool time, but what can you do? At least I've only got two weeks left!

Mickey mail is the very best kind of mail!!! Hip, hip, hooray!!!! You have only a little more than a month left!!!!

Thanks, Liesa..it sure is!

 

[tinacaplan]

In most cases, I do not recommend lying (by omission) to your spouse. Doesn't do much to build up trust and all that. However...when there are things your spouse just does not get, sometimes you must take matters into your own hands and do what you must to get what you want.

And I really, really, really wanted a new camera! I have terrible luck with electronics. I have a tendency to break electronics and so, my most recent camera purchase was a Casio (what??? didn't they make mini keyboards back in the 80s??) and well...it was terrible. Slow and took a lot of blurry pictures. Terrible pictures at night.

And so I went out and purchased a new Nikon Friday night...almost the same exact color as my old one so he'll never know! I am assured it will take decent pictures at a decent speed. Of course, I promptly proceeded to accidentally set the language on what I believe is German. Oops... I have an e-mail into Nikon and I'm sure its an easy fix, even if I can't figure it out on my own.

Long story short...I might be able to take half-way decent pictures on the trip!

 

[dizneeat]

A new camera New toys are always welcome! And thank you for setting your language to German! The things you do for ME!!!!!!!
And you are "tricking" Mark .............

Lazy day sounds fun! And both versions, either hitting the pool or going to POFQ sounds fun. the thing I don't like? Treking through Epcot and using the Monorail to the CR! Too much walking when it is hot in nice clothes! But you are young, you can do it!

You need to be back to meetings August 1? We will still have 6 weeks of vacation time ahead of us then! Thank godness, we only go back September 12!!
I am keeping my fingers crossed for you for February 2012 - for us, it is definitely out of the question. I would have to win the Lottery BIG time! But we will go to DLRP, Italy and Germany instead - not in February but throughout the next school year!

So .......... any more plans you want to share with us?

 

[tinacaplan]

A new camera New toys are always welcome! And thank you for setting your language to German! The things you do for ME!!!!!!!
And you are "tricking" Mark .............

I'm very excited about the new camera. Hopefully, I will be able to take some great pictures on our trip! Should make for a much more interesting TR this time around. Although, sadly, no major Dismeets in the offing...

Lazy day sounds fun! And both versions, either hitting the pool or going to POFQ sounds fun. the thing I don't like? Treking through Epcot and using the Monorail to the CR! Too much walking when it is hot in nice clothes! But you are young, you can do it!

If there is one thing I realized in February its that I tried to pack too much into too short a period of time and we (especially me) ended up rather exhausted pretty early on in the trip. I know, too, that if I factor in ridiculous heat, we're going to need plenty of time to rest.

I know the walk to the monorail isn't short...we'll have to see how much energy we have/what else we decide to do that day, as well as what time we leave. But you raise a good point!

You need to be back to meetings August 1? We will still have 6 weeks of vacation time ahead of us then! Thank godness, we only go back September 12!!

Yes, we do! I'll end up with about five weeks of vacation time, when its all said and done, which is about three weeks less than I'd have if I taught in a traditional American public school. But, its a lot more time than the average American worker, so I'm OK with it.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for you for February 2012 - for us, it is definitely out of the question. I would have to win the Lottery BIG time! But we will go to DLRP, Italy and Germany instead - not in February but throughout the next school year!

So .......... any more plans you want to share with us?

Ah...yes...February 2012. It depends on what's going on with our house at that point. We could be moving (or close to it), or we might be holding off again, in which case...DISNEY here we come! I'd almost like to (again....TRICK my husband and make a reservation and secretly pay it down between now and then. With that much time, its probably do-able regardless.

For the trips you have planned during the year! It would be lovely to be able to drive to Italy. It s one placed I definitely want to go someday.

I will be putting up some more plans, I promise! I'll probably just about get this done before we leave! Its hard to try and keep up with your own "real life," all the threads you're subscribed to, as well as your own thread...or, in your case...THREADS!

 

[MEK]

Congrats on the new camera!!!!!

I love the Cali Grill! I felt the same way you did when Denny and I ate there alone. We also had a wonderful table near the window. I felt like I had died and gone to Disney heaven! It was truly a night to remember!

 

[tinacaplan]

Congrats on the new camera!!!!!

I love the Cali Grill! I felt the same way you did when Denny and I ate there alone. We also had a wonderful table near the window. I felt like I had died and gone to Disney heaven! It was truly a night to remember!

Thanks...I'm pretty excited. Maybe this time I'll actually read some of the manual and practice with its different modes before we leave. It even has a "food" mode.

And, yes, Cali Grill is amazing. I can't wait to go back, even if I have a four year old with me. Hopefully a very well behaved four year old. I should have a pretty good idea about whether or not he'll make within the 48 hour cancellation window.

 

[tinacaplan]

When Max and I got home this afternoon, the first thing we did was check the mail...and look what has arrived...

Is it possible that we’re THAT close? Apparently, yes it is!

We opened it up right away...

Max made sure to inspect everything thoroughly...

He’s very excited about putting the new tags on his “luggages”

And now just two gratuitous shots to show how much better my new camera is, not to mention how cute Max is.

 

[tinacaplan]

As our wonderful week of Disney magic winds down, I find that I have far fewer plans. I have purposely left this, our last full day at Disney, completely open. I would like to decide where to go and what to do based on what we’ve already done. Make sense? I also know that rain will be more of an issue this week than it was on our February trips, so we could get rained out of some things earlier in the week. Although, given the temps, I’m all in favor of braving the rain regardless.

I also have no idea how Max is going to react to the parks or to any of the rides. He was not as into them as I might have liked when we went in February, but it will be interesting to see what a difference four and a half months makes, not to mention the level of familiarity he will have with the whole thing. We bought the Four Parks, One World CD while we were there in February, so he now knows the words to IASW by heart! :lol: He also enjoys “Jake and the Neverland Pirates,” and has decided he wants to be a pirate. Arrgh, matey! So Peter Pan and Pirates of the Caribbean might hold more appeal for him this time out.

I would tend to think we’ll do either MK or DHS this day, however. Our flight out of MCO is relatively late, so we will have a full day that day, when we’ll more than likely go to EPCOT.

I’d love to hear some input from people though....how do you deal with rain? What options are there outside of the parks that we might be overlooking? What touring tips do you have for a four year old?

 

[dizneeat]

No big outside the box thoughts, but have you considered doing one of the Mini Golf Courses? Winter Summerland Golf Courses are HUGE fun and I guess a 4 year old might love them.

Speaking of a 4 year old. What a handsome little fella, with his glasses on and that ever so cute smile! Hug him from me please!

Congrats on Mickey tags! I wish they would do the same for oversea's guests. We used to get the package when we arrived, but no longer ........ it seems, didn't get Mickey extras in a long time.

As for Florida summer rainshowers - imagine you stand in the shower and put it on full blast - that's your usual Florida summer rainshower!
No, honestly these rain showers are hard and the best option is to "hide". Whenever we see the clouds we head back to our resort, hoping to get there dry and sit it out. Time to unwind, do some laundry, sit on the balcony, whatever!