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

[tinacaplan]

I'll put that little guy in to lead us off this morning. Finally saw "Pirates.." last night. It was great. What a fun movie and, well, Johnny Depp will always be easy on the eyes, IMO. And that Jack Sparrow get up...well, makes him even dreamier. I was impressed by the elements that lifted right out of the ride, it was really neat to see that and the special effects were incredible, too.

We're down to JUST TWO DAYS!!!! Where did the time go? I remember thinking that May would be so long and then June would be so long and here we are. I feel a bit guilty because I feel like I've wished away a bit of my summer vacation, but its hard not to when you know you've got a week at the happiest place on earth coming up!

I was fortunate enough to go to NYC this past weekend and visit one of my BFFs, who is quite a bit younger than I. She has the most adorable studio in Brooklyn Heights. She is a lot of fun and loves bringing folks around the city. We had dinner at Babbo, which is owned by Mario Batali. Mario is my hero, in the culinary sense. My copies of his cookbooks are literally falling apart and I still DVR his old show. He makes amazing food and my meal at his flagship did not dissapoint in any way. I was just so sad that I couldn't take any pictures inside. I was way too self-conscious and thought for sure people would look at me like I was CRA-RAZY! It is NYC, after all.

The next day, after I had achieved dining nirvana, we walked around and did some shopping. I got three more tops for the trip! I am LOVING those butterfly tops they have out this summer with the flowy arms that aren't really sleeves, exactly, but still supply coverage. And I got them at H&M, so you know they're thin.

Sunday and Monday were spent at the pool and meeting my BFF Melissa's brand new baby girl. I am pleased to report she's beautiful. I am thrilled to finally have a little girl to shop for, as it seemed that everyone I knew had boys! There was some packing thrown in there, too, for good measure.

Today will be spent cleaning, cleaning, cleaning with my darling husband. I really want the house in top shape, as I'm back to school August 1 and then life will get super hectic again. Plus, who wants to walk into a messy house after vacation? Then, this evening, I'm having a later dinner with one of my work friends.

Tomorrow will be packing day, as well as run around and buy last minute things for the trip day. We'll pack the car up tomorrow evening, grab something for dinner, and we will all go to bed early to be ready for our 3:30 a.m. wake-up Thursday...but it will surely be worth it...we hit MCO around 9:30 THURSDAY MORNING!

 

[MEK]

Wow _ I did not realize your trip was this close! I guess I should have, because it is almost mid July Why does the summer fly by so fast?

It sounds like you have been doing tons of fun things before the trip. All of which sound very relaxing.

I agree - I HAVE to come home to a clean house. It makes the transition back to real life much more palatable.

I hope you have a fab trip!

 

[bigal'sdaughter]

Just found your PTR...I'm usually reading and lusting over on the dining board but I had to stop in and say HAVE a GREAT vacation! Your report is getting me so excited...

And btw on my last trip Goofy gave lots of attention to my son too... (although DD liked Ariel's attention more!) Love his name!

 

[dizneeat]

Lucky girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow! Your vacation came up pretty quickly! Can't wait for your trip report, even though I hope that from Thursday on your weeks keeps on going REAL slow!

Have fun ....... take good care of my little friend Max, feed him lots of Mickey Bars (or whatever he enjoys) and give Mickey a hug from me!
Oh, and NO more EMH until 3am and then an early breakfast the next morning!

 

[brookelizabeth]

If, and this is a huge if, we make it back in February, those dates sound awfully familiar...as in the same dates we'll be there! That would be so cool!

I saw this before your note about probably not making it back to 2013. Boo. BUT! I understand. Maybe you'll win the lottery and you can enjoy both trips!

...and believe it or not...that's that! We're going to be leaving property around 4:30...suggestions for dinner at MCO in the SW terminal?

Thanks for everyone's input...always a huge plus!

We have done a few of the sit-downs at MCO and like Romano's Marconi Grill the best.

I wanted to start the summer off doing something fun with Mark and Max, so we headed to NYC for the day. We met up one of my good friends whom Max absolutely adores. I think he has a bit of a crush and I tease him that Meghan is his girlfriend. We had a delicious lunch and then went off to do some exploring in Central Park. Max played in two different playgrounds and we had a lovely, leisurely walk that ended in Strawberry Fields. After that, we grabbed some yummy Pinkberry frozen yogurt, which actually tastes like good, tangy yogurt.

Sounds like a very fun time here in NYC! Can you believe I still haven't tried pinkberry?! I might the only New Yorker who hasn't!

Well...Mark's home and it was just a kidney stone. Apparently..they are um...painful??? Crazy, crazy day...thankfully my mom stepped in and took Max for the day. We'll be headed over there in a bit to celebrate Max's big day! Can't believe its been four years already! He is my love. I'll post some pictures tonight or tomorrow.

I'm glad Mark is okay! And a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your little man! Henry is coming up quickly right behind him.

Max sitting on top of his favorite present; a Lightening McQueen car. One of my (well intentioned) aunts got this for him, thinking...hey, dream present for a lover of the movie, right? Not so much. Its essentially the same thing as that plastic, foot powered car, with the huge yellow roof kids have and is, thererfore, too small for him. Now, try explaining that to a four year old. We've hidded the box away and are praying that by the time we get back from Disneyworld, he will have forgotten about it and we can return it for some more age appropriate toys.

Such a shame! I hope Max forgets about it and enjoys the new presents it will buy!

The next day, after I had achieved dining nirvana, we walked around and did some shopping. I got three more tops for the trip! I am LOVING those butterfly tops they have out this summer with the flowy arms that aren't really sleeves, exactly, but still supply coverage. And I got them at H&M, so you know they're thin.

I think I need to make a trip to H&M, this is the exact type of top I have wanted! I'm not a big fan of tank tops and want the coverage, but want something light!

TWO DAYS, TWO DAYS! In case I don't make it back here tomorrow to send you off, HAVE A MAGICAL TRIP!!!! I hope you loooooooooooove the Beach Club!

 

[eandesmom]

What a fun jaunt to the city! I need to eat at your house if your Batali cookbooks are falling apart. I have one and every time I look at it, most take too long or have things I don't have handy but maybe I'm not looking closely enough (or am lazy lol).

Fun that you got some new tops, I love trip shopping!

So sad on the car, that's a tough thing to explain to a 4 year old but you have a perfect strategy. Though I'll warn you, a year from now out of the blue, he'll bring it up.

But you'll be fine until then.

 

[tinacaplan]

So, I never did quite wrap up my list of things I'm most excited about. Mainly, its because after the first four days, things are pretty loose and up in the air. I know that for me, anyway, part of the reason to keep going back is to try and perfect the whole experience, to make it even better than it was the last time.

I am pleased to report that Max is so much more excited this time around. He knows (for the most part) what to expect and has been really talking about it all quite a bit lately. The hours of listening to Disney music have certainly helped. He's also really into the whole idea of pirates and Peter Pan, which have me excited for him to experience two rides we didn't last time; POTC and PP.

Mark and I know not to try and point out every little detail to him and to just let him take it all in at his own pace. I am also not going to give him a lot of choices, rather, we'll go over the itinerary at the beginning of the day and go from there. I've discovered that this alleviates a lot of stress for him if he knows what to expect. We've gone through our plans here already, so he has some idea of what's in store. Of course, I do have a few surprises planned and I know he doesn't really comprehend things like the Wishes! dessert party.
I'm also very pleased that we got to see fireworks locally this year AND that he enjoyed them. Should make convincing him to stick around from them a bit easier...oh, and when that fails...there's always blatant bribery!

I'm glad that we made our ADRs later, as four o'clock seems to be the witching hour for him these days. If its four, you can pretty much bet on him having a meltdown and being cranky for an hour or so. Luckily, he snaps out of it pretty fast!

Overall...I want to take more pictures this time and while I do want to go with the flow (and I know we will...that's just us), I'm going to stick to our plan. I also have to say that I'm super excited to be travelling with just the three of us. I love my mom, but our relationship is not without its problems, nor is she the biggest Disney fan, and having her with us in February was sometimes a bit of a drag on the trip.

I am so looking forward to a week of fun, sun, and relaxation with my little family, then it will be back to the daily grind, hopefully with a rejuvenated spirit and some fun stories to share.

 

[tinacaplan]

Wow _ I did not realize your trip was this close! I guess I should have, because it is almost mid July Why does the summer fly by so fast?

No kidding! Summer always goes so quickly, even without a big Disney trip planned.

It sounds like you have been doing tons of fun things before the trip. All of which sound very relaxing.

I agree - I HAVE to come home to a clean house. It makes the transition back to real life much more palatable.

I hope you have a fab trip!

And the house is CLEAN. Happy to cross that off the list and will be happy to walk into a nice clean house when we get home.

Thanks...I think our trip is going to be pretty special.

Just found your PTR...I'm usually reading and lusting over on the dining board but I had to stop in and say HAVE a GREAT vacation! Your report is getting me so excited...

And btw on my last trip Goofy gave lots of attention to my son too... (although DD liked Ariel's attention more!) Love his name!

I spent a great deal of time on the dining boards and then met a whole bunch of great people over here in TR/PTR land! Thanks for reading!

Lucky girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow! Your vacation came up pretty quickly! Can't wait for your trip report, even though I hope that from Thursday on your weeks keeps on going REAL slow!

Have fun ....... take good care of my little friend Max, feed him lots of Mickey Bars (or whatever he enjoys) and give Mickey a hug from me!
Oh, and NO more EMH until 3am and then an early breakfast the next morning!

Can't you guys come over early, Karin? Please? No? Oh, well...truly our meeting was one of the highlights of the February trip and I wish I had another to look forward to this time. Oh well. Some day I know we'll be back there together again.

Believe me, I plan on giving Max (almost) whatever he wants this time...and I think Mickey bars will be imperative in the heat!

While I do plan on hitting evening EMHs at MK solo (something about the whole vibe of them that I just LOVE), I'm absolutely not doing it before an early breakfast. This time, I'm going to go the night before we go to EPCOT in the morning, which, if we miss rope drop, will not be a big deal.

I will miss you and I'm sure we'll think of you and Tom often. I'll try and post some pics and things on Facebook, too!

I saw this before your note about probably not making it back to 2013. Boo. BUT! I understand. Maybe you'll win the lottery and you can enjoy both trips!

Yeah, not ideal. I truly the idea of a February vacation. It is such a nice break from the yuck of northern winters. But I think we'll use it as an excuse to road trip to visit some family in Maryland, which will be nice on its own, too.

Sounds like a very fun time here in NYC! Can you believe I still haven't tried pinkberry?! I might the only New Yorker who hasn't!

I went to college just north of the city (literally), so I know it on my own pretty well and the drive down is a snap for me, I've done it so many times now. And if you like Greek yogurt, you should get yourself to Pinkberry ASAP. The plain flavor tastes like real, tangy yogurt and is SO delicious, especially when topped with some yummy fresh fruit. Granted, if that's not your thing, you probably won't like it.

I'm glad Mark is okay! And a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your little man! Henry is coming up quickly right behind him.

Thank you. I think four will be fun. Starting kindergarten...that one's scary!

Such a shame! I hope Max forgets about it and enjoys the new presents it will buy!

We're hoping so, too, but we're not holding our breath! It is Lightening, after all.

I think I need to make a trip to H&M, this is the exact type of top I have wanted! I'm not a big fan of tank tops and want the coverage, but want something light!

Those kind of fluttery sleeve t-shirts seem to be in a lot of places right now, but H&M happened to have racks of them for under thirteen bucks. I still packed a couple tank tops, just in case I feel the need, and some sundresses, but I do prefer sleeves. For modesty's sake, of course.

TWO DAYS, TWO DAYS! In case I don't make it back here tomorrow to send you off, HAVE A MAGICAL TRIP!!!! I hope you loooooooooooove the Beach Club!

Thanks, Brook. I think we'll love the Beach Club! I can't believe we're getting to stay there, actually!

What a fun jaunt to the city! I need to eat at your house if your Batali cookbooks are falling apart. I have one and every time I look at it, most take too long or have things I don't have handy but maybe I'm not looking closely enough (or am lazy lol).

Love being so close to NYC, yet not having to actually live there. His cookbooks can be...um...challenging, but I've adapted some things, too. Molto Italiano (IMO) is by far the best for home cooking.

Fun that you got some new tops, I love trip shopping!

With my schedule, shopping in general isn't something that happens too often anymore and I have a rather strong desire to look good while I'm at Disneyworld, without sacrificing comfort, obviously. This required shopping, clearly.

So sad on the car, that's a tough thing to explain to a 4 year old but you have a perfect strategy. Though I'll warn you, a year from now out of the blue, he'll bring it up.

But you'll be fine until then.

You're most certainly correct. His memory amazes me. Thanks for the reassurance. One of the great side benefits of the Dis, for me anyway, is the great mom advice.

 

[dizneeat]

Can't you guys come over early, Karin? Please? No? Oh, well...truly our meeting was one of the highlights of the February trip and I wish I had another to look forward to this time. Oh well. Some day I know we'll be back there together again.

Believe me, I plan on giving Max (almost) whatever he wants this time...and I think Mickey bars will be imperative in the heat!

While I do plan on hitting evening EMHs at MK solo (something about the whole vibe of them that I just LOVE), I'm absolutely not doing it before an early breakfast. This time, I'm going to go the night before we go to EPCOT in the morning, which, if we miss rope drop, will not be a big deal.

I will miss you and I'm sure we'll think of you and Tom often. I'll try and post some pics and things on Facebook, too!

Only one more day, Tina!

I SO wish we could be there with you, Tina, but ............ we still have a month to wait!

Thanks for reminding me of Facebook! I keep forgetting that I need to check there too, I am sure I will do so the week you are at WDW. Need to get that little extra bit of magic!

You are going to have a magical trip, I am sure, ......... enjoy the Beach Club, the sun, the sights and the sounds and the excitement on little Max's face!

 

[bigal'sdaughter]

Have a great vacation!
I'll be doing a girls trip with DD this fall and she is so pumped already... I think at 4 she knows some things and can remember things from the past. She literally brings up the trip every other day! I can't wait to read about your vacation!
Get a good nights rest and we'll be thinking of you!

 

[Moira222]

P Luckily for us, Max's preschool agreed to let him come tomorrow, which is normally his off day, so that gives me an extra day to get things done.

for a day to pack and get things done by yourself - so much more productive!!!


I know you are going to have the BEST time Tina! Can't wait to see your TR when you are done!

Have fun!!!!

 

[tinacaplan]

Only one more day, Tina!

I SO wish we could be there with you, Tina, but ............ we still have a month to wait!

Thanks for reminding me of Facebook! I keep forgetting that I need to check there too, I am sure I will do so the week you are at WDW. Need to get that little extra bit of magic!

You are going to have a magical trip, I am sure, ......... enjoy the Beach Club, the sun, the sights and the sounds and the excitement on little Max's face!

Oh, I know Karin...if we could go in August, believe me...we would! Your trip will be here before you know it and I'd think with a whole month at Disney, you have quite a bit of packing to do.

I think we're going to have a wonderful time...now if I can just calm myself down enough to survive the next twenty-four hours, we'll be all set.

Have a great vacation!
I'll be doing a girls trip with DD this fall and she is so pumped already... I think at 4 she knows some things and can remember things from the past. She literally brings up the trip every other day! I can't wait to read about your vacation!
Get a good nights rest and we'll be thinking of you!

Thanks! I know what you mean...what a difference six months has made for Max.

for a day to pack and get things done by yourself - so much more productive!!!


I know you are going to have the BEST time Tina! Can't wait to see your TR when you are done!

Have fun!!!!

I was so happy when the daycare center said we could swap tomorrow for today!

I think we'll have a great time and I'm definitely planning on doing a TR.

 

[tinacaplan]

In approximately twenty four hours, we'll be touching down at MCO! ​

 

[that's nice]

In approximately twenty four hours, we'll be touching down at MCO! ​

How exciting!!!!!

I know I wished you well already, but I am so excited for you guys... I wish I was going

Have a wonderful trip!!!!!

 

[dizneeat]

In approximately twenty four hours, we'll be touching down at MCO! ​

 

[annmarieda]

In approximately twenty four hours, we'll be touching down at MCO! ​

I can't believe your trip has come up this fast!!!! Have a good one! I can't wait to read all about it when you get back.

 

[glennbo123]

In approximately twenty four hours, we'll be touching down at MCO! ​

Have a great time!

And....you're now down to about 20 hours!

While you're landing, I'll be in the middle of a 4-hour global conference-call.

 

[brookelizabeth]

I went to college just north of the city (literally), so I know it on my own pretty well and the drive down is a snap for me, I've done it so many times now. And if you like Greek yogurt, you should get yourself to Pinkberry ASAP. The plain flavor tastes like real, tangy yogurt and is SO delicious, especially when topped with some yummy fresh fruit. Granted, if that's not your thing, you probably won't like it.


Those kind of fluttery sleeve t-shirts seem to be in a lot of places right now, but H&M happened to have racks of them for under thirteen bucks. I still packed a couple tank tops, just in case I feel the need, and some sundresses, but I do prefer sleeves. For modesty's sake, of course.

Sounds like I would LOVE pinkberry. That is just my sort of thing! YUM!

And sounds like I will love those shirts! Are they sheer-like and require a tank underneath? I'm seeing a lot of that, and I'm not a huge fan generally-but I will try it. For $13 methinks I need to get to H&M!

In approximately twenty four hours, we'll be touching down at MCO! ​

PAAAAAAAAAAAAAARTY! Try to sleep tonight!

 

[tinacaplan]

First of all, THANK YOU to everyone who's sending me well wishes for our trip. It is so great to have a place to come to where no one thinks my child-like enthusiasm is weird.

Thanks for all the dancers, Karin!

How exciting!!!!!

I know I wished you well already, but I am so excited for you guys... I wish I was going

Have a wonderful trip!!!!!

Thanks, Tim...don't you have some big things happening for you pretty soon? And don't worry, I'll be sure to tell you all about it when we get back.

I can't believe your trip has come up this fast!!!! Have a good one! I can't wait to read all about it when you get back.

That's the benefit of planning a trip so close to when its actually happening! We were already well within our 180 day window when I made our reservations..imagine that!

Have a great time!

And....you're now down to about 20 hours!

While you're landing, I'll be in the middle of a 4-hour global conference-call.

Thanks, Glenn...I HATE conference calls. I can never hear. Wonder which one of us will have more fun tomorrow morning? Well...considering I'm travelling with a four year old... yeah, it'll still probably be me.

Sounds like I would LOVE pinkberry. That is just my sort of thing! YUM!

And sounds like I will love those shirts! Are they sheer-like and require a tank underneath? I'm seeing a lot of that, and I'm not a huge fan generally-but I will try it. For $13 methinks I need to get to H&M!




PAAAAAAAAAAAAAARTY! Try to sleep tonight!

The shirts are not sheer; they're thin, but opaque, t-shirt material. I've seen a lot of the ones you're talking about, too.

I know that I MUST sleep tonight if I'm going to enjoy myself tomorrow!

 

[KatMark]

Have a great time guys. Remember...take LOTS of pictures.