~~~~i normally try and do at least 2 updates a week, but will try and update more regularly than that, at least at the start to get all the back stuff out of the way and get to the actual trip.~~~~
Well, Since I didnt do PreTR of this adventure, a little back story is in order. And how the surprise came about
Early this year, I'm thinking in March sometime, was when I heard rumors of free dinning being offered. So i contacted my DIS friend dawn (punkin413) and had her keep me in the loop for the announcment. A short time later she let me know that it was infact happening for the fall.
So the trip was a go, but what were the dates we would choose.
Well flights are pricey so we decided to drive down. it would save some money and let us suprise the kids, (mostly parker, as noelle is still young and doesnt get them fully yet) with just telling him we are going on vacation and drive under the disney arches and totally blow his mind that we are in disney.
Not many pictures for this update, so I will through in a random one here.
this is from parkers first day back to preschool and also his birthday.
his preschool is at our high school, and the high school kids teach the classes as part of there course.
he has resently told us he is excited to start school again because he is sure the girls miss him.
when asked which ones the big girls (high school girls) or little girls (his age) he stated the big ones, they really like me.
His first new big boy bike for his birthday
back to the story
Sounded good, so she booked us from Thursday Sept 27th to Oct6th.
Hotel was to be all star sports or music with the free dinning...pop wasnt available for the discount. so she booked us with sports
Then three days later, she was able to switch us to POP for the same dates.
A short while after that, like maybe a week had passed and i figured, you know that means i will be driving through Atlanta area during the week and I hate there traffic.
Lets add 3 days and then i can drive through Atlanta during the weekend and fly right through there.
So Dawn changed our dates and we were now leaving on Sunday and arriving on Monday the 24th with the same departure date.
All was good in the world and me and candi were thrilled to have extra days.
Well then a few days after parkers birthday, i saw online randomly and dawn also confirmed that art of animation just released some rooms for the free dining package. I quickly texted her and she was on the hunt.
A short while later a message was back that stated she got us a room for free dinning in the little mermaid section.
I was pumped...and i knew candi would be too.
But, since the kids had the surprise of the trip, i figured, i might as well not tell her about it either.
Hence another reason for no PreTR, i didnt want to post on here where we were staying, since from time to time candi gets on the boards and browses around.
so the long 6+ month wait was on...could i do or would i crack and give in.
So far we have three resort changes, and extra nights added onto the trip.
time to throw in another picture of the spring hot weather we had to break up all the text writing.
noelle chilling and ready for a evening walk around the neighborhood.
So part of the main planning was done.
Room was booked, tickets added. And I didnt have to call disney once.
Im telling you the me not having to wait on the phone and have Dawn take care of it was priceless...very much worth it, and didnt cost me a penny more.
As far as ADR's since we were on the quick service dinning plan, so the couple of sit down meals we wanted.
chef mickeys
ohana
crystal palace
we would be paying OOP.
the additional cost to upgrade the plan was not much higher than what we were paying for the extra sit down meals, but that didnt include and extra cost of tips each night...so we decided against it.
and not knowing how the kids would do with sit down meals each night we opted to just book a few extra meals seperate from the free dinning plan.
next time we look at the ADR's our tentitive schedule for each day, and another change to our trip.
Been waiting on this one!!!
marv, its like you had some sort of insider knowledge i would be posting...weird.
...thanks for all your work and help.
Joining in. I've read your other trips reports and can't wait to hear all about this trip and AoA.
