Surprising Ma....I did pull it off!! Surprise is out!!!

[bouncycat]

So, as the title goes, I'm surprising my Ma for her birthday, for a trip to the world. She has NO idea, and will probably kill me! I haven't figured out when to tell her, or even how to tell her, but that'll come later. So far, we're gonna be there Sept 15th to the 19th, we're hitting each park, and staying at CBR in the new pirat room My mom hasn't stayed on disney property, and has never been to animal kingdom. My sister is going with us, she's helping with the trip...if you wanna call hit help We're still trying to figure out where to eat!! This might take a while...
We're using the military 5 day companion tickets, for $99, and I'm gonna upgrade them to hoppers when we get there. We are using the DDP, and my sister doesn't understand the concept of ADR...so I had to explain that to her!! took a while for it to sink in, but it finally did. I've given her a list of places I'd want to eat at, and think Ma would like, that was a week ago, and she hasn't given me her ideas yet. SO, as I'm waiting for her to decide what MA would like to eat, I'm sitting here going crazy, thank GOD I got the May trip to keep me occupied, FOR NOW!! So, anyone who has any ideas on HOW to tell ma, I'm open to them. Next up, the Cast.....

 

[dinkerbelle]

Looking forward to reading your PTR! I am taking my mom on a trip for her birthday in September too! She already knows about the trip, but not about any of the surprises on the trip. We should swap ideas Really excited to see what you have planned!

 

[bouncycat]

Thanks!! And Every plan we have righ tnow is riding on my sister and these dining picks. I have a rough sketch on what we're gonna do, so just gotta get my sister to go with it! LOL She's helping me pay for this, so I figured I'd let her help plan...wondering if that was a mistake!! Anyways, thanks, and I'll work on this as I can! Hopefully we'll nail the itenerary down soon! We can also plan together, that'll be FUN!!! I love planning, my sister is like a tumbleweed that kinda goes with the flow!! NOT a good combination!!

 

[tiggersam00]

Fun plan! Cant wait to hear your ADR's and how you will surprise her

 

[bouncycat]

I can't wait to see our ADR's either!! I might just keep with MY plan, if my sister drags her feet! We can make them on June 15th...so we have time, but not much, the way things have been flying by. I'll give her a until my May trip, after that, I'm just gonna decide for us! Thanks for stopping by, I'll work on the cast this afternoon!!!

 

[leamom2princesses]

Hi there! I found your September pre-trippie! Sounds like fun so far! Looking forward to meeting the cast...

 

[bouncycat]

Leamom!! I went home for lunch, and uploaded some photos, now just gotta figure this thing out! not the most computer literate person....posted some for the May ptr, but it was links to the pics, not the actual pics! I'll work on it!!

 

[bouncycat]

Alright, my sister is probably gonna be mad that I posted THIS picture, but if she had just ONE picture without her sticking her tongue out, I'd use it!! Anyways, here goes!

The STAR!!! MA!!

She's the type of person who doesn't like anyone to do anything FOR her, but she'll do ANYTHING for her 2 girls!! We are her life, which is should be for any mother! I'm SOOOOO Happy we're doing this trip for her, and once she finds out AFTER she kills me, I'm sure she'll be very happy!!

My Sister....She's the BIG TIME NON DISNEY person of the family...she doesn't understand why we can't just "go with the flow" UM, YOU'LL SEE!! I do love her, she's my only sister...and I don't get to spend enough time with her at all! I do fear that we're gonna drive each other crazy with our opposite personalities!!

And certainly last but not least, me and Tyler...Thank GOD he's a go with the flow kinda kid, and he enjoys disney, not as much as me, but he does humor me!! He's my baby, and an only child, so of course he's spoiled!

Hopefully these work, and SOMETIME in the near future, we can get on with the daily plan!!! Once DSIS finds some time to work on the food!!

 

[bouncycat]

Any wagers on how many times this is gonna change? Okay, this is MY plan, it'll probably change once we get DSIS's input, but hey, this actually sounds pretty good, if I do say so myself

Day 1, Sept 15th- arrive around noon, hope the room is ready, if so, settle in, and relax, maybe take a swim. Later on that evening, attend MNSSHP, Ma has done MK before, many times, and I think this will be a way to make it TOTALLY different for her! Planning for an ADR for around 5ish at either CP or Tonys, haven't decided which one yet.

Day 2 Sept 16th- Sleep in just a tad bit, I promised my DSIS that I won't get her up at the crack of dawn EVERY day, just when we're out late the night before...so IF we stay until midnite, even I would want to sleep in a tad bit after that! So, this day, arrive at AK around 10, counter service for lunch, and then plan for KONA for dinner, since AK closes early.

Day 3 Sept 17th- MA'S BIRTHDAY!!! This day I'm planning for Epcot, 2 of her sisters are coming over to spend the day with us there, so it should be fun! CS for lunch somewhere in the WS maybe, and Coral Reef for Birthday DINNER!!! Illuminations afterwards.

Day 4 Sept 18th- DHS, Not sure how long we're gonna be at this park, so dinner is up in the air for this day. This is not my favorite park, so I'd wanna hop elsewhere.

Day 5 Sept 19th-birthday girls choice for park...hit what she liked, or just MK again, who knows! We're checking out this day too, do we'll be driving home when we're done with the park. If they just wanna go home, that'll be fine too!

One thing my DSIS and I agree on, is taking advantage of the Evening EMH's, that way we can use the lower crowds to our advantage and take in some of the bigger sights, and stuff of each park. I'm HOPING it's gonna be not so crowded so we can do that during the day...and not sure on during the day breaks, we may or may not take them, depending on how we feel. We may be done with what we wanna do in a park, and have enough time to go back for a swim before dinner!!!! Next up, dissecting arrival day!!!

 

[bouncycat]

YAAY!! I can't wait! Way too long to go at this point, but hey, I think about it all the time!! So, we arrive on Sept 15th, which is a Tuesday. We're staying at CBR in a pirate theme room, been toying around with the idea of possibly upgrading to FW to a cabin, so Ma and DSIS can have their own beds, but not sure of the cost....YET. We'll see how well we do at paying this one down first! So, we arrive on a Tuesday, I'm HOPING around noon, knowing my dsis it'll we'll probably LEAVE my house at noon! So I'm allowing extra time for that! We'll get checked in, hopefully the room is ready, if not, we'll mosey around somewhere, until it IS ready, again, knowing dsis, that'll probably be the BAR!! Then me and DS can swim! When we FINALLY get to our room, we're gonna rest, and then get ready to go to MNSSHP. Again, Ma hasn't done one of the parties before, so it'll be something different for her. DSIS probably won't dress up, I MIGHT be able to get a mickey or minnie headband on Ma, we'll see. I'll buy one in May for her and go from there!! DS wants to be a stormtrooper, or clone trooper, cause he's SOOOO into Star Wars! I was TRYING to get him to be something DISNEY, like Buzz, but NOPE....gotta be star wars! I'm gonna wear my tigger headband, LOVE that thing. So, that'll be our costumes, or lack there of! HAHA I'm gonna shoot for an ADR at either Tony's or Crystal Palace for 4:30 or 5ish, Maybe even Liberty Tree Tavern, Havne't decided the food yet! Maybe once we spring this on Ma, she can help us WITH The food choices!! LOL So, we'll eat, and then after some research, we'll probably hit the rides that won't be open, Like the Jungle Cruise...head down that way. I do want to watch the parade in frontier land, that's the best spot, I think! After that, head towards HM, then Fantasyland, and around the horn, and hit the fireworks, LOVE the parties' fireworks! After that, probably some pictures with Characters, and then back to the resort when they kick us out at Midnite. By then Ma will be exhausted, and DSIS will want a drink Keeping my fingers crossed for this to be a very LOW CROWD night, since it's a Tuesday....for Ma and DSIS, they don't do well with crowds, and DSIS doesn't do well with people in general

Anyways, this SHOULD be day one, I really can't wait until we finalize the dining, I'll rest easier!! Anyone have any favorites in the MK, or ANYONE with ideas on Surprising MA?? Anyone? I'm at a loss here!!! Next up....brainstorming ideas for Surprising Ma!!

 

[tiggersam00]

Hmmm.... I will have to think about this.... last year we surprised DF's mom and dad with a disney trip (but we just gave it as a Christmas gift).... we did get a cute card that you can record a message in and made a little poem... let me see if remember it all...

Take a week off, next December
We're all going on a trip to Remember

Walt Disney World is where we'll stay
And Best of all? The Kids will Pay!

So Pack a big bag, and a suitcase too,
this is a special gift for you.

Not much but it worked... we also had DF's nephew give them the card as the "Oh wait I think we have one more present left" gift.

Love your arrival day plans so far, very fun filled and action pakced!

 

[bouncycat]

Hmmm.... I will have to think about this.... last year we surprised DF's mom and dad with a disney trip (but we just gave it as a Christmas gift).... we did get a cute card that you can record a message in and made a little poem... let me see if remember it all...

Take a week off, next December
We're all going on a trip to Remember

Walt Disney World is where we'll stay
And Best of all? The Kids will Pay!

So Pack a big bag, and a suitcase too,
this is a special gift for you.

Not much but it worked... we also had DF's nephew give them the card as the "Oh wait I think we have one more present left" gift.

Love your arrival day plans so far, very fun filled and action pakced!

OMG I LOVE That poem, it'll even work with September!! Wow, I can use that for Mother's day to give to her! Not sure we'll be paid for by then, but mostly!! DSIS is LUCKY, she lives in Arizona, so I get to be the one to take the first force of "the finding out"

Another Idea I got from the creative DISigns board, is an invitation, they personalize things, so was thinking of asking for one of them, inviting them down for dinner..we do that regularly since we live 45 mins apart...and slip it to her then...I did that with a Valentines Day card...this way DH can join in on the fun of telling her! Other then those 2 ideas, I'm lost!!! I'm SOOOO not good at surprises, OR keeping secrets!! It's hard to be around her, cause then I can't talk about it, so I talk about the trip in May LOL Keeps ME occupied!! Keep the ideas coming, and thanks!!

 

[bouncycat]

Okay, So Ma doesn't know this is happening, called her on saturday to see if she was up for visitors, and she started talking to me about when her bosses were leaving for this year, etc. OMG, THEY'RE GOING TO LONDON IN SEPTEMBER!!! AAAAHHHHHH!!! So, I stayed calm on the phone, went up there to visit/investigate, and my Aunt was there. So I asked her if she knew, and she said no, she'd find out!! So, now I'm stressing, thinking we would have to move our dates around...UG!! I despirately wanted to be there for her birthday, but if not, that's okay too. I am grateful that we found this out BEFORE my sister bought her plane tickets!! Ah well, I'll keep posted on what all I find out and when. Until then, will we have to tell her because of this?? OMG!!!

 

[shordiebecka]

Oh no! Just found your pre-trip report, it seems during a crisis! Could you find a way to contact someone at her work? her bosses perhaps, via e-mail or telephone? If you could, maybe you could let them know of your plan so they know in advance. I really hope this goes well for you! Can't wait to hear what happens!

 

[bouncycat]

again Shordi!! My aunt has a pretty good relationship and knows her bosses more then I do, plus she's local to ma's area, so she's gonna call them. I don't know what to do about my DSIS tho, she's stressing me out with the lodging. My travel lady from Dreams Unlimited says she doesn't think we can get the military discount on the family suites, so we may have to go with a cabin, and have my DSIS deal with only one bathroom. She's getting a trip to disney, can't imagine why she isn't happy go with the flow!! Anyways, will update this when I get info...don't want to hound my aunt, but dang, this is killin me!!!!

 

[leamom2princesses]

Oh no! Let us know what happens with the bosses!

 

[shordiebecka]

Any updates yet? The waiting must be driving you nuts...we're right here with ya!

 

[tiggersam00]

Oh no! I will keep my fingers and toes crossed for you! Let us know when you find out

 

[bouncycat]

Okay, my Aunt talked to her bosses, they haven't made travel arrangements, and they LOVE what I'm doing for Ma, so they're okay with her birthday week. WHEW!! Crisis averted!! BUT....my Aunt is coming over to spend her birthday in the park with us, and she put in a request to go to Magic Kingdom, since she hasn't been there in forever, SO, that throws a wrench into the works, and I'm working on sketching a new rough plan. SO, would it be too much MK if we did MNSSHP on the 15th, and then MK again on the 17th? I wouldn't think so, cause MK is my favorite park, but would it be for my DSIS? I emailed her, I KNOW i'm driving her crazy with the planning, but I just don't wanna go and then go thru the "what do you want to do today" question! I wanna wake up and say HERE'S what we're doing today! SO...DSIS doesn't like epcot, so I'm thinking of doing that by EMH, or on the 18th after DHS....or we can do epcot on checkout day of the 19th???? I dunno!! I'm Confused!! HAHA So, back to the drawing board on the plans!!

 

[bouncycat]

Okay...here goes!! Had to play around with things a bit, and not even sure if DSIS will go for it, but hey, here goes!! HAHA

Day 1, Sept 15th, no change, arrive around noon, dinner at Crystal Palace at 5, MNSSHP that night.

Day 2, Also no change, AK CS lunch, with Kona's for dinner

Day 3, Ma's birthday, here's where the changes start LOL Aunt Donna wants to go to MK, since she hasn't been there for about 23 years, so I'm game for pleasing her! LOL Since she's helping with the bosses and such. Gonna do the birthday dinner at Tony's. I looked at CRT, but the food doesn't seem appealing to me for dinner! Not sure if Ma would like it either, so go with the ol' standby of italian food!!

Day 4 Epcot with Coral Reef for dinner...I REALLY wanna try Coral Reef!!! HAHA

Day 5, check out, and DHS. Last CS for lunch, and then head home when we're done with this park.

Let me know what you think, so my day one plan should still stand, I'll work on a day 2 now that we know the dates aren't changing. Plus, we're upgrading from staying at CBR to FW Cabins...DSIS is insisting on her own bed...go figure!! HAHA Tell me what you think, and GOD lets hope it doesn't change again!!